John 12:20-50 seeing Jesus ( again)
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Mark 11:11 court of the gentiles
Isaiah 56:6-7 house of prayer for all nations
John 12:20 ….
REQUEST
( Greeks) : we would like to see Jesus
Phillip and Andrew ( Greek names ); they make the request
Answer to REQUEST:
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 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. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
ODD REPLY to the request??
– Kind of first things first
– to answer them ( or BE their answer, Jesus has to die first )
– for this to happen, Jesus must FIRST be reject as Messiah to Jews / crucified
“Jesus sets down an important principle: fruit bearing does not result from one’s efforts to save his life, but from one’s willing sacrifice of his life.”……
….. (One can preserve a grain of wheat, protecting it from the elements and from corruption, but doing so will never produce a crop of wheat. On the other hand, one can place this same grain of wheat in the ground, causing it to die. The “death” of this seed will produce much fruit.)
https://bible.org/seriespage/29-greeks-seek-jesus-john-1220-50
A MAN IS NO FOOL….
25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
True followers….
ILLUS 1)
Jim Elliot & Friends martyrs in Ecuador in 1956
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”
ILLUS 2)
Eusebius : Church History
Acct of CHURCH living in LIGHT of the resurrection
250 years-ish of waves of persecution
Ocean – big / little, unremittingly pound the shore
Listing by name / long if not impossible …..
ILLUS 3)
http://www.aggies.org.uk/about-aggie
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-15537655
Agnes “Aggie” Weston who was famous for her kindness to sailors during the Boer War.
– Christmas Pudding
– Sailors Rest
– letters to Journal
How are you spending yourself for Jesus….
Same Evidence
Vs. 27 ….Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Same evidence – different explanations!
Baptism
Transfiguaration
Here…..
Dying on Purpose
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[a] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Light leads to light
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
More : Same Evidence & Prophecy Fulfilled
Vs 37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
Face of Fear & Folly
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
See Me Hear Me
47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
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See Jesus ?
Live in His Light?
How are you spending yourself…. for Jesus?