Often Jesus’ replies seem confusing in Scripture, in that He
does not answer the question ask of Him, the question was; can these Greeks
have an appointment with Jesus? And this
is His answer, “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.” (John 12: 23-24) What just happened, I have no doubt that
Philip and Andrew was thinking, we just needed a yes or no. And often we also miss the point Jesus is
making because it is not the answer we are expecting or wanting to hear.
But that was not the question ask of Jesus and if we do not
listen to His full reply, we will be like many husbands who are ask a question
by their wife while watching a football game on T.V. Many a man has wondered, why is she so upset;
I heard most of what she said, not a good experience, I know! In the Scripture that is referenced above, a
farmer would have understood that a grain of wheat falls to the ground and
dies, he would not waste time retrieving a grain of wheat, but if that same
grain is covered with soil and nourished it will bear more grain.
Jesus being God and man, often answered the unasked
question, a great example is found in John 3:1-3, when a Pharisee named
Nicodemus came to Jesus and made this statement: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come
from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he
cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus
cut to the chase, what Nicodemus needed was spiritual life, not religion, not
more study time, he needed life, and Jesus is the only one that can give you
that gift.
So Jesus is telling these two followers of His that
something must die in order for it to bless and be blessed. The rest of the story is found in John
12:25-26, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever
hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and
where I am, there will my servant be also.
If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Often we miss the message, but
it is so clear in Galatians 2:20, “I have been
crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who 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 delivered Himself up for me.” Bill and Anabel Gilham, said
it so well in “The Life” and I quote, “Birth
always determines identity. All you have
to do to go to hell is show up on the planet as a descendent of Adam.” And, “God
has no plan to make something beautiful of your life (in Adam). The plan is to kill it and start over
again.” “It is from the perspective of
who you are “in Christ” that you understand your true identity and realize that
Christ is your life.”
That is the answer to Nicodemus statement, it is the answer
to Philip and Andrew’s question, “God
accepts you based upon what you have done with Christ. If you base acceptance upon anything other
than Christ, you have higher standards than God.” (Bill Gilham)
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
No comments:
Post a Comment