Dying to Live John 12:24-33 Saving Your Own Life A Troubled Soul The Great Attraction

Saving Your Own Life  The great principle – verse 24  Life comes only from death – John 11:16  Galatians 2:20; 6:14 Dying to Live John 12:24-33

Galatians 2:19-21 (NASB) 19 For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” Galatians 6:14 (NASB) 14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Saving Your Own Life  The great principle – verse 24  Life comes only from death – John 11:16  Galatians 2:20; 6:14  The truth applied – verse 25  Difficult to relate to personally  A great contrast is given in “life”  psuche – life of the mind or will  zoe – combined with eternal means divine life  We must die to self to be alive spiritually Dying to Live John 12:24-33

Saving Your Own Life  A personal invitation – verse 26  “whoever serves me” – anyone (personally)  “must follow me” – How?  In self-denial – obedience in action  In service – obedience to His call – Matt 25:40 Dying to Live John 12:24-33

Matthew 25:40 (NASB) 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.

Saving Your Own Life  A personal invitation – verse 26  “whoever serves me” – anyone (personally)  “must follow me” – How?  In self-denial – obedience in action  In service – obedience to His call – Matt 25:40  In holiness – obedience to His Word  Two incentives – verse 26  Jesus will be with those who follow Him  God will honor the followers of Jesus Dying to Live John 12:24-33

A Troubled Soul  Why is Jesus troubled?  Jesus was looking to taking on our sins in His death  Jesus was going to be separated from fellowship with His Father for the first and only time  Mark 14:33; Luke 12:50 Dying to Live John 12:24-33

Mark 14:33 (NASB) 33 And He *took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. Luke 12:50 (NASB) 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

A Troubled Soul  Why is Jesus troubled?  Jesus was looking to taking on our sins in His death  Jesus was going to be separated from fellowship with His Father for the first and only time  Mark 14:33; Luke 12:50  Jesus’ underlying resolve!  A rhetorical question  Jesus’ chief reason to die is not for us!  He is going to stay the course Dying to Live John 12:24-33

A Troubled Soul  God is glorified in Jesus  God had already been glorified in Jesus – past  God was being glorified in Jesus through the humble years of carpentry to the ministry  God was to be glorified at the soon coming cross  God will be glorified in the second coming  How does this affect us in our troubles?  We need to breathe Jesus’ prayer  “Father, glorify your name” Dying to Live John 12:24-33

The Great Attraction  Who is the “I”?  The historical Jesus  How is this historical Jesus to draw people?  By His crucifixion  What does this historical Jesus promise to do?  Draw people to Himself, not drive them Dying to Live John 12:24-33

The Great Attraction  Who does the historical, crucified Jesus promise to draw?  Everyone – not universalism, but all types  To whom does Jesus promise to draw these people?  To Himself Dying to Live John 12:24-33

Philippians 1:18-21 (NASB) 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Application Have you been drawn to Jesus’ call? Have you responded to that call in faith? Are you constantly praying that God would be glorified in your body? Is your daily cry, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”? Dying to Live John 12:24-33