John 12:24, 25 - Living for Christ or Self? (addendum)
John 12:24, 25 - Living for Christ or Self? (addendum)
John 12:24, 25 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a
corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if
it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life
shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it
unto life eternal.
John 12:24, 25 (CWR) Unless a kernel of wheat is buried and
dies, it produces nothing. It always will be just one kernel of
wheat. But if it dies, it produces other kernels for a great harvest.
So it is with me. If a person lives only for himself, he'll lose
eternal life. But if he dies to self and lives for others, he'll
produce a harvest of good things and receive life eternal.
CONTEXT: Some Greeks Seek Jesus: John 12:20-26.
APPLICATION COMMENTARY with emphasis on verses 25, 26.
One aspect of following Jesus means spending time with him.
That seems obvious. But think about it. When Jesus was here on earth,
people who believed in Jesus' teachings literally followed him. They
walked with him. They traveled together, ate together, prayed together,
saw awesome things together, and suffered together.
So how do we follow Jesus today? How do we spend time with
him? One way to spend time with Jesus is through prayer and reading
the Bible. We need to take quiet times to sense his presence and to
welcome him into our lives. We need to read and study God's Word so we
can do what he wants us to do. Though we cannot see or touch Jesus
today (he is risen and in heaven!), he has given every new believer
his Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, we can live in the awareness of
God's presence as we go through our daily lives. We are never out of
his sight. We are never separated from his love. [The One Year Bible
for New Believers re John 12:26]
Some things must die in order to be productive. Certain seeds
will not germinate into a plant unless they freeze during the winter.
Jesus knew that His death would bring salvation to the world.
The moment you became a Christian, your sinful nature died (Ro
6:6), but there remained sinful aspects of your character that had not
gone to their graves willingly. Before you became a Christian were
you self-centered? You may discover selfishness lingering in your
life when you ought to be freely sharing what you have in the name of
Christ (Mt 10:8). Did you have a volatile temper? Now as a believer,
you experience moments when anger wells up within you. Were you
driven by ambition? You may still find yourself with the same
motivation as you strive for recognition and position in the kingdom of
God.
If these sinful attitudes are allowed to remain alive, they
will stifle the fruits of the Spirit. Your temper may prevent some
from coming to Jesus. Your selfishness will hinder you from being a
blessing to those around you. Your ambition could cause you to use others
to meet your goals. Your family may be suffering because of some
areas of your life that you have never allowed Jesus to put to death.
It is futile to say, "But that's just the way I am!" That is the
way you were. But that person died with Christ; you are a new
creation (2Co 5:17). Allow God to complete His work in you and see what
fruit your life produces. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby re John 12:24]
Often when our souls are troubled and problems abound, we tend
to pray prayers such as, "Lord, fix this situation so I won't have
to suffer or have problems! Make everything go smoothly in my life!
Please remove the obstacles I'm facing today! " But Jesus, in view of
his impending suffering and death, aligned himself with the Father's
purposes. While he prayed in Gethsemane, it was only natural for him to
ask that if it were possible, he might not need to face the
unspeakable torment that was to come. But his greater priority was not his
own comfort; it was doing his Father's will and agreeing to what
would bring glory to his name.
With Christ as our example, we who follow the Lord are to do
the same in our difficulties. We are to align ourselves with God's
purposes, commit to seeing them through whatever the cost to us, and enter
into Christ's prayer - that God would be glorified in our lives.
LORD, may my highest motivation and desire be that your name
would be glorified in every trial and situation I go through. Keep my
mind and heart focused on Jesus' example and committed to what you
want to accomplish in my life. Holy Spirit, please give me grace to
live wholeheartedly for the glory of God's name. [Praying Through The
Bible By Fuller re John 12:26]
The way to glory is through death to self and through service to
God and man. [Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible]
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Songbirds - Lesson in Perseverance:
http://cid-f1a3c358417407da.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Songbird.pps
Grace Notes:
http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php
A Better Way to Live:
http://www.itiswritten.com/betterway/
Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/
More Spiritual Resources:
http://www.aBible.com
