Weekend/Devotion
March 18, 2018
Reading: John 12:20-33
“Sir, We Wish to See Jesus”
We begin this reading at verse 20. If you recall, we read over this same verse back in January It was an important element in that sermon entitled “Did Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth”.
Here it is again! What we are seeing is Greeks (Gentiles) coming to worship at the feast but also in search of Jesus.
When they encountered Philip, they announced a most precious statement: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Have you ever said, “I wish to see Jesus”? Have you ever even thought that you would like to see Jesus? Well let me tell you, YES, you most probably have seen Jesus.
We see Jesus in the hearts and actions of True Christians. How so, pastor? If we understand how Christ works, we realize with great certainty that He works through His followers. We vain creatures like to gloat on what WE have done, secularly and spiritually.
Do you think for even one minute that Moses endured the trials and performed the tasks that led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt? Certainly, it was God working through him.
And so, it was with Abraham, Isaac, David, Noah, Peter and Paul! It also is true of you and me. The degree of what God does through you and me has more to do with our humility and faith than the What. Look at it in the same light as we should in acknowledging our blessings. When we acknowledge our blessings and give thanks to Him, we posture ourselves for more blessings.
The same understanding of how He works through us also applies here. When we acknowledge God’s working through us as HIS works, His accomplishments, His glory, His grace and mercy, it postures us to be used even more.
However, if we go about wanting everyone to think that we are some special very talented and knowledgeable Christian worker, preacher, or teacher, He will not be able to do great things through us.
There is a great man of God that came to our church a couple of years ago, in a very poor state of self esteem and ability to communicate. This humble man was transformed before our very eyes. God touched him in a very miraculous way. Now God uses this man to lead a new ministry that is growing in leaps and bounds. Not only that but his personal persona has taken on a newness that no one could understand that didn’t know him from the “old days”.
Our church is so very blessed to have been used of God in even the smallest of ways to accept and host this Humble but Great Man, while God performed true and mighty works in him.
Back to the reading –
The Greeks sought out Philip, to take them to Jesus. Why Philip? It is widely believed that Philip was from Greek heritage and they could identify with him. If you remember, Philip went and got Andrew to go with him to introduce these Greek seekers to Jesus.
Then we read Jesus’ response to them.
“But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, 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.25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 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.” -vv 23-26
What do you make of that reference to a grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying?
That grain of wheat cannot do diddle on its own. It must die and be buried in the cold, dark earth to be of any further use or value. The grain or seed DIES and is alone! Isn’t that what Jesus says.
Beloved, we are but a grain of wheat, a mere seed. We cannot of ourselves produce or grow fruit for the kingdom of God. Unless we die to self and be as useless on our own as that dried shriveled up little grain of wheat, we cannot be used of God.
How many ministries have you seen in your life that grew in leaps and bounds? Television broadcast, musical concerts, thespian portrayals and the like. Yet when that ministry reached a peak, found itself floundering because it was the work of man and not of God. Oh yes it started that way but in time, it became a ministry unto itself. You have most likely heard that old saying: “He is a self-made man and he worships his maker.” That’s the concept that I am trying to relate here.
We see it in Scripture:
“4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”
5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
6 So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the LORD of hosts.
7 ‘Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth the capstone
With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
8 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel
Have laid the foundation of this temple;[a]
His hands shall also finish it.
Then you will know
That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.
10 For who has despised the day of small things?
For these seven rejoice to see
The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
They are the eyes of the LORD,
Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”
Zechariah 4:4-10
“for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
“make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:21
The greatest work in the entire bible was done on the cross. Was that work done to glorify Christ, the Savior or to glorify God the Father?
See verse 28
“Father, glorify Your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
When? Keep reading!
At the raising of Lazarus from the grave:
“Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
John 11:38-40
There is no better example to us than that of Jesus the Christ. God the Son sought to glorify God the Father. Are we not to do the same?
We close in prayer: Heavenly Father, we submit to you and seek to do your will that You will be glorified, remembering always that we Love and serve You by loving and serving each other. In that precious name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN
