What Jesus Did! 'The Real Benefit' — John 12:27-30

Sunday, August 28, 2022

[About his upcoming crucifixion, Jesus continued,] "Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name."

Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine."

— John 12:27-30 NLT

Key Thought

Wouldn't it be nice to be so sure you are living in God's will that you wouldn't need reassurance that you are doing the right thing? I don't know about you, but I have a hard time not envying Jesus' assurance expressed in this passage. While we may never have the confidence that Jesus had about walking in God's will, we do have several incredible blessings that should give us great confidence about living in God's will:
  1. We can pray for wisdom and be assured we will receive it.
  2. We can take confidence that God is going to work in our lives for our good.
  3. We can trust that the Holy Spirit will help lead and guide us in God's will.
  4. God gave us this Spirit as a seal and a deposit guaranteeing our salvation. [1]

Due to our human limitations, we may not be as sure as Jesus was, but we need to rest assured that God will get us where we need to be to honor him if we are genuinely seeking his will and if our love for him leads us to be willing to do whatever he asks of us.

[1] Ephesians 1:13-14.

Today's Prayer

O God Almighty, God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, please give me the wisdom to know your will, the courage to follow it, and the grace to do it in a way that blesses others. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • James 1:5-8
  • Romans 8:26-30
  • Galatians 5:22-26

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Illustration

Illustration of John 12:27-30 NLT — "The voice was for your benefit, not mine."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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