Sermon Tone Analysis

Sunday, May 18, 2008

*The kernel of wheat that dies!*

John 12:20-28

/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.       /John 12:26 NIV

*-----------*

Would you *write your definition of servant*, particularly a *volunteer servant* or *servant by choice*, someone who has a *servant’s heart*?

How would you *define servant* in this case?

Second, would you *write the name of someone* you know who *fits your definition* or *illustrates* someone with a servant’s heart?

Third, *what* do you think *caused this person* to *develop a servant’s heart?*

 

*The text we examine* this morning represents yet another *transition in Jesus’ life*.

We could call it “*ratcheting it up* to the *next to the highest degree*.”

No longer is Jesus saying, “*My hour has not yet come*.”

Rather, in replying to the inquiry of the Greeks, He declares, “*My hour has come*!”

So, *except for the moment* when He cries out, “It is finished,” Jesus is *in His final stage* of offering Himself as the *atoning sacrifice* for our sins.

*Here’s the te*xt:

*John 12:20-28 (NIV)*

/20 //Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.

21 //They came to Philip, who was from //Bethsaida// in //Galilee//, with a request.

“Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 //Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

/

/ /

/23 //Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

24 //I tell you the truth, 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 //The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his 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./*/ /

/ /

/27 //“Now My heart is troubled, and what shall I say?

‘Father, save Me from this hour’?

No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

28 //Father, glorify Your name!” /

/Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

/

Jesus has just *entered **Jerusalem* with *the pomp and circumstance of a king*.

The crowds have been talking about *the incredible miracle* He did in Bethany just a few weeks earlier by *raising Lazarus* from the dead.

*If ever there was a man *who could be *trusted to rule* the nation well and *fulfill all the hopes and dreams* of the people, *it was Jesus*.

All He needed to do was *declare His candidacy *for king of the Jews and *the whole nation would rally to Him*.

O, of course *not* the *Pharisees* and the *Sadducees*.

But, they would be *deemed irrelevant* once Jesus took the throne.

*Five distinct groups of people* have watched Jesus make His entrance into Jerusalem.

Most were *misguided in their enthusiasm*.

The disciples were *committed but confused*.

Those from Bethany seemed to *exhibit the highest level of commitment* of all those who followed Jesus.

The Pharisees represented all *those who opposed Him*.

And finally, the *Greeks* represented *the curious* and possibly even *the seekers of truth*.

As John writes His gospel, we take note that he *tells us about the Greeks last*.

Their *pursuit of Jesus* is summed up in their request: “*We would like to see Jesus*.”

Here is a *group of outsiders* having witnessed a huge *outpouring of adulation* for an *obviously great man*.

They probably *knew* a fair amount *about Him*, but wanted to *know more*.

But, they wanted to learn more *by meeting Him face to face.*

Now, we don’t know *if they ever did*.

But, it certainly *seems reasonable* to think *they did* since John includes them in the narrative.

Would he *only have told us about them* so Jesus would *have something to reply to*?

I am persuaded that these *Greeks got their wish*.

But, I also think *Jesus’ audience was bigger *than just the *Greeks* and the *disciples*.

What Jesus wanted to say was *terribly important for all these people* who had gathered to watch Him *enter **Jerusalem*.

In essence, Jesus is saying that *He is indeed a king*.

And, *it was appropriate* for the great crowd to *welcome Him with honors* fitting of a king.

We read *nothing of Jesus rebuking these people* for hailing Him for His *royal position*.

But, Jesus is *going to* *clarify* something about *His kingship* that will *trouble the multitudes*, *disturb the Greeks* and *open the minds and hearts* of all those who wish to *truly follow* this very *different kind of a king*.

*/The hour has come/*, Jesus tells them, /for the Son of Man *to be glorified*/.

But, what does that *mean*?

What are *these people thinking* when He says that?

Is He going to make *the big anticipated announcement* that He will lead these people to *revolt against the Romans*?

What does *Jesus mean* when He says, “The *hour has come*?”

In *previous settings* where the *opponents* of Jesus were *plotting and scheming* ways to *arrest* Him and *kill* Him, they found themselves *stymied in their goal*.

*John 7:30 (NIV) */30 //At this they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His time had not yet come.

/

*John 8:20 (NIV) */20 //He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put.

Yet no one seized Him, because His time had not yet come.

/

But, now His *time had come*.

His *purpose for coming* to earth was about to be *fulfilled*.

*That part of the equation* most everyone agreed with.

Things could *not keep going on* as they were.

*Something had to give*.

The hour *had come*.

But, the events were going to *happen on God’s terms* and in *God’s timing*.

And that *time had come*.

But what was *not agreed on by all those gathered *in Jerusalem for Passover was *how Jesus would be king*.

Most were thinking a *major political figure*.

But, they were *hugely mistaken*.

And, I believe, it’s fair to say that *after Jesus addresses the people* there are a *lot of disappointed* *admirers* of Jesus.

Their *expectations* would *not be fulfilled* in Jesus.

In verses 24-26, Jesus makes *three statements* that have a *common message*.

Each verse *helps explain the other two*.

You will also *notice a movement* from Jesus speaking primarily *about Himself* to Jesus speaking exclusively *about those who truly follow Jesus*.

The first one is found in verse 24.

/24 //I tell you the truth, 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./

Knowing that Jesus is *on His way to die *on the cross, clearly Jesus is speaking of Himself.

He is that *kernel of wheat*.

He will *fall to the ground* and die.

Through His *death* His *life will be multiplied*.

Jesus is talking about *Himself*.

His illustration should take some of the *sting out of His death*.

To realize that *much fruit can result* from death gives purpose to what is *commonly thought of as a waste*, as an *intrusion*, an *interruption* of the severest magnitude.

In Jesus’ case, *death is not an option* if He wants to be fruitful.

*The lesson* is in the kernel of wheat.

*Apart from death there can be no multiplication of life*.

The same is *true for Jesus*.

The fulfillment of His purpose *can only be achieved by His death* on the cross.

So, in the *shocking news* that He is on His way to die, *there is a promise*; there is *hope*.

What is that *promise*?

It is that *through His death many will find life*.