The Saturation of Jesus' Priceless Worth, Part 2

Gospel of John   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Big Idea: Jesus invites us to saturate ourselves in His priceless worth.

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Big Idea: Jesus invites us to saturate ourselves in His priceless worth.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through thoughtful worship - John 12:1-8.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our invitation for others to come - John 12:9-11.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our acknowledgment of His person - John 12:12-19.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through what we are wiling to give - John 12:20-26.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our coming - John 12:27-36a.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through public confession - John 12:36b-43.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our joyful obedience - John 12:44-50.

Introduction

It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."
Unknown.
What makes this story so moving and touching?
What does it communicate when someone is willing to give everything for another person or thing?
What does the price we are willing to pay for something reveal about us?
This morning, I am adjusting the original plan a bit. We are only focusing on ONE more of the seven ways we saturate ourselves with the priceless worth of Jesus. We will cover the remaining three next week.
Review:
Big Idea: Jesus invites us to saturate ourselves in His priceless worth.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through thoughtful worship - John 12:1-8.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our invitation for others to come - John 12:9-11.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our acknowledgment of His person - John 12:12-19.

Sermon Body

Big Idea: Jesus invites us to saturate ourselves in His priceless worth.

We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through what we are wiling to give - John 12:20-26.

John 12:20–26 ESV
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 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 honor him.
To begin, we have a curious entry about some Greeks (Gentile) interest.
These Greeks had come as well to Jerusalem to worship.
Gentile proselytes who had converted OR
Gentile God fearing worshippers
No explanation for why they come to Philip
But singling out that he was from Bethsaida in Galilee seems significant.
Perhaps from the same area?
If so, they may have spoken the same Greek language
Perhaps saw him in the temple and recognized him as one of the disciples and saw a means to inquire about seeing Jesus through Him.
Greeks were not allowed beyond the Court of the Gentiles, which was set in the outer part of the temple
Jesus may have been hard to reach in the crowds and Philip was more readily accessible.
Whatever the explanation, Philip appears uncertain what to do with it. Perhaps remembering Matthew 10:5 and Matthew 15:24.
Matthew 10:5 ESV
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
Matthew 15:24 ESV
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Whatever the reason, he tells Andrew and he and Andrew together go to tell Jesus.
Interestingly, this is the only gospel that records this account AND no reference to Jesus actually speaking to them is shown.
It is hard to discern WHY this text is included here, especially with so little detail. HOWEVER, given John’s purpose, that we might see and believe....GIVEN the contrast between the unbelieving Jews and their rejection of him…IT IS POSSIBLE that it is here to show that while the Jews reject him, the gospel is going to the Gentile world and there is a growing interest beyond the nation of Israel.
Perhaps a foreshadowing if the gospel proclamation that is going out to the entire world.
These Gentile believers want to see Jesus even in the midst of the Jewish hostilities going around.
Notice Jesus response to Andrew and Philip when they bring the inquiry to Him.
John 12:23–26 ESV
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 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 honor him.
At first, it does not really seem to be much of a direct response, and again, since there is no reference as to whether he actually spoke with them, we are left to wonder a bit....
But notice what he says....(and it is a response to their inquiry, but not to them directly but to ALL who believe and follow him.
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified....
The hour of his betrayal, arrest, and death is nigh....
The hour has come…although many of the Jews will reject him, the Gentiles are being drawn and are seeing and believing....As are Some of the Jews....
Every other time before, the HOUR HAD NOT COME. This is the first time he speaks of it being imminent.
For the Jewish hearer, when he hears this statement, the Son of Man is to be Glorified, they are probably thinking of Daniel 7:13-14.
Daniel 7:13–14 ESV
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
This passage prophecies the Messiah establishing his kingdom.
Though, this next statement probably shattered any illusions to this prophecy....
The Son of Man would be glorified....
not by conquering....
but by dying.
Truly, truly....a statement of emphasis and certainty.
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies....
It cannot bear fruit.
IN OTHER WORDS…the way to life....is through death.
A seed that goes in the ground dies in order to give birth to life.
This is the picture of salvation.
The PICTURE....
DEATH and resurrection
Death and new life
Jesus is explaining HOW he will save the people AS THEIR MESSIAH.
Not as a conquerer but through death and the subsequent new life that comes from his resurrection.
Jesus’ response to the Gentiles request for a meeting was to point them to the gospel, to his impending death. The only true way to know Christ, is to know Him crucified and risen for the sins of the world. The only way to truly know him was through is sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Through Jesus death, countless fruit would be produced through those who believed and carried the news of his gospel message to all the world.
Fruit IS STILL being produced.
THEN to follow up....Jesus makes clear the provision he is supplying for ALL.
WHOEVER loves his life...
Whoever cherishes their fleshly life and comforts
Whoever values the pleasures of this life
Whoever places the value of the flesh as higher than the value spirit
Whoever prioritizes the temporal over the eternal...
LOSES IT.
WHOEVER hates his life in this world....
Whoever turns away from the passions and desires of the flesh and this world...
Whoever rejects the values and priorities of fleshly indulgence...
Whoever rejects the lies and false wisdom of this world
Whoever rejects the ideology of the world
Whoever hates what this world has to offer..
WILL KEEP IT for eternal life.
HEAR WHAT HE IS DOING… after telling them of his own impending death which will lead to innumerable life...
He tells us how to ALSO find that life.
After answer their request with a foreshadowing to his own death, burial, and resurrection, he is applying that same imagery to us and the means through which we embrace salvation and new life.
We too, must die.
Matthew 10:37-39.
Matthew 10:37–39 ESV
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Luke 14:26-33.
Luke 14:26–33 ESV
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Luke 9:23-24.
Luke 9:23–24 ESV
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
The way to life is through death.
There is so little willingness to die today in the church.
We are speaking, of course, about death of self. A letting go of the things of this world, the passions of this world of this flesh, to cling to the things of Jesus.
Church, you want to know what concerns me deeply today?
There is SO LITTLE LOVE OF TRUTH EVEN AMONGST THE CHURCH TODAY.
Easy abandonment of marriage in divorce
Not radical amputation to walk away from sin
So little accountability and vulnerability in the church
So little devotion to corporate AND personal prayer
Too much wiling exposure to (and use of) vulgar language
Too much willing exposure to (and perhaps participation in) immodesty.
Too much willing exposure to (and involvement in) crass and vulgar conversation.
Too little integrity and honesty.
And we don’t have a problem with it.
And yet, Jesus says, if we are not willing to reject ALL to follow him, we cannot be his disciple and we are not worthy of him.
There is SO MUCH of the itching ears . People, Christians too, only hear what they want to hear and only yield to what they want to.
There is so little willingness to die to self, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.
In short, we are not willing to die for Jesus.
We are not wiling to live for him, either.
Church, do we understand the enormity of this truth? Do we understand the importance of this truth?
Are we LIVING like we do?
Verse 26 rounds us out with this...
IF ANYONE SERVES ME, he must follow me....
He must follow my example.
He must do as I do.
He must submit to my authority.
He must go where I go, do what I do, say what I say.
He must DESIRE what I desire.
His will must be MINE and not His own.
THUS, this act of salvation is not just about dying for Jesus, but it is about living for him. It is, as MacArthur puts it, not just about affection but about direction.
Is the course of your life steered in the direction of Jesus?
Is your stern of your heart pointed toward Jesus at all times?
Do you delight in dying to yourself in order to live for Him?
Are you most satisfied WHEN HIS WILL and HIS GLORY are put first in your life?
Do you saturate your life with the priceless worth of Jesus by giving him your everything? Are you wiling to give Him everything? Even when it hurts the flesh?
When we are willing to give him our everything....
When we value truth above all...
When we value LIFE above all...
When we value HIS WILL above all...
It will radically change the way we do EVERYTHING in this life.
Can we honestly look at our patterns, priorities, practices, values, and actions and say that we are daily, moment by moment dying to self, taking up our cross, and following Jesus?
Can we?
Those who do, will find they are never far from Jesus
“…where I am, they were my servant be also.”
Those will do, will find the honor of the Father bestowed upon them.
“The Father will honor him.”
What more could we ask for?
What more could we want?
The presence and the pleasure of God.
Seriously.
What more do we need?
But it takes a willingness to give our all, our everything for him. It takes dying to self, taking up our cross, and following him.

Conclusion

Church, will you die, so that you can live?
Invitation:
This begins with the initial act of repentance, of confession. Acknowledging our sin before a holy God. A turning away through repentance and faith.
It continues as DAY BY DAY we continue to die to ourselves, to the passions of the flesh which wage war in our members, and we draw near to God, saturating ourselves in His priceless worth.
I want to end with two invitations...
One, if you have never repented of your sin, if you have never believed in Jesus…today is the day. Come talk with me, I will be standing off the side. I would be delighted to answer your questions, to talk with you and pray with you.
Two, for those of us who have…I invite us to end in prayer.
Perhaps confession for where we have lived more for ourselves than for God.
Perhaps in thanksgiving for what God has done for us
Perhaps in commitment and dedication to living more faithfully for His glory.
I want to invite you to do something though that gets you up from your spot. Come down front, kneel here at the front and pray. Come personally, come as couples, come with a friend, come as a group....I don’t care, but come and fill the throne of God today with our prayers and supplications requesting his daily grace and strength that we might DIE in order that we might Live.
When you are done praying, find someone to swap prayer requests with. Ask (and share) how can I be praying for you this week?
THEN, make very effort to check in throughout the week with each other.
There will be no small groups today in order to give you a chance to pray and share together in this way.
Swap prayer needs with someone.
How can I pray for you spiritually this week?
Take effort to reach out and check in throughout the week
Big Idea: Jesus invites us to saturate ourselves in His priceless worth.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through thoughtful worship - John 12:1-8.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our invitation for others to come - John 12:9-11.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through our acknowledgment of His person - John 12:12-19.
We saturate ourselves in His priceless worth through what we are wiling to give - John 12:20-26.

Application

Prayer Time
Share with each other one or two ways you can pray for each other during the week.
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