Topic: FOLLOWING JESUS
Text: John 12:20-32
12:20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.
12:21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
12:22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
12:23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
12:24 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.
12:25 He who loves his lifewill lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
12:26 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.
12:27 “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.
12:28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
12:29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
12:30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
STUDY:
Right from the time Jesus Christ began to recruit the disciples that worked with Him during His earthly ministry, following Him has always come with great sacrifice. Simon Peter forsook his vocation. The two sons of Zebedee not only left their trade, their father also did. If forsaking their vocations and family were the only things to sacrifice, then it may not have been seen as weighty as it is. They also lost their lves in the course of their following Christ.
Jesus made it clear that no one can follow Him effectively without first hating his own life. This means that such one should focus less on him/herself and devote time to doing the will of God, no matter the cost. If anyone claims to follow Christ without hating his/her life, such a one will lose it. It’s only when one has surrendered one’s self-will and has taken up doing God’s will, will such a one be able to bear fruit. Self signifies a lifestyle that opposes God’s principles. We must intentionally surrender the ‘self lifestyle to the cross and be ‘dead’ to them if we must bear fruit in Christ and for Christ.
Prayer:
Father, grant me the grace to die to self that I may follow you effectively. Amen.
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