Before we get into the message today, please know that I have been once again ‘hacked’, and requests are going out for you to become my Friend. That is to set up a false account, which will be used to try to sell you or somebody else something. Always remember, I will never try to sell you anything except the truth of the Gospel, and the love of our God. So please disregard those requests.
Today, we continue our study of the Gospel of John. We resume at verse 20 of Chapter 12. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle writes:
“Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we want to see Jesus.’ Philip went to Andrew, Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, ‘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.’ (John 12: 20-26)
Some people think Jesus came only for the Jews, but as Jesus responded to the Greeks’ request to see Him, He worded what He replied to clearly show He came for everyone who would choose to believe in Him. He used the words; ‘anyone’, and ‘whoever’, and ‘the one who serves Me’ to make it clear. Yes, Jesus came to us as a man through the Jews, but He shed His blood, and gave His life for everyone. He grants eternal life in heaven to those who believe in Him. He is Lord over all creation for those who follow Him.
His message to all was that it was time for Him to die. He used wheat as the example of a seed being planted in the ground, and dying, and from that process bringing forth many stalks of grain, (the gospel, the bread of life) for the multitude. He told them that those who followed Him, and served Him, would be honored by His Father, who is God Almighty.
We do not have to die on a cross to follow Him, and serve Him, and for our life to bring forth much fruit. His death on the cross took care of the cross for us all. The Word says, “For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:14) We glorify Christ, and our Father of Love by simply believing that HE is Love, and living in Love toward others. He has made us perfect in Spirit with His sacrifice. Our desire to be like Him in our flesh grows each day as we purpose to go to Him and walk with Him. We tell others the Good News, as they see the peace and love that is flowing through us. Our Father honors us with the presence, and Oneness, of His Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit of our Christ, and the presence of The Holy Spirit Himself in our spirit. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7) We are provided all things needed as we serve the Christ. So says the Word. So it is.?