Title: The Life of the Saver
Contents
This text John 12:20-26
Preacher Se-won Oh
Sermon Date 2006-02-05
20. Among those who came up to worship on the feast, there were some Greeks.
21.They went to Philip the Bethsaida of Galilee and begged him, "Teacher, we want to see Jesus."
22. Philip went and spoke to Andrew, and Andrew and Philip went to Jesus and inquired.
23. Jesus answered and said, 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 ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25. Those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for everlasting life.
26. If anyone wants to serve me, follow me; where I am, there will also be those who serve me; and if a man serves me, my Father will honor him.
Bible: John 12:20-26 06.2.5
Title: The Life of the Saver
As the motto of our church this year is “a church that saves lives by receiving the power of the Holy Spirit,” we have talked about the Holy Spirit over the past three weeks. Then, how should the life of a person who has received the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life of saving life appear? Through today's Word, we want to examine what kind of life God wants.
Among those who visited Jerusalem, which was bustling with Passover, some Greeks wanted to see Jesus personally. They went to Philip and asked him to arrange a meeting with Jesus. Philip did not take him to Jesus himself, but asked Andrew for help. When Andrew and Philip willingly brought them to Jesus, Jesus said the words in today's text verses 23 and 24.
“Jesus answered and said, The hour has come when the Son of Man will be glorified, and truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
Perhaps it is an alumni answer for Greeks. If you have come to Jesus, it is normal to first ask, “Why did you come to Jesus?” However, he did not think about such things at all and said that the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I don't know what that glory is, but I can't quite understand what he said when he said that the time had come to gain it. Of course, that statement itself is a very natural truth.
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” What does it have to do with glory? When Jesus died on the cross, it bears much fruit. It is an honor to die when you give yourself up to bear much fruit.
Then, in order for us to live a glorious life, like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies, if we give ourselves up to save lives, we will receive glory. It must be a sacrifice to save other lives. It's not a sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice. It's not just a sacrifice to show your righteousness.
Verse 25 says that those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life will keep it for everlasting life. To love one's own life refers to a person who cannot live a life of sacrifice for others. To hate one's own life is to sacrifice oneself in order to save another life. It is said that such a person preserves eternal life. It means that you will have eternal life.
It is difficult to give one's life, even one's life, to death, and give it up for others to use. But where does the power to do so come from? It comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit can we die like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground, we can make sacrifices, and only then can we save many lives. Then we are given the glory of eternal life.
Among those who live according to this principle, we cannot but think of the lives of missionaries who risk their lives and risk their lives by holding on to one particular life. I would like to end today's talk with a video. I have received so much grace while watching this, so I believe that watching this documentary video will be a greater blessing than what I have to say with the text today.
The video was edited with text and video by Kim Woo-hyeon, “Blessed are those who mourn.”
What did you guys think while watching the content of this documentary?
In closing, I will read a poem.
To make a single chrysanthemum bloom
It seems that the little bird has cried like that since spring.
To make a single chrysanthemum bloom
Thunder must have cried like that again in the dark clouds.
Myon Muon, who tightened his heart with longing and regret
Inje is back from the path of youth
A flower that looks like my sister in front of the mirror
For the four yellow petals to bloom
Last night the frost fell
I guess I couldn't sleep.
It is a poem called “Beside the Chrysanthemum” by Seo Jeong-ju. I tried to transform this poem.
You must have suffered so much to save a dying life.
It seems that the sun lost its light and the thunder cried so much to save the dying life.
It seems that the missionaries lived such a desperate life to save one life.
What did I do to save such a precious life, a life more precious than the world?
What do I have to die or sacrifice to save life?
Saints! Let's start small. Let's do our part to help the missionary work of missionaries who risk their lives to save lives. Bet your everything for evangelism. You will surely receive the glory of eternal life. It will save many lives.