Text: John 12:20-27 & John 15:1-8

Theme: Like a grain of wheat must die for it to produce a greater harvest, so must the disciple of Christ become dead to self so that he might see life produced in others.

Intro:

  1. The events of this chapter fall between Palm Sunday and the Lord’s Supper and are, therefore, just prior to his crucifixion.
  2. In preparation for his own death, the Lord Jesus begins explaining to His disciples the sort of life that would bring forth fruit unto the glory of God, and it is a life that begins with death.
  3. After death comes the permanent state of abiding in Christ, because he is now our only source of life and strength and without him, we can do nothing.

I. The Need for Death (John 12:23-26)

  1. The hour that the Lord Jesus was referring to is the hour of his own death, the hour of his crucifixion on Mount Calvary.
  2. The Lord Jesus Christ knew that it was for this purpose that he had come to the earth, so that he could made the atonement for the sins of all men and provide redemption from sin through his blood, freedom from the Law and the curse through his broken body, and eternal life with God through his resurrection.
    a. Isaiah 53:11-12 “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
    b. The eyes of the Lord Jesus, as he approached his own crucifixion, were fixed on the abundant life that was to follow, the eternal reward, the exceeding weight of glory, the portion with the great and the spoil with the strong.
  3. Now the pattern for us is set, and we must learn to die.
    a. John 12:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
    b.     Dead or alone, those are the two options. We must die to self, all our self-effort, self-ambition, self-love, self-centredness and all other self-focused attitudes must be crucified with Christ.
    c. If I asked you today, “do you want to follow Jesus and be more like him?” I’m sure you would all say, “Yes.” But would you follow him through death to self. Would you allow him to take everything that defines who You are away, and let him make you what he wants you to be? Will you let him take away the things of this life that detract from his glory, and let him have full control of your life? If not, then you are not ready to die to self, and you are not ready to bring forth much fruit.

II. The Life After Death (John 15:1-8)

  1. We need to abide in Christ.
    The believer must abide in the True Vine for there to be fruit bearing that glorifies God.
    The branch that is not bearing eternal fruit is the branch that suffers loss. (I Cor 3:13-15)
  2. We know that we already have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and that Christ lives in us, but the abiding of Christ in is refers to more than his presence, it speaks to his ownership of his dwelling.
  3. If we are not abiding in the Vine, our works are done for ourselves, and the fruit is our own and therefore temporal.
  4. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
  5. The only way to build on Christ is for Christ to build through us. The only way to bear fruit for Christ is for Christ to bear fruit through us.

 

Conclusion:

  1. Who are you living for? Who is in control of your life? Is it you, or Christ?
  2. When you stand before the judgement seat of Christ, how much of your life’s work will survive the fire?