Daring To Die Series

Daring to Die

Series: Daring Discipleship

John 12:23-26

August 20, 2006

Morning Service

Introduction

There is a great search going on the spiritual realms. This is a search that Jesus is making. Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. Jesus is searching for people. Not just any people but a special kind of person. Jesus is searching those who will follow Him. Not just people who will give Him lip service on Sunday and then forget Him on Monday. No, Jesus is searching for something more, something special, and something uncommon in our world today.

German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer described discipleship in these words: When Christ calls someone; He bids them to come and die.

Jesus is looking for people who will follow Him with a reckless abandon. He wants people who will throw caution to the wind and embark on the journey called discipleship. Jesus is searching for a few daring hearts who will fully devote themselves to Him. Jesus is searching for people who will give their lives for Him. Jesus is looking for people just like you and me. The only question that remains is this: will you join the journey? Will you take up the call Jesus issues: Come, follow me? Will you dare to be a disciple?

Have you ever given serious thought to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus? Yes, we talk about it in Sunday School, in Bible study and even in sermons. But do we honestly stop and consider what it is that Jesus wants from those who will follow Him? A student is one who learns what their teacher knows; a disciple becomes what their master is. Jesus wants you to become like Him.

Jesus is searching today for men and women who will follow Him. Are you daring enough to take up the call? Are you daring enough to take the adventure called discipleship?

If you have your Bibles with you this morning, open them to John 12:23-26. I want to look at the first daring step you need to take to truly be a disciple of Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:23-26

I. Death brings fruitfulness

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

The church for far too long has created a weak form of discipleship. When Jesus calls you to come follow me, it is a call to come and die. Jesus wants you to die to your sinful desires. He wants you to die to your selfish wants. He wants you to die to your will. He wants you to die to your way of life. Yes, I know this sounds more than a bit radical but that is the way of Jesus. Jesus is nothing less than radical.

Jesus came to this world to die. There could be no eternity for any of us until Jesus died. Jesus died to buy you back from the power of sin and death. The least that you can do is follow. Jesus never said that following Him would be easy. In fact, Jesus said just the opposite. Discipleship is not just a partial commitment. Jesus wants all of your life, every single bit. He wants it ALL! Every part of your life has to die.

The pet sin that you live with - It has to die

The pride that you have - It has to die

The worry and the concern that you have - It has to die

The selfish desire that you live with - It has to die

The material want that you have - it has to die

ANYTHING in your life that is not under the Lordship of Jesus - It has to die

The only way that you can truly experience life, is to die. It is only through dying that we truly live. Jesus is calling you to a radical, daring life of following Him. Jesus is calling out to come and die. Jesus is calling come follow me. Jesus is calling you to come and die. Jesus is calling you to give your life to Him. Jesus is calling for you to live for something higher than your own selfishness.