Jesus Tells Why He Must Die

Scripture: John 12:20-36(NIV)

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. “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. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

Devotional

One of Jesus’ very first acts of ministry was to tell Philip to follow Him. The first thing Philip did was to invite his skeptical Jewish friend Nathanael to “Come and see” for himself who Jesus was (see John 1:43-51). Here, at the end of Jesus’ three-year ministry, Philip is approached by some non-Jewish Greek people with the request, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip must have had the reputation as the “Come and see” disciple.

When Philip took this request to Jesus, He responded by saying that it was time for Him to die. Perhaps the time for meeting new people was over. That would fall to His disciples after His death, resurrection and ascension. Indeed, according to tradition, Philip ministered to Greek-speaking people after Jesus gave them the Great Commission.

But at the moment, Jesus said, “The hour has come.” His death was imminent and necessary. Jesus clarified this by saying, ““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” (v. 27). Jesus, the Lamb of God, would die for the sins of the world, including Jewish skeptics and non-Jewish seekers!

His death was like a buried seed, which would produce spiritual seed-bearing plants.

His death was like a hidden light, which would reveal hidden darkness in us.

His death was that of a crucified Son, which offered us eternal life with the Father in heaven.

For this very reason Jesus came to this hour.

Poem

The Hour

God sat on his throne
And looked at his watch
The ticking and tocking
As seconds marched
The hour is coming

Christ sat at the table
And looked at his loves
The breaking and tearing
As dusk descended
The hour is upon us

Priests sat in their council
And looked at the numbers
The growing and threatening
As darkness gathered
The hour is soon

Disciples sat on the ground
And looked at their Master
The praying and groaning
As blood pulsed
The hour is upon us

Pilate sat meting judgment
And looked at the crowd
The bargaining and washing
As time melted
The hour is here

Soldiers sat at the cross
And looked at the prize
The gambling and mocking
As hands stretched
The hour has come

Podcast: Week 38

Sermon: Week 38

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