The preaching text for Sunday will be John 12:20-26. Apart from preaching a sermon on John 3:16, this is the shortest section we will have covered up to this point. It’s just a handful of verses, but there are a number of really crucial and important things going on that we need to be sure and address. In terms of where we are on the timeline, Jesus has just entered Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna”, with palm branches waving in support of his leadership. The people have just held an impromptu coronation where they’ve expressed their desire and support for Jesus to be their king. However, they desire for Jesus to come in and flex military and political strength in order to liberate them out from under Roman rule. This isn’t why Jesus has come, so everything he’s saying and doing is, in part to reshape the flawed hopes the people have. Once Jesus is in Jerusalem a group of Greeks or “Non-Jews” request to see Jesus. This comes right on the heels of the Pharisees making the statement that “the world has gone after him”. Jesus isn’t just the King of the Jews, he’s the King of the world. God’s glory will not be seen in the salvation of one nation, but people from every nation. The fact that these Gentiles have come to see Jesus signals that the time for his glory has come, but his glory and the fruit of his glory will come through the suffering of the cross. Not only do we see the power of salvation coming through the cross, we see the pattern for discipleship coming through the cross. May we all take some time this week to mediate on the wonderful saving power of the cross, and may we also take some time to consider how Jesus’ cross is the pattern for our discipleship.
Sermon Title: “The Fruit Of A Sacrificial Death”
Sermon Text: John 12:20-26
Meditation Passage: Philippians 2:5-11
Call To Worship: Psalm 92:1-4
Benediction: Hebrews 12:1-3
Songs For Sunday: