Christ Crucified Series

INTRODUCTION

• We are fast approaching Easter.

• After the raising of Lazarus, Jesus travels to Jerusalem for Passover.

• In the city, observant Jews gather to participate in the feast and worship God.

• There is also Greeks present.

• These Greeks would have been gentiles who were open to the God of Israel and followed the Jewish religion.

• However, their gentile status would have kept them from participating fully in the feast.

• These are the ones who, in turn, are seeking Jesus out in verse 20.

• Philip and Andrew go and tell Jesus that the Greeks are seeking him—a stark contrast to the authorities who are seeking to arrest Jesus (11:57).

• These Greeks want to see him; they wish to meet him and learn from him.

• Jesus begins to speak of his death, recognizing that it is fast approaching.

• When He is lifted up upon the cross, he will draw all people to himself (12:32).

• Not only Jews but gentiles too will be drawn to God.

John 12:20–22 (CSB)

20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.

21 So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

• It is now the Sunday before the crucifixion.

• As the day of the crucifixion is quickly approaching, Jesus has a lot to do in the time before His death.

• Today we will examine three aspects of the crucifixion of Jesus as we seek to deepen our understanding of what happened and why.

• Let's turn to verses 23-27 to being or examination today.

John 12:23–27 (CSB)

23 Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

24 Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.

25 The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

27 “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.

SERMON

I. The reason.

• A group of Greeks, not Greek-speaking Jews but Gentiles, have come to Jerusalem for the Passover for worship.

• At this point, Jesus faces a crucial decision.

• Surely he knows that his teachings have universal application and appeal (remember, he claimed to be the "Light of the World," 8:12).

• Here is an opportunity to move beyond the resistant nation of Israel and perhaps find a more receptive audience with a door open to worldwide exposure.

• At an earlier point in his ministry, Jesus may have welcomed this break, but now it is a temptation that must be resisted, for the time for public teaching is over.

Beauford H. Bryant and Mark S. Krause, John, The College Press NIV Commentary (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1998), Jn 12:23–26.

• Instead of fielding questions from the group, Jesus starts to talk to them about His death.

• Jesus starts by saying that the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

• Jesus is speaking of the fact that His time to die for the sins of the world is approaching quickly.

• I find it interesting that Jesus speaks of His death as glorification.

• He uses such terms when speaking of His death has to do with the reason for His death.

• In verse 24, Jesus explains that when a seed falls to the ground and dies, it dies alone.

• However, once it dies, that seed produces much fruit.

• Life comes from death.

• Jesus will die so He can bring life out of death.

• I find it interesting that Jesus goes from talking about death and how life springs forth from death to the peril of loving one's life.

• We will touch on that in a moment.

• The point Jesus will make with the disciples is that He wants them to gain something from His obedience and self-sacrifice.

• To make this point, Jesus offers a series of three paradoxes (a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but, in reality, expresses a possible truth).

• The first one we already have touched on.

• Seeds become production or fruitful when they die.

• When a grain of wheat produces a mature wheat plant with a head full of grain, the original seed no longer exists.