We would like
to see Jesus – John 12:20-26
Jonathan
Stephen -
When the Pharisees lamented
that 'the whole world' was going after Jesus (verse 19), they were saying more
than they suspected. Immediately, we read that certain God-fearing Greeks
approached Philip at the Feast, asking for an interview with Jesus. Philip is,
understandably, uncertain how to act (see Matthew 10:5; 15:24). But when he and
Andrew eventually tell Jesus about the request, the Lord is overjoyed (verses
21-23). This apparently minor incident is a signal that the 'hour' for which
Jesus came into the world has begun. (See verses 27-33, which will be explained
next week.) Jesus knew that the Greeks' request was a foretaste of the fact
that one day he would be 'the desired of all nations' (Haggai 2:7).
But the glorification of
Jesus must begin with his death on a cross. Verse 24 is all about the meaning
and necessity of that death. Jesus here pictures himself as a humble seed. Just
as the 'destruction' of the sown seed results in the life of a new plant, so
the Lord pictures his own death and resurrection. And 'just as the plant grows
in order that it might, in its turn, be fruitful, so the Lord Jesus Christ rose
from the dead in order that he might produce his own spiritual 'seed' - the
vast number of true Christians who would believe in him for salvation down the
ages. (See this prophesied in Isaiah 53: 1 0).
Few
verses in the Bible demonstrate the necessity of Christ's death more vividly
than this verse 24. The necessity of the cross is put in two ways, both
negatively and positively:
'Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone'
(verse 24a, NASB). Once, God was alone -
nothing else
existed. But he created the universe to reflect his glory - and human beings, in his
image, with whom he might have fellowship. When we, through our sinful
rebellion, broke the relationship, in his amazing love God sent his Son to
restore it by his death on a cross. Once the Son had become a man in order to
do this, he would have condemned his human nature to an inconsolable loneliness
for all eternity, had he not also paid the price for his people's sin on the
cross, so enabling ~hem to enter eternal life with him.
'But if it dies, it produces
many seeds' (verse 24b). How
can we be sure that we are part of the spiritual 'seed' for which Jesus came to
die? Verses 25 and 26 show us that Jesus expected a response to his impending
sacrifice. If we truly want to be his disciples, we must follow in his steps.
We, too, must go the way of the cross. Of course, our own physical deaths would
be worth nothing in spiritual terms because we are sinners. But, in his great
grace, the Saviour promises to make even us spiritually fruitful, if we will
only die to sin. We must be prepared not only to count the cost of being a
Christian, but be prepared to pay it as well!
If we love our lives as they
are - pleasing only ourselves,
without even a thought for the God who made us - then our lives will be
eternally 'lost'. We will never be born again into the abundant, spiritual life
which God intended us to live. But if we hate the kind of life we are living in
this fallen world, realising that we are grieving God and hurting ourselves
terribly, then we shall enter a new life, as we turn from our sins and put all
our trust in the Lord Jesus' Christ.
Jesus promises here that all
those who truly love, obey and follow him, will live with him for ever and
share his Father's glory. Is this something that you want? Do you understand
enough of the Good News to surrender your life to Jesus now? If so, do it!
Jesus said, 'Whoever comes to me I will never drive away' (John 6:37). But if
you are not yet at this point, don't turn away. The Bible encourages us to
'Seek the Lord while he may be found' (Isaiah 55:6). Why not read the whole of
Isaiah 55?