John 12:27-36a
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
Reflection
First and foremost, the gospel is the good news of how God reconciles sinners to himself through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But the gospel also tells us the good news of Jesus’ triumph over all evil and over Satan himself, “the ruler of this world.” Jesus came into the world to destroy him who holds the power of death (that is, the Devil) and to free those “who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb. 2:15; cf. 1 John 3:8).
Satan’s defeat has already been secured, and the universe will soon experience the full force of what Christ has accomplished. Even the Enemy himself knows that his time is short (Rev. 12:12).
Hebrews 11:32-40
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Reflection
If ever there was a biblical chapter that prosperity theology teachers should avoid, this is it! The heroines and heroes of faith hardly “named it and claimed it.” To the contrary, “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about . . . destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:37–38).
The chapter ends still focusing on the future promises of faith: “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (vv. 39–40). These words draw attention to the final salvation accomplished by Christ’s ministry. Old Testament saints looked forward to this ministry and, amazingly, Christians now enjoy its fruits by God’s grace alone.
Psalm 9:5-8
5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, 8 and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.
Whatever challenges you may face from the enemies of Christ, the resurrection gives us certainty that Christ will have the final victory. Ask God for faith in his power over all things so that your heart will be stable in every circumstance.