Sunday Sermon Notes dated 9th Sept 07

LOOSING TO GAIN or DYING TO LIVE
Ps. Peter Lui

John 12:20-28
20Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very 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. 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. 27“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

1. The Process: The Lesson of the grain
Verse 24 says: “…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.”

A grain (Kernel): a very small & insignificant seed.
- It must be willing to fall off from the plant to the ground and stay, even when it meant to be trampled upon (even death).
- Deny rights & own desires – “not my will but Your will be done.”
- The kernel must be buried (must be willing to be hidden completely from view).
- “Let go & let God”

2. Product
Verse 24b says: “…but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
- At the end of death, is a product that is new and able to reproduce itself.
- Unless you follow this principle – “life through death” or “die to self”, you will not be fruitful.

3. The Proposition
Verse 25 says: “Those who love their life lose it (destroy), and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

“Life” represents the desire of who you want to be yourself.
- Don’t be what you want to be but what God wants you to be. Surrender your life to God’s disposal, it will not be lost but will live.
- We must follow Christ’s example.
- Don’t selfishly hold it, but give it up for God to reproduce it, the things that please God.

4. The Promise
- On our part we need only to be willing to fall onto the ground, be buried (shows ourselves as the servant of God).
- Final destination: God is pleased with us.
- Only one life will soon be past, only what done for Christ will last.
- Don’t live as though earth is forever but heaven is about eternal, everlasting & forever.

Conclusion
Would you give up your personal desire to be who you are, who you want to be? Let go & let God make you to be what He wants you to be.