Do You Wish To See Jesus? (John 12:20-26)
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[SLIDE 1] Introduction
If you have your Bible, then please turn to John 12:20-26.
Illustration
I’m not sure how many of you have watched videos online of military homecomings.
Soldiers who serve their country are often deployed overseas for a year or more.
Back home, their families count the days, saying, “Daddy is coming home.”
Sometimes the soldier returns in full uniform and surprises his wife, children, or parents.
And the moment they see him, joy overflows with hugs, kisses, and tears.
Nothing else matters.
All that matters is that they get to see him.
That’s what it means to truly wish to see someone you love.
And that leads us to a far more important question this morning:
Do you wish to see Jesus?
That’s the question for this sermon.
In John 12, a group of people came with a simple request, but one that carries a lot of weight:
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
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.
Context
Just to set the context.
Jesus has entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, with as many as 100,000–120,000 people gathered for the Passover.
Behind Him is a crowd testifying that He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11).
In front of Him, the Jewish crowd welcomes Him with palm branches.
They were eager to see the man they had heard about.
They believed Jesus would be a political Messiah who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel.
But their expectations were false.
Jesus did not come to bring political power.
He came to die on the cross and save His people from their sins.
At the same time, the Pharisees felt threatened and complained that “the world has gone after Him.”
And as we will see, in a small but significant way, the Gentile world was indeed beginning to seek Jesus.
Having that context in mind, I want to ask you the question again, “Do you want to see Jesus?”
John’s purpose for writing the gospel is so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
To truly see Jesus is about believing in Him and following Him.
Seeing Jesus is more than just being curious.
It is life-changing.
But, you may be wondering, “How can I see Jesus?”
And “what difference would seeing Jesus make in my life?”
This brings us to the main idea that I want you to remember for this message:
[SLIDE 2] To truly see Jesus is to behold the cross and follow Him at any cost.
With your Bible in hand, let’s walk through this passage verse by verse.
Exposition
[SLIDE 3] First, we’ll consider “The Wish To See Jesus” in verses 20-22
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.
In the midst of that crowd, there were also some Greeks who went up to Jerusalem to worship at the Jewish feast.
In the eyes of the Jews, the Gentiles were ceremonially unclean.
They generally despised Gentiles.
The Greeks were allowed in a lot of places in Jerusalem.
They were allowed to be in the Jewish synagogue.
They were allowed to celebrate the Jewish Passover.
They were allowed to go to a specific part of the temple known as the Court of the Gentile, which was the outer court of the temple.
But, they were not allowed to go inside the inner complex of the temple.
If they did, then it would be death penalty.
Because the Greeks were present in Jerusalem, therefore, they approached Philip in verse 21.
Philip was one of the 12 chosen apostles of Jesus.
Philip was one of the early disciples of Jesus in John 1:43.
Jesus found Philip and called him to follow Jesus.
Philip was also responsible for leading Nathanael to follow Jesus (John 1:48-49)
Why did the Greeks come to Philip?
It’s not absolutely clear why they spoke to Philip.
There are two best possible reasons:
First, Philip’s name was a Greek name.
Second, Philip was from Bethsaida in Galilee.
It’s located North of the Sea of Galilee.
Bethsaida generally had a mix resident of both Jews and Gentile residents, which would include the Greek as well.
Because of the two reasons, Philip would have been able to speak Greek.
So the Greeks approached Philip and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
They wish, desire, and strongly want to see Jesus.
Why did the Greeks WISH to see Jesus?
They must’ve also heard about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
I don’t think they merely wanted to glance at Jesus, but they wanted to know Him.
I can’t say it would be the same for the Pharisees.
They do not want to see Jesus.
They do not have the desire to see Jesus.
Instead, they want Jesus arrested and killed. (John 11:53).
They wish to see Him dead.
The people that should have been the most eager to see Jesus and welcome Him are the people who wanted to kill Him.
And we remember John’s prologue in John 1:11
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
But, the Greeks - the Gentiles - wanted to see Jesus.
It’s a good idea to wish to see Jesus, right?
The wisemen wanted to see and worship Jesus
In fact, I read a quote that was profound: “These men from the West at the end of the Life of Jesus, set forth the same as the Magi from the East at its beginning — but they come to the Cross of the King, as those to His cradle.”
After the Greeks requested to see Jesus, how does Philip respond to them?
We see in verse 22 that Philip went and told Andrew.
Andrew was also an apostle of Jesus.
He was also a brother of the apostle Peter.
We’re told in John 1:44 that he was also living in the same city as Philip, which was Bethsaida.
And Andrew became one of the first disciples of Jesus. (John 1:37-38)
Why did Philip speak to Andrew? Why not immediately go to Jesus?
John doesn’t record what Philip said to Andrew.
It would be reasonable to assume that Philip told Andrew that the Greeks wanted to see Jesus.
Perhaps, Philip might have thought, “would it be appropriate to bring the Greeks to Jesus?”
Therefore, Philip consulted with Andrew.
Why Andrew out of all the disciples?
Based on what we know about Andrew in John’s gospel, he appears to be someone who brought someone to Jesus.
He was the one who brought his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus in John 1:41.
Andrew was also a problem-solver in John 6:5-9 and brought the boy holding 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus.
Andrew serves as a positive example of being bridge or connector between people and Jesus.
However, even Andrew didn’t know what to do about the request from the Greeks.
So, they approached Jesus.
Before we move on, I want to take a moment to meditate on verse 21 a bit longer.
The Greeks requested, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Let me ask you again, “Do you wish to see Jesus?
Does this resonate with your heart and longing?
On Sundays, when you come to church, there are a lot of things that you may wish to see.
You may wish to see your brothers and sisters, and spend time with them.
You may wish to sing the hymns.
You may wish to be encouraged through prayer.
You may even wish to hear good preaching of God’s word.
Those are good things to desire.
But, deep down in your heart, do you wish to see Jesus as He’s revealed in the word of God?
Charles Spurgeon once said (and I’m paraphrase) that a person whose single desire is Christ shows evidence of God’s work in their heart.
Religious activities—like attending church or participating in corporate worship—are empty if they aren’t connected to a real, living relationship with Jesus.
True devotion longs for Christ Himself, not just the outward practices.
They seek to be filled with His living water.
This is not just applicable for you as a congregation.
This is a reminder for me as a pastor and preacher.
As I’m preaching, I want to make sure that you see Jesus in the message.
I want to show the glory of Christ revealed in the word of God (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).
I want to preach the word and proclaim Christ.
Whatever you are going through in life, you need to see Jesus.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, I hope you didn’t come to see me as the preacher.
I hope you didn’t come to merely be impressed by the message.
I hope you came to see Jesus.
Having just learned that the Greeks wished to see Jesus, we’ll look at the second aspect of seeing Jesus.
[SLIDE 4] Second, we’ll consider “The Way To See Jesus” in verses 23-24.
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John doesn’t tells us whether Jesus actually met with the Greeks.
He doesn’t tell us if Jesus’ answer to the request from the Greeks was a “Yes” or “No.”
However, I think Jesus’ answer is more like a “Not now.”
One commentator “sees Jesus’ reply as a ‘direct refusal of their request.’
Why is that?
It is because His death must occur before salvation could come to the Greeks.”
Jesus answers, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
If you’ve been with us in the gospel of John, you should recognize this language.
Jesus wasn’t talking about the hour of the day as in 12 PM or 3 PM.
Jesus was talking about the hour of His glorification, which consists of His death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation.
In particular, Jesus is referring to His death.
Up to this point in the gospel of John, the hour has not yet arrived. For example:
30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Now, for the 1st time in John’s gospel, the hour HAS come.
The moment is no longer distant. It’s now imminent.
The Son of Man, which Jesus’ Messianic title, is about to be glorified, and that glory will come through His death.
The hour of the cross is now approaching.
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
To illustrate the importance of His death, Jesus uses an agricultural illustration in verse 24.
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.
Jesus wants to illustrate the paradox that life comes through death.
The grain of wheat must be sown in the ground.
It must die in order to bring forth a rich and fruitful harvest.
If you leave the grain alone, it can never bear fruit.
It’s essentially useless.
In the same way, Jesus’ death generates a spiritual harvest.
When the Greeks ask to see Jesus, it becomes a turning point in the story.
Their request signals that Jesus’ mission is now reaching beyond the Jewish people to the whole world.
So, Jesus understands that the time has arrived for Him to provide the way of salvation for sinners, including the Greeks, to come to Him.
That way is His death on the cross.
Without His death and resurrection, the Gentile world cannot be saved or come to Him.
Jesus even said later in John 12:32
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Jesus’ analogy points to this truth:
Unless He dies on the cross and be raised on the 3rd day, no spiritual fruit can be produced for the Gentile world.
The New covenant cannot be inaugurated.
Jesus must die for the message of the gospel to go forth to the world.
And now for us, on this side of the cross, if we are to truly see Christ, we are to behold the cross.
To see Jesus is to see Him crucified for sinners.
To know Jesus is to know “Christ and him crucified.”
You cannot truly see Jesus apart from the cross.
You cannot understand His love apart from the cross.
You cannot be brought near to God apart from the cross.
Therefore, we have sung this morning, God invites you to “Come and See” the King of love who gave His life for unworthy sinners like us.
Of course, we don’t see Jesus fully on this side of heaven.
It’s not complete yet.
We can only see in part as Paul says.
We see Jesus now through faith.
But, our future hope is that we will see Jesus face to face on that glorious day.
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
While we have considered “the way to see Jesus,” which is to behold the cross, we have to consider another aspect of seeing Jesus.
To truly desire to see Jesus is to follow Him at any cost.
Which leads us to this...
[SLIDE 5] Third, we’ll consider “The Weight To See Jesus” in verses 25-26
We’re talking about the cost of following Jesus.
We’re talking about the weight of the cross.
25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
This is probably one of Jesus’ hardest sayings.
Why is Jesus saying that?
Jesus is carrying the analogy of the grain of wheat into the concept of discipleship.
He’s continuing the paradox of what it looks like to follow Him.
If we want to fully see Jesus on that glorious day, then we have to meditate on this truth:
The Christian life is the weight of the cross.
It’s the narrow gate.
It’s the narrow road.
It is hard yet it leads to life.
Jesus is consistent in His teaching on the cost of following Him.
We find similar teachings of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
For example:
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.
In John’s gospel, Jesus contrasts between love and hate.
Whoever loves his life loses it.
These are the people who idolize themselves.
They elevate themselves and worldly concerns over their devotion to the Lord.
They prioritize this life more than being a disciple of Jesus.
This is the paradox.
Jesus said, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
If you are not willing to give up your love for this world, give up your life, and earthly treasures, you will lose your life in the end.
You will lose the greatest treasure that Jesus offers to you, which is eternal life.
On the other hand, “whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
The word, “hate,” is talking about giving preference to one thing over the other.
It is choosing Christ over your life.
Your love for Christ must be so supreme that everything else is considered “hate” by comparison.
You are to die to this life.
You are to prefer Christ more than you prefer your own life.
Furthermore, Jesus says, “whoever hates his life IN THIS WORLD.”
I think D.A. Carson is right to think of the world as the “present evil world.”
It’s the system of this world that is hostile towards God.
It’s the rebellion against God.
It’s the world that will suffer wrath and judgment from God.
This is completely opposite to the blessings of eternal life.
You cannot say you love Christ while also loving the world that hates God.
You cannot have both.
What would it look like to hate your life in this world?
It doesn’t mean you become a monk and isolate yourself from this world.
We are in the world, but we are not of the world.
It doesn’t mean we cannot enjoy the life that God has given us.
John Calvin: “Not that we ought absolutely to hate life, which is justly reckoned to be one of the highest of God’s blessings; but because believers ought cheerfully to lay it down, when it [hinders] them from approaching to Christ.”
“Hating your life in this world” does mean surrending your family, possessions, goals, plans, desires, and even your own life and follow Jesus.
It’s a daily activity that you must choose to embrace.
Here’s the encouragement: Jesus is not telling us that we have to be perfect.
In the Greek, the verb, “loves,” and, “hates,” are in the present, active, participle.
So, this is a continuous action, not a one-time action.
The one who continues to love his life will lose it.
The one who continues to hate his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
It is an ongoing action.
It is an ongoing affection for Christ.
As we live out the Christian life, we should progressively become less attached to this present evil world by the power of the Spirit.
We should progressively grow in our love for God and grow in our obedience to Him.
If you are truly disciples of Jesus, you will love Him above all else.
You will stumble, but you will repent of your sins and turn back to Jesus.
You will desire Him more than their sins, self-righteousness, all relationships, and all self-will.
Your love for Christ should outgrow their love for this world.
You demonstrate that you are indeed true disciples of Christ who are willing to deny yourselves.
This is what sets true disciples of Jesus apart from false disciples of Jesus.
And Jesus promises that the true disciples will keep his life for eternal life.
God will preseve His own until the end because nothing can snatch His people out of the Father’s hand.
Knowing that’s the cost of following Jesus, what would it look like to follow Jesus?
Jesus says in verse 26.
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.
Jesus puts following and serving Him synonymously.
You cannot claim to serve Jesus without following Him.
And you cannot claim to be following Him without serving Him.
When Jesus says, “He must follow me,” this is a commandment from our Lord.
And this is not a one-time decision, but an ongoing lifestyle of true followers of Christ.
True servants/followers of Christ will go wherever Jesus goes, which includes the Way of the Cross.
Even now, as you serve Jesus, you are in a sense “where He is” spiritually.
You have union with Christ.
You share in His life.
And one day you'll be where He is physically - in glory forever.
As a servant, you will see Him.
This is the Christian's sure and anchored hope.
Jesus says, “If anyone serves me, my Father will honour Him.”
That’s an amazing promise, but do you believe this?
We want the honour of men.
We seek the applaud of the world.
But, what an amazing thing to be recognized and be honoured by the Father.
All human honour of this world pales in comparison to the honour the Father has for those who love and serve His Son.
That should be our motivation, right?
If we want to serve and follow Jesus, we’ll bear much fruit, we’ll be with Jesus forever, and the Father will honour us.
That’s our reward.
While the cross is weighty, following and serving Him will be infinitely worth it.
The world may hate us who serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but we will be honoured by our Father.
And the world will unfortunately be despised and condemned for rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Therefore, this is the choice before you:
Either you seek honour from the world or honour from God.
Either you seek comfort in this life and end up losing your life or glory in the life to come.
Application / Conclusion
[SLIDE 6] Let me remind you: To truly see Jesus is to behold the cross and follow Him at any cost.
The Wish To See Jesus
The Way To See Jesus
The Weight To See Jesus
I ask you again, “Do you wish to see Jesus?”
What’s your answer to that question?
You don't get to see Jesus in your own way.
You don’t get to see Jesus and then go on your merry way.
Seeing Him truly means beholding the cross and following Him.
Jesus made a way for you to come to Him by trusting in Him and the finished work on the cross.
If you repent of your sins and turn to Jesus by faith, here's the promise:
The Father will honour you.
As you serve and follow Christ faithfully, you will hear our Lord say to you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”
And you will be where Jesus is because Jesus clearly said, “Where I am, there will my servant be also.”
And you will see Him on that glorious day.
Is that worth more to you than the honour and love of this world?
Does that make you long to see Jesus whom you truly love?
Conclusion
Benediction
May the Lord give you eyes of faith to behold the cross, give you strength to bear the weight of the cross, and courage to follow Christ.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
