Title Because of me / John 12:20-26
Content Because of me / John 12:20-26
There was a family that Jesus was especially close to while he was on this earth. That house was the house of Lazarus in Bethany. Jesus often rested and socialized at the home of Lazarus in Bethany, about five miles from Jerusalem.
On our pilgrimage, we visit the Martha and Mary Memorial Temple in Bethany, and we can also find the tomb of Lazarus. Seeing the tomb where Lazarus was raised from the dead four days ago, the pilgrims receive many blessings.
According to the Bible, when the Jews framed Jesus and tried to kill him, even Lazarus was a part of it. But later, it is testified that many Jews came to believe in Jesus because of Lazarus.
Today's text is a famous saying that Jesus said to the Greeks when Jesus came to Jerusalem, and some Greeks came and asked to meet him. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for everlasting life” (John 12:24-25). ).
Why did the Greeks want to meet Jesus? Perhaps the Greeks, knowing that Jesus would be crucified and put to death, tried to avoid death by making Jesus a wise Greek philosopher like Socrates and Aristotle. Also, he may have felt the same way as the doctor Luke, who tried to gain salvation after hearing the truth of Jesus.
At that time, Jesus taught the famous truth through biological facts that, like a grain of wheat falling to the ground and death, many people will be saved through the death of the cross.
Because of me, many people will come to believe in Christ today, and this society should be able to shine because of me. We must realize that we have an important responsibility and role to play in helping this society shine.
1. I am one of importance.
Christianity is the religion that redeems all mankind. The work of salvation is accomplished through each person.
The fact that he left the 99 sheep and went looking for the one lost sheep tells us the truth that the life of one sheep is not light compared to the life of 99 sheep.
Therefore, it is written in Romans 5:19, "For just as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." Just as the entire human race fell because of the sin of one man, Adam, it is the truth that Jesus Christ came to this earth in the flesh and died on the cross, so that everyone who believes in Him can be saved.
Through the adventures and faith of one Abraham, who went to the land of Canaan, the people of Israel became the chosen people, and through the faith and courage of one Moses who took on the history of the Exodus, the people of Israel, who had been slaves for 400 years, were saved. has been
When the Israelites left Egypt and entered the land of Canaan, they conquered the mighty city of Jericho without throwing a single spear. When God entered the city of Jericho, God told him not to touch any of the spoils there. However, a man named Achan was guilty of hiding the spoils secretly. After that, when the Israelites attacked the city of Ai, many people were sacrificed. Because of the sin of one man named Achan, the nation of Israel was put to great shame.
Today, I will have to ponder whether I will benefit the community and the Church, or if I am having a negative impact because of me.
A man named Emerson Fastic said, "Democracy is achieved when each one of us is held accountable for it."
An English thinker named Thomas Carlyle wrote a history of the French Revolution over two years and sent the manuscript to the then-master of philosophy, John Stuat Mill, to review. However, after John Mill had read all his manuscripts and left them on the desk, the house maid made a fire in the fireplace and burned them all down. The work I had written for two years was turned to ashes overnight. The next morning Carlyle went to Mill's house and asked him what his manuscript was. Mill frankly said that his maid had burned his manuscript. When Carlyle heard Mill's words, she was greatly disappointed. It was very sad to lose that vast piece of art.
Then one day, he went out for a walk and saw a worker build a small brick, put cement on it, and then build a high brick wall over and over again. There is a story that I have to remember in my head one by one if it happened,' and wrote [History of the French Revolution] again from the beginning.
Just like building a brick wall by stacking bricks one by one, it is a lesson that the kingdom of God will expand and the work of life will take place when our members fulfill their responsibilities.
If I try to find my rights before I fulfill my duties and responsibilities, a democratic society will collapse. Just like each brick, when we realize the preciousness of each one of us and fulfill our responsibilities, a democratic society will be established and the kingdom of God will expand.
2. The importance of my meeting.
The meeting took place when Jesus came to the home of Bethany Lazarus. At that time, the miracle of resurrection took place where Lazarus, who had died, came back to life.
Life is a history of encounters. You and I must meet right away. You have to get along well with your neighbors and get along well with your friends. You need to get along well with your spouse. Blessings will come to your family when you find a better half-mate than you through prayer.
Just as Jesus did a miracle by making fine wine with water when the wine ran out when he attended a wedding feast in Cana, the most important of our encounters is the meeting with the Savior. Meeting with Jesus, who saved my life, is more important than anything else. When I receive Jesus right away in faith, my destiny is changed and a miracle will happen just as Lazarus, who was dead, came back to life on the fourth day.
When Saul met Jesus, he became the great evangelist and apostle Paul. When we meet the truth and meet the true life in faith, we can know that the greatest blessings in life will come.
Confucius said this: "It is better to light a candle than to curse darkness." Today, before we curse the faults of others, it is important that we ourselves enter into it and fulfill our mission like a candle.
Through my encounter with Jesus, we can see that a grain of wheat is fulfilling its mission in his active life that changes lives by allowing many people to meet Jesus.
3, the importance of my adventure.
When the Greeks tried to accept Jesus as a philosopher, Jesus taught the truth of adventure and sacrifice that these lives could only be revived if I died on the cross.
All the religious leaders of the world died of natural causes, but only Jesus was saved by dying on the cross at the age of 33.
The choice of the cross is an adventure. Today we must make an adventurous choice. Not only for me, but for the Lord. When I become a grain of wheat and fall to the ground, we can find in history that a wonderful work of life takes place. Moreover, miracles happen when we venture out.
It can be seen that human history was changed through one man's adventurous choices. At the Seoul Olympics this time, our country's athletes surprised the world by winning more gold medals than expected. Those who tried to introduce our country negatively became ashamed. However, if you look at the home environment of the athletes who have won gold medals, they are all poor. You can see them become the light of the country when they wear their gold medal, which was insignificant, around their neck. Because of their adventures, and because of their sacrifices, today this country has become a powerful nation that shines in the world.
An elder heard the story and said that the moment our archer drew his bow, his classmates quietly prayed before God for 5 minutes. They brought glory to the country through their tears of hope, sacrifice, and challenge as they bowed down and prayed.
A psychiatrist named Carl Jung put it this way: "The essential factor in the end result is a person's life. That one person makes history. The great historical transformation and the future hope of the world are made by one person's hidden resources."
Through one person's adventures and challenges, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, mankind can be saved.
Because of me, the church is revived, the choir is revived because of me, and my family is renewed because of me.
The determination of the adventure that endures and sacrifices until the goal I challenge is achieved will change mankind.
The biological truth that a single horse must fall to the ground and die to bear much fruit represents the truth of Christianity.
4. The importance of the results that come because of me.
Many people came to believe in Jesus because Lazarus, who had died, was resurrected. When a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, life springs up from it and bears much fruit.
Just as the work of each grain of sacrifice saves lives, the church will grow because of me and the kingdom of God will be expanded because of me.
On the other hand, we must not forget the fact that when one of us goes wrong, the whole country is noisy, the people suffer, and the whole church is in turmoil.