The Promise from death

John 12:20-26

Jesus reveals to His disciples that His death is imminent. In doing so, He also reveals His death's pressing implications for His followers. Greeks who were once far from God are beginning to trust in Jesus as the Messiah, not just for Israel, but for the whole world. They have seen His power and are asking for an interaction with Him.

As Jesus instructs His disciples throughout the rest of the book of John, there are two key themes that will continue to pop up: the cost of following Jesus and the promise of following Jesus.

The cost is clear: hate your life. We know this can’t mean hate living, for the Father has gifted us a life to live. Rather, this means loving God more than anything this life offers. Jesus is warning us that if we prioritize our own life – our pleasures, our reputations, our comforts, we will lose the truest form of life, our connection to God through Jesus.

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, wrote these famous words on following Jesus: “When God calls a man, he bids him to come and die”

How can Jesus expect his followers to give up their lives? First, Jesus is not asking His followers to do anything He is unwilling to do. Jesus gives this instruction in the moments leading up to His own death. Just as a kernel of wheat cannot produce many seeds unless it dies, there will be no new life unless Jesus dies.

In a similar fashion, when we give up our lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God, our lives will be multiplied through our obedience to Jesus. When we forget our lives to serve, love, and share the gospel, we, too, become a grain of wheat that produces seeds of life.

So, if the cost of following Jesus is our life, what is the promise? New life.

This is not a life full of temporary pleasure and comfort, but something better: An eternal connection with God Himself starting right now.

When we submit to Jesus, He promises to be with us. Life Himself is with us always. Look again at what Jesus says in verse 26, “...where I am, my servant also will be.”

Because Jesus paid the cost for our lives with His death, we now have a new life. This is a life that is forever connected to Jesus and defined by His love, grace, forgiveness, and strength.

Where has it been difficult to deny your flesh and hate your sin? Repent and receive forgiveness.

Are there good things that you’ve had to give up or “hate” in order to follow Jesus? Maybe you’ve sacrificed living near family or a good-paying job to follow His call. Lament and grieve these losses with God.

How does the eternal life you have with Jesus compare to a life of loving the world?