Dying to Live (John 12:20-50)

Good morning. Peter, one of the pastors here. Welcome to Garden City. New – How we got our name. Garden and City aren’t usually two words that go together. Opposites. But when you look at the city of KL, that’s kind of what you see isn’t it? A Garden City. 

Oxymoron – Contradictory terms/thoughts that somehow come together, oftentimes making a lot of sense. (Greek: sharp and foolish = pointedly foolish) Some examples I found:

-Jumbo shrimp/prawn

-Icy Hot

-Original Copy

-Bittersweet

-Social Distancing

-Act Naturally

-Humble Brag

-Happily Married (Heavily debated)

-One more: Living Dead – Not talking about zombies. There is a way to live that is not living at all. Someone can look alive – outside. But is actually dead – inside. (Look like they have it all together on the surface but really, hurting and dying inside.) Opposite is also true – (Dying to live) – Death leads to life. Death brings life.

Look at how this can be true. Finishing up John 12. Bibles. Turn. Screen.

Jesus – Anointed. Enters Jerusalem for the Passover to people’s excitement – Hosanna (Save us – Cry for help) to their King. Re-cover a few verses…

Text: John 12 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

While many of the Jews are sadly rejecting Jesus. Greeks – Gentiles/Nations seeking Jesus. Remember – Jn. 2. Jesus’ Cleansing of the Temple – (Court of the Gentiles). Jesus was upset at the corruption of the moneychangers and merchants but primarily because they had set up their operations in the Court of the Gentiles – Where the nations were to come and see and worship the one true God. Jesus clears them out to make room for the Gentiles to enter in.

And now as Jesus comes back into Jerusalem, you find Gentiles seeking him. V. 19 Religious Leaders – “Look, the world has gone after him.” – Jesus bringing the fulfillment of God’s promise in the AC – Abraham would be the Father of many nations worshiping the one true God.

​​23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Oxymoronic idea. Glorified – We usually think – Triumphal entry. Everything is good. Praises. People are worshipping. But then, Jesus starts talking about dying and how that’s good. – How does glory and death go together? How does death bring about life or glory? 

This wasn’t the kind of messiah the Jews were waiting for. They were looking for a leader to overthrow the Roman government and rule. A king for Israel who would bring about Freedom. Reign. To end their oppression.

But Jesus – Death – If you love your life, you will lose it. What’s wrong with loving your own life? What’s wrong with making plans and having dreams for what you want your life to be? Pursuing your desires?

But before answering this question…Is what Jesus says even true? Do we see this play out anywhere? Where dying to self is what actually leads to life…Yes. Couple…(Agriculture)

Parenting – Kids – Scientifically, not spiritually – Parasites/Leaches. They take and take and take. From the moment they are conceived in the womb – Time, Energy, Money. Physically, Emotionally, Mentally, Psychologically, and in every other way… They suck the life out of you. In so many ways, it makes absolutely no sense to have kids. But the strange thing is, they’re also somehow so life-giving. Some of life’s most joyful, funniest, proudest moments come from our kids. (My family – 4 Kids – Can’t wait for them to go to bed. Ever feel that? Exhausted. Survive? But when they’re finally asleep, I love them so much.)

Friendship – To be a good friend – Give yourself away. No one likes stingy, selfish friend. All they do is take. – They don’t give you life, they just drain it out of you. Not really a friend at all. Good friendships – Reciprocal – Giving of self for each other. I got you and you got me no matter what. In giving yourself for another, not in self preservation and keeping to yourself, you find the joy and fruit of friendship. 1 Jn. 3 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. – Nature of love – giving yourself for the sake of others.

Marriage – Eph. 5 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Submission – Unbelievers – I can’t be a part of a religion that devalues women. Not because the woman is of lesser value. Definition: Invitation to lead. The wife is dying to herself in this manner. Well what about the husband? 

Eph. 5 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (and how did Christ love the church? By dying for her. So the husband doesn’t get a free pass to do whatever. He has to be all in. He has to give up everything, his very life, for his wife.) … 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.

So in the wife’s submission and making herself lower, and in the husband dying to himself to love his wife, they reap a flourishing, life giving marriage. Isn’t that strange? It’s not – you love yourself and do what’s best for you over everything. It’s not putting yourself first. (Divorce) It’s you dying to yourself and putting the other first that unlocks the joy of a loving and thriving marriage.

Question: What’s wrong with loving your own life? It’s not that God wants us to hate ourselves. Rather, God desires for us to love him and his plan for our lives and his ways of life more than we desire loving ourselves, our own life, our own way. The difference between loving God and loving ourselves is so great, it looks like hate. And we find that loving God this way is actually the way to loving ourselves.

Why – Because God loves us and desires what is best for us – life. We were not created for ourselves with God to be an add on, an accessory to our lives. We were created in the image of God – Self-giving love. God’s good created order. – Patterns.

Loving yourself, your life, and living for yourself leads to death. – Root sin of Ge. 3 Adam and Eve committed and we have all ratified in our own lives. – God, I want to decide for myself what is good, what is lovely, and how I should live. I want to love my life my own way apart from you. – Live for myself. Serve myself. Please myself. Put myself first. Me, My, Mine. – My safety, my needs, my resources, my comforts, my desires, my life, my way. 

And when we live this way, in contradiction to how God made us, our very nature, when we love our own lives and desires, it actually doesn’t lead to independence and life, it leads to destruction and death – loneliness, brokenness, despair – isolation from others and from God. Every appearance of being alive and well – money, success, family, etc. – but actually be in complete darkness and death. 

It’s only when we pour out our lives, give it up, that we can truly live. Dying to self is the way to life. – You think so little about yourself (not self-deprecation – not that you’re nothing) and so much of God. (ESV Study Bible) 

The apostle Paul – Dyamic – Ro. 12: 1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Living sacrifice. (another oxymoron)

Mk. 8 – Jesus – Who do you say I am? Peter – Incredible moment of clarity about who Jesus is – You are the Christ. But when Jesus begins to talk about how the Son of Man must suffer and die, Peter pulls Jesus aside and rebukes him! Peter rebukes Jesus! Guts! And Jesus calls Peter, Satan! Why? – Your mind is set not on the things of God, but on the things of man.

Let me connect the dots to us – When we love our lives and live our own way apart from God and his ways, we, like Peter, are thinking and living satanicly. Ouch. (I’m not calling you, Satan. Not the takeaway.) (God didn’t create Satan as bad. Satan was originally created as the most beautiful angel. The best of the best. But then he decided that he didn’t want to worship/love God. He wanted to be god himself. He wanted to love himself. So he rebelled and became Satan.) 

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

“Cost of following Jesus” – Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me. Cross – Not a pretty decoration you wear about your neck and put up around the house and get a tattoo of. It’s a picture of a death instrument. – Hanging gallery/noose, electric chair, etc. Jesus invitation – Death to self and the Me-Centered life. Only when you do this that you are truly able to live. And live to God. Sacrifice leads to death and it ultimately leads to life.

Loving yourself, your life, and living for yourself lead to death. BUT Dying to yourself, and loving God and living for him brings life.

Uncomfortable isn’t it? Hard to do. DL Moody “Problem LS – Keep crawling off the altar.” First – FOMO – If I give myself and my time, talent, and treasure – I won’t be able to live the lifestyle of my peers. I’ll miss out – Experiences, pleasures, stuff. I want to enjoy my life. Denying myself doesn’t sound nearly as fun.

Second – Well what about my life? Who is going to look out for me? Provide for me? I want to be somebody important and valuable enough for someone to do this for me. For someone to see me and love me.

Here’s why we can. What frees us to live this way. The God of the universe, the one who created all things, the one who created you, humbled himself for your sake to serve you in your need. He gave up his life for you, so you could live. And this puts our worries about our own lives to rest. – Trust in his love for us.

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: (Baptism and Transfiguration) “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

The moment that Christ came for, his purpose, has come. To be glorified through death. Jesus’ main concern is not his well-being, his life, but his Father’s glory. How is that possible when he’s about to die?

Relationship outworking between Father and Son. Perfect eternal love -Love and loved. Michael Reeves – There was a time that God was not…(Creator, Redeemer – Always within his power and nature) But there was never a time where God was not Father and Son and Holy Spirit in perfect, self-giving, loving union between the members of the Trinity, the Godhead. Who God was, is, always will be.

From this perfect love and approval, the Son, Jesus, lives out perfect obedience to the Father even when it means death. He’s never been given a reason to doubt the Father’s love for him. So Jesus can trust the Father’s plan for glory through his death and resurrection – is what’s best. – Necessary, the only way for dead sons and daughters to be brought back to life, brought back to God.

For us – Great(est) Commandment – Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength. And love your neighbor has yourself. Order is crucial. Not be obedient. Not stop sinning – stop gossiping, looking at pornography, not stop cursing. It’s not be better. It’s love God – most of all with everything you have. You get this first/right and everything else will follow. Jesus’ Life and Sacrifice – Jesus is the fulfillment.

Son of Man – The title is repeated multiple times. Why are they questioning? Seems harmless. Title from Dan. 7 13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days (God) and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Title of humanity (like one of us) but primarily of divinity – A new power/ruler/conqueror from God, from heaven, unlike any other. Everlasting kingdom with people from all nations. Jews have been waiting. Excited. – Hosanna. But then, again…

The Son of Man must be lifted up. Familiar Lang. – Num. 21 Bronze Serpent ) The people have been delivered out of slavery from Egypt. Wilderness. They speak against God and God in judgment sends fiery serpents to bite them. Terrifying. The people pray for deliverance and God’s answer – Make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. And then look to the bronze serpent, the picture of the curse, their penalty for sin, for healing. Jn. 3 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Through Jesus’ suffering and death, becoming the curse of death for us – comes victory and glory and salvation. 

Through Jesus’ death – V. 31 – Satan, the ruler of this world, and his power will be driven out. And Jesus will deliver the nations out of his kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of the Son. Ge. 3 – First gospel promise fulfillment. 

The people – unbelievable that Jesus would claim to be God and that God would have to die. What kind of God is that? If God can die, then how can he be God? Doesn’t sound like the conqueror from Daniel 7. Not worth following. No one wants to be on the losing team. 

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

If God would just do … then I would believe.

-Provide

-Heal

-Stop all suffering and evil

Jesus – Another sign, another miracle won’t change anything.

What you/people need is not another sign. You can be presented with all the signs and miracles and still not believe. You/they need belief. Because it’s not a knowledge issue. Heart issue – believing in and loving Jesus more than themselves.

You might say, well it sounds like God is keeping people from believing (v.38-40). So he’s the problem. How can a loving God send people to hell? Ex: Divine sovereignty and human responsibility – Pharoah.

Exodus – Pharaoh first hardened his heart toward God. And then God allowed Pharaoh to have his way and hardened his heart more. Only two ways: God, your way be done or mine. God never sends someone to hell against their will. People who continue to reject God ratify Adam and Eve’s decision to walk away from him and to live their own way. 

And God ultimately says, you want to live apart from me and you do you? You don’t want to love me? You hate me? I’m not going to force you, and that’s not my desire, but your will be done then. The scariest, most terrifying words the God of life can speak to you.

V.42-43. Some believed, but they feared. Because they loved the glory of man vs the glory of God. Not just love of man’s approval. Fear – Outcast/Rejection. Not fitting in. Not being accepted. Not having a place to belong. They wanted to be somebody. Why would they die to themselves, give up their reputation by confessing Jesus publicly? They could be shamed. – They loved their own lives.

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

Jesus came in love in his first coming to save not to condemn. But, don’t miss this, he will come again a second time – to judge. Judgment will not be by surprise by some unknown standard. Not according to your standard, your opinions, culture/world. According to God’s words. Jn. 1- Word – Jesus. – The gospel. Did you receive or reject Jesus? Did you look upon Jesus, who was lifted up for your sins, in belief and love or did you reject his love and salvation for you? That’s it.

The justice of God demands penalty for our sins – loving our own lives more than the God of life – death. The love of God made the way. Remember – Jesus was so secure in his Fathers love for him as Son. Here’s what’s so crazy: The Father loves us with the very love he has for his Son. 

So to bring wayward, lost, dead sons and daughters back to him, the Father sent his one and only Son, Jesus – To be embarrassed, stripped and beaten, abandoned to die alone so we could be brought back to life. He lifted us up when we were low by Jesus becoming low, coming down from heaven to be humiliated and lifted up for our sins. Jesus had the perfect life but he laid it down for our sake so we could have it too. – To know the Father’s love again.

God gives you life in Jesus that can never be taken away. Riches, life, joy are freely given to you in Jesus. He bought it for you with his life. So you can be free to die to yourself and live for Jesus. The love of God even unto death leads to life. Love of ourselves – Death. 

Not go and do. Look at Jesus. Behold him. See his love for you. Be overwhelmed. When you see Jesus lifted up, you see the gravity and the ugliness of our sin. Our helpless state to help ourselves, to save ourselves. Jesus took it all upon himself. I love him because he first loved me when I was unlovable. Jesus – Lovely. I delight in him. His love is better than life itself, than any life apart from him. And then out of your love for him, your obedience will follow. 

Reward of loving and believing in Jesus – Frees you to not to worry about your own life but to lay it down. The Father loves you, sees you and honors you (v.26). He lifts you up. Better than any temporary glory from man.

Urgency to this message. Believe while you have time. If you will believe enough to behold the Son of Man lifted up you will be saved. The gospel message is really that simple. But it has the power to change everything. Gospel – Not fix your life and become worthy. Come and behold Jesus and be changed by his love. 

Jesus – Trust me because I love you. I desire life for you. Die to yourself and find life in me.