JOHN 12: 20-26
SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS
[Mark 8:34-38 / Colossians 3:1-3]
Jesus public ministry was coming to a close and a variety of things were unfolding. Jesus had just entered into Jerusalem to the shouts and praises of the huge crowds [2-2 ½ million] present in the city for the Passover celebration. Though people had many different opinions of Jesus, a crowd of them were ready to proclaim Him king, but the Lord refused to accept the political role they wanted Him to take.
Today's text opens with a group of God-fearing Gentiles (Greeks) who have come to worship at the feast. But they are more than just curious visitors or one time investigators of Judaism, they are seeking the truth. They approach Philip with an appeal to "see" Jesus. To their credit, they did not just want to physically see Jesus. They did not just want to learn more about Jesus. Having heard and observed, they were attracted or drawn to Him and they wanted to believe in Him, they wanted to "know" Him. Jesus therefore challenges them and us to die that we might live (CIM).
FIRST, LIFE COMES THROUGH DEATH, 24.
SECOND, LIFE COMES THROUGH AN EXCHANGE, 25.
THIRD, LIFE COMES THROUGH SERVICE, 26.
As we approach our Lord's description on the kind of death He would die and how we can truly come to know Him there is a preparatory thought in verses 20-22. "Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. (21) Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." (22) Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus"
Some Greeks or Gentiles who had come to worship at the Passover came asking to see Jesus. They came to Philip, although John does not say why, it may be because Philip has a Greek name. [Philipos, means "a lover of horses."] They said, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." They were persistent seekers who were doing all they could to come to Jesus. [Not being Jews they only had limited access at the Feast.]
Philip apparently was perplexed also about what to do so he consulted Andrew (v. 22). Andrew had no doubt. Andrew did what he always did. Every time we meet Andrew in the Gospels he is bringing someone to Jesus (1:41-42. 6:8-9). Obvious, at least to him, the right thing to do was to bring these foreigners to Jesus.
What Jesus makes clear is that the coming of the Greeks [in some way] communicated to the Lord the fact that the climax of His work on earth was at hand! Because in verse twenty three Jesus' startling response is, "But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified." Up to this point His Disciples, have heard Him say over and over, "My hour has not yet come." The first occurrence is at the Wedding in Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle when his mother came to Him and asked Him to do something about the wine for the wedding feast. Jesus said to her, "…. My hour has not yet come," (Jn 2:4). In the seventh chapter of his Gospel, John tells us that Jesus told his brothers to go on up to the feast at Jerusalem but that he was not going up because "My hour has not yet come" (John 7:6). And, in the eighth chapter, as He is speaking in Jerusalem and the opposition against Him is increasing, John says, "No man laid hands on Him to arrest Him, because His hour had not yet come," (Jn 8:20). Yet now, when a handful of Greeks strangers come and want to see Him, suddenly, to His disciples' amazement, He is greatly moved and says, "Now My hour has come. The time has come for me to be glorified." This event seems to be to Jesus like a great clock striking the hour, a momentous moment of His life when all that He had lived for is ready to be fulfilled.
[The Greek word used here is hora which is "a point of time or a season when an appointed action is to begin."] Jesus was looking ahead to the cross--the event that all history had been building up to--the one main event that He had come to earth for in the first place--to be the Savior of humankind. It was now time for the EVENT to come to pass.
He was not to be glorified by subjecting kingdoms on the earth so that they would grovel before the conqueror's feet. The words speak not [thoughts] of conquest but of sacrifice and death. When Jesus says He will be glorified He means He will be crucified. In His death, resurrection, and ascension His glory is revealed.
Verse twenty four begins with "most assuredly" in the NIV. The old King James Version says "verily, verily." The NASV translates it "truly, truly." Whenever we read those words it should be a beacon that shouts "pay attention" to what Jesus is saying because it is of supreme importance!
Now having gained everyone attention Jesus goes on to state three amazing Paradoxes:
FIRST, LIFE COMES THROUGH DEATH, 24.
The first spiritual principle from the cross found in verse 24 is that life comes through death. "… I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."
A grain of wheat has little valuable until it springs forth out of its grave into new life. A grain of wheat real potential does not occur until it dies. Jesus used the natural principle of a seed to illustrate the spiritual truth that there can be no fruitful life without death, no no resurrection power without surrender. In and of itself the seed is weak and useless but when it is planted and "dies" it fulfills its purpose.
Of course this principle in nature that death is essential for further fuller life was by inference applied by Jesus to Himself. It speaks to Jesus' own death. Jesus died on the behalf of others that they might be the fruit of His death. The simple truth is, if He does not die we cannot live! His death, is what produces the fruit of life!
HE and His existence was a grain of wheat. He was on His way to the cross to die, be buried, and be resurrected to new life, and if He did this there would be a great harvest of souls, then, now, and in future generations. It would be the opening of the Gospel for everyone--not just the Jews alone but for all people. His death on the Cross is the means to bring a great harvest of souls to heaven. Wheat reproduces its own kind, and Jesus understood that concerning His death and resurrection. His death would produce new life, spiritual life, eternal life for many. Jesus is saying to you out of His eternal interest for you, "Trust Me. You watch. You wait. You'll see that out of death will come life."
Christians " ….are like seeds. We are small and insignificant, but we have life in them, God's life. However, that life can never be fulfilled unless we die to self so that we may live unto God (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:). The only way to have a fruitful life is to follow Jesus Christ…." [Warren Wiersbe. Be Alive. Wheaton: Ill, Victor Books, 1986. p. 151.]
Jesus says our life will not multiply spiritually--it won't produce a crop for the future--it won't be spiritually productive, if we do not died to self. But if we died to self and plant our life in Christ, it will grow and multiply and produce a great spiritual harvest
Why is this important to us? Had Jesus not been willing to go to the cross we could never have been saved. If we are not willing to die to self and live to God, others will not be saved. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
So Jesus tells us our very usefulness - our fruitfulness for God - is tied to our willingness to surrender our lives (etc.) to Him. We must die to our life on the earth so that we might walk in new life, in spiritual life, with Him. For without Him we can bear no spiritual fruit (Jn. 15:5). One Commentator noted that there are 6 instances where Jesus mentions BEARING FRUIT as a Christian - and 5 of those are tied to the cross or dying.
[The couplet "If the laws of the kingdom you faithfully keep, health, riches, and honor you surely will reap" sums up what many today are teaching. But it's not true! Multitudes of faithful believers are sick or poor or persecuted. Yet they gratefully worship the Lord, serve Him the best they can, and remain joyful. They can do this because they believe the law of the cross-that by dying to self we produce a spiritual harvest that will last forever.
A man runs an after-school program for inner-city children. He recruits people to teach sewing, remedial reading, and other helpful skills. He also conducts an all-day school for 6 weeks in the summer, and holds a Sunday service in a church building that he cleans by himself. Hundreds benefit from his work, but an average of only eight people show up for church! He continues, however, because he is motivated by his love for God and the law of the cross, which says that if you die to self and serve others, you will reap eternal eternity.
The principle that Jesus taught about a grain of wheat dying before it can produce fruit was fully expressed in His own death and resurrection. We too need to live each day by this law of the cross.] [HVL. Our Daily Bread.]
SECOND, LIFE COMES THROUGH AN EXCHANGE, 25.
[Finding Life comes through Losing Life]
Verse 25 makes the application of the grain of wheat that dies plain. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
The person who loves his life loses it (Mk. 8:34-38; Mt. 6:24; Lk. 16:13; 14:26). "We must be prepared to renounce present interests for the sake of a future inheritance." "To love one's life here means to give it priority over the interest of God's kingdom" [F.F. Bruce; The Gospel & Epistles of John, p. 265]. We need to stop making the fleeting pleasures and passing security of this life our purpose for living. We are called to place a higher value on eternal things than on the things on this earth. Colossians 3:1-3 says, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
The truth is that we lose everything that we associate with this life at some point; it just a matter of time. We cannot hold on to our youth no matter how hard we may try. We cannot hold on our athletic ability. We cannot hold on to our mental capacity. We cannot even hold on to our loved ones. It's just a matter of time. Jesus tells us to prepare now. Don't focus on grabbing and keeping what you have. Corrie Ten Boom said, "I have learned to hold all things loosely, so God will not have to pry them out of my hands." It is less painful to hold loosely to the things of this world so that God does not have to pry from our grasp.
Jesus states the paradox of the man who, for the love of his temporal, physical life, becomes a loser of eternal life. The man whose priorities are right, who makes the things of God primary, will keep his life eternally (Mt. 6:33; Luke 12:15, 22).
The contrast between loving and hating brings out in sharp contrast the choice and consequence involved in personal reaction to Jesus. In comparison to our love for Christ all else must be place as far away as love is from hate. If people decide that their lives are more important than God's will, then they will forfeit the type of life God wants to give them—a life of relationship with Him now and in eternity.
THIRD, LIFE COMES THROUGH SERVICE, 26.
The outcome of dying to self and the world means the opportunity to serve Christ as verse 26 states. "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."
You can only share in the resurrected life of Jesus if you take up you cross and follow Him. Dying to self to live in personal relationship with Christ means the Christian life is a life of service. To serve the Lord you must be with Him. To be with the Lord, you must follow Him by learning to be obedient to Him. Following Christ may involve suffering, for there is no crown without a cross. Christian service means losing opportunities in this life to service Jesus Christ. Any one who serves Christ will be honored by the Father. For to share the Master's service means to share the Master's glory.
Jesus came as a servant, willing to do whatever was necessary in order to move men, and bring them to the saving knowledge of Himself. Right after this teaching in John 13 is THE LAST SUPPER. Jesus is sitting at the table with the disciples, and He gets up and washed the disciples feet to demonstrate He came as a servant. If any one of them had been humble enough, if any one of them had a servant's spirit, they could have done it first. Jesus though is the one who got the basin of water, and knelt down and washed their dirty feet. You remember Peter totally objected to the idea. Jesus said, yes, I must wash your feet. What was He doing? He was taking the form of a lowly servant, and washing the dirty feet of His disciples. Jesus saw Himself as a servant of the Father, and served the very ones who should have been serving Him.
Jesus voluntarily surrendered Himself to walk the path that led to His painful and shameful death on a Roman cross. It was not easy for Him to take this way. He prayed let this cup pass from Me. [In His mind He saw a vivid picture of the agony and shame He would endure to provide salvation for mankind. But He prayed, "Father, glorify Your name" (John 12:28).] He looked beyond the suffering to the harvest of redeemed people and to the joy this would bring Him (Heb. 12:2). He chose the way of the cross because of His desire to please His Father. Therefore His Father has honored Him and will honor Him.
Every true follower of Jesus must face a similar choice of taking the way of the cross or taking their own way. [A woman was told that the baby in her womb would be retarded, but she refused the early abortion recommended by her doctor because she believed this would be wrong. An investment salesman lost his job because he insisted on being honest about the risks. And before the revolution in Romania, a lawyer lost his professional status and had to do menial labor because he openly confessed Christ as his Savior. These three Christians chose to take the way of the cross. They took seriously the words of Jesus, "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me."] The way of the cross is costly. But it is the path to joy, fulfillment, and glory.
Must Jesus bear the cross alone And all the world go free?
No, there's a cross for everyone, And there's a cross for me. -Shepherd
To serve Jesus, means to live according to the principle of dying to self, in order to live in obedience to God, but it is a life that brings spiritual life and it will be honored by God.
CONCLUSION
This chapter is Jesus' final public teaching. It is His last public teaching before His crucifixion, He lets everyone in—Jews and Greeks alike—on the secret of life. You get life not by asserting yourself, not by pampering yourself, not by changing yourself, but by dying to self.
What which appears to be death to us is often that which gives life. In his book, "Written in Blood," Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a BLOOD TRANSFUSION. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from 2 years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.
"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked.
Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister."
Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room, nary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.
As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny's smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.
With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence, "Doctor, when do I die?"
[INVITATION]
Jesus gave us life through His resurrection. In short - it is in dying... not in doing... that we bear fruit for God.
Maybe you're thinking, "I've been living for myself. I've been questioning the Lord. I've been uptight and upset, wondering why I can't see Jesus, and why I don't hear from Him." How come I'm not drawing closer to Jesus? How come I'm not getting to know Him better?
Understand today that the only way you'll see Jesus is by going to the Cross. Go to Calvary, by dying to self and living to service Him, for there you will see and truly come to "know" Jesus.
