Pastor's Blog

John 12:20-26 – “Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

The “theme” for the next few weeks from our study through the “Purple Book,” is “Discipleship & Leadership.”

The Biblical principles of both are found in what we call “Paradoxes of Scripture.”  A true “Disciple of Christ or Leader in His Church will understand the value of these Paradoxes.

What are Paradoxes?

·       Polarizing thoughts that produce a profound principle.

Examples:

·       Exaltation through Humility

·       Strength through Weakness

·       Gaining through Losing

I believe we can discover wonderful principles of discipleship and leadership by examining some of these paradoxes.

I.  Living through Dying 

This is a paradox that runs throughout the entire New Testament. 

·       Whoever loses their life shall find it.

·       When we die to self we live for God.

·       Must be crucified with Christ in order to experience new life from God. 

In our text, Jesus was using this paradox to foretell of His coming death.  In doing that, He was letting the disciples know that they would be required to “follow in His steps.”

One of the most difficult demands of God upon the all His followers is that they deny themselves (die to self) and live for God.

Many of us are ego-driven and to consider such a demand would be more difficult than submitting to open heart surgery!

Yet, the more we submit to this demand from Christ (the death of self), the more we enjoy His presence in our lives!  There can only be one boss.

There is only one Master of all of us and it is NOT to be us!  Jesus Christ has rightful ownership to all of us for two reasons – He created us and He died in our place that we might live with Him for eternity!

II.   Finding through Losing

Matthew 10:39 – “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

One pursuit we all have in common is to discover the “reason for our existence.”  Most of us travel down many dead-end roads before we finally find our way (if ever).

Let me tell you now if you will receive it.  The main reason for our existence is NOT to:

·       Find the perfect job

·       Find the perfect spouse

·       Grow the ideal family

·       Accumulate a lot of money or possessions

The greatest pursuit in life is to know God and have a growing relationship with Him.  Jesus said, “Seek first…!”

Paul expounds on this paradox in Phil. 3:7-8 –“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”   

Jesus said in Mark 8:38 – “We can gain the whole world and lose our own soul!”  

Jesus will be “Lord of all” with or without us, but we will be NOTHING without Him in our lives!

III.   Receiving through Giving

Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Again, this is NOT a lesson easily learned.  Unfortunately most Christians never learn its reality.

Jesus said in Acts 20:35 – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” 

I believe this is one of those eternal principles that can be experienced through experiment!  Try it!   (expound)

Some of the world’s most unhappy are those who “take and withhold.”  Some of the world’s happiest people are those who “give and give!”

Many churches today are closing for lack of funds.  Tithing has decreased in this country 20% in the last 5 years (Barna 7-15).  That is a first!

God, Himself, is the greatest example of the truth of this paradox!  (John 3:16)

IV.   Strength through Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”   

This is one of those paradoxes that are usually learned the hard way.  We find ourselves in a place where we only have one way to look, and that is to God!

This is also a paradox we learn several times through life.  I am re-learning this right now in my life.  

Maybe you are in the same classroom with me? 

When we go through times when we seem so exhausted, so unequipped, so not ready, let it be known:

·       God is never exhausted!

·       God is never unequipped!

·       God is always ready “to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we could ever ask or think!”

There are more precious paradoxes in the Bible:

·       Exaltation through Humility – James 4:10

·       Freedom through Servitude – Rom. 6:18

·       The First shall be Last – Matt. 20:16

In order for any of us to be true disciples of Jesus Christ, we must learn, embrace and experience these remarkable truths in these paradoxes.

·       The sooner we learn them, the better.

·       The sooner we learn them, the more fulfilled our lives will be.

·       The sooner we learn them, the more we become like Christ!