The Cross is the most important thing in Christianity. Without it Christianity is just another religion. Because of the cross, Christianity is a way of life. Every one of Satan’s efforts to tempt Jesus was aimed at getting him to bypass the cross. Satan never tried to convince Jesus that he wasn’t the Son of God or that he didn’t have “all power in heaven and in earth.” But he did try to persuade him to choose some route besides the cross.
This is the manuscript of the sixth sermon in the Centrality Of The Cross series. We come today, with our emphasis still on the centrality of the cross, to the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. Some Greek men asked Jesus' disciple, Philip, if they could see Jesus. Jesus responded with “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
That’s a pretty strange response. Philip and Andrew came to Jesus telling Him there are some Greek guys that want to talk to you and His response was “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.” Jesus must have been deeply moved by this request from the Greeks. He saw in their coming the beginning of an innumerable host of Gentiles who would believe in him. But before they could believe in Jesus with a true understanding of His ministry, the crucifixion and resurrection had to take place. So Jesus didn’t agree to meet with them. Because he was still a Christ, The Anointed One, “in the flesh” who had come first to his own people as King of the Jews. In this role, he was not fully ready to be received by the Gentiles.
For an audio recording click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript
This is the manuscript of the sixth sermon in the Centrality Of The Cross series. We come today, with our emphasis still on the centrality of the cross, to the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. Some Greek men asked Jesus' disciple, Philip, if they could see Jesus. Jesus responded with “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
That’s a pretty strange response. Philip and Andrew came to Jesus telling Him there are some Greek guys that want to talk to you and His response was “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.” Jesus must have been deeply moved by this request from the Greeks. He saw in their coming the beginning of an innumerable host of Gentiles who would believe in him. But before they could believe in Jesus with a true understanding of His ministry, the crucifixion and resurrection had to take place. So Jesus didn’t agree to meet with them. Because he was still a Christ, The Anointed One, “in the flesh” who had come first to his own people as King of the Jews. In this role, he was not fully ready to be received by the Gentiles.
For an audio recording click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight my strength and my Redeemer.
John 12:20-26 (NLT2)20 Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration21 paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”22 Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.26 Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Text: John 12:32-33 (NLT2)32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”33 He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
Introduction
We come today, with our emphasis still on the centrality of the cross, to the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. Yes he did rise from the grave and walked the earth as a man but His body was now a glorified body.
The event we just read about in John 12:20-26 occurred the day after He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on the borrowed donkey so the excitement about Jesus’ presence in Jerusalem was still running high.
They crowds had greeted him on Sunday with palm branches, a practice that had first been used when the Jews celebrated the deliverance of the temple and the city of Jerusalem from the Syrians. This was before the Romans conquered Israel and much of the known world. Through the years the palm branch had come to be used on coins and in the temple feasts as a reminder of that great victory. So when they waved the palm branches before Jesus, it was a symbolic way of encouraging Him to conquer the Romans. They wanted Him to be a military savior. They cried, “Hosanna!” which meant “Save us now!”or “Deliver us now!” But Jesus came riding not on a warrior’s stallion, but on a donkey, to symbolize his mission as a man of peace.
John 12:12-15 NLT The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
That prophecy was made by Zechariah at Chapter 9 verse 9 of the book of Zechariah.
A strange request.
The next day there is a strange request coming not from Jesus’ own people, the Jews, but from a group of Greeks.
John 12:20-21 NLT Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”
These were most likely Gentile proselytes, people who were not born Jews but who had converted to Judaism and who worshiped God (Jehovah). They would have come as pilgrims to worship in the temple during the Passover.
We are not certain what prompted the Greeks to seek out Jesus, but it is entirely possible that they had been there when Jesus cleared the temple after entering Jerusalem on the donkey.
This was the second time that Jesus cleansed the Temple.
Matthew 21:12-13 NLT Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
We talked about the first time that He cleansed the Temple a few weeks ago. That first cleansing was recorded in the second chapter of John. We are not going to go there today but it is in John 2:13-25.
These Greek men may have been standing in the court of the Gentiles, the day before when, with fiery indignation, Jesus had cleared the court of money changers. Even though these Greeks were proselytes and had embraced the Jewish faith. They could not worship with the Jews so they were not blind to the bigotry and prejudice of the Jews toward the Gentiles. So it is possible that they were amused, and amazed, at what Jesus did!
2. Whatever the Greek's reason for seeking out Jesus, something about him drove them to find him and talk with him.
So they approached one of His disciples. They sought out Philip. Apparently Philip didn’t know how to respond, for some reason, so he went to Andrew and they both went to Jesus.
John 12:20-22 NLT Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
3. Jesus gives an amazing revelation.
A. Not only do we have a strange request by the Greeks, but we see a strange response and an amazing revelation that Jesus gave his disciples.
John 12:23 NLT Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
That’s a pretty strange response. Philip and Andrew came to Jesus telling Him there are some Greek guys that want to talk to you and His response was “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.”
Jesus must have been deeply moved by this request from the Greeks. He saw in their coming the beginning of an innumerable host of Gentiles who would believe in him. But before they could believe in Jesus with a true understanding of His ministry, the crucifixion and resurrection had to take place. So Jesus didn’t agree to meet with them. Because he was still a Christ, The Anointed One, “in the flesh” who had come first to his own people as King of the Jews. In this role, he was not fully ready to be received by the Gentiles. When the wise men went to Herod they asked,
Matthew 2:2 NLT “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
Then at his trial
Mark 15:2 NLT Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
There had been certain Gentiles, like the Syro-Phoenician woman and the Roman centurion and others, who had believed in Him.
The Syro-Phoenician woman's encounter with Jesus is recorded in;
Mark 7:24-30 NLT Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.” “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.
and the Roman centurion's encounter is in:
Matthew 8:5-13 NLT When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.
But before he turned to the Gentiles as a people, the loneliness and rejection of his own people had to happen.
John 1:11 NLT He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
Mark 6:1-6 NLT Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.
He had to be lifted up on the cross and accepted as a sacrifice for sin and not just as “a son of David.
B. With that backdrop, here’s what He told Andrew and Philip
John 12:23 NLT Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
By this He meant the time was at hand when his mission would be expanded beyond just the Jews.
In just a few days he would die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day, providing once and for all redemption from sin for anyone who believes in Him, Jew and Gentile. Jesus continued by illustrating what he meant by his statement “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
The Greeks wanted to “see” Jesus. They wanted to be introduced to Him, to understand Him, to discover his mission. But Jesus implied that they could not really “see” Him or understand his mission yet!
Why?
Well, Jesus knew that at this point these Greeks would see him only as a miracle worker, an appealing teacher, and a potential military leader. They were unable to see him in his role as Savior of the world.
A. Not only do we have a strange request by the Greeks, but we see a strange response and an amazing revelation that Jesus gave his disciples.
John 12:23 NLT Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
That’s a pretty strange response. Philip and Andrew came to Jesus telling Him there are some Greek guys that want to talk to you and His response was “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.”
Jesus must have been deeply moved by this request from the Greeks. He saw in their coming the beginning of an innumerable host of Gentiles who would believe in him. But before they could believe in Jesus with a true understanding of His ministry, the crucifixion and resurrection had to take place. So Jesus didn’t agree to meet with them. Because he was still a Christ, The Anointed One, “in the flesh” who had come first to his own people as King of the Jews. In this role, he was not fully ready to be received by the Gentiles. When the wise men went to Herod they asked,
Matthew 2:2 NLT “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
Then at his trial
Mark 15:2 NLT Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
There had been certain Gentiles, like the Syro-Phoenician woman and the Roman centurion and others, who had believed in Him.
The Syro-Phoenician woman's encounter with Jesus is recorded in;
Mark 7:24-30 NLT Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.” “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.
and the Roman centurion's encounter is in:
Matthew 8:5-13 NLT When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.
But before he turned to the Gentiles as a people, the loneliness and rejection of his own people had to happen.
John 1:11 NLT He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
Mark 6:1-6 NLT Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.
He had to be lifted up on the cross and accepted as a sacrifice for sin and not just as “a son of David.
B. With that backdrop, here’s what He told Andrew and Philip
John 12:23 NLT Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
By this He meant the time was at hand when his mission would be expanded beyond just the Jews.
In just a few days he would die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day, providing once and for all redemption from sin for anyone who believes in Him, Jew and Gentile. Jesus continued by illustrating what he meant by his statement “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
The Greeks wanted to “see” Jesus. They wanted to be introduced to Him, to understand Him, to discover his mission. But Jesus implied that they could not really “see” Him or understand his mission yet!
Why?
Well, Jesus knew that at this point these Greeks would see him only as a miracle worker, an appealing teacher, and a potential military leader. They were unable to see him in his role as Savior of the world.
4. Notice the example Jesus used:
John 12:24 NLT I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
A kernel of wheat is a small husk covering a small piece of grain. A scientist could tell you everything that is inside that tiny kernel of wheat. But when you look at the grain, you cannot see what's inside!
Andrew and Philip could have said, “Lord, we see you! You're standing right here! We agree with Peter; we believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
But just as nobody can see what's inside a tiny grain of wheat, they couldn't see Jesus in the fullest sense of the word.
What do we do with a grain of wheat, or any seed? We put it in the ground, and it dies, it disintegrates. But that is not the end of it! Something else happens. We wait and a tiny blade appears, then the stalk, the head, and finally the full head of grain.
A. Jesus’ message was that no one could truly see him until he died.
The power and intended result of his life would not be released until he experienced death. Jesus’ life was perfect and sinless, but no one is saved by Jesus’ life. He performed many miracles in his earthly ministry, but there was no saving power in his ministry. It was simply a demonstration and proof of his deity. It was his death that provided salvation. The Greeks could not see Jesus yet, but if they waited awhile, they could see him in a way that they could never have seen him before!
B. positive requirement.
Jesus had said that you can't find eternal life until first there is a death - His death on the cross.
John 12:24 NLT I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
He applied this principle to those who would follow him.
John 12:25-26 NLT Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
We talked about this last week when we talked about cross bearing.
Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT2)24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it’”
It's a matter of spiritual priorities.. Many Christians, none of us of course, are completely earthbound, and their chief concern is with this life, and its material things.
C. Then Jesus drove his illustration even closer to home.
John 12:26 NLT Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Where was Jesus going? Well we know now that He was going to the cross. But where beyond that?
He would be resurrected in glory and in triumph!
The grain of wheat, Jesus, would fall into the ground and die. And through that death, life would spring forth and a harvest would result.
5. So what was Jesus saying to us?
First, he was telling us that true life is released only after a death takes place. While the grain of wheat was preserved in safety and security, it was unfruitful. When it was planted in the ground, it bore fruit. It was by the death of martyrs that the church grew in the ancient past. As an old saying puts it, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Because they died, the church became the living church. Second, Jesus is saying that only by giving our lives away do we receive life.
And finally, Jesus is telling us that greatness comes only by service.
Luke 9:48 NLT Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”
Conclusion
This Palm Sunday remember that true life is not realized until you identify with God through Jesus Christ. Then you learn that life is found in giving yourself away so that Christ may be top priority. Hear him say to you, “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 12:24 NLT I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
A kernel of wheat is a small husk covering a small piece of grain. A scientist could tell you everything that is inside that tiny kernel of wheat. But when you look at the grain, you cannot see what's inside!
Andrew and Philip could have said, “Lord, we see you! You're standing right here! We agree with Peter; we believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
But just as nobody can see what's inside a tiny grain of wheat, they couldn't see Jesus in the fullest sense of the word.
What do we do with a grain of wheat, or any seed? We put it in the ground, and it dies, it disintegrates. But that is not the end of it! Something else happens. We wait and a tiny blade appears, then the stalk, the head, and finally the full head of grain.
A. Jesus’ message was that no one could truly see him until he died.
The power and intended result of his life would not be released until he experienced death. Jesus’ life was perfect and sinless, but no one is saved by Jesus’ life. He performed many miracles in his earthly ministry, but there was no saving power in his ministry. It was simply a demonstration and proof of his deity. It was his death that provided salvation. The Greeks could not see Jesus yet, but if they waited awhile, they could see him in a way that they could never have seen him before!
B. positive requirement.
Jesus had said that you can't find eternal life until first there is a death - His death on the cross.
John 12:24 NLT I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
He applied this principle to those who would follow him.
John 12:25-26 NLT Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
We talked about this last week when we talked about cross bearing.
Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT2)24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it’”
It's a matter of spiritual priorities.. Many Christians, none of us of course, are completely earthbound, and their chief concern is with this life, and its material things.
C. Then Jesus drove his illustration even closer to home.
John 12:26 NLT Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Where was Jesus going? Well we know now that He was going to the cross. But where beyond that?
He would be resurrected in glory and in triumph!
The grain of wheat, Jesus, would fall into the ground and die. And through that death, life would spring forth and a harvest would result.
5. So what was Jesus saying to us?
First, he was telling us that true life is released only after a death takes place. While the grain of wheat was preserved in safety and security, it was unfruitful. When it was planted in the ground, it bore fruit. It was by the death of martyrs that the church grew in the ancient past. As an old saying puts it, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Because they died, the church became the living church. Second, Jesus is saying that only by giving our lives away do we receive life.
And finally, Jesus is telling us that greatness comes only by service.
Luke 9:48 NLT Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”
Conclusion
This Palm Sunday remember that true life is not realized until you identify with God through Jesus Christ. Then you learn that life is found in giving yourself away so that Christ may be top priority. Hear him say to you, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”
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