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Sermon #5469

The Right Approach

A Sermon on John 12:21

Originally preached Dec. 17, 1961

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Scripture

John 12:21 ESV KJV
So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (ESV)

Sermon Description

Why do some people never seem to find fulfillment when they come to Jesus? Why do they never find rest, peace, and satisfaction in Him? In this sermon on John 12:21 titled “The Right Approach,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones demonstrates from the account of the Greeks and their discourse with Jesus that many seek Him with the wrong approach. Jesus regularly and willingly granted access to Himself to all types of people. But in the account of the Greeks, Jesus denies their request. This denial falls outside of the boundaries of Jesus’s normal response because the approach and the request of the Greeks illustrates many worldly people who seek Jesus only when everything in their world falls apart. They do not want forgiveness of sin; they want a more serene life in sin. They come for wrong reasons and with wrong motives and when Jesus does not pluck them from the floodwaters of their broken life, they find nothing in Him and leave. In this account from John’s Gospel, Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates how the Greeks come with the wrong approach and challenges the listener to take the right approach in coming to Christ. The right approach takes the road of humility and repentance, believing in the saving work of His death, burial, and resurrection.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The Greeks came to Philip desiring to see Jesus. Their request was not granted.
  2. Jesus' readiness to receive people and talk to them was characteristic of him. He received publicans, sinners, centurions, and others.
  3. The Greeks' request to see Jesus was strange and surprising given Jesus' openness. Why did Jesus refuse to see the Greeks?
  4. The Greeks were intelligent, philosophical people who worshipped many gods. They came to the Jewish festival, heard of Jesus, and wanted to see him.
  5. The Greeks' desire to see Jesus showed their dissatisfaction with philosophy and polytheism. But even belief in the one true God did not satisfy them.
  6. Many today become interested in Jesus but never find peace or answers. Why don't they get what they seek?
  7. The Greeks were polite and respectful but approached Jesus as a great man to be examined. They wanted to assess his teaching. This was the wrong approach.
  8. The right approach is to come with a broken, contrite heart, realizing you need Jesus as the only Savior. The Greeks were standing on their dignity; others clung to Jesus as the only hope.
  9. Jesus answered that the hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified - to be shown as the Son of God. Jesus was not just a man or teacher but the Son of Man.
  10. Jesus said he would not be glorified or draw all nations to himself until he was "lifted up" - crucified. His crucifixion was necessary to save people.
  11. Jesus' life, teaching, and miracles alone could not save. Like a seed, he had to die to bear fruit. His death was why he came.
  12. Jesus' death meant judgment on the world's sin. His death defeated Satan, who held the world in blindness. By dying, Jesus purchased God's blessing and freedom from Satan.
  13. Jesus' death reconciled us to God and delivered us from Satan's power. Jesus took our sin and guilt on himself, suffering separation from the Father. He defeated death and the devil.
  14. To know Jesus as Savior, we must realize we are sinners under God's judgment and Satan's power, value our souls, trust in Jesus' death, follow and serve him.
  15. The Greeks did not meet these conditions. Do we? Come to Jesus helpless, clinging to him as the only hope, surrendering and following him.

Sermon Q&A

Why Did Jesus Not See the Greeks Who Sought Him in John 12?

What was the request made by the Greeks in John 12:21?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon, the Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for a Jewish feast approached Philip with the request, "Sir, we would see Jesus" (John 12:21). They wanted to have an interview with Jesus, to meet with him personally. This was an unusual incident because while Jesus was typically known for receiving all types of people, in this case, their request was not granted.

Why is the Greeks' approach to Jesus significant?

The Greeks' approach to Jesus is significant because it reveals their mindset. They approached Jesus very politely and respectfully, calling Philip "sir," and following proper protocol. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that their approach indicated they viewed Jesus merely as a great man, a teacher, or philosopher whom they wished to examine and assess. They came from a background of Greek philosophy and were likely curious about this new Jewish teacher. Their interest was intellectual rather than spiritual - they wanted to question him and evaluate his teaching rather than coming to him as sinners in need of salvation.

What did Jesus mean when He said "the hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified"?

When Jesus responded saying "the hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified" (John 12:23), He was referring to His imminent death and resurrection. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus was indicating that His time of crucifixion was near - the hour when He would be lifted up on the cross. The "glorification" refers to the demonstration of His deity and the revelation of who He truly was - not merely a great teacher but the Son of God. After His death and resurrection, He would be glorified and return to "the glory which [He] had with [the Father] before the foundation of the world" (John 17).

Why did Jesus say a grain of wheat must die, and how does this relate to His mission?

Jesus used the analogy of a grain of wheat in John 12:24: "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus was teaching about the absolute necessity of His death for salvation. Just as a seed must be buried and "die" before it can produce fruit, Jesus had to die before His mission could bear fruit in saving people. His teaching and example alone could not save humanity - His sacrificial death was essential. This was the very purpose for which He came into the world, as He states: "for this cause came I unto this hour" (John 12:27).

What two great problems facing mankind did Jesus solve through His death?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon, Jesus solved two fundamental problems facing mankind through His death:

  1. The judgment of God upon sin - All humans have sinned and are under God's righteous judgment. Jesus took this judgment upon Himself when He died on the cross, bearing the wrath of God against sin. This is why His soul was "troubled" before His death - He knew He would experience separation from the Father as He took on our guilt.

  2. The power of the devil over humanity - The world was under Satan's bondage and blindness. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan ("Now is the prince of this world cast out") and broke his power, enabling people from all nations to come to God through Christ.

What three essential conditions must be met to truly know Jesus as Savior?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines three essential conditions for truly knowing Jesus as Savior:

  1. We must approach Him in the right way - Not with politeness and intellectual curiosity like the Greeks, but with recognition of who He truly is (the Son of God) and with a desperate sense of need, like the sinful woman who washed His feet with her tears.

  2. We must believe in the absolute necessity and centrality of His death on the cross - Understanding that it was through His death that He bore God's judgment on our sin and defeated Satan's power.

  3. We must realize our true condition and submit completely to Him - This includes hating our life in this world (recognizing its sinfulness), valuing our soul above everything else, and committing to serve and follow Christ regardless of the cost.

Other Sermons

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.