Disciples of Christ

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — John 12:20-26
• Sermon
• Hymn — He Leadeth Me
• Benediction — 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
• Gloria Patri

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Sermon Title: Disciples of Christ

Scripture: John 12:20-26

I. The Curiosity of Discipleship (v. 20-22)

A. The Greeks who came to Jerusalem were likely "God-fearers" — Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel but had not become full proselytes

1. In the temple they were restricted to the Court of the Gentiles, with warning signs forbidding entry to the inner courts
2. Jesus's cleansing of the Court of the Gentiles (recorded in the Synoptics following the Triumphal Entry) likely drew their curiosity — he had gone to bat for them

B. Andrew's role: as in John 1, Andrew brings people to Jesus — here he and Philip together bring the Greeks' request to Christ

C. Three common responses to the gospel

1. Postmodern relativism — "All paths lead to God; I'm glad it works for you"
2. Anger and mockery, sometimes leading to persecution
3. Curious inquiry — "Tell me more" — often a sign of God's grace at work, opening a hardened heart

D. Childlike curiosity is the posture of a disciple throughout the whole Christian life

• Jesus says in Matthew 18:3 that unless faith is like a child's, one cannot enter the kingdom
• Like Mary sitting at Christ's feet, the disciple never outgrows the posture of "tell me more"

II. The Creation of Discipleship (vv. 23-24)

A. The Greeks seeking Jesus signals that the hour of Christ's glorification has come — in contrast to the Jewish authorities in v. 19 who are hostile

1. The mission of the Son, as seen in Isaiah 9, was always to reach a people from every tribe, nation, and tongue — salvation exploding beyond Jerusalem to the ends of the earth
2. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 — "Go and make disciples of all nations" — not merely converts, but followers

B. The grain of wheat illustration (v. 24): Christ's death is what creates the fruit of discipleship

1. His death produces resurrection life; from that life flows the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of discipleship
2. God-fearing Gentiles could only become full disciples through the cross of Christ

C. The cross breaks down the dividing wall — Ephesians 2:13-16

1. Christ's blood brings those who were far off near to God
2. He creates one new humanity in place of two, making peace

D. Service to God and to one another apart from the cross becomes bitter — breeding judgmentalism or jealousy; but a cross-centered community stands on the same plane: sinners saved by grace

• Discipleship is not created by Christ as example or moral teacher, but by Christ crucified — as Paul says, he determined to know nothing but Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2)

III. The Cost of Discipleship (vv. 25-26)

A. "Whoever hates his life in this world" — the key word is world, conveying worldliness: sin, selfish desire, lust, greed, pride, envy, strife

1. To love the life of this world is self-destruction — the word loses is present tense in Greek: the one living for this world is already in the process of being destroyed
2. To hate one's life in this world leads to keeping it for eternal life — future tense: the one who dies to self will keep life eternally

B. Service equals following Christ (v. 26) — an equal sign between the two

1. Following Christ means cross-bearing and dying to self in every area: marriage, parenting, work, recreation, friendships, every avenue of existence
2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die"
3. Christ is a "package deal" — his justification, sanctification, and glorification cannot be separated; it is the whole Christ or none of Christ

C. The motivation for bearing the cost: the honors of the Father (v. 26)

1. Zephaniah 3:17 — the Lord rejoices over his people with gladness and sings over them with joy
2. Millions have willingly embraced death to self not by sheer willpower, but because their hearts have been captivated by the glories of Christ and the prospect of the Father's honor
3. The remedy for waning discipleship is not trying harder, but crying out for a fresh vision of the glories of the inheritance in Christ — joint heirs with him who is dead, risen, and glorified