Tuesday February 24, 2009
John 12:23-24 (NKJV) But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."
THE HOUR HAS COME
It is evident that God ordered human history in order to carry out our redemption, our rescue. First, Holy Scripture reports that Jesus was born at the perfect time (Galatians 4:4-5) or "in the fullness of time." Then, during Jesus earthly ministry, on more than one occasion His enemies tried to lay hands on Him to hurt and kill Him, but time and again it is reported that they were unsuccessful because "his hour had not yet come" (cf. John 7:6, 30; 8:20).
Therefore we pause when we hear the Savior Himself say: "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified." How will Jesus be glorified? Even as God was glorified through Jesus life and ministry, so God would be glorified also in His death.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."
Whether young or old, farmers or city folk, we all understand what Jesus is talking about. Unless a seed is planted in the ground, it remains alone. One doesn't open a seed packet to find bunches of ripe fruit. It is only when the seed is planted in the soil to germinate and grow that it produces fruit. But Jesus isn't really giving a lesson on gardening. He's comparing Himself to that seed.
Even as the seed must be planted, so Jesus had to suffer and die. If Jesus had not presented Himself as our substitute in life and in death, then at best He would stand out as a single perfect man acceptable to God, and no savior of many.
But Jesus did suffer and die, and through the message of His death and resurrection the Holy Spirit has raised up countless children of God among whom are we. Only Jesus could produce abundant fruit by His dying. He is the Savior and He is still glorified today when the Gospel is proclaimed and sinners are converted (John 16:14).
Let's think on this today, and take these words with us (1 Peter 2:1-5): "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
