John 12:20-32
20 ¶ 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. 26 "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."
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it
said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to
Him."
30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not
come because of Me, but for your sake.
31 "Now is the judgment of this 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 peoples to Myself."
True Glory Comes By
1. Awaiting the Hour of Glory to Come. John 12:23
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour
has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
(Glorification comes at a perfect time. Galatians 4:4 calls it this:
"the fullness of time" -- See also Gal. 2:20)
2. Death to the Sinful Nature, -- John 12:26
as it was: a one-time significant earth-shaking event,
26 "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.
and as it is: a slow-growing process as a seed grows into the multiplying fruit of a
tree.
"Let him follow Me" means dying to self moment-by-moment and
hour-by-hour and day-by-day...
3. Doing God's Purpose in Life -- John 12:27-28
a. It gives meaning to life not otherwise
defined.
b. It does not exclude us from trials.
c. It causes the supernatural when God wills it
to be.
4. Exalting the Name of the Father -- John 12:28
28 "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."
This is the work of an entire life. It is the work of God working
through man. Just as Christ was glorified by God through His obedience --
so too are we glorifying the Father by our obedience to Him -- and thus we
are being glorified by the Father. All this bring ultimate glory to God
Himself.
5. Continual Obedience to the Father John 12:28b
"I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."
God will continue to bring glory to himself.
To God Be the Glory great things He has Done.
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