Live to Die and Die to Live
Sunday | July 9th, 2023
John Palombo, Freedom Ministry Director
johnp@crossroadsny.org
John 12:20-24 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 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.
In order for any crop or plant to grow, the seeds that we plant must die first.
*In order for Jesus to bring Salvation to the world he needed to die first.*
John 12:25-26 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Hating your life in this world does NOT mean:
• Committing suicide to go to heaven and have eternal life.
• We have to take a vow of poverty and not have any good things in this world.
Hating your life in this world means:
• Having our Priorities in order to serve God to our full potential.
• Denying our wants and desires for God’s wants and Desires.
1. Serving Jesus requires us to set aside our wants and desires in order to GIVE GOD the glory
John 12:27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!
2. Serving Jesus requires us to sacrifice our worldly mindset for a HEAVENLY MINDSET.
John 12:28b-29 Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
God has already glorified His name through the Ministry of Jesus.
*And will glorify it again with his death and resurrection.*
3. We overcome our doubts and fears by staying FOCUSED on what God is trying to accomplish through us.
John 12:30-33 30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die
My next steps
Read it back: Read John 12
Memorize: John 12:28
Return for service next Sunday.