If Any Man Serve Me, Let Him Follow Me (John 12:26)

2024-05-25

The fame of Jesus spreading far beyond Jewish lands, some non-Jews came to His disciple, saying, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” They saw Jesus that day, but whom exactly did they see?

“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified” (John 12:23). How was Jesus glorified? Of course, He now reigns from heaven at the right hand of His Father. But was He translated straight there? No, the path up was down.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). Our Lord and Savior was tortured by scourging, tortured on the cross, insulted of the high elite of His people’s religion, insulted of the thief, insulted of the Gentiles, surrounded by heckling in the spiritual realm, knowing 12 legions of angels were there ready to deliver. He surrendered to the Father’s will, commending His spirit to Him, finishing the atonement of mankind.

He went lower still to Joseph’s tomb and still lower to the lowest parts of the earth. The third day, a risen Savior defeated death, being seen by many, and was received of heaven until an appointed time. By this, how many were saved throughout human history? By this One Corn of Wheat, many were born into heaven into eternal life.

But is He the only corn of wheat to fall into the ground in death? No, rather, the Captain of our salvation says, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (John 12:25). We freely received the heavenly gift, making everything in this life null and void.

He says, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” (John 12:26). How do we follow Him? We follow His commandments and live like He lived. But what is this emphasis here? We follow Him in death. We fall into the ground and die so that we may bear much fruit.

Let it be known that the path of service to the Savior is via the painful death of the cross. But do you read what it says? Of such a man “will my Father honour.”