As I have pondered this concept over the last few weeks I have learned so much. This has been a journey of self discovery that has led me down the path of repentance often.
This week I want to look at the scripture in John 12.
John 12:20-25 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
There are a few things that stands out in this scripture.
1. We see that it is the Greeks that are asking the question – Can we see Jesus? Why did they come to ask Jesus a question? The Greeks were the philosophers of their time. These were the people that invented gods like Zeus and Apollo’s and so on. In their mythology these gods exist and the only physical manifestation of these gods were the statutes and idols they had of them. Now there is a visible God in their midst. What does a God look like? I wonder if they heard Jesus say that he is the son of God. Maybe someone told them about Jesus’ claim. They wanted to see what a son of God looks like. So they come to ask Phillip and Andrew. In turn the disciples asked Jesus. “There are some Greeks here that wants to see you Jesus!
2. Jesus response: A seed must die to reproduce. What is he saying? We all reproduce when we die. Death is instrumental in multiplication. They wanted to see one son, He wanted them to see many. He did not come to present a new way of living; he came to empower many to live in a new way of living. They wanted to see one son, he wanted them to see there will be many sons.
3. Laying down your life is a choice we all have. This is one of those statements Jesus makes that makes our flesh feel uncomfortable. Are we not supposed to love life? What he is asking is: Do we love the world more than we love our life.
Resurrection life is impossible without a death first. God wants us to be able to live by the resurrected life of Christ. As long as the flesh is alive, the real life that is eternal waits. That is what Paul states in Gal 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me. The life I now live I live by the faith OF the Son of God.
I am dead. I have received the resurrected life of Christ. My life for his life. Then he makes the ultimate statement. Now I live by the Faith OF the Son od God. No longer my faith, His faith.
In dying I have gained everything. His Life, His Faith. Now when people see us they see the sons of God.
What do you choose this day?