A grain of wheat

During the Great Depression of the United States in the 1930s and 40s, as part of the ‘New Deal’ to save the economy, there was a ‘Book delivery project’. President Roosevelt’s cultural policy of delivering books to remote areas of Kentucky by donating and lending books by wealthy people with many books or private libraries. The book delivery project was based on the volunteer spirit of women riding horses, taking the initiative at a distance of 193 kilometres per week. These women received $800 a month, but they even read books directly to illiterate citizens and were called ‘Book Woman’ at the time.

Overcoming the Great Depression in the United States could not have been accomplished simply by the power of President Roosevelt. Many American citizens could get the joy of enlightenment because of the citizens who shared their books and the strong and warm spirit of service of the ‘Book Woman’ who delivered the book. The power of sharing is soft but strong. Sharing is small, but it makes a big change. Your sharing can bring happiness to more people. Today’s text also ultimately talks about the voluntary sharing and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Before the text we read together today, we know some significant events very well. John 11 tells the story of the miracle that saved Lazarus, who died at Bethany, and at the beginning of chapter 12, there is a story of Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. Then, there comes the story of Jesus, who entered Jerusalem on a donkey and the people who welcomed him. It is not recorded in John 12, but after Jesus entered Jerusalem, he first drove out the people who did business and loaned money in the temple. And he delivered God’s message to those who gathered in the temple. If we put together this series of events, we find that today’s text happened five days before Jesus’ crucifixion. And along with the text, we find these events speak of one purpose. It is the death, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Unlike the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Gospel of John clearly records from the beginning why Jesus came to this earth and why he must die. As we saw in the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus last week, the purpose of Jesus’ coming to this earth was to present the love of God clearly.

The purpose of God’s love is the fact that the only Son of God in a human body is going to die on the cross for the sins of those dying of death, but he will resurrect and prepare eternal life and allow forgiveness of sins and eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

For this love, Jesus says he will be a grain of wheat: Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Jesus did not say long words to the Greeks, who begged to see him. Jesus said the essence of faith simply and clearly. To believe in God, to believe in and follow the Lord, was to become a grain of wheat that dies by itself. That alone is the most glorious life. Jesus also came to become a grain of wheat that dies by himself. Because when we become a grain of wheat that dies on our own, we can harvest abundantly the fruit that God wants to give us right there.

This word is an eternal truth that applies to the entire life of Christians, so it applies to our families and our churches. To love my family and the church that I serve means I become a grain of wheat. Without my death, I can never respect the distance between my family and me and the other church members. If I do not sacrifice myself, how can I love and accept my family or church members who have different ideas, plans, and wills?

The words in verses 23-26 reveal what kind of death Jesus will accomplish in God’s will. In this text, Jesus told the parable of a grain of wheat about why he must die, and at the same time, he taught the attitude and conveyed the promise toward those who want to serve and follow Jesus.

However, many who witnessed what he was doing instead put Jesus into trouble and attacked him. Most of the people who met Jesus in person were mistaken about him. Even his disciples did not know Jesus correctly. The gospel Jesus preached seems to shake the things they had held, and above all, Jesus did not fit the image of the Messiah they thought of in their way. Many people greeted Jesus as the “King of Israel” who would free Israelites from Roman oppression by shouting “Hosanna” with palm branches. At that time, many people had the wrong concept of the Messiah, so even though Jesus did amazing things, they could not accept Him.

Jesus came to this earth to save the world. It was not just for the liberation of visible matter and oppression. His purpose was to prepare for life and resurrection through the sacrifice of Christ. So, the ministries he showed on this earth were not just events. The ministries he showed were to reveal that he was the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Therefore, a whole and sincere response was required from those who encountered his ministry.

So, in verse 26, the Lord clearly defined what kind of person a Christian should be: Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be as well. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. Christians are those who follow the Lord; those who follow the Lord mean those who are with the Lord. A person who becomes wheat with the Lord in the place where the Lord becomes a grain of wheat, a person who frees from his obsession with the Lord, just like in Golgotha, where the Lord was not obsessed his life, that person is a Christian that the Lord acknowledges. I am sorry to burden you. A Christian is a person who sacrifices. A Christian is a person who will sacrifice his/her time, heart, strength, and materials for the safety, peace, benefit, happiness, and enjoyment of others. That is to take up your cross and serve the Lord, to deny yourself and follow the way of Christ. Jesus Christ promised God would glorify such Christians. In that sense, I would like to encourage our church members, including the leadership, who generously spend their time, talents, efforts, and materials for the church. Your service and sharing have brought us here.

But at the same time, I try to challenge you with some questions. Do not we have a misunderstanding about Jesus Christ, like the old Israelites? Jesus Christ was willing to sacrifice his life for us, and what are we offering for him? We clearly know the law of harvesting whatever we plant. What are we planting for our souls, our homes, our churches, and our communities? Are we becoming a grain of wheat where we stand?

It is the message I want to share with you today. To wrap up today’s message, I would like to introduce one of the prayers shared at the prayer meeting last Thursday. It is a prayer written by a person named Christian Fox, and I will conclude the sermon by sharing the parts of the prayer that she will rely more on God even in the uncertain reality and future.

Father in Heaven,

… I think about the struggles in my particular life and I can't catch my breath. What will we do if jobs are lost? What will we do if relationships aren't restored? What about the challenges with our children and our grandchildren? What about the call from the doctor about the tests? What if the worst happens? What if?

I come before you as the psalmist did, weary, worn, and frightened. I come before you because you are King and you rule all things. I come before you because you are my Father, my Abba. You adopted me as your child and have given me every privilege that comes with being a part of your family. I come before you because you are my Saviour. You alone can rescue me from fear, sin, temptation, and all evil. I come before you because you are my Provider, Jehovah Jireh. You created all things and own all things. All I have comes to me from your generous hands. I come before you because you are my Redeemer. You alone can redeem and restore all that is broken in my life and in the world around me.

… In my life Lord, give me a peace that passes all understanding. Though I don't know what will happen with all that troubles me this day, help me to trust you. Help me to remember that you are not surprised. Help me to remember that nothing will happen today that takes you off guard. You are not asleep or too busy but are actively involved in all the cares of my life. Help me to wait and watch for your glory. Help me to obey and do the right thing in the moment, knowing you are there in all the moments to come.

Most of all, help me to remember Jesus, the One who cried out in the garden on the night he was betrayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 13:46). I thank you that "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Even now, he intercedes for me—what a marvelous truth!

I pray all this in the name of Jesus, Amen.