Untitled Sermon (61)

John 12:24-25 this morning. Actually I’ll probably back up a little and start in verse 20.

It’s Palm Sunday . We call it this because it is a week before Jesus’ crucifixion and it’s when he came into Jerusalem on a donkey and people waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna.

That’s a little foreign to us...all the imagery. And I think we won’t be able to fully appreciate what is happening here. My guess is that even if this is your first time ever in a church building you’ve at least heard that some guy named Jesus died.

People wear crosses for necklaces they don’t wear little crowns to represent Christianity. We know that part of the story and so we miss the full importance of what is going on here.

This is the Sunday when some people outside of Jerusalem saw Jesus as King.

But you need to know what was expected of Jesus Messiah. First, you’ve got the popular sentiment…what everyone around Messiah expected…when those people were waving those palm branches they had verses like this in their mind:

21 Behold, O Lord, and raise up unto them their king, the son of David, at the time known to you, O God, in order that he may reign over Israel your servant. 22 And gird him with strength, that he may shatter unrighteous rulers, and that he may purge Jerusalem from gentiles who trample (her) down to destruction. 23 Wisely, righteously he shall thrust out sinners from (the) inheritance; he shall destroy the arrogance of the sinner as a potter's jar. 24 With a rod of iron he shall shatter all their substance; he shall destroy the godless nations with the word of his mouth.[1]

[1] Psalms of Solomon 17:21-24

Now that’s not Scripture, it’d be like a best-seller around the first century. Maybe about 60-90 years old. So more like a modern classic that shapes the future. 1984 by George Orwell, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Rings…books like that.

This is what was expected of Messiah. He’d rule the nations. He’d restore the glory of Israel. And initiate a new age of peace and perfect obedience to God’s Law.

But even Scripture pointed to things similar to this. Like think about Isaiah 2:2-3

Isaiah 2:2–3 ESV

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

The nations would come and bow at the feet of this new king. And so let me set the scene up for you…it’s all coming together into this glorious picture...

John 12:20–22 ESV

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Outsiders. The nations. The fulfillment of every expectation. The crowd is ready. Nations are interested.

Palms are sweaty....knees weak…arms are heavy...

This is THE moment.

It’s a call finally coming for the job you’ve wanted your whole life...

It’s the publisher finally saying, we want your book...

The scouts showing up for your high school baseball game...

The loan finally goes through on the house...

The letter in the mail saying your VA benefits came through...

Or your pension is starting to kick in...

Or maybe its a spark of faith from a beloved family member that has been drifting from the Lord for years...

You know that kind of moment when everyone leans in and says, “This is it…it’s finally happening...”

Now listen to Jesus’ response:

John 12:24–26 ESV

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. 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 honor him.

Death.

That’s where Jesus goes with this. It’s not expected at all. And it’s probably one of those cryptic things that people were like, “Hey, that’s nice Jesus…now…uhmmm…let’s go do some celebrating!!! You’re the king!!!”

We know that they are confused because a few verses down…after Jesus keeps talking about his death…they say,

English Standard Version Chapter 12

34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

And then this:

English Standard Version Chapter 12

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,

The idea of a crucified Messiah was unheard of. You don’t do that. Messiah rules and reigns. He doesn’t die. Superheros don’t die. They beat people up. They win. They have the victory parade.

But Jesus flips this. What is Jesus telling them? What does he mean in John 12:24-26?

It’s pretty straightforward really. He’s using a picture of agriculture. Life doesn’t come through self-preservation it comes through giving your life up. It is really all about radical trust.

Glory doesn’t happen by ruling over these Greeks. “Sirs we want to see Jesus...” we want to see a king…we want to see a crown…we want to see what this guy is all about…marvel…worship.

And Jesus says look in the ground...

There is an illustration that JD Greear shares that I think is phenomenal here...

Imagine if you will that you are a farmer who has endured season after season of a terrible drought. Your family is starving and you have just enough grain to feed your family for another year—but not much more than that. If you plant the seeds and no rains come, then your family will not be able to survive another year. But if you hold onto those seeds, grind them into flour for bread, you will survive longer but forfeit any chance of receiving back a harvest.

What do you do? Seeds you plant you can no longer consume. Your only hope is that the harvest will multiply. But you’ll never get a harvest if you don’t plant. So do you grind up those seeds and make bread for the here and now? Do you focus on that which is tangible and right before our eyes?

This is what Jesus is saying. That’s the dilemma. They want him to grind up the seeds and make bread. Rule and reign now from Jerusalem. But He sees the bigger picture. He is going to plan the seed.

This all really goes way back to one of those temptations at the beginning of His ministry. Satan took him to the highest mountain…I’ll give you all of this...

He’s saying…I’ll give you Psalm of Solomon 17. You’ll rule. You’ll reign. The nations will flock to you. All those things you’re supposed to be…King Jesus…can’t you hear it now…think of all you could do, Jesus? Think of how you could change the world if you were on the throne and not Caesar?

Turn that seed into bread, Jesus. Eat. Drink. Be Merry.

But Jesus rejects that offer. No. There isn’t real glory unless it flows out of trust. And there is no trust like being buried in the ground.

He’s entirely giving Himself up to the father. What radical trust this is. Into your hands I commit my Spirit....that is what Jesus is telling them.

Ruling doesn’t come through grabbing hold of life. It comes through letting it go. It comes from trust. And Jesus is going to do just that.

Then in verse 25. He gives this principle of discipleship…this is the way of Jesus. You don’t follow Jesus by keeping your life. If your goal is to hang on, keep comfortable, stay in control, feel secure…you’re going to lose your life.

I have this shovel here. Belonged to my grandpa. One of the few things I have from him. It’s old. Rickety. Used quite a few times.

But not by me.

I don’t really use it because well it’s fragile. It might break. And I don’t want to break his shovel. It’s about all I have left of him.

But let me ask you a question. Is it really a shovel? It’s not a shovel anymore. It’s a relic.

You can’t preserve something and use something at the same time. I’m holding onto it because I think it’s valuable, but by refusing to use it, it stops being what it is meant to be.

The same is true of our lives. And it’s true of our church body.

I hold onto that shovel because I don’t want it to break. But in doing that, I’ve already decided I don’t trust it enough to use it.

And that’s how we treat our lives sometimes: we don’t trust God with our pain, our time, our plans, our comfort... so we shelf them.

But trust puts things in motion, even when they might break. Jesus says if you try to preserve your life, you’ll lose it. But if you trust Him enough to plant it—you’ll find it.

Playing it safe like that isn’t discipleship. The shovel’s not broken—it’s just unused. We can do the same thing with our time, our energy, our gifts. Keep it safe. Keep it quiet. Keep it intact. But following Jesus doesn’t happen from the shelf. He calls us to put it in the dirt. Risk it. Plant it. Use it.

What are the things we can hold onto like this?

Is it the past—something that once gave you life but now just sits on the shelf? Is it the future—plans you’re afraid to surrender because you don’t know what’s coming? Is it your reputation, your routine, your sense of control? What’s that thing you’ve been gripping, saying: “Lord, I just can’t trust You with this”? That talent God gave you that you don’t use because it might wear you out? That relationship you won’t forgive because trusting God with your pain feels too vulnerable? That habit or comfort you won't release because it gets you through the day, even if it’s stealing your joy?

A vision of how church ought to be. A way of doing church that feels familiar. Fruitful even. Are there things as a church that we’re afraid of putting in the ground? Do we want Calvary to be a museum…an old shovel…relic from the past…glory days behind…or are we willing to put it into the ground…and say, “hey this thing is a shovel...”

It’s really all about trust. Whether we’re talking about church or our personal lives. What does this look like practically?

Jesus said in verse 26...”if anyone serves me, he must follow me...” He’s saying that we must follow Him in this act of trust. We follow him into the ground. Giving our life…seed that it is…into Jesus...

But what does that look like practically? Sometimes we can see it best by what it’s not…what does it mean to hold onto your life…to not put it into the ground?

What Not Trusting Looks Like Practically:

Clinging to the past because it’s familiar. Even when it’s not fruitful anymore.

Delaying obedience until it feels safer. “I’ll follow, Lord… just not yet.”

Doing nothing because you’re afraid to fail. You don’t risk. You don’t move. You just wait it out.

Managing instead of surrendering. You say, “Thy will be done,” but keep your hand on the wheel.

Treating faith like something to protect instead of live. Like Grandpa’s shovel—hanging in the garage but never hitting the dirt.

Choosing comfort over calling. You’d rather feel secure than be fruitful.

Okay…so what does it look like positively?

Obedience when you don’t see the outcome. You do what God says even when it doesn’t make sense yet.

Letting go of control. You stop managing every angle and trust that God sees what you can’t.

Saying yes to what feels risky. You step into that conversation, that calling, that act of obedience—even if you feel inadequate.

Waiting patiently. You’ve planted the seed. Now you wait and believe—even when nothing seems to be happening.

Forgiving. Giving. Serving. You pour yourself out with no guarantee of applause or payoff.

Living like resurrection is real. You trust that what dies in Christ will rise in Him too.

I don’t know what this looks like specifically for you. But I know what it looked like for Jesus...

It was laying his life down. Not because someone took it from him. No, it was an act of trust. He trusted that death wasn’t the end. He trusted that burial wasn’t the same as death. He believed that if he was planted into the ground, the harvest would come.

I want us to close in Luke 23:54-56

Luke 23:54–56 ESV

It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

That’s such a quiet little line there. “on the Sabbath they rested...” But it’s absolutely loaded with meaning...

Where is Jesus...

In the ground...

the work is done.

The seed is planted...

And now....rest.

“On the Sabbath they rested...”

What is a Sabbath? It’s not the day when you stay home and watch football. Sabbath was woven into the fabric of the people of God in the Old Testament. Sabbath is connected to the wilderness. It’s connected to the manna in the desert—that bread that came down from heaven.

Sabbath is for the inconsolable things. Sabbath is when we rest. It’s when we take our hands of the plow. It’s when we acknowledge that we are finite. We have limits. We need rest.

Sabbath is a reminder that God holds the world in place. Can you imagine the difficulty of this Sabbath? Jesus needs his body prepared…This is the Holy One who is not supposed to see decay. We can’t leave Him here in the tomb....no we’ve got to work on this day.

But they didn’t…they—just as Jesus did only a few hours prior—entrusted His body unto the Lord. They gave this inconsolable thing to the Lord.

Trust...

That family member you can’t fix

The prodigal child who’s still wandering

The outcome of the test you haven’t gotten back

The future of your job or your finances

The silence in your prayers

The ministry that doesn’t seem to be bearing fruit

The grief that still shows up uninvited

The apology you’re still waiting for

The healing you’ve asked for again and again

The loneliness that lingers

The fear that the best days are behind you

Your past sins or mistakes

Your kids

Your country

Your church

Your health

Your addictions

Will you trust the Lord with them? Lay them in the ground...?

What I’m attempting to say here is that resurrection doesn’t happen...it cannot happen...without trust. It doesn’t happen without death. It has to be laid in the ground first. Will you trust God with it? With your life? With your sin? With your success? Here I am...all of me...

We’re going to close with a song that might seem a little strange or unconnected. Gratitude. Wouldn’t it be better to do something a little more connected? Like a song about trust, or resurrection, or putting something in the grave...?

But there is this great quote by Brennan Manning in his book ruthless trust...interviewing 10 people...say they trust but they don’t...how do you know...watch their life for a month...the one with gratitude is the one who is trusting. he says, “The foremost quality of a trusting disciple is gratefulness.”

He goes on to say,

“To be grateful for an unanswered prayer, to give thanks in a state of interior desolation, to trust in the love of God in the face of marvels, cruel circumstances, obscenities, and commonplaces of life is to whisper doxology in darkness.”

He’s saying gratitude knows Holy Saturday. It knows what it's like to sit in the dust. To bury the seed in the ground. To mourn the loss. But to do so in hope...hope of the resurrection...

We sing gratitude because even if that thing is in the ground...just as Jesus lay in the ground...on the Sabbath they rested...we know that Sunday is Coming. Are you trusting in that? Will you lay it down today?