John 12:20-26

1. We learn from our Lord’s words in this passage, that death is the way to spiritual life and glory: “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”
2. We learn from our Lord’s words that if we profess to serve Christ, we must follow Him: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me.”

"It is as true of Christians as it is of Christ that there can be no life without death, there can be no sweet without bitter, there can be no crown without a cross."

"As the soldier follows the general, the servant follows the master, the pupil follows the teacher, the sheep follows the shepherd, just so ought the professing Christian to follow Christ. Faith and obedience are the leading marks of real followers and will always be seen in true believing Christians."

Questions:

1. Jesus, in responding to some Greeks coming to him, declares that unless a seed of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear fruit. This, obviously applying to Jesus' death, also has implications for all who follow Him as we cannot bear fruit unless we die to ourselves. Does it sound too strong - maybe even like legalism - for Jesus to say that you cannot be saved without being ready to even give up our lives and deny ourselves anything that hinders our souls for the sake of the gospel? What are areas we need to deny ourselves today? What are ways we need to sow to the Spirit?
2. Jesus gives a great promise, namely that the one who serves him belong to him. Ryle warns that it is easy to serve Christ in name and form and this satisfies many, but to follow him in faith and life is demanding and will earn us ridicule and opposition from the world. Do we only believe what is convenient and obey when it is easy? May we put before ourselves that great day of standing before Christ and aim to hear, "well done, good and faithful servant!"