In The Word
Read: John 12:20-36
Greeks Seek Jesus
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21 these people then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were making a request of him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip *came and *told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus. 23 But Jesus *answered them by saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 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.25 The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Jesus Foretells His Death
27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what am I to say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify itagain.” 29 So the crowd who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him!” 30 Jesus responded and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for yours. 31 Now judgment is uponthis world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”33 Now He was saying this to indicate what kind of death He was going to die. 34 The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how is it that You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; also, the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The whole world was beginning to be drawn to Christ. The Greeks were even wanting to see Christ. The time of the gentiles was at hand. Yahshua knew this and was troubled inside by the decision He was about to make. He must refuse the kingship from man, which would mean being killed by those He came to save. He was to receive the kingship from God which would mean being crushed by God for the people who were about to kill Him. He had to die to His tenure on earth so He could live for the purpose He came to fulfill. By rejecting man’s glory, He would receive His Father’s glory, and in turn save man and glorify God’s name.
Man would indeed lift up Christ but not in the way they imagined. They would lift Him up on a cross, giving this King back to God. God would in turn set up a better kingdom that would rule through all the earth and all the people, not just Jerusalem.
Our Lord tells us if we are going to follow Him we must do the same thing in our lives as He did. We must reject the praise of man and seek the praise of God. This happens as we go to the cross ourselves and crucify our flesh (to die to this world and this earthly kingdom, and to live to a heavenly kingdom where Yahshua is King). Just as it was not an easy decision for our Savior, it will not be for us, either. However, it is the right one, and the one we must make if we desire honor from the Father. Decide to serve King Yahshua and not the world.