Some Greeks come seeking Jesus and this appears to trigger a recognition in Jesus of how close he is to the end of his life. Maybe it made him think about the fact that he was about to open up "the gate" to salvation to "other sheep that are not of this sheep pen" (v10:16). Jesus says that He gives up his life for us and that his death will "produce many seeds". And then he says that his followers need to model this action. That we, too, must lose our life to keep it for eternal life. That if we are his servant, then we will be where he is.
I find myself asking, have I lost my life for Jesus? I need help with this. I see the words of a prayer for help in this passage. Lord God, draw me to you; show me how to walk in the light; train me to trust in the light; give me faith to believe your message; reveal yourself to me; open my eyes so that I am not blind; stir my heart so that I can understand; heal me; give me courage to confess my faith; teach me to love your praise more than praise from men; I want to keep your words and not just hear them.
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Amen and Amen. That is my prayer too!
ReplyDeleteAs many times as I've read over these verses today v31 stood out. This is Jesus speaking and he says "Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out." He had been saying for a while that the time had not come but then suddenly the time is NOW. The "ruler of this world" will be cast out. That is not a wishy-washy statement, no it is a fact. "The ruler of this world" has already lost.... his casting out is coming.
v42-43 also jumped out at me to remind me that belief alone is not enough. (James 2:18-24) also touches on faith without works(action). v43 states that "they love the approval of man rather than the approval of God". It is truly a desire of their hearts, this approval of man. When one thinks logically about that it is challenging because mans approval is SO fickle, changing daily (alas even hourly). But God's approval, like God himself is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17).