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A Kernel of Wheat
Scripture
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, 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. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” - John 12: 23-28 (NIV)
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples just after He entered Jerusalem the week of His death. He had entered the city with people calling Him the king of Israel saying, “Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the King of Israel!” Jesus, of course, knew what the end of the week would bring and He told His disciples, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.”
What is interesting is that Jesus then turns the spotlight from Himself to His disciples. He says, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Jesus knows that He must die and then be raised from the dead. But here, He says it is true for us. We must die to self and to our agendas and give our lives to Him completely if we are to join Him in His death.
What does our death look like? He describes it this way, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My father will honor the one who serves me.” It is a death to ourselves when making the decision to follow Him. That is why He says, “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” He is speaking here of where our attachment is. If it is to ourselves, our agendas and finding security in ourselves, we will lose our lives. If it is to Him, His agenda for us and finding security in Him, we will experience eternal life. The former is life on our own. The latter is life lived for Jesus.
This is not always easy. Jesus knew what was in store for Him when He said, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Like Jesus, there are times when we say, “this is hard,” or “this isn’t what I signed up for.” But remember, like a kernel of wheat, we have died and now live for Jesus, and in all things, our goal is to see the Father glorified.
This week, think about how you can make the name of Jesus well known and see His Father glorified. We do this as we serve Him, obey Him and live for Him and with Him. Live with the goal of seeing the Father glorified through your life.
PRAYER
Jesus, what a gift You gave to us through Your willingness to go to the cross and die for me. Even when Your soul was in agony, You chose to glorify the Father. Help me to glorify You through my life this week. You are my example. Amen.
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By TJ AddingtonScripture
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, 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. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” - John 12: 23-28 (NIV)
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples just after He entered Jerusalem the week of His death. He had entered the city with people calling Him the king of Israel saying, “Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the King of Israel!” Jesus, of course, knew what the end of the week would bring and He told His disciples, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.”
What is interesting is that Jesus then turns the spotlight from Himself to His disciples. He says, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Jesus knows that He must die and then be raised from the dead. But here, He says it is true for us. We must die to self and to our agendas and give our lives to Him completely if we are to join Him in His death.
What does our death look like? He describes it this way, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My father will honor the one who serves me.” It is a death to ourselves when making the decision to follow Him. That is why He says, “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” He is speaking here of where our attachment is. If it is to ourselves, our agendas and finding security in ourselves, we will lose our lives. If it is to Him, His agenda for us and finding security in Him, we will experience eternal life. The former is life on our own. The latter is life lived for Jesus.
This is not always easy. Jesus knew what was in store for Him when He said, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Like Jesus, there are times when we say, “this is hard,” or “this isn’t what I signed up for.” But remember, like a kernel of wheat, we have died and now live for Jesus, and in all things, our goal is to see the Father glorified.
This week, think about how you can make the name of Jesus well known and see His Father glorified. We do this as we serve Him, obey Him and live for Him and with Him. Live with the goal of seeing the Father glorified through your life.
PRAYER
Jesus, what a gift You gave to us through Your willingness to go to the cross and die for me. Even when Your soul was in agony, You chose to glorify the Father. Help me to glorify You through my life this week. You are my example. Amen.