Imagine driving through a busy city where every traffic light is optional. No red lights, no stop signs—just ‘suggestions’ based on how you feel in the moment. Some people might love the idea of complete freedom, but what happens when an 18-wheeler coming from the opposite direction decides his ‘truth’ says the intersection belongs to him? Sooner or later, someone will discover that reality doesn’t bend to personal preference.
Our culture increasingly treats religion like that imaginary city. Faith is seen as a personal preference, a matter of opinion rather than objective truth. We are told that all paths lead to the same place, that what you believe doesn’t really matter as long as you’re sincere. But what if sincerity is not enough? What if Jesus spoke with an authority that demands a response—one that cannot be redefined or ignored without eternal consequences?
We see moral relativism everywhere. Hollywood, our universities, and even the laws being passed tell us that truth is fluid, identity is self-defined, and morality is subjective. To claim any certainty—especially in matters of faith—is seen as arrogant, even dangerous. The highest virtue in our culture is autonomy, not submission to truth.
You see it in how celebrities redefine spirituality, embracing a Jesus who never speaks of sin or judgment. You hear it in politicians, who invoke religious language when it serves their agenda but reject God’s authority when it conflicts with their values. You experience it in the media, where all worldviews are treated as equally valid—except biblical Christianity, which is dismissed as intolerant.
But the greatest tragedy of relativism is that it leaves people in darkness—trapped in confusion, enslaved to sin, and lost without direction. And into this world, Jesus declares, ‘I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness’ (John 12:46). His words are not one option among many. They are life, and they demand a response.
In John 12:44-50, Jesus is making one final public declaration before He turns His attention solely to His disciples. And in these last words to the crowds, He does not soften His claims. He does not present Himself as merely an inspiring teacher or a spiritual guide. Instead, He speaks with absolute authority—declaring that faith in Him is faith in God, rejecting Him is rejecting God, and His words will be the standard by which all are judged. There is no neutral ground. If Jesus is telling the truth, then every person must come to terms with who He is. Will we shape our beliefs around Christ, or will we attempt to reshape Christ around our beliefs?
Jesus is not merely a messenger; He is the full revelation of God.
John 12:44 NASB And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.
These are not the words of a mere prophet or teacher. Jesus is making an unmistakable claim: to believe in Him is to believe in God. This statement establishes that Christianity is not an open-ended faith where we define God however we choose. It is rooted in the identity of Christ.
Faith in Jesus Is Faith in God.
Many people today claim to believe in God while rejecting Jesus. They prefer a spirituality that is open-ended, adaptable, and self-defined. Yet, Jesus Himself makes it clear—faith in Him is faith in God. To reject Him is to reject the Father. You cannot separate the two.
This is a deeply countercultural message. Our world insists that all spiritual paths are equally valid, that claiming to know the truth is arrogant, and that humility means admitting no one has the full picture. But humility and uncertainty are not the same thing. True humility submits to truth rather than denying it. If God has revealed Himself in Christ, then rejecting that revelation is not humility—it is pride.
Many claim to “believe in God” but on their own terms. They keep the parts of faith that are comfortable but discard anything that challenges them. However, faith in God means submitting to who He is, not reshaping Him into something more palatable. Jesus’ words in John 12:44 leave no room for a pick-and-choose spirituality.
A Jesus Who Is Just a Good Example Is Insufficient
Some argue that Jesus was a great moral teacher, but nothing more. They admire His compassion and wisdom but refuse to accept Him as Lord. Yet, Jesus never presented Himself as a mere teacher. He spoke with absolute authority. He demanded faith, repentance, and obedience—not just admiration. If we soften His claims, we do not get a more reasonable Jesus—we get a distorted one.
This leads to an important question: Is your understanding of Jesus shaped by His own words, or by your preferences? Do you accept Him as He has revealed Himself, or do you reshape Him into something that fits your own worldview?
- If you say, “It’s arrogant to claim you know the truth,” you assume that virtue is found in never taking a stance. But truth is not arrogance—it is reality.
- If you say, “Who am I to say what’s right or wrong?” you will naturally avoid responsibility for your decisions.
- If you say, “Everyone has their own truth,” you eliminate any accountability to an ultimate standard.
The real question is this: Am I willing to submit to Christ’s authority, or do I want spirituality without accountability?
Jesus Does Not Leave Us the Option of Treating Him as a Mere Messenger—He Is God’s Ultimate Self-Disclosure
John 12:45 NASB “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
This is a staggering claim. Jesus is not saying that He simply reveals things about God or that He merely reflects God’s nature like a prophet. He is saying that to see Him is to see God Himself. He is not just one in a long line of messengers—He is the full and final revelation of God.
This claim is radically different from the role of Old Testament prophets. Prophets spoke on behalf of God, delivering His words to the people. They would say, “Thus says the Lord.” But Jesus does not speak about God—He speaks as God. When Jesus speaks, He does not preface His words with, “Thus says the Lord.” Instead, He says, “Truly, truly, I say to you.” This is not the voice of a mere messenger—this is the voice of divine authority (John 1:18; Heb. 1:1-3). Jesus does not just represent God; He is the exact imprint of God’s nature. The prophets pointed forward to a coming Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of all they foretold.
Jesus Is Not Merely Like God—He Is Fully God
Many people today are willing to say that Jesus is like God—that He was a great teacher, a moral example, or even a divine representative. But Jesus never gives us the option of seeing Him as anything less than fully God. In John 1:1 the apostle explicitly states that Jesus is God Himself:
John 1:1 NASB In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 10:30 NASB “I and the Father are one.”
This is not metaphorical language. John is explicitly stating that Jesus is God Himself. This is why the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill Him—because they understood exactly what He was claiming.
If Jesus is not fully God, then Christianity collapses. Consider the consequences:
- If Jesus is not God, then His death cannot pay for our sins. Psalm 49:7-8 states that no mere human can redeem another person’s soul. Only God can provide the perfect atonement.
- If Jesus is not God, then believing in Him is idolatry. Isaiah 42:8 makes it clear that God will not share His glory with another. If Jesus is not God, then Christianity is guilty of the highest form of blasphemy.
- If Jesus is not God, then He cannot be our perfect mediator. 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us that Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity. If He is merely a created being, He is incapable of reconciling us to God.
Everything in Christianity stands or falls on this truth: Jesus is fully God in human form. To deny His deity is to dismantle the very foundation of the gospel.
If Jesus Is Who He Claims to Be, Then Religious Pluralism Falls Apart
The dominant belief in our culture is that all religions are different paths to the same God. People often argue that Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism are just different perspectives on the same divine reality.
This idea is frequently illustrated by the parable of the elephant and the blind men. In this story, several blind men are feeling different parts of an elephant. One touches the trunk and says, “It’s a snake.” Another touches the leg and says, “It’s a tree.” Another touches the side and says, “It’s a wall.” The storyteller concludes that all religions are grasping at part of the truth, but none see the whole picture. But this story has a fatal flaw.
The only way to know that the blind men are mistaken is if someone actually sees the whole elephant. The moment you claim that all religions are equally valid, you are claiming a position of ultimate knowledge—the very thing you accuse religious people of doing.
More importantly, the actual claims of different religions contradict each other at their core. Christianity is not simply about being a good person or finding wisdom—it is about who Jesus is. And on this point, other religions do not agree:
- Islam teaches that Jesus was a prophet but explicitly denies that He is the Son of God or that He was crucified.
- Judaism denies Jesus as the Messiah and rejects His divine nature.
- Hinduism allows for many gods but does not recognize an exclusive, personal God who saves by grace.
- Buddhism is non-theistic and does not acknowledge a Creator or a divine Savior.
- Sikhism believes in one God but rejects the necessity of Jesus’ atonement.
If all religions led to the same God, Jesus’ claims would be unnecessary, even blasphemous. But Jesus does not claim to be one of many paths—He claims to be the only way. He says
John 14:6 NASB: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”
This means that either Jesus is exactly who He said He is—God in the flesh, the only way to salvation. Or, He is a liar who has misled billions of people for over 2,000 years. There is no middle ground. You cannot accept Jesus as a good teacher while rejecting His claim to be God Himself. He leaves us no such option.
Jesus’ words carry divine weight, promising salvation & warning of judgment.
Light is not simply the absence of darkness—it is what overpowers it. Darkness does not stand a chance when light enters the scene. So Jesus is announcing a mission of rescue when He declares…
John 12:46 NASB “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
Jesus Came as Light to Rescue Those Trapped in Sin
This world is drenched in darkness, not just in ignorance but in the deep, blinding darkness of sin. Left to ourselves, we stumble through life, lost and unable to find the way. But Jesus has pierced the darkness. He has not merely come to expose sin—He has come to deliver sinners out of it.
In Scripture, light is life. Where there is light, life flourishes. Where there is no light, nothing survives. This is why Jesus says in
John 8:12 NASB: “The one who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Without Him, we are dead in our sins, spiritually lifeless. But through Him, we are made alive.
Sin is a prison of darkness, trapping us in shame, guilt, and destruction. Many do not even realize they are trapped. They believe they are free, yet they wander blindly, unable to see where their path leads. Some are enslaved by lust, others by greed, others by pride—but all of them are bound by sin’s grip. Yet Jesus steps into the darkness and calls sinners to Himself. His light does not merely reveal the chains—we already feel them! His light shatters them, setting the captive free.
Light exposes what is hidden. Jesus exposes the lies if this world about God, sin, and eternity. Darkness tells us: “You are fine just as you are.” “You don’t need saving.” “There are many ways to God.” But when the light of Christ shines on these lies, they scatter like shadows before the morning sun.
Just because the human eye cannot see infrared light without assistance doesn’t mean it isn’t there. If a blind man denies the existence of the sun, does that make the sun disappear? The problem is not with the light—it is with the ability to perceive it. In the same way, many do not recognize the light of Christ. They fail to see His glory, but that does not mean His glory is absent. The world is not unimpressed with Jesus because He lacks radiance, but because their hearts are incapable of seeing Him for who He truly is. As Jesus says in
John 1:5 NASB: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
Jesus does not just bring light—He gives sight. Those who come to Him in faith are not merely exposed to truth; they are transformed so they can finally see. This is why He declared in
Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me… to proclaim recovery of sight to the blind.”
Jesus’ Present Mission Is to Bring Salvation, Not Judgment
John 12:47 NASB “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
Many misunderstand this statement, assuming that Jesus is saying judgment doesn’t matter. But that is not His point. His first coming was not about executing final judgment but about offering salvation. The time for judgment will come, but for now, He offers grace.
This highlights God’s patience and mercy. If Jesus’ mission was only judgment, none of us would stand a chance. Instead, He offers sinners time to repent. His words are not spoken to condemn, but to call people into salvation and life.
However, while judgment was not the primary purpose of His first coming, that does not mean it won’t happen. This leads to the serious warning in the next verse.
Rejecting Jesus’ Words Brings Future Judgment
John 12:48 NASB “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.
Here is the sobering truth:
While Jesus offers salvation, those who reject Him will face judgment.
His very words—the same words that offer eternal life—will one day stand as the standard of judgment.
Many today are uncomfortable with the idea of divine judgment. Our culture prefers tolerance over truth, and silence is often seen as kindness. But true love speaks the truth.
If a doctor refuses to tell a patient about a deadly disease because it might make them uncomfortable, that is not love—it is cruelty. Likewise, failing to warn people of the consequences of rejecting Christ is not kindness—it is spiritually deadly silence.
Jesus’ promise of eternal life comes directly from God’s own eternal command.
As Jesus brings His public ministry to a close, He leaves us with one final, unavoidable truth: His words are not His own—they come from the Father Himself. He declares,
John 12:49 NASB “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
This is a defining moment. Jesus is not offering His own philosophy or personal interpretation of God—He is speaking directly under the authority of the Father. His words are not one perspective among many; they are the very revelation of God Himself.
This truth leaves us with a sobering reality: to reject Jesus’ words is to reject God. Many people today are willing to admire Jesus, to acknowledge Him as a great teacher or moral guide. But Jesus leaves us no such option. If we accept His words, we are accepting the very words of the Father—and if we reject them, we are rejecting God’s command. There is no neutral ground.
But what is this command that Jesus has received from the Father?
John 12:50 NASB “I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
The words of Jesus are not just truth to consider—they are the very means by which we receive eternal life. They are not mere religious instruction—they are the difference between life and death.
This is where Jesus’ authority and His mission come together in perfect harmony. He speaks on behalf of the Father, and the purpose of His words is to bring life, not death. The world resists authority, but it longs for life. People want purpose, peace, and hope, but they reject the very words that bring them. Jesus makes it clear that eternal life is not something we define for ourselves—it is something we receive through the words He has spoken.
The question is not simply “Do you admire Jesus?” or “Do you agree with some of His teachings?” The question is: Have you believed upon Him and repented of your sins? Have you come to Him, not just for guidance, but for salvation? Have you submitted to His authority, or are you still clinging to a faith on your own terms?
In a moment, we will sing, and as we do, I urge you to examine your heart. Do you belong to Christ? Have you come to Him in repentance and faith? If so, His words are life to you. His promise is your hope. His authority is your joy, not your burden.
If you are holding on to sin, if you have refused to submit to Him, do not take lightly what we are about to do. The Lord’s Supper is not for those who remain in darkness. It is a sacred reminder of Christ’s death, a declaration of His victory, and a participation in His grace. But if you have not truly placed your faith in Him, if you are living in open rebellion against His Word, then to partake is to invite judgment upon yourself.
But hear me: this is not a message of exclusion—it is a message of invitation. Jesus does not warn us to drive us away but to call us to Himself. His words are life, not condemnation, for those who will come to Him. His death was for sinners like you and me. He came, not because we were worthy, but because we were lost. He shed His blood for the very sins that you are afraid to bring into the light.
If you are convicted, do not harden your heart. Confess your sin and come to Him. He will not turn you away. He does not crush the brokenhearted; He binds them up. He does not reject the repentant; He rejoices over them. He does not extinguish a smoldering wick; He fans it into flame.
So I urge you—do not sit under His words and remain unchanged. Come to Christ. Repent, believe, and receive the grace He so freely gives. And if you are His, come to the table not with fear, but with joy—knowing that His body was broken and His blood was shed for you.
The Light has come. The invitation stands. Come to Him, repent, and believe. And if you are His, come to the table in remembrance, humility, and joy.
