Unshaken: Chapter a Day

John 12 Discussion

• Pastor Plek

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What if triumph looks like loss and still wins? We walk through John 12 where a house fills with the scent of costly love, a city erupts with palm branches, and a voice from heaven affirms a King who chooses a cross. Mary pours out a year’s wages at Jesus’ feet while Judas hides greed behind “good stewardship,” and the contrast exposes our own tug toward utility over devotion.

From Lazarus’s resurrection to the colt of Zechariah 9:9, signs stack up as the crowd shouts Hosanna. Then the Greeks arrive asking to see Jesus, and the story widens: glory’s hour has come—not a political throne but a seed that dies to bear life. We talk about why the Father’s voice thundered for the crowd’s sake, how “lifted up” draws all people, and why that magnet of mercy still pulls across borders, backgrounds, and doubts.

Yet many resist. Some can’t see past hardened hearts. Others believe quietly but love human approval more than God’s glory. We press into that tension with honest application: confess the fear of man, resist the veneer of pragmatic faith, and choose the light you have by obeying Jesus’ words. The promise remains clear and hopeful: when Christ is lifted up, he draws; when you walk in the light, darkness loses its grip.

Listen for a grounded, practical walk-through of John 12: costly worship, fulfilled prophecy, a global gospel, and a final public call to believe. If this conversation helps you, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a review telling us where you’re choosing light this week.

Text us at 737-231-0605 with any questions.

Pastor Plek:

Welcome back to a chapter a day. Keeps the devil away. I'm Pastor Fleck. That's Pastor Holland. We're talking John chapter 12. We're going to outline it. We are going to observe it. We're going to get some interpretation, some application so that you can take Jesus with you along your way today. So it starts off with Mary's anointing and Judah's betrayal foreshadowed in verses 1 through 11. In verses 12 through 19, you got the triumphal entry into Jerusalem where everyone's crying out, Hosanna, and he's fulfilling Zachariah 9:9. Now we see that some Zeke seeks, some Greeks seek Jesus and the hour of his glory arrives. And so whenever he gets the word that his hour has come from the Greeks, he is now time to be glorified. And then he gets a thunder of approval, which is pretty great. And he asks for the Father to glorify his name. He said, I've glorified it, I'll glorify it again. And then Jesus lets everybody know that was not for him, but for their sake. Then he's got the unbelief despite signs and prophetic judgment, despite the many signs that people don't believe, fulfilling Isaiah 53:1, who has believed. And then also 6.10, as God hardens hearts for his glory's sake. That all happens in verses 37 through 43. Then you've got Jesus' final public summary and call to faith. Verses 44 through 50, Jesus cries out that believing in him is in believing the Father who sent him as light to save them from darkness. Okay, let's get into some observations. What do you see here?

Pastor Holland:

All right. In verse 19, no, no, no. 18, it says, The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign, speaking of Lazarus. So this uh this sign, if you remember, we've talked about seven signs that Jesus does and seven I am statements, where we've we've hit five of the I am statements, right? And the raising of Lazarus uh is the seventh sign, and that's kind of locked in here. They talk about it in verse one where Lazarus was raised from the dead, and then actually in verse 18 calls it a sign, kind of saying, Hey, the seven signs are complete. And the seventh one being, you know, really this proof that Jesus has power over death. It foreshadows his own death and resurrection. So it's good. Seven signs done. We got two more I am statements coming.

Pastor Plek:

Wow.

Pastor Holland:

All right.

Pastor Plek:

How about um Judas cloaks himself in false piety? Verse five. Uh his objection masks the fact he's actually ripping off the treasury.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah.

Pastor Plek:

So that was sort of wild.

Pastor Holland:

Right. Uh, what about the tri we got the triumphal entry here as well?

Pastor Plek:

Yep. Um, so did you We fulfilled Zechariah in 9-9. We've talked about this before, but we can talk about it again. What part? That he rides on a donkey's colt, looks like Shrek on like a moped.

Pastor Holland:

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm talking about the the palm branches. Um when you uh did you grow up in a church that had like big palm Sunday celebrations? Okay, so I missed out. I didn't grow up in church. So what what was like what's the palm sundae like waving the palm branches? Do you lay them out?

Pastor Plek:

Do you give everyone a well actually you didn't give everyone a full palm branch, you just got one leaf, so it's sort of disappointing. But you usually turn into a cross in your craft time in Sunday school. Okay, and the significance of the palm branches is that is a great question that um I probably should know. I think that's so um during Passover, right? Because uh yeah, I don't it is during Passover. And I just think that you'd be waving those things around a lot, I guess. I don't know.

Pastor Holland:

That's a great question. And uh just a little on the fly research here, palms symbolize triumph. Um, and palms were used in Feast of Tabernacles. Um and so it's the idea of you know a triumphant king and a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, that's I'm seeing that too. Uh and palms recur in Revelation 7 9, where a multitude from every nation waves them before the throne. So there you go. You know, that that could be I think it's just what they had that was something to honor him by.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah.

Pastor Plek:

Like, you know, like you could they did throw their cloaks down, but it's hard to wave a cloak. Um and so palm branches symbolizes I'm bowing down before you with like the yeah, I like that.

Pastor Holland:

Okay, yeah, what else?

Pastor Plek:

Uh how about uh Mary? The extravagant devotion, her act of worship was costly, personal, intimate, prophetic, and also public.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah, yeah, public. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. I love that. Her her worship was personal, and yet it was it gave this pleasing aroma to everyone around.

Pastor Plek:

Okay, now here's beautiful to me. This is the question I always have. Is this the same Mary uh from Luke, where it's at Simon the Leper's house? Sinful woman. Yeah, just calls her a sinful woman in Luke, right? Right. And so I always wonder, because wherever her story is told, wherever the gospel is told, it would be told of her. And I always was wondering, is it the same woman, or is there another woman who anoints his feet and cries on him and all that stuff? Like that's the thing that is sort of a struggle for me. Which one what do you think that what do you think on that?

Pastor Holland:

Uh I think it's two different women. Okay. Um, but uh it could, I'm I'm pretty sure it's in Luke. Uh, she's just called the sinful woman, right? It would be interesting that it wouldn't include her name in Luke. Um, if I remember correctly. It doesn't name her. No, it does, it doesn't name her. That's why I always wonder. Um Yeah, so either, you know, mo either, you know, John's written after Luke and adds the name to say, hey, this is who that sinful woman was. Right. Or um John is including another, you know, um instance where something like this happens. Because whose house are they at?

Pastor Plek:

Are they at Lazarus's house? Because in the other one, they're at Simon the leper and Simon the Pharisee's house. Yeah. Right. Um, so here he is. Whose house is he at? It's uh let's see, six days before they came to Beth, where Lazarus was, so it doesn't say, so they gave a dinner for him there. Yeah, so so Lazarus is one of those reclining tables. So it could have been because the same conversation about couldn't this money have been given to the poor, like it's like the same exact conversation, which is why it feels like you know, you always have the poor among you. So why wouldn't it be the same person? And wherever this gospel is told, um, yeah, it happens in Matthew 26, anointed at Simon the leper's house. And then you've got Mark 14, it's Simon the Leper, and then in Luke 7, it's the sinful woman at a Pharisee's house. That sort of fits. And then you've got Mary at Bethany anoints Jesus' feet. So I anyway, it's it's interesting. I I wish I could really wrap my head around if it was a different person or not. And maybe we're getting way too into it and probably doesn't matter. Yeah. Um, okay, do you think there's anything about the Greeks seeking Jesus that he said, my hours now come? Was it the Greeks coming to Jesus that he's like, okay, it's time? Or was that just coincidentally, you know, like that's just obviously there's probably no coincidences. However, was it specifically about the Greeks are now here, it's time for me to die?

Pastor Holland:

I think uh there is a significance to it. It's not like, hey, they're here and now it's time to me to die, time for me to die, but rather there's a significance of them being there in that it's symbolic of Jesus being back to John 1, the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world, right? Not just the sins of Israel. So that Jesus is Lord of both Jew and Gentile, Jew and Greek. Right. Um and so I I think it's kind of hinting at the reality of Jesus' death, his hour, um, the hour of his death, uh, is going to not just be for the Jews, but for all the nations of the world. Yeah, that's right. The Greeks kind of symbolized just non-Jews in general, right? Yeah, I like that.

Pastor Plek:

All right, let's get into some uh truths about the nature of man. How about um hum we default to a utilitarian faith. Like whenever it's talking about devotion, like don't give too much. That's just a waste. Um and it's I I do think there's a lot of that where people they'll they'll say stuff like how much money do you spend on that building? Couldn't they then have used to give to the poor? Uh, how much did you spend on? You could probably go into any sort of extravagance or any sort of whatever. Um, that somehow people are okay with spending that money that they earned on themselves, but they're not okay with using it to worship Jesus in a way that might be more extravagant.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah. Yeah. Also, verse 37 though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him. Yeah. Our nature is that we can see all the evidence, um, but it's really it's a matter of um, it's a matter of God's saving grace to open our eyes. Unless he does that, we will not believe.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah. Um, yeah, I love that. I I I do feel like uh when I love the like when you but when you're sold out, you're sold out. I love Mary, just like I don't care what it looks like. I don't care if it's a whole year's wage to pour on Jesus. It's worth every moment of my worship because he can do anything.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah. Verse 42 and 43, man, this is like this is really an indictment and convicting, I think. Of it says many of the of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it. So that they would not be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. It that's something about human nature that you know we gotta be aware of is like we we love and care about the approval of people more than the approval and the glory that comes from God. Yeah.

Pastor Plek:

It's good. All right, what about um let's move into some character of God? Uh, how about God glorifies his son through what looks like death or apparent defeat? Isn't that wild? Like, you know, like why does he have to die? And then he's like, glorify my name, and he glorifies it. Like he kind of says, like, this is the truth. You guys are gonna kind of wrap your head around it, and the father is glorying in even a son, his son's death. Yeah.

Pastor Holland:

Uh I'm I meant to bring this up earlier. I don't want to skip it though, but um, they they try to kill Lazarus again. Yeah. Uh they're that much, you know, back to the nature of people of like, you know, just the hardness of heart that we have. Like Jesus raises him from the dead, and they're like, we gotta kill him again. Because people are believing on his account, you know? Right.

Pastor Plek:

So let's show them how he's not really alive. I just think that's crazy. Yeah, that's good. How about um uh God gave heavenly validation for uh earthly, you know, he did it over and over again through the scriptures, and here it is for the voice from heaven. Um, he doesn't have to do that, but he does that for their benefit.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah, I like verse 26 as well. If any if anyone serves me, the father will honor him. God honors those who believe in him and serve him.

Pastor Plek:

That's good. Um, okay. What about uh let's see. Uh how about you know, God calls us to be light of the world. Yeah. Um, and that's that's a big deal. I I think that's the way that that John chapter 12 ends is Jesus kind of crying out. I love that he's crying out. Yeah. Whoever believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me. Whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I've come into the world as light. So that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. So Jesus comes to bring light to the world so you don't have to remain in darkness and be lost.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah.

Pastor Plek:

Man, that's good. All right, let's get into some application. Uh, we've got, you know, a sin to confess, a uh promise to claim, a example to follow, command to obey, a knowledge to believe. What do you see in here?

Pastor Holland:

Sin to confess, loving the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. Nice. Keeping you know, keeping quiet about Jesus or his word, being fearful of what other people might think instead of just being obedient to God.

Pastor Plek:

Good. How about um sin to confess, harboring a Judas-like pragmatism of like going utilitarian? Like, if we could look at how much better we could use this, and you're like, I want to give generously or give in this sacrificial way because what Jesus has convicted me. Yeah.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah. Example to follow, Mary. Man, just pour it all out for Jesus, give him everything.

Pastor Plek:

Um, command obey. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. Uh, so how about we need to walk urgently with the present revelation we have and reject those shadows of doubt that we might bring God's light to the world? Mm-hmm. Um how about promise to claim? And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.

Pastor Holland:

Yeah, I love that. What what do you think he means by that? Uh lifted up on the cross, lifted up, like ascending to heaven.

Pastor Plek:

My initial thought was on the cross.

Pastor Holland:

Or, you know, sometimes it's like when I'm lifted up, like metaphorically, like when I'm preached, when when my name is preached, you know.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah. I guess all three of those. I always think when he was literally lifted up on a cross. Yeah. Uh, but all of those work.

Pastor Holland:

Um, what do you think? Yeah, I think I think there's aspects of all three of those, and so um, but uh yeah, back to the promise to claim of like he's going to draw people to himself. His the church is going to be established, light is going to conquer darkness, like you can have hope.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah. Okay, good. Um, all right, what else in spec?

Pastor Holland:

Uh 47 if anyone hears my words and does not keep them, you know, I do not judge him. Uh, but you know, the word I've spoken will be his judge. But there's this command to obey, really, of like keeping his words, not just hearing them or knowing what he says, but actually obeying. So what he's saying is, I'm not judging those who don't believe.

Pastor Plek:

Is Jesus' judgment only for those who do believe?

Pastor Holland:

Well, I think he's saying right now. I did not remember like back in John chapter three, I didn't come into the world to judge the world. Oh, right. That's not his first coming was to come as Savior. But then again, apostles' creed, he will return to judge the living and the dead. Yeah, I was like, Yeah, yeah.

Pastor Plek:

I was like, all right, that makes sense. Yeah. All right, uh, let's let's land on the plane with one more. What do you got?

Pastor Holland:

Um believe in Jesus. Believe in Jesus. Whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. So command to obey, believe in him, and get out of the darkness. Confess your sin, come into the light. And if there's any sin you're living in, and you know it right now, right? You're not doing it right now.

Pastor Plek:

What exactly that thing is. We're gonna harp on it right now. Yeah, we said land the plane, but we're gonna hang on.

Pastor Holland:

We're gonna do one more lap. Because you need to get off that sin. What is that sin you need to get off of and just give it to the Lord? Tell somebody, confess it, pray right now, hit pause right now and just pray and confess your sin and ask God to help you and set you free and bring you into the light.

Pastor Plek:

And we'll see you next time on a chapter a day.

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