The Big Buts of Passion Week

Wednesday 4.4.07
Read John 12:20-36

The record of scripture remains somewhat silent concerning the particular events of Wednesday. As His date with the cross drew closer, Jesus continued to prepare His disciples for what lay ahead.

‘Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds'. This passage begins with Jesus declaration that ‘the time has come’. Contrast this with the many occasions during His earthly ministry where He proclaimed the time had not yet come (see Luke 2:4, 7:6-8, 30, 8:20 for examples). It winds up being a parable of Jesus’ own work – through His death the doors of salvation are thrown open and the seed of the gospel takes root in many lives. Jesus then follows this statement with more paradoxes: loves his life will lose it, hates his life will keep it, and so on. And Jesus completes the thought by assuring us that it is for this very purpose that God sent Him into the world, and a supernatural testimony accompanied Jesus’ testimony.

Jesus continues, ‘But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself’. In these words Luke tells us that Jesus was referring to the manner of His death (crucifixion) and perhaps also His ascension. He went on to dialogue with the people over these things. We see that the people had trouble reconciling Jesus’ prediction of His impending death with their expectations of the Messiah.

As you look through this text today, consider the manner in which you have beheld Christ’s death. Do you recognize that Jesus’ suffering was not just some unfortunate injustice in history, but rather the necessary plan of God the Father to reconcile you to Him? Have you responded to Christ’s being lifted up? Are you drawn to Him? Are you willing to let go of your expectations of a Messiah in favor of genuinely embracing THE Messiah?

Father, thank you for revealing your love to me in Jesus, I need Him. Will you stir my affections for Jesus? Will you deepen my appreciation for your work in meeting my need and reconciling my soul to you?

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