Easter message: Good Friday

The Planting of the Seed for Us (John 12:24)

It is with hindsight that we know Jesus’ death and burial had a purpose.
But for the first followers, of course, it was a huge disappointment, a heartfelt grief and deep fears set in from the time Jesus lead them to Gethsemane to watch and pray and on to the moment He was arrested.
They were afraid for Him and then afraid for themselves.
But Jesus had spoken of His death and resurrection to them in intimate terms.
So what did Jesus say about this or in what picture did He paint the gospel?

The Planting of the Seed
Jesus used images they understood very well when he spoke to His disciples in John’s Gospel chapter 12:
John 12:23 “But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.’ ”
The Lord knew what would happen to Him.
He told them He would give up His life for them.
He would agree to sacrifice Himself for them.
That He would, as it were, ‘fall into the ground and die alone’ like a seed planted in the ground.
Jesus also knew what would happen to them…and they would have to be ready.
So Jesus warned them about His arrest, crucifixion, death and resurrection. What he told them would eventually help them immeasurably to trust, to follow and to be His witnesses. He did it all for them and for us.

The Planting of the Seed for Us
On the day we call Good Friday, John tells us what Jesus was about to do:
He as the Seed that is prophesied about in Genesis 3 and the One Abraham was promised by God…
This Seed was to be born, suffer and die as the Representative of us all.
Abraham is told in GEN 22:18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…”
And the apostle Paul tells us what this means when he writes to the Galatian Christians.
GAL 3:16 “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.”
‘Like a wheat seed,’ Jesus said, ‘I will fall into the ground dead, but that will not be the end since God’s promises are true and will come about in due course.’
By this Jesus spoke of something He alone could do for us. His death paid for our sin and He paid all we owe to God for salvation. His dying fulfilled His purpose. It was His destiny to die for you and me…and He is our blessed future hope if we trust Him.
We can respond in radical faith.
As a forerunner of His people, or what the Bible calls the ‘firstfruits,’ Jesus made it possible for us to live in eternal life and serve God like He did. This means sacrifice…
Jesus said: JOHN 12:25 “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”
His call to radical discipleship is a hard but necessary part of our Christian calling and faith.
It closely concerns ourselves if we call ourselves Christians. Bishop J.C. Ryle says: “He that would be saved must be ready to give up life itself, if necessary, in order to obtain salvation. He must bury his love of the world with its riches, honours, pleasures and rewards, with a full belief that in doing so, he will reap a better harvest both now and hereafter.” (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, John, Volume II, James Clarke and Co. Ltd; Cambridge and London, 1869, 1969 edition, 377)
So when you look at the cross today and hear the words of Jesus, remember that He has gone before as your Representative and tasted death that you may live eternally. Remember that there is great blessing in it for it was the means by which the Seed was planted that you may live and grow.
HEB 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
It is time to put your whole trust in Him and by His grace follow what He says to you…Amen.