The Ultimate Renaissance Man.
John 12:24-25
What does the word renaissance really mean? Renaissance is a change for the better that produces progress and development; It’s a broad knowledge of the world at large.
We know Leonardo da Vinci as the Renaissance man. His intellectual skill led to advances across multiple fields of study and the arts.
However, Leonardo journaled, “of these miserable days of ours” and lamented that we die without leaving behind any memory of ourselves in the mind of men.
Several other Renaissance.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) - Greek philosopher, physician, poet, playwright, politician, and biologist
Archimedes (287-212 B.C.) - Greek mathematician, engineer, inventor, astronomer, and physicist.
A few modern day Renaissance men.
Quincy Jones - American songwriter, record producer, composer, music arranger, and television producer
Steve Jobs - American businessman, technician, investor, and designer
Elon Musk - South African-Canadian businessman, computer programmer, engineer, physicist, and entrepreneur.
The opposite from renaissance, Deterioration, Decline, Decay Evaluation, Failure, Destruction, Worsening, Downgrade, Descent.
Some Renaissance Synonyms, Revival, Restoration, Renewal, Resurgence, Return, Rebirth.
Sounds a lot like Jesus. -Jesus is the ultimate renaissance man!
*In John 12, Six days before Passover; Six days until the crucifixion of Jesus, in John 12, Jesus is anointed at Bethany with costly oil.
Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anointed Jesus's feet as a symbol of His impending death and burial.
After Mary anointed Jesus’ feet, farther into John 12, there is a plot to kill Lazarus. Once dead, but now Lazarus is resurrected (thanks to Jesus), so now Lazarus is alive, but now someone wants to murder him. Lol!
And then you’ll read of Jesus’ triumphant entry-
into Jerusalem. -The Hosannas, the praise, the
Parade, the Lies, and the mock trail.
And now we read in, John 12:20-21TPT “Now there were a number of foreigners from among the nations who were worshipers at the feast. 21 They went to Philip (who came from the village of Bethsaida in Galilee) and they asked him, “Would you take us to see Jesus? We want to see him.””
*However, Jesus knows their heart, so Jesus states this from today’s text,
John 12:24-25NKJV “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.”
Did you know that a grain of wild wheat has everything required for plant propagation - even tools for drilling into the soil? It uses its two awns for this: In the dry daytime air, these bristles bend outwards. At night, dampened by the dew, they straighten. Over several days, this movement, similar to the swimming strokes of a frog, pushes the grain into the soil. (This discovery was made by scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces).
Many meanings from this parable:
This single grain of wheat reminds us that our small actions can have significant impacts.
The single grain of wheat represents our hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
The grain of wheat begs us to remember that success often requires sacrifice and persistence.
This single grain of wheat speaks that sometimes we must make sacrifices in the short term to achieve success in the long term.
With a single grain of wheat, let us be mindful of the small actions we take each day, knowing that they can bring about great things in our lives and the world around us.
A man plants a single grain of wheat in the ground. His efforts are rewarded when the grain begins to grow and eventually produces a bountiful harvest.
The wheat seed parable is a powerful metaphor that illustrates the life changing power of death and rebirth in our lives.
2 Corinthians 5:17NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
This wheat seed teaches us that, like a seed that must be buried in the ground before it can bear fruit, we, too, must let go of our old selves and embrace a new way of being to grow in our faith and become the people we were meant to be.
Again, in John 12, Verse 24 Jesus is speaking about his own death, but then he expands it to include us all.
John 12:25TPT ““The person who loves his life and pampers himself will miss true life! But the one who detaches his life from this world and abandons himself to Me, will find true life and enjoy it forever!”
Again, Leonardo Da Vinci, “While I thought I was learning how to live, I was learning how to die.”
-He was closer to the truth than he may have realized.
Learning how to die is the way to live. Here’s the truth, Through Jesus’ death, -Jesus offers us rebirth.
This wheat parable teaches us that sometimes we must make sacrifices in the short term to achieve success in the long term.
Again the text, John 12:24TPT “Let me make this clear: A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat—all because one grain died.
Two fold help.
Jesus was giving insight into His own death/crucifixion. Moreover, His burial produced resurrection.
Jesus states, If you want to live choose to die, because if you die to self, Jesus will give you access to His unlimited help, power and authority.
Psalm 46:1-3NLT God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
Why? Because God is our refuge!
As children of God, sons and daughters of God, We need His unlimited help.
Learning how to die is the way to life.
Romans 6:11MSG From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did.
“Jesus died for your do’s, and your don’t’s.” P.H
Galatians 3:13AMP Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs [crucified] on a tree (cross)”—
When Paul refers to “the law,” he means the Mosaic Law found in the first five books of the Bible, which instructed the Israelites how to properly worship and honor God through various commands and requirements. -Do’s and Don’t’s.
Well, the ultimate renaissance man, Jesus redeemed us from the letter. He redeemed us from the curse and effects of the Law.
2 Corinthians 3:6b...the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
As children of God we have more than just letters, we possess God’s presence. -And God’s presence is His glory.
Galatians 2:20ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I live by faith. I accept Jesus’ sacrifice. I accept my freedom. I live without condemnation. I live, walk, and talk with new authority. I am a person of certainty. I am a new creation. The old has passed, the new has arrived. When Jesus stated, It is finished. It’s finished! -His Kingdom has come.
Romans 6:4-5NLT For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
“Listen you don’t have to wait until your dead to be victorious!” P.H
Here’s an interesting fact about a wheat seed. A wheat seed is designed to work itself down instead of up.
This is because it derives most of its nourishment from the soil and the sun, both while beneath the surface. Therefore, it makes sense for the wheat seed to focus on growing downwards to absorb more nutrients and thrive.
Matthew 16:24-26NLT Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Giving up your own way might sound like a downer, but it’s far from that, Giving up, and letting go, means trusting God’s seed, and God’s seed will last forever! P.H
Moses was a renaissance man, He lived with royalty and was extremely well-educated. He was a sheep-herder, a warrior, a poet and a musician.
Abraham was a renaissance man, He was a farmer, astronomer, mathematician, educator and athlete.
Jesus is the ultimate Renaissance man.
He is I AM, Jesus, a water walker, Jesus a miracle worker, Jesus a story teller, Jesus a fishermen and a fisher of men, Jesus was, is, and is to come. Jesus, an entrepreneur, Jesus Savior of the World.
Acts 10:38AMP how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power; and He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
Jesus is the ultimate Renaissance man!
