John 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover 21paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." 22Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

23Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone—a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. 27Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason why I came! 28Father, bring glory to your name."

Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." 29When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

30Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out. 32And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." 33He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

This morning we conclude our series of messages called "Giving to Live." We’ve discovered in the last two weeks that there are barriers to be overcome in order for giving to truly be a source of life for us. We saw last week that there is a joy, an overwhelming joy, that comes when we give. Today we take time to look at the giving of Jesus himself. Of all the things that Jesus gave—his love, his compassion, his presence—what he gave most was his life. Because Jesus gave his life for all of us, the overflowing result of that action has transformed our lives.

The occasion of our text this morning was a defining moment for Jesus. Jesus has finally arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast at the three years of active ministry. His arrival in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast begins the last hour on the clock of God’s time for his purpose on earth. The crowds had grown literally each step of the way to Jerusalem. To the Jewish religious leaders it seemed that "the whole world has gone after him" (John 12:19).

While the crowds of followers were gathered around him there were some who felt they didn’t belong but followed regardless. John says that "some Greeks" were among those in the crowd who wanted to have an audience with Jesus. They were non-Jews who had developed a desire to worship the God of the Jews. They found one of the apostles named Philip and approached him about meeting Jesus. Philip approached Andrew and Andrew went to Jesus. Jesus’ response is very important for he says, "The time has come for the Son of man to enter into his glory" (v. 23). What Jesus was saying was that the approach of those non-Jews coming to Jesus and requesting to see him signaled for Jesus that God’s plan and purpose for his life was about to begin. For Jesus, the time to offer the sacrifice of his life was now set. The clock was ticking and the events of the cross were now going to be played out on the stage of his life. Jesus knew that the giving of his life was the key to releasing the overflowing results of that sacrifice to the world!

When you and I think about our giving, has there ever been a moment for you that really defined the true meaning and purpose of giving as a Christian? For me, there was one moment where I gave something that defined for me the true meaning and purpose of giving. It occurred in 1977 when Kathy and I were in seminary. It was really a simple thing but when I think of key moments in our life, that shaped how we understand giving this was significant.

Let me start by taking you back to Christmas of my 11^th grade year in High School. We lived in Hot Springs and Dad worked for Weyerhauser and Mom worked at a drug store. That Christmas things must have been pretty tough because the gifts for my brother and me were fairly small. I received a Bible and a coat and in my ungrateful state of mind I was not very pleased with either. The next year was very different. I’m not sure if I asked for it but I got a 13" Sony Trinitron portable color TV with push button switches! It was amazing! I could attach the TV to a wire that came from our Arial antenna outside and watch TV in bed! It had its own stand and fake wood grain—it was awesome.

Well, that TV made through the dorm at OBU and into marriage. It made it to Ft. Worth and by this time it was at least 8 years old. Then one day at church the pastor announced that the TV ministry needed a 13" color TV monitor for the ministry. It was like right then and there God said, "You have a 13" color TV that I believe the TV ministry needs more than you do. I want you to give that to the church." Well, God and I had some struggles about letting go of that TV but I knew it was what I was to do. So we gave that TV to the church.

So now we didn’t have a TV, which looked very spiritual when you are at seminary. If the Razorbacks were on TV you had to go to somebody’s house and pretend you were just hungry for the fellowship. Later, Kathy’s Dad and Mom were coming for a visit and when we told them we had given our TV away they brought a black and white one and left it with us. We had that TV until we moved back to Arkansas in 1979. In 1980 my great aunt was getting rid of her console color TV that worked 85% of the time and wanted us to have it. We had that TV until Jennifer was old enough to start watching Sesame Street. My little brother felt sorry for us for having such a crummy TV so he bought us a 19" TV so Jennifer could watch Sesame Street. We had that one until 1994 when it wore out and my mother-in-law bought us a 27", which we have now! I bought one TV, a 13" Montgomery Ward, in 33 years!

I tell you that to say that there can be one moment when I understand what it means to obey God regarding the use of my material possessions. So the question to ask is: Have you been presented with a moment, a time, a need so clear that you see the real purpose of God for your resources? If you have, did you obey? Your moment may have come as an adult when you saw the capacity of your resources through new eyes of faith and you gave. It may have been as a student and you understood that it didn’t matter the size of the gift, it was the size of the sacrifice you were making. It may have been as a child and you knew that this moment just wasn’t going to happen again and you just had to do what you knew God said. Has that moment come in your life? It doesn’t matter if it’s a TV or a ten-dollar bill, there are defining moments that are pivotal to us when it comes to connecting with the overflowing results that come to us when we give!

The defining moment for Jesus would mean the giving of his life so that you and I might know life at a level, capacity, length and quality we would never know without it. Jesus said in The Message, "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." Yet in giving his life there are some things he knew would be the overflowing results of giving his life.

One thing Jesus knew was that giving his life would result in an overflowing display of God’s glory. (John 12:23-24, 27-28). Throughout this conversation Jesus keeps referring to his glory or giving God glory. What did he mean? When Jesus used the word in verse 23 it meant his crucifixion and ultimately his resurrection. When he spoke about this at other times he used the specific terms for his death on the cross and his being raised again from the dead. Yet here he uses one word "enter into his glory." He would say in verses 27-18 that while he was enduring deep sorrow, grief and pain because of the agony that was waiting for him, he knew that was his purpose! That’s why he could say back to God, "Father, bring glory to your name" (v. 28). The Message says, "Father, put your glory on display." Jesus’ giving of his life would be not the event that would hide the greatness of God but instead it would be one where God’s greatness and glory will be seen! While it appeared to all of humanity that God was nowhere to be seen, it was there that the absolute essence of God’s glory was revealed!

You expect a $274 million building to shine and L.A.'s new Walt Disney Concert Hall does. Frank Gehry's landmark creation of shimmering stainless steel is marvelous to behold. People living in a condominium facing the structure agree that the view is glorious, but the glory becomes overpowering when the sun shines at midday. Portions of the gleaming concert hall reflect brilliantly into the windows of the condominium. Soon, the temperature rises as much as 15 degrees, forcing residents to get off their patios, draw the blinds and turn on the air conditioner, until the sunlight shifts.

"You couldn't even see and then the furniture would get really hot," said Jacqueline Lagrone, 42, who lives on the fourth floor of the Promenade Residences. "You would have to literally close the drapes, and you'd still feel warmth in the house." As Disney officials look for a way to dull the glare, they placed mesh blankets over the mirror-like steel. While this diminished the problem, everyone agrees it looks terrible, and a more permanent solution is necessary. ("Disney Hall Glare Gets to Neighbors," L.A. Times , 2-21-04)

Does our giving display God’s glory? Is my giving a reflection of the greatness of God? Or am I trying to tone down God’s demands and reduce the glare of God’s greatness so I can live more comfortably? Is God being honored by the manner and motive of your giving? Jesus’ giving of his life on the cross was a sacrifice that was so great no one would ever be able to question if it was enough. Is your giving making such a statement before God that if your checkbook were known it wouldn’t even be a question if your giving brought glory to God? When we understand the depth of giving that pleases God it will result in an overflowing display of God’s glory.

Another thing that Jesus knew is that giving his life would result in overflowing life for all people (Jn. 12:24, 33). After saying that the giving of his life would display God’s glory he tells a brief little parable. The parable is an explanation of the word glory. He uses the analogy of a grain of wheat that is planted in the earth. Inside the grain of wheat is the DNA of life that is waiting to be released. However, the only what that the life inside the grain can be released is if the grain is planted and the chemicals in the soil work to soften the shell, allowing the life to be exposed. If that happens then more life appears through that one grain of wheat. His point is: that by my death on the cross in a few days time I will make life, overflowing life, available and possible for others. Then in verse 33 he states even clearer, "And when I am lifted upon the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." His death will make not only overflowing life possible but will also make it compelling. It will be something that pulls people to him so they can have and experience this overflowing life.

Have you realized that your giving has the capacity to provide life for all people? One section of our budget each year is called "World Missions Ministries" That amount this year is $312, 385. There are things represented there that reach from down the hall to the chapel where our Hispanic congregation meets, to across the street where our Celebrate Recovery Ministry meets to down the street to where our Huntington Ministry meets, to Walnut Ridge where Williams Baptist College is located, to Arkadelphia where Ouachita Baptist University is located, to the Mississippi River Delta where Arkansas Baptists as well as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is working to fight poverty, to Bangalore, India where IMB missionary Dr. Rebekaha Naylor has served in the Baptist Hospital there for 30 years and whose ministry impacts 500,000 people a year with the gospel, or to Bucharest, Romania where the Gypsy children are fed physically and spiritually at the Ruth School sponsored by the CBF.

You see for every dollar you give 9.5% of that dollar goes to missions that literally covers the globe. You get the chance every week to make a contribution to provide life for others. How much life you provide is up to you! What is true is that as long as your money stays in your checkbook it doesn’t have the opportunity to provide life for everyone but yourself. Yet if you choose to make a commitment to give, then the possibilities of overflowing life through the gospel of Jesus Christ reaching the lives of all people is limitless. If all the "seed" is still in the bank, then life is going nowhere!

Jesus said that his giving his life connected him to the display of God’s glory and life for all people but he says that there is an unbelievable payoff for those who would follow Him. In verses 25-26 Jesus explains that giving his life would result in overflowing reward for those who follow him. In verse 25 he says something that has been a key point in all of his ministry: To love life is to destroy it while not loving life is to keep it. He tells us that if our focus is to do everything we can to possess life in this material world, then we can be certain we will lose what we most desperately are trying to keep. Yet if we have a love for God that is so passionate, so intense, that when we compare this material world to that love, it seems like hate. He then adds in verse 26 that if a person wants to be a disciple, a Christ follower, then they will follow Him. What is implied is a following that is willing to sacrifice themselves as he does. The result is that if they follow him the Father will honor them in the same way he honors the Son.

One person said, "It has been said that ‘Follow me’ is the whole of a Christian’s duty and to be where Christ is, the whole of his reward." Connie McDonnall knows this to be true. Connie is the only survivor of a shooting outside of Mosul, Iraq on March 15 that took the life of her husband David and three other IMB workers. She told a group of 58 newly appointed missionaries this summer that regardless of how hard it may get that every believer is called to "live a sacrificed life." She said, "If you will remember to live a crucified life every day, you will experience the power of God flowing through you." (Connie McDonnall, Baptist Press, www.imb.org). How can she say something like that? The only way is that she and her husband David made a choice to be disciples of Jesus. Being a disciple of Jesus meant following Jesus to where Jesus was—on a lonely road outside of Mosul, Iraq. By their choosing to follow Jesus they are honored by the Father in life and in death.

The question is this: "Does my giving show I am following Him by living a sacrificed life?" There is no question that each of us want the reward, the overflowing reward, that comes from our giving that demonstrates we are following him. Jesus said, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you." (Luke 6:38) I want the overflowing reward but I have to remember that the reward only comes by following him to where he is to be found! The overflow doesn’t start until we open our hand to give.

In the movie Gladiator, the Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) prepares to go to battle against a barbarian Germanic tribe. Just prior to ordering the charge, he encourages his troops. Sitting atop his horse, he looks out over his cavalry and yells, "What we do in life echoes in eternity." (Gladiator (DreamWorks, 2000)

"What we do in life echoes in eternity!" Do you understand that this pledge card is a symbol of what will echo in eternity? I will tell you I am not interested in some faint whisper to echo in eternity but I want my life here to be lived so fully that it shouts glory and praise to God throughout all eternity. My giving will be an overflowing demonstration of God’s glory, result in overflowing life for all people, and by his grace result in overflowing reward.

The movie Braveheart tells the story of how a common man named William Wallace (Mel Gibson) leads Scotland to freedom from English rule. At the end of the movie, Wallace has been betrayed to the English and sits in prison awaiting execution. The Princess of Wales, who wants to free him, comes to his cell. She asks if there is any way he could recant his rebellion to save his life. Submitting to the English king would spare him torture and death.

Wallace sees clearly what is at stake, and he stands his ground without shame. The princess says, "I come to beg you to confess all and swear allegiance to the king so that he may show you mercy." Wallace says, "If I swear to him, all that I am is dead already." Weeping, the princess says, "You will die. It will be awful." Wallace replies, "Every man dies. Not every man really lives." (Braveheart (20th Century Fox, 1995)

"Every man dies. Not every man really lives." "And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself." (John 12:32) Give so that you may really live!

Sunday, November 21, 2004

Dr. Bruce Tippit, Pastor

First Baptist Church

Jonesboro, Arkansas

btippit@fbcjonesboro.org