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About-Him.Com Devotional 10-29-2005
Http://About-Him.Com/ My Thoughts on the Life of Christ, from His Baptism to His Ascension. 197: The Visit of the Greeks Jn. 12:20-36 John 12:20 ¶ And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. Among the crowd who had been impressed by Jesus were some Greek proselytes. They had come to the temple to worship and to exercise the limited access that was allowed to them. They came to Phillip, who had a Greek name and was from a Greek area with a request to see Jesus. Perhaps there was a problem of racial and national prejudice, which Phillip didn’t know how to handle? He took the problem to Andrew and then he and Andrew went to Jesus. Possibly the Greek crowd was right behind them. It is hard to tell if the reply of Jesus was just to Phillip and Andrew or to the Greeks and others who were assembled. The subject of Jesus’ reply was His approaching death on Calvary. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Jesus compared this life to a corn of wheat which has a seed that contains a blueprint of what that seed is to become. It can be kept for years as a simple seed, yet when it is buried in the ground it changes and produces fruit. It was time for Jesus to fulfill that for which He had come into the world. He was destined from eternity past to be slain and offered up as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (Ephesians 1:4; I Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8). Jesus could see in these seekers a great harvest that was yet to come; people of every kindred tongue and nation who would one day gather at His throne and offer praises to the Lamb that was slain in their place (Revelation 5:9). 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Contrary to much of our current feel good teaching that centers on our potential for success and the riches of this life, Jesus stated many times that if we held onto this life, we would lose it, We are to look forward to eternal life which He has promised to all who believe in Him. As the old song says, "Let me lose my life and find it Lord in thee." 27 ¶ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Jesus was deeply troubled. Calvary was only a few hours away. He knew the agonies of the cross to which He would soon be nailed. He knew that He would be forsaken by all men and by God Himself as He suffered there (Mark 15:34) . 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. Jesus could only cry out, “Father glorify thy name.” A voice came from heaven and said, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” See The Name of Jesushttp://about-him.com/page07.html. Some hearing the voice, thought that it had only thundered. Others thought they had heard the voice of an angel. Jesus let them know that the voice had come for their sake and not for His. Judgment had come to the world, satan (purposely not capitalized) was about to be dethroned (Colossians 2:15). Jesus said He was about to be lifted up. The people knew that this meant crucifixion. They were well acquainted with this method of capital punishment. 34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? They had heard Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah but their theology had told them that Messiah would be eternal. They couldn’t comprehend a Messiah being nailed to a cross. Mostly, this was not the kind of Messiah they were looking for. He just didn’t fit their image. 35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. Jesus simply replied that they had better walk in the light while He was still present. Darkness was coming and they would not be able to see where they were going. Jesus then departed from them. The light of the gospel of Jesus Christ has illuminated our hearts through the power of the Holy Ghost. We have a great privilege to be able to worship God openly, and to have fellowship with other believers. We also have many resources at our command. We need to utilize all of these to the fullest. We do not know what darkness may lay ahead. Did Jesus ever have an audience with the Greeks? Some say, “ yes.” I don’t know, but I do feel confident that some of them were present in the crowd at the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:5-11). I also believe that some of them obeyed the words of Peter and the apostles and were added to the church (Acts 2:37-41). Just as Jesus was ordained to die and then rise again, so must we. We die to self in repentance and are buried with Him and identify with His death by water baptism in His name. We arise to walk in newness of life in the baptism of the Holy Ghost ( Acts 2:36-42; Romans 6:4-5). We are encouraged in Philippians 2:5-9 to have the same mind as Jesus, who made Himself of no reputation, took our nature and was obedient to the death of the cross. Just as He was glorified, so shall we also be glorified (II Timothy 2:12). What Do You Think?
Because of the increase of natural disasters, I've been mulling over a couple of
scriptures. I would like your input.
In Jeremiah 25:30-33, the Lord states that He will judge the nations and will exercise judgment against them. It says that a great whirlwind will go forth against the coastal cities, from nation to nation. Do you feel that the tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean area and the Atlantic hurricanes that have brought devastation from Guatemala and Mexico around to Florida could be a precursor of the Lord's wrath to come? Jeremiah 25:30 ¶ Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. 32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. 33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. In Luke 21:25 Jesus stated that prior to His coming there would be many things coming upon the earth to the point that men's hearts would fail them for fear. There would be distress of nations and that the sea and the waves would be roaring. Do you think we may be getting to that point? Do you see nations distressed and perplexed? Are the seas and waves roaring more than usual? Do you think that Jesus could be trying to tell us something? Are we looking for Jesus? Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. In About-Him
Online Sermons http://about-him.com/sermonlink.htmlOur Bible Studies http://about-him.com/bslinkpage.html Our Music: http://about-him.com/audio.html Flash Theater http://about-him.com/player.html Scripture list on 30 subjects http://about-him.com/wordarc.html Humor
A new arrival, about to enter the hospital, saw two white-coated doctors searching
through the flower beds. "Excuse me," he said, "have you lost something?"
"No," replied one of the doctors. "We're doing a heart transplant for an IRS agent and want to find a suitable rock." Somebody Has Said
"Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no
disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God." - Amy Carmichael
Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@about-him.com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe@about-him.com
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