Category: Daily Devotionals

John 12.23-26

Leadership often comes in one of two forms. There is the one who leads from the front. They set the agenda, break new ground, call others to come after them and believe in them whatever they say. They are the not so much glory hunters as the glory grabbers. They win awards, have an adoring public, love the limelight and are stand out different. Then there are the crowd pleasers. They do what the masses want, banking on the principle that if you give them what they want then they will follow you. They need the crowd to reassure and affirm them. Two ways to try to keep on leading and winning. Then there is Jesus’ way.

When Andrew and Philip came to Jesus saying there were some Greeks who wanted to meet him, Jesus took the opportunity announce a third way to glory. Using his usual opening phrase when he wanted to emphasise something as particularly important, he said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you.’ This is always a sign that what he is about to say needs one to pause and think deeply, what are the consequences of his next utterance? Once again, Jesus cuts across the normal way of thinking. Jesus had just been heralded as the King of Israel by the fervent crowd. They would be expecting a grand gesture, a display of power, another miracle, a rallying cry. The last thing they would have expected is teaching about dying. Yet Jesus takes this moment to explain what true obedience and discipleship is about by explaining why it is that he is to die. But more than that it is the way his disciples must go.

He uses, as so often was the case, a simile from nature. ‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’ ^{John 12.24} Jesus died to his own will when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ ^Luke22.42 Jesus, just like a grain of wheat, was to die, be placed in the ground, and rise with new life, bringing countless more to life.

But Jesus was not just talking about himself. He was saying if you want your life to be fruitful in an eternal way then death to yourself is the only way. ‘Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 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 honour him.’ ^John12.25-26 Josh Moody expresses it like this, “we cannot want what we want selfishly, for ourselves – and expect that way of life to give us true life …  We must die to ourselves to live to Christ and to find real life in him.”

The challenge is applying this in practical terms to each aspect of our life. This is not a miserable sullen obedience, grudgingly offered to God. It is a joyful loving sharing in the Jesus way. If it is good enough for Christ it is good enough for me. 1 Samuel 2.30 captures God’s heart when he declares to Eli the High Priest following the despicable behaviour of his sons, ‘Far be it from me! Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained.’

Have we contemplated how through the death of Jesus, God the Father has brought about such a rich harvest of righteousness?

Are we prepared to live his way so that the Lord is honoured?

ABOVE ALL by Michael W Smith Lyrics

John 12.42-43 & Romans 10.9-10

How much do the opinions of others influence the decisions we make? When choosing the perfume we wear, the colour of coat or the logo on our trainers it probably will not have life-long consequences. However, the opinions of others may be more influential than we could be prepared to admit. When going to an interview or social event most of us think of the impression we will make on others. When telling a story or joke we will weigh up in our minds what we expect the reaction to be. Getting it wrong can have greater consequences than we imagined. Ask Gerald Ratner. (Look it up, if you don’t remember it.)

One of the things that most people fear, at some time, is being rejected by those who we want to approve of us. To whom do we owe our greatest allegiance and what price are we prepared to pay to keep it? There is plenty of psychological evidence that most of us will agree with what we know to be a falsehood rather than risk disapproval from the majority powerful group. (e.g. Asch conformity 1951)

Not all the Jewish leaders during the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion were spiritually blind. They like the crowd were a divided group. ^{John 12.42} Some recognized the signs Jesus performed with the clincher being the raising of Lazarus from the dead. However, the grip the Pharisees had over the Chief Priest and the Sanhedrin prevented them from saying what they believed in their hearts. Fear of being excluded from their current high status group and even being unable to attend their synagogue prevented them from confessing their faith.  We do not know if these same Jewish leaders following Pentecost were amongst those who did in the end decide to follow Jesus but at that moment they chose to deny their inner convictions. The opinion of other Jewish leaders mattered more to them than their relationship with God.

This overwhelming desire to fit in remains a major reason why many are not prepared to make a commitment to follow Christ. What family think, their social group think, their colleagues at work think, even the potential action of authorities in their country can all prevent a person from confessing what they know in their heart to be true. There has never been a time when being a Christian does not carry some form of risk.

How many people have sacrificed eternity for the sake of approval now.  I am very slow and reluctant to criticize those who have because I have not walked in their shoes. Paul however through the suffering and persecution he experienced did earn the right to say, ‘If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ ^{Romans 10.9}

How much as a church do we support those who live with constant pressure to reject faith in Jesus?

Are we prepared to be publicly honest that Jesus is our Lord?

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus ♫ The Story & The Song

John 12.20-22

It happens at all really big events. Crowds start to gather during the days ahead. People have been looking forward to this for a long time. Strangers greet each other and pick up on the gossip. What is different this year? How far have you come? Some in jokes get passed around. People start to get pointed out. Some love to boast about who they know and what they have seen. Arguments break out and people take sides.

This Passover was getting particularly heated. For once Galileans were the new story and you could tell them because their accent was definitely northern and not like people from Judah and Jerusalem. It all centred around Jesus and he had really stirred up trouble by first raising a man from Bethany from the dead and then he rode into Jerusalem as bold as brass, on a donkey with crowds of people waving branches and calling him King of Israel. ^{John 12.13} The Passover crowd was always an international crowd and those who came from further away countries spoke Greek. The Romans might be the current Empire but it was the Greeks before them and their influence was still widespread. No wonder then that some Greeks wanted to find out more and meet Jesus. ^{John 12.20} They worked out that Philip was one of Jesus closest followers and approached him for an introduction. Philip had been a close friend of Andrew (Peter’s brother) from childhood so they both asked Jesus if he would meet up with the interested Greeks.

Jesus response was to go into some depth about his impending crucifixion (more about this tomorrow) and that it was the nature of his death that would attract people. However, Jesus made clear that he will draw all people to himself. ^{John 12.32} Andrew and Philip were intermediaries between the seeking Greeks and Jesus. I wonder how many of us have had that privilege? The “Greeks” are all people whatever background or circumstances who want to know Jesus. Is it not true that such seekers do not exist, there are many who would love to be introduced to Jesus and understand who he is. I was thinking back over my lifetime to name to myself the people to whom I have been an Andrew or Philip. In the end it is Jesus who draws people to himself but we can be one of those who they speak to on the way.

Are we aware of the opportunities to invite people to engage with Jesus?

Do people know we already know him?

Do we expect God to use us in this way?

Do we ask God for the chance to introduce people to Jesus?

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Lyrics)

^{John 12.10-11}

It is difficult to keep a miracle a secret let alone a raising from the dead when the body ought to have been stinking. The crowd who witnessed Lazarus clothed in wrapped burial cloths walking from his own grave were hardly likely not to mention it to anybody. Crowds were packing the streets of Jerusalem with people from all over the empire as well as those born in Israel. There was a groundswell of amazement, fascination and belief in Jesus. The Chief Priests were more than worried they were terrified that the crowd’s interest in Jesus might be interpreted as a religious insurrection and their own lives would be in danger if the Roman authorities decided on a clampdown. Their own hearts were hardened against Jesus as they saw him as a threat, one who undermined their laws rather than fulfilled the law of Moses. They acted as many in authority have and still do act when they feel threatened, they decided to do away with the evidence. ‘So, the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.’ ^{John 12.10,11}

Unlike Jesus, many in authority substitute unsupported assertion for evidence. This feels particularly relevant in the aftermath of the USA presidential election but it is far from limited to the political arena. Jesus had repeatedly given the chief priests and Jewish authorities signs as to his identity and his purpose. Their response was to threaten, punish and destroy evidence. Professor Lennox along with many modern apologists (defenders of Christianity) argue that many scientists who oppose Christianity do so because their world view stops them objectively considering the evidence. Their hearts are hardened and so they dismiss reasonable possibility as being possible. We see this in some non-believing theologians who argue that prophecy that foretells the future is impossible, so if a prophecy has come true as in Daniel’s prophecies, then the prophecy was written after the events not before even when there is excellent evidence that dates the prophecy prior to the events. Their world view prevents them from objectively considering the evidence.

What then should the modern church do? We should equip ourselves with the reasonable evidence and make it known. This can be done formally in terms of books, videos, films and talks. It can also be done at a more personal level where Christians in natural conversation are able to give sound reasons for their faith.

As a church do we equip our fellowship with a clear grasp of the evidence that supports such beliefs as the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Have we thought through how we would justify our faith to anybody who asks?

Turn your eyes – Lauren Daigle

^{John 12.4-8}

John 12 starts the week that includes much of Jesus’ most significant teaching, his trial, death and resurrection. Jesus is resolutely and knowingly setting his face to be obedient to his Father’s will. It was a week that tested the love, loyalty and faith of his closest followers. This was a week where only one thing dominated his mind, the mission he left glory for, to bring glory to the Father. ^{John 12.28} Throughout the week opposition intensified. Opposition took various forms, all of them continue in a variety of ways today. Each of them, betray the true heart of the perpetrator. Understanding these various forms of opposition increases our capacity to discern them and respond appropriately.

Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ closest disciples with the considerable responsibility of looking after the money asks Jesus a seemingly well intentioned and honourable question. In doing so he also criticized Mary for her humble loving devotion and worship of Jesus. He didn’t mean what he said, he didn’t really think the money should be spent on the poor. He tried to use his position of trust for his own gain, with the intention stealing part of the money for his own use. Any gift to the poor from Jesus and his disciples would have gone through his hands. Jesus understood Mary’s anointing was part of his own preparation for his sacrificial death, divinely inspired. It was part of God’s most momentous act in the history of humankind. He also understood Judas’ motivation and answered him from Deuteronomy 15 which emphasizes the continual presence of the poor but also explains that is a reason to be continually generous not just engage in one off gestures.

⁷ If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards them. ⁸ Rather, be open-handed and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: ‘The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,’ so that you do not show ill will towards the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. ¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed towards your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. ^{Deuteronomy 15.7-11}

What we can learn from this is that opposition to God’s purposes can come from people who are in a position of trust and expressed in words that have superficial credibility. How can we be discerning when this happens? We can apply the same approach that Jesus did, use a well-rounded knowledge of scripture to keep our understanding in balance.

What checks and balances do we as a church have to ensure our church life glories our Lord?

I the Lord of sea and sky