November 17, 2024
Morning Service

Last week we saw Mary anoint Jesus with her expensive oil in a humble, sincere act of worship.  It, as Jesus prophesied, anointing Him for His coming burial which now lay just days ahead of Him.  Today we will travel with Jesus into to Jerusalem on His final journey to fulfill His destiny.  The raising of Lazarus has brought even more attention to Him and as He enters into His beloved city there is great anticipation of what is about to happen.  What transpires as we know, is nothing like what they are expecting.  The final part of God’s plan for the salvation of all mankind begins with the triumphant entry of the Messiah on the back of a colt of a donkey.

 John 12:12-19The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (13) took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' The King of Israel!"  (14)  Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: (15)” FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SITTING ON A DONKEY'S COLT."  (16)  His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.  (17)  Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.  (18)  For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.  (19)  The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"

            Jerusalem was buzzing with the arrival of Jesus and they greet Him as they would the conquering hero returning from war with a parade full of praise and worship.  The Jewish people are excited that the long-awaited Messiah has come and He will now set up His kingdom in this moment.  Jesus is not riding a white horse to display His strength, but humbly enters riding only a donkey.  This truly symbolizes what this journey into Jerusalem really means in that He is coming as a Servant to give of Himself, not as the King to set up His kingdom.  John does prophecy for us that Jesus will return one day riding a white horse and this time as the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Notice the difference in our Lord.

 

Rev 19:11-16 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  (12)  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  (13)  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  (15)  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  (16)  And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

            This is the King the nation of Israel was looking for on the day of the Triumphal entry, but on this day this same King comes as a Servant to complete His work prepared for Him from the beginning of time to conquer sin and death once and for all.  As John stated in verse 16, the disciples did not understand this until later as they were reminded that these prophecy scriptures were all fulfilled in His lifetime.  The Pharisees are being pushed to their limit as they see how the people are so enthusiastically receiving Him fueled by the news of Lazarus being raised out of the grave.

            In John’s gospel the Passion week is the setting for Chapters 12-20, which is 40% of the entire letter.  He does not necessarily follow chronological order, but is hand picking teachings and events that he feels reveals to us that Jesus is the Christ.  From this point here in chapters 12-17, notice the majority of the words are in red; showing Jesus is speaking.  John focuses on the teachings that Jesus gave during this week and not so much His day to day activities as the other gospels do.  So we begin with things Jesus revealing to us the cost of discipleship.

 

Joh 12:20-25 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.  (21)  Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."  (22)  Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

 

 (23)  But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.  (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.  (25)  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  

            These Greeks, Gentiles, seeking Jesus are perhaps an omen of the time coming when salvation will also be offered to them.  Jesus again tries to explain something spiritual that is hard to understand by using an example of something that we do understand.  A seed never produces grain until it is planted in the ground and dies.  From there the single seed can produce a multitude of grain.  We all understand that fact of nature. Jesus compares Himself to a seed about to be planted.  If He chooses to not enter into the ground (die upon the cross), then He says He will remain alone.  But by choosing to die and create a pathway for sinners to enter into heaven, He will produce much grain and enjoy eternity with those that accept His salvation plan. He literally faces the choice He mentions in verse 25, to love and enjoy this life or invest in eternal life.  He must choose which is more important and He makes His choice and sets the example for us to follow.  He chose the eternal over the temporal.  The same choice faces each one of us.

            In Jesus asking us to “hate” this life does not mean we have to give up enjoying it; no, He has come to make life more abundant (Jn. 10:10).  He is asking us to love Him (the eternal) more than we love this life (the temporal).  He is commanding us to seek after His kingdom first looking to the eternal and allow Him to bless us with true peace that leads to true happiness in this life.  Knowing our future is in His hands allows us to not worry about the things of this life, but frees us to really enjoy them.  The struggle is that many people see this life as the ultimate prize.  They seek not only to meet their needs of food, clothing and shelter, but strive to fully enjoy the pleasures and successes of this life seeking their true happiness here not in the future with Jesus in heaven.  To “hate” one’s life is to pursue Jesus more than you pursue the pleasures of this life.  Jesus said this about where we seek our fulfilment:

 

Mat 6:19-21"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; (20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  (21)  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

            Jesus is openly commanding me to place my energy in investing in the treasures of heaven, not in the treasures and pleasures this world offers me.  Yes, He is asking me to give up some things I desire and seek the things He desires.  Yes, it is a sacrifice at times to yield my will to His and it is a struggle at times because I am inwardly driven to please myself and choose the easy, happy road over the difficult one.  Choosing to be a Jesus follower (Christian) is one of self-sacrifice and in fact it is a call to come to Him and die out to myself and follow Him.  Jesus states it this way as we continue in John:

 

Joh 12:26-28 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.  (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.  (28)  Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."

            To follow means to choose to walk the path that we are led down.  To commit to follow is a denying of my will and the accepting of the will of Who I am following.  Today Jesus stated that He stands at a crossroads saying; “do I ask My Father to save Me from the suffering that lies ahead or choose to follow His Will and fulfill my purpose for this time.”  He chooses to follow God, and His Father confirms the choice as the correct one proclaiming “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again!”

            We all find ourselves daily at that same crossroads; do I choose my own path and do life my way or do I follow Jesus and allow Him to lead Me where He chooses? It is in that daily choice that I prove where my treasures lie whether in the things of this world or in the things of God.

  What do you treasure more?  Who owns your heart?  Are you investing in this life to be your heaven and seeking your happiness in the things of this world?  OR are you “all in” like Jesus and choose to follow Him even if the road is dark and difficult looking to the eternal over the temporal?

 

Heavenly Father, awaken us from our spiritual slumber and call each one of us to a time of repentance, renewal and revival.  Grant to us the vision that the eternal far outweighs the temporal and that our commitment to follow now will be greatly rewarded in heaven.