 The hour has come the hour has come John chapter 12 verses 20 through 26 As we come to this text John chapter 12 verses 20 through 26 the hour has come and we are mere days Away from the single most dramatic and significant event in all of human history The greatest achievements of man all pale in comparison It is an event that has shaped the course of history far more than world wars Far more than the rise and fall of empires far more than the shifting of tectonic plates More significant than the great flood More significant than the exodus more significant than any other Miracle is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ According to the predetermined purpose and determined for knowledge of God Jesus has made his way into the city of Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover week He entered there publicly Triumphantly to great crowds praising and exalting him as the Messiah the promised king who would deliver his people But not as the conquering warlord riding in on a warhorse as they expected But as the prophet Zechariah preached at over 500 years earlier lowly in riding on a donkey The Pharisees and the ruling religious elite are Exasperated by him they view him as a threat to their authority They view him as a threat to their control over the people And every day that the crowd grows around him they grow angrier and more desperate to get rid of him Caiaphas the high priest and the Sanhedrin council have already made the decision that he should be seized and put to death As quickly as possible Now they have hands that are swift to shed innocent blood, but they have to be careful They have to be careful because of the crowds the mob can easily turn on them in a moment They don't handle this with discretion So now knowing that his hour is at hand the Lord boldly and courageously enters the snake pit He has avoided circumstances in the past that might have brought him to an untimely arrest But now there's no reason for any further delay He has come for the very purpose of laying down his life at Calvary So his very public entry highly praised by the multitudes Has the expected effect with his opposition? He has infuriated the Pharisees in chapter 12 verse 19 They say among themselves in anger you see that you were accomplishing nothing Look the world has gone after him Now once again Pharisees here speaking with a little more understanding a little more meaning than what they know What they mean is Met as hyperbole it was meant as an exaggeration But we see in John's account here as a beautiful statement of the sweeping scope of the grace of God in Christ The Jews believed that they alone were worthy to receive the promises But it's the coming of certain Greeks in verse 20 that mark the coming of the hour This is the appointed hour for which the Lord Jesus Christ has come into the world The hour that the Son of man would die in the place of his people The hour that he's referring to here is an hour that we'll spend the next year studying together We're gonna be working through this hour in chapters 13 through 20 That's a figurative hour It's an hour encompassing his suffering his crucifixion his resurrection and his ascension back to the father who sent him And back to his former glory It's this hour so to speak in the life of the Lord that represents the bedrock of our Christian faith And it's in John chapter 12 verses 20 through 26 that we get a commentary on that hour from the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and I want you to see this in this text We're gonna look at the scope of the hour the significance of the hour and the summons of the hour The scope of the hour the significance of the hour and the summons of the hour Let's take a look first at the scope of the hour beginning in verse 20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast now these Greeks verse 20 We're not Hellenists L.A. Nistei or Greek-speaking Jews These Greeks were Helene's Helene's they were Greek-speaking Gentiles okay keep that in mind they were Gentiles But now these were Gentiles that had given up their pagan roots given up their pagan idolatrous worship And they've come to Jerusalem to worship the one true and living God of Israel. They were God-fearers and The grammar would lead us to believe that they came up repeatedly to this feast to worship the one true and living God of Israel And we know that they were God-fears because at the end of verse 20 it says they came to Jerusalem to worship at the feast Now as Gentiles They would have been allowed into the court of the Gentiles in the temple complex, but no further in The temple courts there was a wall of separation that kept Gentiles out of the inner courts on 1871 there was an Archaeological discovery archaeological find of an etched stone It was an engraved stone that was placed in that dividing wall and here's what the stone said in Greek No stranger is to enter no stranger no Gentile no foreigner No alien is to enter within the partition wall and Enclosure around the sanctuary Whoever is caught will be responsible to himself for his death which will ensue In other words under penalty of death Gentiles don't go beyond that wall of separation. Okay. They were serious about that separation Incidentally in this court of the Gentiles It would be where these Greeks would have come in verse 20 to find the Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples And at the same time the Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples were in the court of the Gentiles often teaching and preaching Another very important event takes place near this exact same time And I want you to see that with me in Mark chapter 11 Mark chapter 11 go there with me if you don't mind Mark chapter 11 and now in the same way that in John chapter 12 We just looked together last week at the triumphal entry the Lord Jesus Christ You see in chapter 11 marks account of the triumphal entry in verses 1 through 10 Okay, and at the end of the Lord's triumphal entry Mark says this in verse 11 It says in Jesus. This is at the end of his triumphal entry. He has come into the city It says Jesus went into Jerusalem into the temple and so when he had looked around at all things as the hour was already late He went out again to Bethany with the 12 If you look at verse 12 then verse 12 begins now the next day Okay, the next day the next day the Lord leaves Bethany again, and he walks back into the city back into Jerusalem Now we don't know if the Greeks of John 12 Come to the Lord on the day of his triumphal entry Or if they come to him on this same day, but in either event in either way It's very close to this particular time this particular event in the temple and I think that's significant Look at look with me at what happens in the court of the Gentiles next in verse 15 Here they came to Jerusalem Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple Now they bought and sold in the court of the Gentiles The court of the Gentiles was a very large open court And when the money changers and those who sold doves and lambs in the court in the courtyard They set up their wares in the court of the Gentiles All right, so what did Jesus do there in verse 15? He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves And he would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple look at verse 17 And then he taught now what said here is Representative of the teaching you can be certain that the Lord Jesus Christ taught much more than this one statement But he taught in verse 17 saying to them is it not written? My house shall be called a house of prayer for who? For all nations for all nations all nations But you he says have made it a den of thieves But the Gentiles think about it for a moment those Greeks in John chapter 12 verse 20 have come as God-fearers to the temple to worship in the court of the Gentiles the one true and living God of Israel and the Lord here in mark 11 this at the same time is Upholding their worship these money-grubbing money changers have come into the temple and they are Corrupting perverting the worship of God by these Gentiles and he's upholding their worship now in verse 17 there mark 11 The Lord is quoting a passage from Isaiah 56 turn with me to Isaiah 56 Isaiah 56 Now if you have a new King James The heading over Isaiah 56 says salvation for the Gentiles Salvation for the Gentiles. I want you to think through this and start putting this together Okay, with these Greeks that are coming into the temple in John chapter 12 verse 20 look at verse 1 in Isaiah 56 Thus says the Lord Keep justice and do righteousness for my salvation. Who is that? the Lord Jesus Christ my Salvation is about to come and my righteousness to be revealed now The salvation here about to come is the salvation of God God Wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ himself in that salvation doesn't Paul say the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, right? Look at verse 2 Blessed is the man who does this and the Son of man who lays hold on it who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and keeps his hand from doing an evil verse 3 Do not let the son of the stranger The foreigner the Gentile don't let the son of the Gentile who has joined himself to the Lord speak saying the Lord has utterly Separated me from his people you can imagine a Gentile coming into the temple complex and there was a wall of separation Signs posted on that wall go no further or you're gonna die Right wouldn't a Gentile have in his heart and in his mind. Well, the Lord has separated me from his people, right? Gentiles were on the outside But he says in verse 3 also nor let the eunuch say here. I am a dry tree and notice They've joined themselves to the Lord. They have broken ties with the world They have broken ties with their pagan Idolatrous false worship and they've turned from their idolatry They poured contempt on their flesh and they've devoted themselves to the God who saves right does that sound familiar? Right sounds like you and I we turn from our idolatry We turn from living for ourselves and we put our faith in Christ to worship the true and living God Here just like those Greeks in John chapter 12 coming to worship at Passover now some of them here discouraged in their hearts Discouraged in their hearts because they weren't of the seed of Abraham and maybe they thought to themselves right coming into the temple coming into the courts Will I be accepted by God? Well, God accept me look at all that I've done look at who I am I'm not at the seat of Abraham Maybe when you come if you come humbly to the Lord your God like the the public in right in the temple Lord I'm a sinner be merciful to me the sinner these Greeks come in Seeing they're very separation Laid out before them in that wall of separation there in the temple complex. They're discouraged They wondered if God would accept them as the sons of a foreigner as the sons of a stranger Now maybe just maybe that's what the Greeks were coming to Jesus about that day in the temple in John chapter 12 verse 20 Maybe that's what's brought you here this morning You recognize By your sin that you are utterly separated from the people of God Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2 that outside of Christ you are a stranger You are a foreigner. You're a stranger from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in this world Outside of Christ in your sin you are alien to God Hopeless destitute destined for hell But listen in Christ stranger in Christ you enemy You who once were far off may be brought near by the blood of the Lamb by the blood of Christ Look at verse 4 For thus says the Lord listen to the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths and choose what pleases me and hold fast My covenant even to them I will give in my house and within my walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters What hope right what glory a name better than sons and daughters I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Now. Who's he talking to here? He's talking to strangers to foreigners to Gentiles to eunuchs Look in verse 6 also to the sons of the foreigner to the sons of the Gentile who join themselves to the Lord and Serve him and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants Every one of those all of those who keeps from defiling my Sabbath and holds fast my covenant Even them he says I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer They're burnt offerings their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar and then he says verse 7 for my house Shall be called a house of prayer for who for the Jews Certainly for the Jews, but for all nations Verse 8 the Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says yet. I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him and it didn't the Lord say in John chapter 10 verse 16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold right them also I must bring and they will hear my voice and there will be one flock and one Shepherd do you remember in John chapter 11 verse 52 at the prophesying of Caiaphas right Caiaphas said and not that the Lord Jesus Christ would not die for that nation only but also that he would what? He would gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad This is that Gathering the coming of the Gentiles in John chapter 12 Paul would say of the Lord Jesus Christ in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 14 that he Christ he himself is Our peace who has made both One and he has broken down that middle wall of separation. That's what Christ has done that little wall around the court of the Gentiles Keeping Gentiles from access to God Christ who is our peace made both peoples one One flock of God one people of God and has broken down that middle wall of separation That it says in Ephesians chapter 2. He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross It's a glorious Work this salvation. Amen Back in John chapter 12 Back in John chapter 12 Now maybe The Greeks who are coming in verse 20 Have come to see the Lord that day for hope They want hope they're hoping in these things and the Messiah has come They know they're outside the camp Maybe they came to worship the father saying Father I've sinned I've sinned I've sinned against heaven and before you I'm not worthy to be called a son make me one of your hired servants, right Like those strangers in isaia 56. They're not sure the Lord will accept them They're not sure the Lord will accept them. So in verse 21, what do they do? They come to philip They come to philip. They don't go directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe they're apprehensive about that Will we be accepted? Will we be accepted? They come to philip in verse 21 who was from Bethsada of Galilee and asked him saying sir We wish to see Jesus Now, maybe they felt more at ease with philip because philip's name was a greek name and they were greeks Maybe it was where he was from Bethsada was on the northeast corner the sea of Galilee in an area called the decapolis Where many many greek god-fearers came from but Like peter on the boat with the lord in luke 5 When he falls down at the feet of the lord jesus christ and says lord depart for me from a sinful man These greeks I believe humbled by their state Unworthy to approach christ directly They first go to philip sir. We wish to see jesus Is that what you're here for this morning? You consider what we're here for What are we doing? What are we doing? We want to see the lord jesus christ We want to see the salvation of our god We want to see him High and lifted up glorified. We want to see his power at work in us to glorify his name forever and ever amen We want to see jesus show me christ. I want to meet with the lord. That's what they're saying here That's what they're saying here. I want to meet with the lord James Montgomery voice tells the story of a church where he preached And on the pulpit he liked preaching that church because of a plaque that was engraved on the pulpit It was a plate that was engraved in the preacher's line of sight that said sir, we would see jesus That's what we're here to talk about. That's what we're here to see That's what we came for and that needs to be the desire of our heart That needs to be the desire of your heart if you Desire to see jesus and you put yourself under the preaching and teaching of his word And the preaching and teaching of his word you see him that should be the aim of all of our preaching Most of the pulpits around this world around this country Are devoid of gospel preaching because they don't preach christ and him crucified This should be the aim of all of our preaching your preaching my preaching when we preach to the lost preach christ and him crucified We want to see jesus you know, it's apparent that philip himself may have Had some apprehension as well With these greeks because philip doesn't go directly to the lord either look at verse 22 philip He went and told andrew And then in turn andrew and philip together told jesus Now it's interesting here That when they told jesus He doesn't respond directly to their request. They didn't ask. He didn't ask. Now. What do they want? What do they want to talk about? John doesn't tell us what they talked about. John doesn't even tell us that they actually met together I'm sure that they did But john simply records in verse 23 he records this Jesus answered them saying The hour has come that the son of man should be glorified Now think about it for a moment up until verse 23 the hour had not yet come The hour had not yet come the hour was always future But in verse 23 the hour has now come The coming of these greek Gentile worshipers Marks The coming hour of the glory of the son of man Now literally in the greek upon their arrival the lord says It has come The hour to be glorified It has come the hour For the lord jesus christ to be clothed in splendor To be arrayed in majesty The hour has come for his praise and exaltation the hour has come for his death on the cross Do you see? I notice he doesn't say here in verse 23 The hour has come that the son of man should be crucified He doesn't say that The lord says the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified It's not that the shame of the cross comes Followed by the glory of his exaltation But that the glory of his exaltation is wondrously displayed in the shame of the cross The cross is his glory And when the jews in droves are turning in great hostility toward him These Gentiles come as a divine signal a divine trigger if you will that the hour Of the glory of the lord jesus christ has finally come Now what's the divine signal? The divine signal is that the time of the Gentiles has come The time of the Gentiles has come What's the scope of this hour? That's what we're talking about. What's the scope of this hour? Is it narrow? Is it the jews only? No No, jesus said in verse 32 look at verse 32 The lord said and I if I am lifted up from the earth will draw the jews to myself No, we'll draw all Peoples to myself. Listen. It has always been the plan of god in redemptive history to save the world To save to himself a people from every tribe every tongue every nation It's always been the plan of god to do that Now apart from a remnant of believers israel rejects her messiah here They come in Singing hosanna at the beginning of the week and they're shouting crucify him at the end of the week Israel rejects her messiah however Through his death on the cross The lord jesus christ ushers in the sweeping Whole world scope of the new covenant in his blood whereby Gentiles who are once strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without god in the world Are now brought near by the shed blood of the lord jesus christ and israel at the same time here in a terrible And culminating act of rejection at the cross Is judged with blindness in part for a time until the fullness of the gentiles has come in This is the time of the gentiles. There's a transition going on here This has become the time of the gentiles this time of the gentiles Is the signal is the trigger if you will that the hour of the glory of the son of man has come Turn with me to romans chapter nine. Let's get a background on what's going on here romans chapter nine In the wisdom of god that is unsearchable We see this glorious salvation this redemptive history working itself out romans chapter nine this plan of god And drop down to verse 30 romans chapter nine And look at verse 30 Here paul asked the question Maybe ask the question that you're asking this morning thinking about these things What shall we say then paul asks That gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness of faith But listen verse 31, but israel Pursuing the law of righteousness has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith But as it were by the works Of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone as it is written Behold I lay in zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense And whoever jew or gentile whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. You see the the difference here the jews were Ignoring disregarding the righteousness of god in christ and seeking to pursue their own righteousness They stumbled at the stumbling stone at the rock of offense. They stumbled at the lord jesus christ himself But whoever jew or gentile whoever believes on him whoever puts their faith and trust in christ Will not be put to shame. Look at chapter 10. Look at verse one brethren paul says My heart's desire and prayer to god for israel Is that they may be saved For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for god, but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of god's righteousness in christ, right And seeking to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of god For christ verse four is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes Now drop down to verse nine Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes so that verse nine if you confess with your mouth the lord jesus and believe Faith you believe by faith in your heart that god has raised them from the dead You will be saved for with the heart one believes under righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made into salvation for the scripture says whoever whether jew or gentile jew or greek jew or barbarian whoever Believes on him the lord jesus christ will not be put to shame verse 12 for there is no longer any distinction There's no distinction between jew and greek For the same lord over all is rich to all who call upon him that wall of separation Is destroyed in christ and the two people of god are now made one For whoever of all the people in the world whoever calls on the name of the lord shall be saved Now i'm crucifying their messiah Have the jews been cast away forever Have they stumbled and finally fallen away forever? No look at chapter 11 And drop down to verse 11 Paul asks the same question i say then Have they stumbled that they should fall? certainly not But through their fall to provoke them to jealousy Salvation has come to the gentiles and that's come by faith in the lord jesus christ When those greeks come into the temple And the lord jesus christ says it has come The hour to be glorified He's recognizing this transitional period that's taking place Look at verse 12 If their fall is riches for the world and their failure Riches for the gentiles how much more their fullness For i speak to you gentiles in as much as i am an apostle to the gentiles i magnify my ministry If by any means i may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh those jews And save some of them For if they're being cast away Is the reconciling of the world? What will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Drop down to verse 25 I don't desire brethren You and i that we should be ignorant of this mystery Lest you should be wise in your own opinion Blindness in part has happened to israel until the fullness of the gentiles Has come in And so all israel will be saved that is as is written the deliverer will come out of zion And he will turn away on godliness from jacob for this is my covenant with them when i take away their sins But concerning the gospel verse 28 their enemies for your sake but concerning the election They are beloved for the sake of the fathers for the gifts and calling of god are irrevocable For as you were once disobedient to god yet now have obtained mercy through their disobedience Even so these also have now been disobedient that through the mercy shown you They also may obtain mercy for god has committed them all to disobedient jew and greek That he might have mercy on all it's glorious right I mean think about it for a moment just let these these passages sink in what god is doing here And what certainly was on the mind of the lord jesus christ when these greeks come to him in the temple complex in verse 20 This is not a salvation that's the product of any man's imagination amen Men don't come up with this This book is written by god this plan decreed instituted carried out executed by god and it's Worthy of worshiping god for verse 33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god how Unsearchable are his judgments in his ways past finding out For who has known the mind of the lord or who has become his counselor Or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever And do you see in this Looking at these passages the wide sweeping Worldwide impact the worldwide scope of that hour that the lord has come to you see paul said Of the gospel of jesus christ that it is the power of god to salvation for Everyone who believes for the jew first and also for the greek well When these greeks come to The lord in john chapter 12 verse 20 The hour is ushered in whereby salvation through faith alone in christ alone comes to the greek And they are the first fruits so to speak of the Gentiles the first fruits of the church Now we've talked about the the scope of the hour back in john chapter 12 I want you to look now at the significance of the hour The significance of the hour In john chapter 12 verse 24 The lord says this Most assuredly i say to you That unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies It remains alone But if it dies it produces much grain So now the hour has come the lord has said the hour has come And the significance of this hour is found in the death of the lord jesus christ His glory is bound up in his self sacrifice for sinners right now he begins verse 24 With a strong emphasis. It is a solemn affirmation of a truth. He says amen amen Most assuredly i say to you The scope of this hour The salvation of the world every tribe every tongue every nation in the gospel The abundant grain the much grain Right given to the sun by the father May only come through the death of the sun It only comes through the death of the sun Death is necessary for a harvest The grain of wheat must die If there is to be life now Here in verse 24 using an illustration from nature The lord explains in his own commentary here why he didn't come as the conquering king that they expected right He says a grain of wheat Must fall into the ground and die now a grain of wheat think about that grain that kernel that seed It's preserved by its shell protected by its shell. Okay As long as it remains unplanted in the granary so to speak As long as it remains unplanted it remains alone. There's no fruit There's no harvest the seed remains alone. Okay It's only when that seed of grain is planted in the ground that that little outer shell begins to decompose and begins to rot away And as the seed begins to die The life within that little seed begins to flourish And in the death of that one seed A plant springs to life doesn't it and as that plant springs to life it produces many seeds And that one plant can produce many harvest That one seed developing into that one plant producing many seeds produces many plants with many seeds produces thousands Upon thousands upon thousands of harvest, right? You see what one seed can do Do Those many seeds produce many more The significance of the illustration is made the more obvious by the use of the word unless Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground it dies and dies it remains alone unless jesus dies None of those who were given to him by the father would be saved Unless jesus dies the kingdom of god would be empty of human beings Except for the one son of man and he would be alone there the only one worthy to be there Unless jesus dies there would be no bride No church unless jesus dies. There is no spiritual harvest think about that word unless Unless jesus dies listen, there's no other way possible By which sinful man could be redeemed but By the blood of the lord jesus christ Without the shedding of the blood in the person of the lamb of god there can be no remission of sins That's why there's no gospel if you're not preaching the cross There's no gospel if you're not preaching the cross. We preach christ and him crucified You know surely if you think about it if there was any other way right if there was any other way To redeem his own Then the glorious seed would have remained in his glory in the granary alone Self-sufficient and fully glorified in himself But there was no other way there was no other way This is it this is as the lord has determined and so it was fitting for him for whom are all things and by whom are all things In bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Let me ask you a question Think about it for a moment. Was the lord perfectly happy In himself within himself in eternity past to remain alone Yes Yes, perfect perfectly happy glorious within himself. He enjoyed perfect Fellowship within the trinity self sustained within the godhead Perfect love perfect harmony perfect fellowship. He didn't need fellowship with anyone else God needs nothing But he chose to express his love He chose to display his grace He chose to display his mercy. Listen. He also chose to display his justice And he chose to display his wrath He chose he chose in himself to glorify himself to purchase a redeemed race For his own praise and honor for his own worship. He chose in himself And that spiritual life that eternal life Flourishes because of his death All that the bible says doesn't it for the joy that was set before him For that joy that was set before him for the joy and the glory of redeeming his worshiping love gift from the father He endured the cross despising the shame And we beloved we become part of a great harvest We become a part of his own praise and honor a part of much grain Revelation says as a sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings saying Hallelujah for the lord god omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad John says there and rejoice and give him glory for the marriage supper of the lamb has come and his wife His bride has made herself ready The significance of this hour Is tremendous right tremendous The most significant things we can imagine Come at this hour The significance of christianity the significance of our faith all wrapped up in this hour And the significance of that hour is found in the death and glory of the lord jesus christ at the cross It can be found in Nothing other Nothing other You'll never have eternal life by your works You'll never You'll never have eternal life by trying to do the right things You'll never have eternal life because of anything that mary does You'll never have eternal life because you had some charismatic experience Right, you'll never have eternal life because of your repentance You'll never have eternal life because of your faith Think about it It's only in the atoning death of the lord jesus christ that you can have eternal life You trust in that person you trust in his work You trust in the lord jesus christ alone only because That seed died Can you now reap a spiritual harvest of eternal life? You know, he's the bread Who came down to give life saving bread to others? He's the water He's the water of life take and drink it freely Why do you spend money for what is not bread? Why do you spend your wages for what does not satisfy? God says listen carefully to me And eat what is good let your soul delight itself in abundance incline your ear come to me. God says And i'll make an everlasting covenant with you Why do you spend your time for what is not eternal? Why do you spend your energy for what is not meaningful? Why do you spend your devotion for what is not worthy? Here in your soul shall live the lord says He is the one who comes and dies so that others may live Our response is to repent to turn from our sin and to follow him repent Turn from your sin and follow him. We've talked about the scope of the hour We see the significance of the hour. What about the summons of the hour the summons of the hour? He says in verse 25 listen He who loves his life will lose it And he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life If anyone serves me let him follow me follow him where? To the grave Follow him in death Let him follow me and where I am There my servant will be also aware in heaven in glory If anyone serves me the lord says him my father will honor and I think about it. Jesus essentially says here There is a principle That is modeled in the grain of wheat There is a principle for us modeled in the grain of wheat death Is a necessary condition for life For spiritual life for eternal life My death the lord says for your salvation Is also my design for your imitation Right My death the lord says for your salvation is also my design for your preservation Follow me the lord says on the road that I have traveled for you first peter chapter 2 verse 21 peter says this This is for every christian if you're a christian this applies to you If you want to follow christ this applies to you count the cost It is a call to come and die Peter says in first peter chapter 2 verse 21 for to this You were called because christ also suffered for us leaving us an example That you should follow in his steps Who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth Who when he was reviled did not revile in return when he suffered He did not threaten, but he committed himself. He entrusted himself right to him who judges Righteously to him who bore himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree That we Having died to sins might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls So the argument runs right the argument runs from the fruit producing death of the lord jesus christ To the required death of his disciples For spiritual fruit in their own life That's the connection being made here Now this reality This reality this is what the bible teaches this reality Makes the offer of life No less an offer of grace alone Right, it's by grace alone that it is an invitation to come and die bible says if anyone desires to come after me let him what Deny himself take up his cross Daily and follow me whoever desires to save his life will lose it But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. You see the very same sentiment given there, right? Listen to this. I have been crucified with christ It is no longer I who live But christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of god who loved me and gave himself for me Listen to this Those who are christ Have already Have already crucified the flesh with its passions and desires Listen to this Set your mind on things above and not on things of the earth For you what? You died For you died and your life is hidden with christ in god Listen to this from romans chapter 6 beginning in verse 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into christ jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death That just as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father Even so we also should walk in what? newness of life newness of life For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death Certainly, we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this That our old man was what? Crucified that's right crucified with him That the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin For he who has died has been freed from sin Now if we died with christ, paul says we believe that we shall also live with him Knowing that christ having been raised from the dead dies no more death no longer has dominion over him For the death that he died he died to sin once for all But the life that he lives he lives to god Likewise Likewise, you also consider yourselves dead indeed to sin think about it You reckon yourself You make the decision your determination your resolve your mind you consider yourself you reckon yourself dead in christ to sin But alive to god in christ our lord Now if you're a genuine christian if you're a genuine christian you have died And if you're a genuine christian you are dying You're dying day by day Being a christian means the decisive death of the old man And a newness of life A new life the new man that old faithless person Died and the person that now lives lives moment by moment dying to self And trusting christ But what does that look like what does that look like in john chapter 12? In verses 25 and 26 back in john chapter 12 look at verses 25 and 26 25 He who loves his life Will lose it that's what it looks like That's what it looks like in this life if you're a christian if you want to come and follow christ The lord says turn from your sin and follow me right follow me If you want to respond to that gracious offer of god in christ, then you turn from your sin and you follow him What does that look like verse 25? If you love your life, you're gonna lose it But he who hates his life in this world will keep it For eternal life the first thing it looks like is that he calls us to hate our lives in this world If you love living for yourself Either by your words or by your actions If you show by your actions that you love living for yourself Then you're going to lose your life to perdition You're gonna lose your life to destruction If you love the life that you live for yourself, then you will lose it forever The word there for lose in verse 25 is the form of apoluo. It means you're gonna destroy it You're gonna destroy your life You're gonna ruin any hope of eternal life and you will waste away in eternity in hell Loving this life It means living according to the dictates of your own heart Doing what is right in your own eyes. It is a think about it now. Think about it. It is a brazen rebellion Against a sovereign god your creator Who has the right to rule and to reign over you? It is a brazen pride. You see a brazen rebellion. It's idolatry It's idolatry of self in any of its forms If you live for yourself apart from living and following and serving christ and christ alone And you are in rebellion against god He says he calls us in verse 25 What does that death look like? He calls us to hate our lives in this world Hate your life in this world for christ and you'll keep it You'll keep it. You're gonna keep it with a view to eternal life In other words, you're gonna Persevere to the end and be saved you die daily to christ you deny yourself and you're gonna keep your life to eternal life But you also keep it with the result of eternal life Glorification is the outcome right those who he's called. He's sanctified. Those who be sanctified. He has what is glorified You keep it with with eternal life is the outcome He calls us to hate our lives in this world, but then he calls us to follow him look at verse 26 If anyone serves me Let him follow me now again following him in his sufferings following him in death Being united to him in death identified with him in death. You must die to yourself Now the the christian the one who comes to christ by faith turning from their sin They are dead Positionally in christ the old man is dead Right the old man is dead But you are expected and required To experience death practically Daily deny yourself right Take up your cross daily and follow me I must practice if i'm gonna follow christ I must practice daily that which I am Positionally in christ. Do you see? And that is to be dying daily not just dying once but dying always Right not just dying once but dying daily We lose sight of that don't we don't we? Put so much emphasis on that one moment of faith or that one period of time listen You are to die daily if you are in christ You are to be practically day by day what christ what god in christ has made you positionally We have to die daily. It requires you to act On this reality luke 9 23 if anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself Let him take up his cross daily and follow me. This is christian practice It's the practice of your life He calls us to follow him But in verse 26 he also calls us to serve him If anyone serves me Let him follow me He calls us to serve him to work To labor To strive in his vineyard to serve him To serve his kingdom to serve his cause We're to labor to strive We're to work for his kingdom for his cause now This is what it means to be a christian This is what it means to be a disciple of the lord jesus christ You hate your life in this world You follow him and you serve him Is this easy? No It is hard. It is hard. It's hard Matthew chapter 7 verse 13 enter by the narrow gate Wide is the gate broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many Who go in by that gate? Because narrow is the gate. You see There are many who go in by that gate They go in by that gate because Narrow is the gate Difficult is the way which lead leads to life and few there are who find it It's hard to die It's hard to hate your life in this world It's hard It's hard to follow the lord jesus christ on the road that leads to death Think about your own life for a moment What is it about you that has to die? What is it about you as you consider your life as you consider Your service to the lord as you consider your walking after him your repentance Your faith you're trusting in him. You're entrusting yourself to him. What is it about you that has to die? If you're not making progress in this christian life It's because there is something about you that needs to die If you're not making progress in your spiritual walk if you're not making progress There's something about you that needs to die. Do you see? What what is it about me? What is it about you as a husband that needs to die? It needs to die Your relationship with your spouse What is it about you not your spouse? What is it about you that needs to die? In your service to the lord If you feel as though it's lacking and you see negligence and apathy and indifference in your own christian spiritual life What is it about your life? What is it about you that must die that you must put to death? What is it? What is it about you as a brother? A father a mother What is it about you as a child? What is it about you as a student? What is it you about you as a son or a daughter that needs to die? If you're not producing fruit If you aren't producing fruit, it's because you need to die There's something in you that needs to die put it to death If you're not producing fruit What's hindering? My fruitlessness think through it. What is it that's hindering you from producing much grain? Right Why is it that you don't produce some 30 some 60 some 100 fold? What is it about you that must die? Are you able to do that? In your own strength No That's the christian life though, isn't it right? We come it's a salvation the call to salvation It's a call to come and die. That's the christian life, but we can't do that in and of ourselves We need help don't we we need strength we need god to do it in us and that's faith That's faith Paul says in roman chapter 8 verse 13 if what if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will Live if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you'll live Trust him follow him cry out to him depend upon him pray pray to him seek him Right put your sail into the wind of the means of his grace And follow christ But you must come and die die to your own self interest Die to your own pleasures Die to that what you want. It's like pastor marcos this morning the call to repentance in james chapter 4 Right come and die. Where do fights and wars come from among you? Why are you always driving and contentious and it's because you You seek and you don't have you want you don't have And you ask a miss so you can you spend those things on your own lust You must die to self die to your life in this world The call to salvation is a call to come and die. Where do you need to die right now? Maybe you need to die to yourself and come to christ for the first time You've been living for yourself. You recognize it and you need to turn from that life I don't want that life anymore. I don't want to run my own life christ. I want you I want you I want you to run my life Maybe you need to die to self and turn to christ for the first time Turn from your sin put your faith in him trust him and trust yourself to him and be saved But if you're here today your brother and sister in christ you claim the name of christ then Where do you need to die? What do you need to do? Listen if if we do these things right, there are great blessings Promised to the one who will come and die to the one who will answer the summons of the hour Look at verse 25. He who loves his life will lose it And he who hates his life in this world blessing number one will keep it for eternal life You'll keep your life for eternal life Glory in heaven right at the right hand of the father Pleasures forevermore christ you'll have christ verse 26 If anyone serves me Let him now the word let an imperative let him he this is a command let him keep on Following after me let him keep on following after me. That's what the words are saying there verse 26 And where I am there my servant will be also you get heaven You get glory you get christ And then he says if anyone serves me him my father will honor Honored with the crown of life with eternal life eternal blessings You've noticed in verses 25 and 26. I want you to see In the greek the me In those statements is emphatic if me you serve christ says if me you follow You see the difference it's an emphasis on christ if me you serve if me you follow If you hate your life in this world, you'll keep it for eternal life If you follow him and you die to self you will be with him in glory And if you serve him only in this life Then you will be honored by the father in the next This is the summons of the hour. Amen Will you come and die for the lord jesus christ?