April 5th
Read John 12: 20-26
As we saw in our devotion yesterday the people were excited about Jesus’ entry, but as the story unfolds, they’ll soon yell “Crucify Him.” Our passage today comes directly after the Pharisees became jealous of the crowds following Jesus at His Triumphal Entry and we see one of the most impactful pictures of what Jesus came to do: draw all people to Himself. We see that some Greeks, i.e. non Jews, were coming to follow Jesus and even celebrate at the Passover Festival, which is a uniquely Jewish remembrance of God delivering the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Not only that, we see Jesus foretelling His death, which in effect made it possible for non Jews to be welcomed into the family of God. But what I want to focus on in our questions today is how Jesus shows what it is like to follow Him
Read John 12: 20-26
As we saw in our devotion yesterday the people were excited about Jesus’ entry, but as the story unfolds, they’ll soon yell “Crucify Him.” Our passage today comes directly after the Pharisees became jealous of the crowds following Jesus at His Triumphal Entry and we see one of the most impactful pictures of what Jesus came to do: draw all people to Himself. We see that some Greeks, i.e. non Jews, were coming to follow Jesus and even celebrate at the Passover Festival, which is a uniquely Jewish remembrance of God delivering the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Not only that, we see Jesus foretelling His death, which in effect made it possible for non Jews to be welcomed into the family of God. But what I want to focus on in our questions today is how Jesus shows what it is like to follow Him
- Can you think of places in John where Jesus made agricultural metaphors? What do you think he meant by verse 24? What did He say was the connection between His dying and the bearing of fruit?
- What Jesus said in verse 25 is not unique to this instance. He mentioned giving up one’s life to follow Him in many other places as well. Why do you think He spoke like this so often?
- Where are your biggest priorities? Do you “love this life” the way Jesus mentioned it in verse 25? I think what He meant was not so much that we should not enjoy this life, He wants us to enjoy it. But I think what He is saying here is that in order to truly follow Him, we must love Him and His rule and His reign more than we love the things of this world. He is making the contrast of our devotion to either His Kingdom or the kingdom of this world.
- In the same breath Jesus linked serving Him and being with Him. The obvious question is: who do you serve the most? Is it Jesus? Or is it yourself? Or something else completely? We cannot serve two masters. It will either be Jesus or something else. He says in verse 25 that where He is, His servant will be also. In what ways can you serve Him better today than you did yesterday?
- If you find yourself falling short on this principle, simply turn back to Him and ask Him to guide you into a deeper commitment to Him. See James 4:8