"Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.' Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 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.'" John 12:20-26
Everyone wants the good life (20-22)
1. The insiders (disciples) and the outsiders (Greeks) both want the good life
2. Everyone gets the good life wrong (16, 22)
"Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." Mark Twain
The good life in 2021:
"...a good life does not have to look like everyone else thinks it should. Whatever feels right for you, whatever aligns your inside with your outside, that’s what you should spend your time doing." G.G. Renee Hill
The good life only comes through death (23-26)
1. Jesus’ death (23-24)
- is his glory (23)
- is like a seed dying to bear fruit (24)
- is for the fruit of your abundant life (24)
"It is not just that the shame of the cross is inevitably followed by the glory of the exaltation, but that the glory is already fully displayed in the shame." D.A. Carson
2. Your death (25-26)
- to your picture of the good life (25)
- so you can follow Jesus to people far from God (26)
- will lead to the Father honoring you (!!!) (26)
The good life according to Jesus is a life laid down for others
QUESTIONS:
1. Apart from the teaching of this passage, what is your “good life”? How are you tempted to seek it and live for it?
2. How does Jesus’ death show us the truly good life?
3. What is one tangible way for you to lay your life down for someone far from God this week?