Dear Explorer,
Read John 12:20-30
Look at John 12:24 closely. You've planted seeds and watched them grow. You know that as the seed germinates – it essentially falls apart and the plant emerges from it. If it grows and becomes a healthy plant it will produce more seed than what was planted. Okay. Now, let's look at this verse.
First, how does it apply to Jesus' death?
If Jesus dies, then many, many people, including you and me, can invite Him into our core and become “alive” (instead of empty) and have eternal life.
Then Jesus applies this principle to us in John 12:25-26. What does it cost to follow Jesus?
Death to SELF. By that, I mean that you have to say “no” to SELF being in charge of your life and let the Holy Spirit be in charge.
Anyone who decides that they don't want to invite Jesus into their God-shaped vacuum, will die eternally. And anyone who decides that they want to live eternally, must put SELF to death (stop it from being in charge and making the decisions). Now, some groups have taken John 12:25 to extremes and mutilate and harm the body to gain some spiritual goal. I don't believe that Jesus was saying “hate” as in abuse or treat with contempt, but rather that our love for Him must exceed our love for SELF.
It's normal as a human to desire to be “in charge”. That's the goal of every teenager – to be free from adult supervision! God says that unless we put that desire for SELF to be our boss to death – it will cause us to miss what He has planned for us. To willingly become obedient to Jesus results in not only eternal life, but abundant life! Jesus says, there will be a reward for the one who chooses to serve Him instead of SELF.
Did Jesus practice what He preached?
In John 12:27-28, can you see Jesus putting His SELF to death and submitting to God's plans? I believe that Jesus was fully human and wanted to live! I believe that He chose to say “no” to SELF in order to obey God's plans for Him.
What happened when Jesus made this statement of commitment to God?
Wow! Can you imagine being there? I wonder if Jesus' followers heard and understood it and the empty people just heard thunder? I don't know. But apparently John heard the voice and recorded it here for us.
I wonder what would happen if you made this commitment to God? Would things begin to change in your life, your family's life, your friend's lives, your church, your community?
Dwight L. Moody was a shoe salesman when he heard a man say, “The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man, who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.” This phrase has challenged me, and I hope it will challenge you. Mr. Moody was just an ordinary man, but God began to use him in supernatural ways. He became one of the greatest evangelists of the 19th century, preaching all over America and Great Britain and leading thousands and thousands of people to Jesus.
In His service, dale
Next study