All right, well, we've been working through the Gospel of John, and we're just now coming to John chapter 12, verse 20.
So if you have your Bible with you, you can open it up to John chapter 12, verse 20.
Last Sunday, we heard about how Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey's back to shouts of Hosanna.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Blessed is the King of Israel.
It was a royal coronation kind of procession, parading him into the city with celebration.
And we watched as the crowds led him into the city, and we saw how the Pharisees were seething with frustration and anger about this.
See? This is getting us nowhere.
Look how the whole world has gone after him.
And there was some truth to that, says John.
Let's pick up the story in verse 20 of chapter 12.
Now, there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request.
Sir, they said, we would like to see Jesus.
These Greeks are an example of how news about Jesus is spreading.
About how people from all over the place are going after Jesus.
You know, it's easy for us, maybe, to take for granted.
We're so used to knowing Jesus in our own culture, having the scriptures in our own language,
worshiping in our own way.
But there was a time when it was not that way.
Paul reminds us of this in his letter to the church in Ephesus.
Ephesians chapter 2, verse 12.
Paul's writing to those who he refers to as Gentiles by birth.
And he says this to them.
He says, remember that at that time, you were separate from Christ.
In other words, you had no share in the Messiah.
You were excluded from citizenship in Israel.
You were foreigners to the covenants of the promise.
Without hope.
And without God in the world.
I often tell you to put yourself in the story.
But in a very real sense, if we could, none of us would have been among Jesus' disciples.
We'd be like these foreigners.
Like these Greeks who had no connection with Jesus.
We'd be hearing the news about Jesus wherever we happened to live in the Roman world.
But it would probably have sounded very different to us.
News of a Jewish Messiah.
Doing all sorts of miracles and signs and wonders.
Even if we happened to be Gentiles who lived in the region.
In Israel.
We would still very much have felt like outsiders.
Looking in on all of this.
Jesus in his work.
And ministry.
Came first to the Jewish people.
Those who are by blood.
Descended from Jacob.
And even though Jesus has been talking a lot about how.
What he is coming to do is for the people of the world.
How they will come to be included in what's going on here.
It hasn't really happened yet.
Now don't get me wrong.
Jesus has not been shutting the Gentiles out.
Or turning away the non-Jews.
But the main focus and the main following of Jesus has been Jewish.
And so this is a significant moment here.
Some Greeks work up the courage to ask to meet with Jesus.
And there's lots of speculation about who these Greeks were.
Most of it is just that.
Speculation.
All we know is that they were Greeks.
That is ethnically Greek people.
And that they were among those who went up to worship at Passover.
Passover.
We don't even know if they were from Greece.
Or if they happened to live somewhere else.
Because by this time Greeks lived all over the Mediterranean world.
Some have suggested that they were Jews born in Greece.
Others have suggested that they were Greeks who converted to Judaism.
Both are doubtful.
Because there were other words John could have used to describe that.
If that was the case here.
Best we know they were just God-fearing Greeks.
And we know that they were God-fearing.
Because they went up to Jerusalem to worship at Passover.
You didn't do that as a Gentile.
Unless you believe something significant about Yahweh.
The God of Israel.
So they came to Philip, these Greeks.
Who was from Bethsaida in Galilee with a request.
Sir, they said.
We would like to see Jesus.
Philip went to tell Andrew.
Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
For whatever reason the Greeks don't come straight to Jesus.
Perhaps they didn't know if or how they would be received.
After all, they were Gentiles.
And Jews didn't associate with Gentiles.
So they first go to Philip.
One of the twelve disciples.
And here again, there's lots of speculation.
Why Philip?
Philip was a Jew.
But he had a Greek name.
Was that the reason?
Maybe.
We don't know.
Philip seemed to have some hesitation about what he should do about this.
And so he goes and kind of talks to Andrew about it.
Why the hesitation?
Again, we don't know.
But it probably shows us at the least that this is a big deal.
What's happening here?
This is out of the ordinary.
What's they're asking?
And finally, Philip and Andrew come to Jesus together.
And they tell him about these Greek guys who would like to meet with him.
And Jesus responds in verse 23 by saying,
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Well, that's an interesting response, isn't it?
It doesn't really answer the question.
Will he meet with the Greeks or not?
Why this response?
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
What does Jesus mean by this?
Well, we've heard Jesus say something similar to this quite a few times in the Gospel of John.
Maybe you'll recall back to John 2, verse 4.
The wedding in Cana.
Jesus' mother was trying to get him to do something about the wine shortage there.
And he answered her saying,
My hour has not yet come.
Or you might think back to John chapter 7.
There he said a similar sort of thing.
His brothers were trying to convince him to go and do a bit of a Judean miracle tour
and connect with his followers before the festival began in Jerusalem.
They said,
Leave Galilee.
Go to Judea.
So that your disciples there may see the works you do.
No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret.
Since you're doing these things, show yourself to the world.
And Jesus responded saying,
My time is not yet here.
My time has not yet fully come.
So Jesus seems to have this awareness of God's schedule.
Of God's timeline for when and how things should unfold for him.
At the beginning, my hour has not yet come,
seems to refer to the hour for him to go public.
To begin to do all these signs and miracles.
And then here in John 7,
Jesus' time seems to refer to his going up to Judea
and getting into the spotlight of the world.
My time for that has not yet fully come.
Though we found out that Jesus did end up going up for the festival
later in chapter 7.
And he got into almost some trouble there
with the religious leaders in the temple courts.
John tells us in John 7 verse 30,
he was there teaching,
but no one laid a hand on him
because his hour had not yet come.
Then again in chapter 8,
while he was teaching in the temple courts,
a different time,
things seemed to be heating up again.
And John told us there,
no one seized him at that time
because his hour had not yet come.
So now John is telling us
that there is an hour coming for Jesus.
And this hour has to do with Jesus being seized
and arrested.
So now finally,
chapter 12,
we come to the moment where Jesus says,
the hour has come.
And yet it's not quite the hour that we expected,
the way he describes it.
He says,
the hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Well, what kind of hour is this?
Is this the time to show yourself to the world
that's finally come?
Or is this the hour
in which you're going to be arrested
and captured by your enemies?
Or is this the hour
in which you will be glorified?
I think the answer is
all three.
All three of these things
are coming together
all at once.
Here are the Greeks,
the outsiders,
the foreigners,
these people of the world
who are now seeking after Jesus.
It's not just the attention of Israel
that Jesus holds anymore,
but people from the world.
And here also,
we see the religious leaders,
their opposition to Jesus
is at an all-time high.
They are fed up with him
and ready to kill him.
And yet,
in the midst of all this moment,
Jesus looks at that
and he refers to that
as the hour
for the Son of Man,
for me,
to be glorified.
Huh.
That's surprising.
To be glorified
means to be exalted.
It means to be lifted up.
To be worshipped.
To be praised.
To have the spotlight
put on you
in usually a positive way.
How does that fit
with being captured
and killed?
Well, John is getting to that.
For now,
we'll wait with the disciples
until we get to that part.
So these Greeks
who have come to see Jesus,
they are an indication
that things are right
on schedule.
That everything is
going according
to God's plan
and timing.
Jesus has the attention
of the world now
as he's supposed to
at this moment.
And then Jesus tells us
about what's coming next
for him.
What seeing these Greeks
reminds him of.
Verse 24.
The hour has come
for the Son of Man
to be glorified.
Very truly,
I tell you,
unless a kernel of wheat
falls to the ground
and dies,
it remains
a single seed.
But if it dies,
it produces
many seeds.
Jesus gives them
an illustration
from farming.
something that's
so basic
that all of us
can understand it.
This is Farming 101.
And yet,
Jesus is not
trying to teach
us about farming.
He hones in
on a very specific
reality of farming.
He zeroes in
on how it goes
for a single seed,
a single kernel
of wheat.
It falls
to the ground
and dies.
And from it
springs up
a whole plant
which will bring
many more
kernels of grain
into existence.
From one seed
comes many.
But here's the catch.
It's an exchange.
You can't have
the many
without the one
dying.
You must give up
and lose that seed
to gain
the harvest
from it.
Now for you
farmers
and agronomists,
you might notice
that Jesus said
the seed dies
and you might
be thinking,
well actually
the seed is alive
and it's just
kind of developing
according to
the plant
it was made to.
Well I think
we all know
that Jesus
is not intending
to write
a science textbook
here.
And he's not
saying that the
seed physically
or biologically
dies either.
He's just giving
an illustration.
He's speaking
with the language
of phenomenon.
We do this
all the time.
I still hear
people say
the sun
rises,
the sun
comes up,
the sun
goes down.
I have yet
to hear anybody
say,
I'll see you
tomorrow
when the
earth turns
to face
the sun.
It's the
language of
phenomenon.
It's not
technically
correct,
but that's
what we see
from our vantage
point.
And Jesus
is just doing
the same
kind of thing
here with
the seed
illustration.
From the
vantage point
of the
farmer,
he must
give up
the seed
and lose
it in order
to get
more from
it.
From the
vantage point
of the
seed,
it must
die,
it must
give up
its seed-like
existence
for there
to be a
plant that
comes from
it and
bears more
seed.
Here's the
point.
An exchange
is required.
There cannot
be a harvest.
There cannot
be many
more unless
the one
dies.
this is
what is
on Jesus'
mind right
now as
the Greeks
show up,
as the
attention of
the world
comes to
rest on
him.
The hour
has come
for me.
Yes,
it's the
hour for
me to be
glorified,
but the
glory of
the plant
that will
be,
the glory
of the
harvest
that will
come,
will not
happen unless
I die
first.
as we'll
see next
week.
This is
not Jesus
just giving
us some
kind of
academic
sage-like
wisdom about
how to get
more than
what you've
got or
about farming
or about
economics.
this is
the reality
of what's
about to
happen to
Jesus in
the days
ahead,
this very
week,
striking home
to his
heart.
It's like
the Greeks
show up
and all of a
sudden the
writing's on
the wall and
Jesus sees
it right,
the time is
here,
my death
is right
around the
corner,
but it
has to
be.
there's
no way
around it.
If I
do not
die,
there will
be no
harvest.
If I
do not
die,
the human
race will
perish at
the judgment,
all of
them,
and there
will be
no people
of God.
All have
sinned and
fall short of
the glory of
God.
No,
there must
be this
exchange.
I must
die for
there to
be.
a harvest
so that
I can
redeem
them.
And
there's a
sense in
which this
matters even
more for
these Greek
men.
Why?
Because they
cannot become
followers of
Jesus.
They cannot
be included
in the
harvest
unless the
dividing wall
that exists
between Jew
and Gentile
is destroyed
unless that
barrier is
broken down
and that
cannot be
done
unless Jesus
first goes to
the cross
and dies.
Let me read
you the rest of
what Paul wrote
to the Ephesians
back in Ephesians
chapter 2.
We'll take it
back up to
verse 11
there.
this is what
Paul came to
write later.
He said,
remember that
formerly you
who are
Gentiles by
birth and
called
uncircumcised
by those who
call themselves
the circumcision.
Remember that
at that time
you were
separate from
Christ.
you were
excluded from
citizenship in
Israel
and foreigners
to the
covenants of
the promise
without hope
and without
God in
the world.
But now
in
Christ
Jesus
you who
were once
far away
have been
brought near
how?
By the
blood
of Christ.
for he
himself is
our peace
who has
made the
two groups
one and
has destroyed
the barrier
the dividing
wall of
hostility by
setting aside
in his flesh
the law
with its
commands and
regulations.
His purpose
was to
create in
himself one
new man
out of the
two thus
making peace
and in
one
body
to
reconcile
both of
them
to
God
how?
Through
the cross.
Down a
couple
verses in
verse 19
he goes
on to
spell out
the
implications
of this
for us
Gentiles.
He says
consequently
you are
no longer
foreigners
and
strangers
but
fellow
citizens
with
God's
people
and
also
members
of his
household.
Listen
without
Jesus
death
without
Jesus
blood
shed for
us
without
Jesus
body
broken
for
us
Gentiles
would
still
be
outsiders
to all
that God
was doing
with
Israel.
We'd
still be
foreigners
on the
outside
looking in
without
hope
without
God
that
us
non-Jews
can have
salvation
too
forgiveness
too
and be
considered
citizens
with
God's
people
members
of the
family
of God
it's
a
sheer
gift
of
grace
and
mercy
and
it
could
only
come
for
these
Greeks
and
for
us
through
Christ
in
Christ
and
what
happened
to
him
at
the
cross
his
death
how
easily
we
take
this
for
granted
don't
we
very
truly
I
tell
you
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
now
Jesus
is about
to
take
this
and
explain
how
this
also
applies
to
his
followers
how
there's
a
sense
in
which
they
too
must
die
in
order
to
get
something
better
but
we're
actually
going to
save
that
part
for
this
afternoon
after
the
potluck
I
typically
give
a bit
of a
devotional
at the
start
of the
meeting
and
we're
going to
save
verse
25
and
26
for
then
I
invite
you
to
join
us
whether
you
plan
to
stay
for
the
meeting
or
not
stay
for
lunch
and
then
you
can
hear
that
after
that's
where
Jesus
will
drive
this
home
and
tell
us
what
we
really
need
to
do
in
light
of
all
this
but
for
this
morning
let's
apply
it
to
our
hearts
in
this
way
have
you
been
taking
for
granted
that
Jesus
is
your
Messiah
your
King
God
is
absolutely
free
he
says
I
will
have
mercy
on
whom
I
will
have
mercy
I
will
have
compassion
on
whom
I
will
have
compassion
and
in
God's
freedom
he
chose
one
man
and
his
family
to
reveal
himself
to
long
ago
to
bless
and
to
make
a
people
for
himself
from
he
chose
one
family's
descendants
to
make
into
a
great
nation
and
he
promised
the
Messiah
the
King
who
would
come
to
that
people
to
Israel
Jesus
was
and
is
that
Messiah
that
King
but
apart
from
the
grace
of
God
and
the
compassion
of
Christ
Jesus
which
took
Jesus
to
the
cross
we
Gentiles
would be
left
out
we'd
be
lost
forever
excluded
and it
wouldn't
have been
unfair
it would
just be
us
getting
the
justice
we
deserve
and so
we
must
praise
and
give
glory
to
Jesus
that
he
was
willing
to
fall
to
the
ground
and
die
so
that
we
too
might
be
included
in
the
harvest
that
his
death
brings
these
Greeks
reminded
Jesus
of
his
death
because
he
loved
them
because
he
loves
the
people
of
the
world
not
just
the
Jews
he
knew
they
needed
what
his
death
would
bring
to
be
included
to
be
his
let's
pray
thank
you
Lord
Jesus
for
going
to
the
cross
for
us
for
loving
us
Gentiles
too
for
laying
down
your
life
for
us
to
welcome
us
into
the
fold
so
that
we
can
be
sheep
to
outsiders
though
we
were
may
we
not
take
our
salvation
for
granted
Lord
may
we
continue
to
grow
in
that
heartfelt
knowledge
of
your
great
and
deep
love
for
us
of
your
grace
and
of
your
truly
undeserved
mercy
towards
us
we
ask
this
in
your
name
amen
before
I
get
to
the
devotional
I
just
want
to
say
a
quick
word
with
regards
to
my
message
I
was
chatting
to
someone
after
the
service
and
if
you
heard
that
it's
possible
that
if
Jesus
hadn't
died
for
us
Gentiles
to be
lost
and the
Jews
to
still
be
saved
you
heard
wrong
if
Jesus
hadn't
died
nobody
would
be
saved
Jew
or
Gentile
so I
just
hope
that
that's
clear
in fact
you can
probably
back it
up even
further
than that
if
Jesus
hadn't
died
every
promise
that
God
ever
made
to
bless
anybody
throughout
all human
history
would fall
flat
and God
would be
unjust
for all
the times
that he
did show
mercy
and
forgiveness
before
Jesus
died
all of
it
requires
Jesus
death
to bring
about
that
new
covenant
so that
any
of us
can be
saved
and
you
could
even
back
it
up
one
step
further
than
that
if
it's
not
even
possible
for
the
plan
that
God
came
up
with
to
save
to
fall
flat
or
to
fail
because
no
plan
of
God
ever
does
Jesus
had
to
die
and
he
was
going
to
and
he
did
so I
just
wanted
to
clarify
that
before
I
said
anything
more
as
promised
we're
going
to
come
back
for
a
moment
to
John
chapter
12
verse
25
I'm
going
to
start
by
reading
it
back
up
in
23
though
just
to
bring
in
the
context
again
the
hour
has
come
for
the
son
of
man
to
be
glorified
very
truly
I
tell
you
unless
a
kernel
of
wheat
falls
to
the
ground
and
dies
many
seeds
anyone
who
loves
their
life
will
lose
it
while
anyone
who
hates
their
life
in
this
world
will
keep
it
for
eternal
life
whoever
serves
me
must
follow
me
and
where
I
am
my
servant
also
will
be
my
father
will
honor
the
one
who
serves
me
so
Jesus
is
not
the
only
one
who
must
make
an
exchange
a
loss
of
his
life
for
a
gain
of
a
harvest
he
now
turns
to
his
disciples
to
us
and
lets
us
know
that
we
too
must
make
an
exchange
a
loss
of
a
life
in
order
to
gain
or
else
in
trying
to
keep
to
lose
everything
these
are
deep
words
anyone
who
loves
their
life
will
lose
it
while
anyone
who
hates
their
life
in
this
world
will
keep
it
for
eternal
life
we
need
to
meditate
and
chew
on
these
words
long
and
hard
there's
a lot
here
what is
Jesus
saying
let's
start
with
the
outcomes
there
are
two
outcomes
some
people
will
lose
their
life
others
will
keep
their
lives
and
attain
to
eternal
life
two
outcomes
some
lose
their
life
some
keep
it
and
attain
to
eternal
life
that
goes
on
forever
some
people
will
get
that
good
gift
of
God
and
others
will
not
what
makes
the
difference
according
to
Jesus
it's
how we
thought
and felt
about
our
lives
here
and
now
in
this
world
if
we
love
and
cherish
our
lives
in
this
world
seek
to
hang
on
to
them
Jesus
says
we
will
lose
our
lives
but
if
we
hate
our
lives
in
this
world
and
give
them
up
we
will
be
saved
and
attained
to
eternal
life
becoming
a follower
of
Jesus
is
absolutely
free
in
one
sense
there's
no
cost
there's
no
amount
of
money
that
we
must
give
there's
no
amount
of
good
works
that
we
must
do
all
that's
required
is
a
simple
childlike
faith
that
comes
from
a
repentant
heart
and
if
out
of
that
trusting
and
penitent
heart
we
ask
Jesus
to
be
our
savior
our
good
shepherd
our
king
he
will
be
it's
that
simple
it
is
that
free
but
there's
also
a
sense
in
which
becoming
a
follower
of
Jesus
will
cost
us
everything
Jesus
speaks
about
this
on a
number
of
occasions
our
very
lives
there's
a
sense
in which
we must
die
to the
life
that we
could
otherwise
have in
this world
in order
to gain
the eternal
life that
Jesus offers
in the
next
why is
it like
this
because
Jesus is a
good shepherd
he is a
righteous
king
and he's
not
content
to leave
us
as the
selfish
sinners
that we
are
in this
world
he makes
us new
he brings
change in
us
he calls
us
and commands
us
to live
differently
than we
otherwise
would in
this
world
we might
think about
it like
this
we may
seek to
be the
masters
of our
own
destiny
and live
for
ourselves
for our
own
aims
and wants
whatever
that may
be
or
we can
put our
faith
our
trust
in
Jesus
and give
our
lives
to him
which means
that he
becomes the
master
and the
king of
our lives
and we
will live
for him
and for
his aims
and wants
and these
two really
are mutually
exclusive
says Jesus
we must
die to the
one in
order to
gain the
other
an exchange
is required
let's think
about it
practically for
a minute
in terms
of
say
material
possessions
many people
spend their
lives
here on
earth
just trying
to gain
more
and more
as king
Solomon said
death and
destruction
are never
satisfied
and neither
are human
eyes
we keep
seeing
we keep
wanting
we work
we save
we borrow
to get
get
to have
that next
thing
that will
make us
happy
or at
least to
scratch the
itch that
we feel
inside
but if you
want to
follow Jesus
with your
life it
means caring
so much
about other
things that
can be done
with your
life and
your money
that your
attitude towards
getting the
stuff changes
you can no
longer love to
do that like
our world
does in
fact to the
world around
you it looks
like you hate
yourself because
at times you
choose to deny
yourself you
don't live to
fulfill yourself
like the world
does because
instead you have
your eye on
what will last
what will make a
difference beyond
this life so
you make the
difficult choice
to give up
going after that
thing that you
do like and
would be nice
to have
so that instead
you can give
your time
your money
your energy
your attention
towards what
Christ leads you
to do instead
it's a different
kind of death
it's a death
to self
it's a death
to selfishness
it's a death
to the kind
of life that
we would live
if our main
goal was just
to do what
we want
for ourselves
anyone who
loves their
life will
lose it
while anyone
who hates
their life
in this
world
will keep
it for
eternal
life
and this
looks different
for everyone
everyone who
chooses to
follow Jesus
must die in
all kinds of
different ways
some have
physically died
for their
faith
at the hands
of evil
men
some must
die in the
realm of
their career
because maybe
living the
kind of life
that Christ
calls us to
leads us to
make choices
that sometimes
may even
cost us
our job
or our
reputation
within the
industry
at other
times we
die in the
realm of
relationships
sometimes
serving Christ
requires
leaving those
that we love
to be with
to instead
serve and
minister to
those who
are less
lovely to
be with
at times
following Jesus
means that we
must die
in the realm
of our dreams
and aspirations
because maybe
the dreams
and aspirations
that you
have
are really
just about
you
and what
makes you
feel good
in life
what makes
you feel
comfortable
and happy
and not so
much about
what God
wants you
to do
with your
life
in fact
following
Jesus
means dying
to ourselves
in every
area of
life
and that's
why there's
no middle
ground
here
there's
no third
choice
now it
doesn't mean
that we'll
never enjoy
anything good
for ourselves
in this
life
that's what
the devil
wants you
to believe
that it
means
God has
filled our
world
and our
lives
with all
kinds of
joyful
experiences
and good
things
that yes
are for
our
enjoyment
but these
things are
often meant
to come
to us
not because
we live
to go
after them
but as a
byproduct
of living
the way
God has
commanded us
to in
this world
living a
life of
love
just like
Jesus says
it's better
to give
than to
receive
and that's
really at the
core of what
Jesus is talking
about here
we can either
love ourselves
and our
lives
or we can
love God
and other
people
we can go
after and get
for ourselves
or we can
give to God
and to other
people
dying to
ourselves
the first
road leads
to death
and the
losing
of everything
the losing
of our
very lives
the losing
of our
souls
the second
road
the road
of Christ
leads
through death
to eternal
life
and it's the
one that brings
ultimate joy
and happiness
forever
so these words
are worthy of
much meditation
and reflection
do you see
what kind
of life
Jesus is
calling you
to
at times
it does
feel miserable
to ourselves
unfulfilling
it may feel
like death
at times
but the
reward
goes beyond
our wildest
dreams
and imaginings
there will
someday
come a great
harvest
if we choose
to die
to ourselves
and follow
Christ in
this way
we're not
giving up
and losing
out in
this world
for nothing
we do it
because there's
something much
greater to
gain
we do it
because we
as servants
of Christ
have been
given the
opportunity
to make
a real
impact
in this
world
a lasting
and eternal
difference
in the lives
of the people
that we serve
and minister
to
we do it
to bring
glory to
our God
and to
our King
something that
will not
fully be seen
until that
final day
when the
fruit of our
lives is ripe
and God
brings everything
to its
proper end
and we
give up our
lives
of course
our claim
to our
own lives
and surrender
them to
Christ
because he
has promised
eternal life
in the age
to come
what a deal
so I
want to
encourage
you
this
afternoon
just to
think
deeply
about
these
words
of
Jesus
maybe
you've
heard
and you've
known
this
before
but how
easily
we can
settle
back
into
just
chasing
after
a
comfortable
life
of
self
gratification
I feel
it
I trust
you do
as well
perhaps
even now
the Lord
is convicting
you of
some things
in your
life
that you
do
that are
just
mainly
because
it's
about
you
and not
about
God
and his
concerns
and what
he wants
you to
do
so I
want to
encourage
you to
talk to
the Lord
this week
about
these
things
ask him
is there
something I
need to
change
Lord
and how
I'm
following
you
let's
finish
quickly
with
verse
26
Jesus
says
whoever
serves
me
must
follow
me
and
where
I
am
my
servant
also
will
be
my
father
will
honor
the
one
who
serves
me
you
cannot
be a
servant
of
King
Jesus
and at
the same
time
go your
own
way
if you
want to
have
Jesus
for your
king
then you
must
follow
him
and where
he
goes
is to
his own
death
and so
must
we
that is
where the
path
of love
for God
and love
for others
leads
and even
though it's
a hard
road
there is
great
reward
at the
end of
it
where I
am
my
servant
also
will be
these
words
probably
didn't
mean
too
much
to
the
disciples
right
now
while
they're
with
Jesus
but they
will mean
everything
to them
when they
finally come
to cross
that threshold
themselves
and die
and they
will mean
even
more
when he
returns
in glory
to rule
and to
reign
there is
great
reward
at the
end of
this road
of serving
Christ
of following
Jesus
with
everything
Jesus
says
my
father
that's
God
the creator
of our
universe
my father
will honor
the one
who serves
me
amazing
whatever
you do
in life
that's not
for yourself
but for
the Lord
Jesus
whatever
you do
in service
of him
God
will honor
someday
he will
honor you
for doing
it
what an
encouraging
word
father in
heaven
thank you
for the
amazing gift
of your
son Jesus
I pray
Lord
that we
would be
able to
reflect
well
on the
past
year
but that
as we
look to
this year
ahead
that we
would
consider
how we
might
serve
you
how
we
might
follow
you
in
the
decisions
that we
make
even
now
I ask
this in
his name
and for
your glory
amen