Overwhelmed?

Listening With Your Heart 2

Jer. 17:9; Luk. 8:14-15 and Rom. 10:17

SUBJECT: Evangelism and Personal Work

THEME: It is vital we maintain a correct attitude toward God and His work. We must keep our hearts respectful, clean, compliant, and obedient towards the duties, tasks, and responsibilities of evangelism.

INTRODUCTION:

God frequently refers to “heart surgery” as influential imagery pointing to spiritual rejuvenation, where He cleans our sin and replaces our stubborn, unenthusiastic, and sinful ‘hearts’ with spiritually compliant ‘hearts.’ As a result, we become far more spiritually minded than carnal minded.

When it comes to sacrificial service to the Lord…giving of ourselves, strength, gifts, skills, opportunities, and resources to God’s ministry…there is again excessive reluctance among God’s children. Maybe it is fear or a lack of self-confidence, but there is an incredible necessity for hardworking and steady Christian servants.

MESSAGE:

As God’s Servant, Use His Word to Examine Your Heart

We are susceptible to contracting various unhealthy heart conditions, but God’s word can be trusted to help us sort out our real condition.

A.  THE WEIGHTED DOWN HEART (Worried)

Luke 21:34, And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

B.  THE CHOCKING HEART (Overwhelmed)

Luke 8:14, And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

This part of the Parable of the Sower, portrays people who hear God's word but allow worldly distractions, worries, and riches choke their spiritual growth so they fail to mature. They permit themselves to become overwhelmed with concerns….

1.     “Cares and riches and pleasures of this life” are daily worries typically stemming from our survival, the pursuit of money, professional goals, and the love of temporary fun or the pursuit of more comfort.

2.    “Are choked” denoting our spiritual vitality is squeezed out, much like an unimportant plant starved of light and water by giant weeds. Our spiritual growth and faith are effectively suffocated and seriously hindered or even stopped by reservations, limited resources, and requirements related to this earthly experience.

3.    “Bring no fruit to perfection” is failing to produce a mature, faithful, and productive spiritual life for God glory. Just like weeds starve real plants of necessities, everyday stress and greed crowd out our focus on God, stopping us from baring fruit to adulthood.

These may be those who are interested in Jesus’ message but who cannot accept it because of their devotion to material things^[1]…. Those who fill themselves with the recreational fun, getting richer, and pursuing the problems of our focus will never mature as a Christian becoming more unfruitful. Others, such as the rich ruler (Luke 18:18–30), were interested in Jesus but would not accept Him because of the strong pull of materialism.^[2]

4.    Choking, in one respect, can also refer to biting off more than you can chew!  Or trying to take on more than you can legitimately handle. It is basically a condition when nothing else can get in and nothing else is coming out. Beloved, when we feed ourselves with the wrong spiritual food it could lead to a chocking heart—overwhelmed—an unproductive and stagnant life. You can’t get anything into them, and you can’t get anything out of them. When we take on too much in Christian service we can again end up in the same situation. Do what God has committed to you personally, regard what He gifted you to do, and grow in that and He may eventually give you more.  But don’t bite off more than you can chew! Sometimes we do this out of great love but beware it could be our pride that’s driving these activities!

These distractions will stop growth in the Lord and compliance with His will. We may hear the message of God (Bible reading, preaching, a lesson) but if we focus too much on money, work, stress, and fun, our faith stops growing. The division of our priorities edges out God’s plans putting worldly things first leaving no room in our hearts to obey God or help others. We had our devotions…we attended the Bible study…we were present for the lesson, but our minds were on something else. It is far better to be present (fully aware, attentive, careful regarding the present moment) and not worrying about the future (see Matt. 6:34; Psa. 118:24; Lam. 3:22–23; Jam. 4:14).

5.   God’s Treatment for the Overwhelmed Heart (Luke 8:15)!

·        Luke 8:15, But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

·        The fourth group consists of those who listen, retain the Word, and … produce a crop (v. 15), that is, they bear spiritual fruit, evidence of their spiritual life. Their hearts were changed for they were noble and good.^[3]

·        Believers with an honest and good heart can hear (paying attention) God's Word, retain it, and patiently produce good works. They have a receptive mind that approaches the message with sincerity and a genuine desire to understand and apply it!

·        “An honest and good heart”—Prepare your inner self to genuinely value God’s word above worldly distractions.

·        “Keeping the word”—Hold fast to what you have heard from God’s book instead of letting daily anxieties crowd it out.

·        “Patience”—Allow spiritual fruit to grow over time through steadfast endurance rather than seeking instant worldly satisfaction. We deliberately choose to pay close attention to “thus saith the Lord” and the needs of others instead of allowing ourselves to rush into action on autopilot.

6.   Practice Refocusing your Actions to Clear away the Pesky “Thorns.”

·        Identify distractions: Recognize which specific daily cares, material pursuits, or pleasures are draining your time and focus.

·        Prioritize time: Intentionally set aside quiet time for Scripture and prayer to keep your heart fertile and receptive.

·        Simplify focus: Actively minimize unnecessary commitments that choke your spiritual vitality.

·        Behave mindfully: Pay thoughtful attention to the Lord sensing His will and mindfully considering the needs of others, rendering appropriate care, noting their feelings, and being present in the moment.

Again Luke 8:15, says we must receive the word in an “honest and good heart,” keeping it, and bringing forth fruit with patience. They not only received the word but allowed it to mold their lives. They were teachable and obedient, developing true Christian character and producing fruit for God.^[4]

 

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^[1] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 225.

^[2] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 225.

^[3] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 225.

^[4] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1397.

Correcting Pride to Be Fruitful

“Correcting Pride to Be Fruitful”

Prov. 3:12; John 15:1-8 

SUBJECT: CORRECTIONS ADVERSITY COMPELS US TO MAKE

THEME: Understanding God’s design to develop and transform us encourages us to respond favorably toward our troubles. Clearly God desires that we humble ourselves to his will. When troubles come, we must examine our hearts for prideful attitudes and correct them to continue to bear spiritual fruit.  

RELEVANCY:

Nothing compels us to take inventory and make spiritual changes like troubles. When facing adversity, it is important to look inward to see what corrections should be made to truly stay on course with the Lord’s will.

Certainly, we must move forward in growth, and trouble is God’s tool to encourage us along.  Therefore, we need to understand HOW to respond to troubles for spiritual benefit.  

INTRODUCTION:

The Lord Always Requires His Beloved Children to Make Changes in at Least Four Areas.

The Lord insists that we:

    A) conquer pride and humble ourselves to His will.

    B) come to the place where we hate sin and purge ourselves of evil.

    C) sift our friendships so that they are in keeping with His plan for our lives.

    D) adjust our priorities so that we place highest value on the things of God and, in turn, adopt new habits of behavior based on right priorities.

Sometimes Pride, Sin, Harmful Relationships, and Wrong Priorities Are So Deeply Embedded Within Us That We Can Hardly Recognize Them in Ourselves. During such dangerous blindness we need God’s help. Today let’s concentrate more on correcting our attitude of pride to be more fruitful.  

 MESSAGE:

I.  WHAT MOTIVATES THE LORD TO CORRECT OUR PRIDE?

Proverbs 3:12, For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

God out of love for us seeks to make us more like Christ using trouble. A prideful reaction to trouble would likely involve defensiveness, stubbornness, or even denial. Instead of accepting God’s help or acknowledging our mistake, our ego-driven response often leads to deflecting blame, dismissing constructive feedback, or masking vulnerability with anger and a false sense of superiority.

Some common carnal and prideful behaviors may include:

• Blame Shifting: Refusing to take accountability by shifting responsibility onto others or the situation.
• Rejecting God’s Help: Stubbornly refusing assistance from the Lord out of a fear of appearing weak or needy.
• Antagonism and Defensiveness: Responding to God’s correction with hostility, irritability, or sarcasm to protect one's self-image.
• Doubling Down: Committing deeper to a flawed course of action just to prove oneself right.

We only prolong the trouble with such reactions and guarantee its reoccurrence! Even when we become complacent and due to His great love, the Lord may permit troubles to come our way to jostle us forward in our spiritual walk. If we begin to walk just one degree away from the truth—in pride we will soon find ourselves a long way from the path of righteousness the Lord intended.

OUR LORD IS MOTIVATED TO CORRECT US SO THAT WE BEAR MORE FRUIT.

Another reason the Lord corrects us is that we may be fruitful. Jesus taught this point using the analogy of a vine and its branches:

John 15:1-8, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. [8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Our Lord taught that believers must stay intimately connected to Him to be spiritually productive. Christ is the true source of spiritual life, God the Father shapes and nurtures believers, and bearing “fruit” represents exhibiting holy character and beneficial activities. This brings ‘glory’ to God! Accordingly, what can we learn….

   1. A Diligent Farmer Works Hard to Prepare the Plants to Bear Fruit.  Vs 1-2

God, our heavenly Father, is the “husbandman” or vinedresser—farmer. As the Gardener, He cultivates the Vine and the branches to achieve their best productivity; a grapevine needs the attention of an insightful gardener. Wild vines are rather unproductive. God’s role of producing growth is somethings the Bible’s repeatedly portrayal. (1 Cor 3:6; Col 2:19).

      A.  The Father Prunes Us.

John 15:2, Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

           1. Pruning is a Continuous Matter.

He will continue to prune us—so that everything in our lives bears fruit or, in other words, is beneficial to his eternal purposes.   Vs 2

           2. Pruning is a Painful Matter.

Whatever he cuts away from our lives, even though it may involve the pain of adversity or trial, is for our benefit. It's dead wood as far as the Lord is concerned, and dead wood occupies space—or in the case of our lives, our time and energy—that could be occupied by fruit-bearing activities.

I once played basketball religiously; my friends and I would play several “pick-up” games every evening after work. It was normal to play seven days a week for at least 2 hours each evening at the gym. I really loved the game and could play well! But when I was saved, I could not afford to spend as much time at the gym as I uses to. I could not be faithful to the Lord’s House and play Sunday morning B-Ball also. Further, I could not build a solid relationship with my wife if I were playing basketball every evening after work. I could not involve myself in church visitation activities and our own neighborhood German ministry if I continued to play basketball every evening. God ‘purged’ my life of many aspects of basketball so that my time and energies could be used to share the gospel, learn about the Lord Jesus, and to serve other believers. My life became more ‘fruitful’ for Christ because the Father as the farmer cut away excess—wasted time and energy—in my life to enable me to be more fruitful for His Kingdom.

     B.  The Father Focuses Us.  John 15:2

 The act of pruning appears harsh at times, but so necessary. The farmer cuts back the lush, growing branches just as they are about to flower. But all of this is done for the ultimate good and benefit of all involved.

           1. From Good to Better.

The wise gardener knows that good must sometimes be sacrificed for better. Grape branches can grow very fast and very long (twelve to twenty feet). But as they develop length and size, they use resources that could be channeled into making fruit. Pruning focuses the growth and energy of the plant. A lush vine with little fruit has failed its purpose.

Our Heavenly Father is never nearer to you than when He is pruning you. Sometimes He cuts away the dead wood that might cause trouble; but often He cuts off the living tissue that is robbing you of spiritual vigor. Pruning does not simply mean spiritual surgery that removes what is bad. It can also mean cutting away the good and the better so that we might enjoy the best.  Yes, pruning hurts, but it also helps. We may not enjoy it, but we need it.                                                                       

           2. From Believers to Disciples.     Jn. 15:7-8

God’s pruning of our lives can be painful. He may limit or remove achievements, objects, and abilities. These may not be wrong in themselves, but God knows they will detract from our fruitfulness. We must not resent God's pruning. Instead, God's discipline should cause us to turn to him with renewed desire to be productive.

Furthermore, the Lord says that in abiding in him and his word, and in bearing fruit, we are his disciples.

    2. Our Diligent Father Invests Real Energy to Prepare Believers to Bear Fruit.

 Just as the pruning of vines is important to their fruitfulness, so the Lord's correction is necessary for us to accomplish our God-given purpose in life and to find deep inner fulfillment.

         A.  Rejoice in the Father’s Thoughtful Pruning.   Jn. 15:11

Rather than shudder at the thought of the Lord's pruning, we should rejoice. We are about to be liberated of all dead weight and falsehood that may keep us from blessings.                    

ARE YOU ATTACHED?

Many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to him, like a branch attached to a vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the Vine? If not, you are missing the key to living the Christian life. 

The greatest judgment God could bring to a believer would be to leave him alone, let him have his own way. Because God loves us, He “prunes” us and encourages us to bear more fruit for His glory (Jn. 15:8). If the branches could speak, they would confess that the pruning process hurts; but they would also rejoice that they will be able to produce more and better fruit.

           B.  Respond Complicitly to the Father’s Purging.

How does the Father prune us?

                1. The Word Cleanses Us.

Sometimes He simply uses the Word to convict and cleanse us. (The word translated “purge” in John 15:2 is the same as “clean” in John 13:10. See also Eph 5:26-27.  So, the original Greek word for “purgeth” means pruning or cleansing. Even when a branch is producing fruit, God will trim and shape it so it can produce more fruit. Getting into the Word and allowing it to cleanse our thoughts, priorities, goals, motivations, dreams, skills, ideals, and values, is behaving with alignment with God.

Beloved, God's refining process in the life of a true believer, while it can involve the Bible, trials, discipline, and challenges, this pruning removes distractions, bad habits, and parasitic extensions that drain spiritual energy. Though the process can be painful, it is an act of divine love intended to build spiritual maturity and character.

                2. The Father Corrects Us. 

Sometimes He must chasten us (Heb 12:1-11). At the time, it hurts when He removes something precious from us; but as the “spiritual crop” is produced, we see that the Father knew what He was doing all along.

The more we abide in Christ, the more fruit we bear; and the more fruit we bear, the more the Father has to prune us so that the quality keeps up with the quantity. Left to itself, the branch might produce many clusters, but they will be inferior in quality. God is glorified by a bigger crop that is also a better crop. 

CONCLUSION:

Realizing God desires to correct our attitude of pride, focuses our self-examinations and identifies changes we need to make to be fruitful and more fruitful. We can really live for God’s glory by being more fruitful!

Remember, if we begin to walk just one degree away from the truth—in pride, we will soon find ourselves a long way from the path of righteousness the Lord desires us. Are you dealing with troubles? Isn’t it time to take a look inward to see what you may need to correct? Are you still on course with what the Lord has for you? I know from personal experience this requires humbling ourselves to embrace God’s will more completely. Though I am ashamed of it, I have even had brief periods of anger with God because of the level of pain and difficulty…. Still, we must insist on moving forward in the Lord trusting Him to guide us to greater fruitfulness. The goal is always growth in Christ. Trouble is God’s tool to encourage us along. Therefore, respond to Him with cooperation, submission, and compliance to realize God’s intended fruitfulness.    

Planted Like Christ

 

Planted Like Christ

Jn. 12:20-33

SUBJECT: SERVANTHOOD

THEME:  Service is like being “planted” like the Lord Jesus.   

RELEVANCY:  we are called to be servants, and to have the heart of a servant regardless of the area in which we serve the church or the role we fill.  Any person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior is called to be God’s minister to others in certain areas of need, at particular times, but always with a mind and a heart motivated toward generous service.

INTRODUCTION: Jesus came as a servant, not as a superstar. His three-year ministry was a powerful example of servanthood.  From His first miracle of changing water to wine at a wedding feast to His sacrificial death on the cross in which His own blood flowed freely for the salvation of all who would believe in Him and receive God’s offer of forgiveness from sins.  He is indeed the Servant of all servants and certainly a worthy example for you and me.

In the days immediately preceding His crucifixion, Jesus spoke candidly with His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. Much of what He said they didn’t understand fully at the time He spoke to them; looking back, however, they understood very clearly the meaning of His words.

The Lord Jesus could very easily have become an earthly king over the Jews according to this incident that happened just before Passover.  The people wanted Jesus to make a public, political move to consolidate power and become an earthly ruler in place of both the Roman occupation and what was perceived by many to be an oppressive, legalistic Jewish Temple rulership. How did Christ handle all the confusion surrounding His purpose and mission?

MESSAGE:

I.  Jesus Liken Service to Being Planted (John 12:24-25).

Jesus was not interested in ruling, but serving! Christ’s statements about servanthood not only described His own life and sacrificial death, but it also related to our role as servants today.

A.  A MISCONCEPTION: CHRIST’S MISSION IN THE WORLD IS MISUNDERSTOOD.

Even some Greeks wanted the Lord Jesus to become a leader or philosopher among them (Jn. 12: 20-23).    

       1. The Disciples’ Idea of Glory (Jn. 12:23). Jesus gave this answer: “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” (John 12:23). On the surface, this statement must have been taken by the disciples and supporters of Jesus to be a strong signal—“Now is the time!”  To be glorified means to reach your crowning moment, your shining hour.

           2. The Lord’s Idea of Glory (Jn. 12:23-26).  Jesus came to Jerusalem to be glorified, but He explains what that means. No one listening to Him understood because they could not comprehend that glory and suffering go together.

                    a. “They thought in terms of crowns of gold; Jesus thought of a crown of thorns. They thought of a throne; He thought of a cross. They thought of a royal robe; He thought of a death shroud. They thought of a physical empire; He thought of a spiritual one.”—Unknown

                        b. Since Jesus places a requirement upon us every day, what does it mean to be His follower? How can an ordinary mortal share in the life of the Son of God and, in the process, share in His glory? Jesus' twelve disciples thought they were headed for fame and prestige until they discovered Jesus’ definition of glory.

                    c. I challenge you to join the disciples of the Lord Jesus in a major change in the course of your Christian experience. Do you dare receive the glory that belongs to a person who crosses the bridge Jesus established?  Will you serve the Lord Jesus even though the way is paved with trials, hardships, troubles, difficulty, and discouragements?

B.  A CLARIFICATION: CHRIST’S SERVICE IS LIKE PLANTING WHEAT. (John 12:24-25) 

       1.  The Lord Jesus Refused an Earthly Kingdom and Choose Servanthood Instead.

After the popular misconceptions about glory, thrones and a kingdom, the Lord Jesus quickly went on to say this: John 12:24-25, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.    

             a. Jesus Refused to Live by Earthly Motivations. (Temporal/ Physical)  Jn. 12:24        

                1) The Lord’s Mission Was Not Political.  Jesus made it very clear that He was not called to be a political king so that people might experience a better temporal, earthly existence. 

                    a)   Rather, He was destined to die a sacrificial death so that man might experience an eternal, spiritual life.

                    b)  Jesus was not called to become a king over a political domain, but, instead, the King of kings who might reign over an eternal kingdom not made with human hands.

                        c) Many times we embrace wrong motivations in Christian service.  We want to rule and tell people what to do.  We want to control and dominate like a king would, but this is not the image that the Lord give us here. Christian service is not an occasion to put ourselves on a pedestal; it is an opportunity to be of service to others!

               2) The Lord’s Mission Was Spiritual. The means to achieving Jesus’ much higher and more meaningful goal was not to be found in the man-made systems and alliances of this world, but rather through the ultimate act of ministry and servanthood, a sacrificial death.

                        a) Why are suffering and death so difficult to associate with ruling and reigning? Why do we struggle with the concepts of dying in order to live, losing in order to gain, giving in order to receive? Why do we hold so tightly to what we cannot keep? Why do temporal things have such a strong hold on us? What does it take to “give up what I cannot keep to gain that which I cannot lose”? (12:25)

                        b) Jesus’ example of exaltation through crucifixion is our pattern. Like a grain of wheat, He died. But look at the result: many fruitful seeds! Read John 12:23–26. Take some time to reflect on the truth that when we are willing to follow Jesus’ example we will enjoy His reward—much fruit!  But we must first die to self and choose to serve God and others!

         b. Jesus Resolved to Die to Make Eternal Provisions. 

John 12:24, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

                  1) The Corn.  Jn. 12:24

                    a) “A corn of wheat” is any kind of grain-wheat, or barley.  The “corn” seed is an illustration of the life of Christ.

                    b) “Fall into the ground” refers to being planted in the earth, thereby the seed will be accessible to the proper moisture from the earth.  This illustrates Christ’s death on the cross.

                        c) By way of application, this “corn of wheat” represents the life of a true servant of God planted in the fertile soil of God’s will in Christian ministry.  Like Christ, we must view our primary purpose as serving the spiritual interests of others.  Like a seed we have great potential to be fruitful!

                 2) The Cross.   Jn. 12:24 “Fall into the ground and die”

                      a)  The whole body of the grain, except the germ, dies in the earth or is decomposed once planted.

                      b)  This decomposed substance provides the first nutrition for the tender germ.

                      c)  This is a nutriment completely appropriate for it, fitted to nourish it until it becomes strong enough to secure its nourishment from the ground. In this God has shown his wisdom and goodness.

                      d)  No one thing could be more precisely fitted for another than this provision made in the grain itself for the future needs of the tender germ.

APPLICATION:  Likewise, through the Cross of our Lord Jesus, He provided that which is most fitted for a needy and sinful people–death.  His death provides the appropriate conditions for salvation, eternal life and a great harvest of souls.  This is also the cross that the Servant of the Lord must bear. Through death we facilitate life! This is a key to fruitful Christian service!  Matthew 16:24, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

                 3) The Crown.  Jn. 12:23-24

                      a) “Abideth alone” simply means that the seed cannot produce fruit until it is planted and dies in the ground.  It will remain alone never producing the rich and beautiful harvest.

                      b) “the Son of man should be glorified” Jesus carefully intimates that it was only by his death that He would be glorified in the salvation of men, and in the honors and rewards in Heaven!

APPLICATION: The Lord Jesus bore the Cross therefore He now wears the Crown.  He understood that the suffering will be followed with glory.

 Heb 2:9, But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; . . . .

Phil 2:8-9, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. . . . .

Heb 12:2, Who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ephes. 1:20-23, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, [21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: [22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

               4) The Course.  Jn. 12:26

John 12:26, If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.  Jesus stated that as the sown kernel dies to bring forth a rich harvest, so also the death of the Son of God will result in the salvation of many. 

                     a) We Too Must Serve The Lord. “Serve me” means we are to be Christ’s disciple also.  The principle of death (see v. 24) is also applicable to us His followers. We, too, as His disciples will have to lose our life in service and witness for Him (see Matt. 10:37–39; 16:24, 25).                   

                     b) We Too Must Follow The Lord. “Let him follow me” Christ calls us to imitate Him; to do what He did, bear what He bore, and love what He loves. He is speaking particularly of his own sufferings and death, and this passage has reference, therefore, to calamity and persecution.  Not only did Jesus choose the servant role for Himself—which was actually the heavenly Father’s role for Him—but He called us, His followers, to become like Him, and to be, first and foremost, servants.  The Lord Jesus Calls His True Followers to Servant-hood 

QUOTE: “You see me triumph-you see (me enter Jerusalem, and you supposed that my kingdom was to be set up without opposition or calamity; but it is not. I am to die; and if you will serve me, you must follow me even in these scenes of calamity; be willing to endure trial and to bear shame, looking for future reward.”—Albert Barnes 

                     c) We Too Will Reign With The Lord. “Where I am, there shall also my servant be:” We as His servants will be in Heaven, with the Son of God reigning and glorified with the glorified Messiah.  The design of this verse is to comfort us in the midst of persecutions, ministry hardships, and trials. 

APPLICATION:  We are to follow Him through whatever challenges; realizing that as He was to be glorified as the result of his sufferings, so we also were to look for our eternal rewards.

Rev 3:21, To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.

John 14:3, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 17:24, Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 

2.  The Lord Jesus Viewed His Service To God As Something Glorious Not Degrading.

Jesus concluded, “What shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour:  but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.” (John 12:27). 

     a. Jesus did not back away from servanthood or the ultimate act of service—His sacrificial death. 

     b. He did not regard His crucifixion in any way to be a demeaning or diminishing act, but he considered it to be the very purpose for His life and the fulfillment of His time on this earth.

     c. His entire life and ministry had been aimed at this supreme act of service.

John 12:27, Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour:

John 12:28, Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

           1)  There’s a phrase that embodies this principle: “Make sure that what you are living for is what you are willing to die for.” That’s the way Jesus lived. He lived a life of service, and He died a death that was an act of service. 

           2)  Jesus came to Jerusalem to be glorified through the act of supreme service—His crucifixion. But, the people could not understand Him because they could not comprehend that glory and suffering go together. They thought in terms of crowns of gold; Jesus thought of a crown of thorns. 

           3)  No genuine believer is excluded from Christian service. We each are called to serve God and to serve others in need every day of our lives. God has already identified the precise ways in which He desires for you to serve Him and, thereby, fulfill your purpose in life.                   

QUOTE: “If we refuse to be a corn of wheat—falling into the ground, and dying; if we will neither sacrifice prospects nor risk character, and property, and health; nor when we are called, relinquish home, and break family ties, for Christ’s sake; then we shall abide alone.   But if we wish to be fruitful, we must follow our Blessed Lord Himself, by becoming a corn of wheat, and dying, then we shall bring forth much fruit.”—T. G. Ragland                                

CONCLUSION:

Nobody is excluded from service. We each are called to serve God and to serve others in need every day of our lives. God has already identified the precise ways in which He desires for you to serve Him and, thereby, fulfill your purpose in life. Ephesians 2:10 tells us: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Service is the doing of good works as God leads and directs through the power of the Holy Spirit. The works are there for us to do. Our responsibility is to obey God, even as Jesus obeyed the Father, and to serve Him. With all of our lives—every last grain is given Him and to others.