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Many lessons on how to live

Text: John 12 : 23-36

MANY LESSONS ON HOW TO LIVE

Jesus taught His Disciples many deep lessons on how to live. He had taught them in the best way possible. He exemplified it by His life! Let us recall some of the lessons He taught His disciples on this subject. He began teaching them about how to truly live for God with these words of invitation. He said simply to those He called, “Follow Me” (John 1:43). Let us take time to consider just three vital lessons Jesus taught His Disciples.

1. Living Zealously

Jesus showed His Disciples that they should live with the greatest sense of zeal. When He came to Jerusalem with His Disciples, He cleansed the Temple from the merchants who desecrated the courtyard with their wares. John made a note of this event.

“Then His Disciples remembered that it was written,
‘Zeal for Your House has eaten Me up.'”

John 2:17

2. Doing the Father’s Will with tremendous focus

Another deep and precious lesson Jesus taught His Disciples was consciousness of doing the Father’s will. They had never seen anyone as well-focused as their teacher.

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will
of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.’
Do you not say, ‘There are still four months
And then comes the harvest?
Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look
at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!'”

John 4:34-35
(John 6:38)

3. In Tandem with His Father

The Disciples saw the consistency that marked the life of Jesus. Thus He could say with complete accuracy that He worked in tandem with His Father.

“My Father has been working until now,
and I have been working.”
“Then Jesus answered and said to them,
‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can
do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the
Father do; for whatever He does,
the Son also does in like manner.
For the Father loves the Son, and shows
Him all things that He Himself does; and
He will show Him greater works
than these, that you may marvel.'”

John 5:17, 19-20

IMPORTANT LESSONS ON HOW TO FACE DEATH

It was as important for the Disciples to learn how to face death – how to die! Great principles of truth are contained in this text.

“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.”

John 12:24

Let us try and fathom what Jesus sought to teach His Disciples in this text:-

1. Death was a natural phenomenon of life

This is observable from looking at nature. All living things will die! Death was part of life. Therefore there should not be an inordinate fear of death.

2. Death need not be “meaningless”

Death may seem so very final, but that does not mean that it has to be meaningless. A grain of wheat must be allowed to “die”. But the death of the grain of wheat will result in the production of much grain. Death for the grain of wheat was not without meaning. It yielded much fruit!

3. Jesus’ perspective of His own death

Jesus sought to use this illustration to teach His Disciples about how He saw His own death. He was not afraid to die. His death would not be meaningless. His death would yield great and important fruits! Through His death, many would benefit! Those who believed in Him would be assured of salvation!

THE CHALLENGE TO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS

It was important that the Disciples be challenged to face their own fears. It would not be easy for them to put down their fears of death. Yet, they must! They must not be afraid to follow Jesus fully, even if that means having to die for their faith.

How could anyone achieve that? The words of Jesus in this text are of crucial importance.

“He who loves his life will lose it,
and he who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life.
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 honour.”

John 12:25-26

The mature disciple would have the faith and the understanding of what it means to have “eternal life”. He sees this life on earth as a very transient one. The well instructed disciple is one who would be deeply concerned about following Jesus to the very brink of death. He welcomes the opportunity to prove himself as a worthy disciple!