1. Jesus said that His hour had come: the Son of Man was now to be glorified. His hour, of course, referred to His death. Jesus revealed His death by using the picture of a grain of wheat. It was to be by death that He was to gain the allegiance of men and be exalted as King.
2. God would exalt Him as King because He had done exactly what God wished: He died for the sins of the whole world. Human beings would become His subjects because He had died for them and given them an eternal inheritance with God the Father.
3. The picture of wheat can be simply stated: before the glory - before fruit or seeds can be borne - death is a necessity. Jesus must die before He can be enthroned as King and bear the fruit of subjects and a kingdom.
4. The person who abandons this life and world, who sacrifices and gives all that he is has for Christ, will save his life. But the person who keeps his life and what he has and seeks more and more of this life will lose his life completely and eternally.
5. For those people who give themselves totally for the kingdom a great reward waits. The Father Himself will honour any person who honours His son- His only Son He loves with His whole being. Can we think of greater honour than this?
A warning is given for all those who show inordinate attachment towards people, things and possessions. When our love for earthly realities blurs our vision of the heavenly reality, we run the danger of losing everything. All of us have the right to love but that should not have tints of selfishness and possessiveness, which will ruin both the lover and the object of love. Let us learn to love our Saviour even to the point of giving our own lives for Him.
Courtesy
The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible
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