In the Ground

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” --John 12: 23-24

About 2000 years ago Jesus Christ explained why he needed to die. He needed to die to produce more life or more “seeds.” Think about that verse. If Jesus was the seed put in the ground that produces more seeds, what is the fruit of that? We are. We are the “many seeds” that are produced from Christ’s death. Now if we are the seeds, that means we have a job to do. We are also to die, as Christ did, to bring glory to God. If I will die to myself as Christ did, God can use me to produce more fruit and bring more people into the fold. Jesus explains that in the 2 verses that followed the verses from above.

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me, must follow me, and where I am, my servant also will be. My father will honor the one who serves me.” --John 12: 25-26

As we finish Good Friday and move towards Easter, let us ask ourselves this. Who am I following? Am I following myself or am I following Jesus? Is God going to be able to use me or am I unwilling to let go of the things of this world?