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An Invitation to Believe

Text: John 12: 36

AN INVITATION TO BELIEVE

Once again, Jesus graciously invited the crowds to believe in Him. There was every reason to have faith in Jesus! There was no reason to remain in unbelief and to walk in darkness.

“‘While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.”

John 12:36

1. “While you have the light”

a. Another reminder that the light, that is, the Lord Jesus would not always be with them.

b. The imagery of “light” in the Gospel of John:

i. John the Baptizer bore witness of the Light (John 1:8).

ii. He was not the Light (John 1:8).

iii. Jesus was that true Light (John 1:9).

iv. He gives light to everyone who is born (John 1:9).

v. Jesus declared Himself as the Light of the world (John 8:12).

vi. He would continue to be that Light as long as He was in the world (John 9:5).

vii. He was still that Light that was shining.

viii. The crowds could still respond to the Light that Jesus gave.

2. “Believe in the light”

a. This was such a gracious invitation to believe in Jesus.

b. Despite the hostility and rudeness shown to Him, Jesus still invited them to believe in Him..

3. “That you may become sons of light”

a. So many had become sons of light.

b. The Disciples were living examples.

c. Those who were miraculously healed had come to believe in Him.

d. Those who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead had found faith too.

e. Through faith in Jesus, they would become “children of light”.

f. They would also have eternal life. They would then be able to walk in the light instead of in darkness.

4. “These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them”

This signalled a change of Jesus’ ministry. He would not spend more time in these unprofitable conversations. He would now no longer be publicly visible to the multitudes.

经文：约翰福音 12: 36

邀请来信从

耶稣再次富有恩典地邀请众人来信从祂。我们拥有一切理由来信耶稣！我们没有原因继续不信，并走在黑暗中。

“‘你们应当趁着有光，信从这光，使你们成为光明之子。’耶稣说了这话，就离开他们隐藏了。”

《约翰福音 12：36》

1. “你们应当趁着有光”

a. 这是对于光，那就是主耶稣，并不会永远和他们同在的另一个提醒

b. 在《约翰福音》中“光”的意象：

i. 施洗约翰为光作见证《约翰福音 1：8》

ii. 他不是那光 《约翰福音 1：8》

iii. 耶稣是那真光 《约翰福音 1：9》

iv. 祂照亮一切生在世上的人 《约翰福音 1：9》

v. 耶稣宣称自己是世界的光 《约翰福音 8：12》

vi. 只要祂在世上，就会继续是那光 《约翰福音 9：5》

vii. 祂仍然是那闪亮的光

viii. 众人仍然可以对耶稣所赐的光作出反应

2. “信从这光”

a. 这是一个来信从耶稣的邀请，它是何等富恩典

b. 尽管众人向祂表示了敌意和无礼，耶稣仍然邀请他们信从祂

3. “使你们成为光明之子”

a. 多人成为了光明之子

b. 门徒就是活生生的例子

c. 那些因神迹而被医治的人信从了祂

d. 那些目睹耶稣叫拉撒路死里复活的人也找到了信心

e. 通过对耶稣的信心，他们将成为“光明之子”

f. 他们也将拥有永生。只有这样，他们才能在光明中，而非在黑暗中行走。

4. “耶稣说了这话，就离开他们隐藏了”

这代表着耶稣的职事有所改变。祂不会把时间花费在这些徒劳无益的交流上。从今以后，祂将不会在众人面前公开出没了。