“Savior Eternally Emancipates Daily!(S.E.E.D)”  

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

April 06, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:24, NIV)

Background:
Jesus' dirty/stinking feet were washed on Saturday when Mary poured a pint of nard, an expensive perfume and wiped his feet with her hair. The next day Jesus rode on a donkey though He was a King and the people praised Him. We know it as PALM SUNDAY or the TRIUMPHAL ENTRY.

^"The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!" Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."(John 12:12-15, NIV)

Now Jesus predicts His death with the declarative statement: "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:24, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what points were made by Jesus?
1. Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground.
2. Unless a kernel of wheat dies, it remains only a single seed.
3. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Interpretations:
Point 1: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground.

I asked myself what does Jesus mean by 'kernel of wheat falls to the ground'?
Jesus was talking about Himself as the KERNEL OF WHEAT.  Now Jesus lets them know in not so subtle terms that HE WILL BE STUCK DOWN as the KERNEL OF WHEAT and is WILLING to FALL TO THE GROUND. Kernel of wheat can also be seen as His body hitting the ground. But Jesus does not stop there as is evidenced by Point 2:

Point 2: Unless a kernel of wheat dies, it remains only a single seed.

I asked myself what Jesus meant by 'unless a kernel of wheat dies, it remains only a single seed.?'
Once again Jesus was talking about Himself. He was preparing the disciples for His death because only in His willingness to die that the 'kernel of wheat' won't remain a single seed. Jesus did not want to just remain a single seed so Jesus decided to act. That act had to do with sacrifice but more than that I believe Jesus was foreshadowing that the Kingdom of God did not and will not just belong to the Jews but to the Gentiles too. This is evidenced by Point 3:

Point 3: But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

I asked myself what Jesus meant by, 'But if it dies, it produces many seeds?Jesus was reminding those listening that He has to die for many seeds to be produced. Those many seeds that are produced goes beyond the Jewish people. It includes the opportunity for Gentiles to come to Him too and be part of His Kingdom. That is exciting to know and is evidenced by what preceded Jesus' declarative statement:

"Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 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 to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:20-24, NIV)

Jesus was telling His disciples that many Gentiles would one day become His followers because of His death but also because people would turn to Him, as His death opened a way for their Salvation. Jesus became the initiator and many seeds would be produced.

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life. I was excited to find out that Jesus' willingness to die for humanity made the way for me to be able to come into His Kingdom as I accepted His death on the cross and what He did for me by turning my life over to Him to follow Him.

"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, NIV)

I ask you now dear friend, will you be the offspring of the seed cultivated?

Dear friend, producing many seeds or offspring is a result of a SINGLE SEED dying. The Single Seed (JESUS CHRIST) became the INITIATOR for the SALVATION OF JEWS AND GENTILES. This means the work began with Jesus Christ. Jesus made the way for me to come to Him. By acting JESUS CHOSE ME and CHOSE HUMANITY TO COME TO HIM.

It says MANY SEEDS and not ALL SEEDS because not all will choose to come to Him. In other words, Jesus also gave man free-will to decide what they want to do with their lives. Jesus gave humanity a choice to remain in (death to sin) or choose ETERNAL LIFE. Otherwise, Jesus does not have to say:

"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, NIV)

Man has a choice to choose but man can only choose Jesus because Jesus chose man first by dying on the cross. Man cannot choose Jesus first because man is TOTALLY DEPRAVED. There is no good in man so Jesus had to act because if Jesus did not act man would remain in bondage to sin. But because Jesus acted by DYING ON THE CROSS, the Spirit of the Lord began His work in a TOTALLY DEPRAVED person like me. Yet, I believe THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD working in me and FREE WILL coexisted. After Jesus provided the Way, I had to make a choice to LIVE FOR HIM or LIVE FOR MYSELF.

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15, NIV)

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."(Luke 4:18-19, NIV)

In other words, a man can be in TOTAL DARKNESS because of sin but THANKS BE TO GOD, the SPIRIT OF THE LORD shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it.

For me that means, a 100% DARKNESS (TOTAL DEPRAVITY in SIN) can be LIT UP EVER SO LIGHTLY (SPIRIT OF THE LORD WORKING), which makes a way for man to come to Jesus.

^"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." (John 1:5, NIV)

The darkness cannot overcome because Jesus had not yet died. Jesus came to die for humanity so the darkness could be overcome.

"In him was life, and that life was the light of men.The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:4-14, NIV)

Yet, God does not take away the FREE WILL of MAN to choose to accept His ELECTION of us. When Jesus went to the CROSS FOR HUMANITY, we have been ELECTED to come into His Kingdom but we have to go through the INAUGURATION to make it official. Not everyone chooses to go through the INAUGURATION because they don't want to ACCEPT JESUS. Yet God desires for sinners to come to Him and not perish so Jesus was sent.

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:14-17, NIV)

Friend, Jesus became the kernel of wheat and died so that many seeds can be produced out of the single seed. Jesus wants you to belong to Him and loves you so much. If you were the only one living, Jesus would have still died for you to make a way for you to receive Eternal Life. That is the heart of the Father.

^"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1, NIV)

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

May you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior becoming His offspring so you can spend Eternity with Him. He is waiting for you. Come as you are. Please do not reject the gift of God.

"Savior Eternally Emancipates Daily!" (S.E.E.D)/"Will you be the offspring of the seed cultivated?"

May you be uplifted knowing Deliverer openly understands bringing total Salvation! Amen!

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for foreshadowing once again about SAVING US when you spoke to the disciples about the KERNEL OF WHEAT. Thanks for dying for our sin so we can have Eternal Life and be saved when we turn to you. The previous day, you allowed Mary to wash your dirty/stinking feet. Anything you do has a reason and you foreshadowed what you would do for us one day on the cross. You washed away all our sins with your precious cleansing blood on the cross. Thank you so much Jesus.  No matter what we have done or where we have been, we can know that you love us and paid the ransom to deliver us from the stench of sin. Thank you Jesus. I accept the antidote you offer and want you to wash me clean with your precious cleansing blood so I can have new life. My sin I give it all to you so you can cover me with your righteousness. Help me Jesus. I don't want to live like I have been living. I don't want my life to smell because of the stinky/dirty sins of my life. I know you offer cleansing and washing so I come to you now and receive it. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sin when you paid the price on the cross for me which I accept now. Please give me new life Jesus. Come into my heart and make my heart your home. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and help me to serve you the rest of the days of my life so I can say, "Lord Jesus, ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, I am ready" as you strengthen me and walk with me and talk to me. I love you Jesus. I accept you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for helping me learn about what Mary did for you and the implications for our own lives. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me giving me new life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!