February
17, 2003
SIR,
WE WISH TO SEE JESUS, Part II
"Now
there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship
at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida
of Galilee, and asked him, saying, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus'
" (John 12:20, 21, NKJV).
Jesus
presented His future illustrating it by the things of nature.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat
falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it
dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose
it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and
where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves
Me, him My Father will honor. Now My soul is troubled, and
what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But for
this purpose I came to this hour. 'Father, glorify Your name.
"Then
a voice came from heaven, saying, 'I have both glorified it
and will glorify it again.' Therefore the people who stood
by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, 'An
angel has spoken to Him.'
"Jesus
answered and said, 'This voice did not
come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment
of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth will draw all peoples
to Myself" (John 12:24-32).
The ultimate
result of Christ's mission could only be accomplished by His
death, thus the illustration of the wheat falling into the
ground and dying. So the death of Christ would result in fruit
for the kingdom of God. Life, immortal life, would be the
result of His death, for those who put their faith and trust
in God and walk daily with Him by faith.
With
this truth, Jesus connected the lesson of self-sacrifice that
all should learn, "He who loves
his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life." Paul said, "I
die daily" and "For none of us lives to himself,
and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the
Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether
we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ
died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both
the dead and the living." (1 Cor. 15 31; Romans 14:7-9).
As a
grain of wheat cannot produce fruit until it falls into the
ground and dies, neither can we be fruitful until we fall
into the furrow of the world's need, die to self and live
for God. Self-love and self-interest breeds selfishness. The
law of self-sacrifice and service is the law of self-preservation.
So in
our humanity, living and loving in the way our Creator has
lived for us and has loved and served us, is the way of more
abundant living, freedom and success. Knowing Him produces
eternal life (John 17:3).
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