11 April – Death Precedes Life
Audio
Prepare
Welcome to Friday, 11th of April. We are about to enter Holy Week.
Our minds are easily distracted and we find it difficult to be still. Take a few moments of quietness. Yes there are many things to be done. On-going issues to think about. But will you dedicate this time to listen to the Lord and talk with Him?
We pray this collect:
O Almighty God, who pours out on all who desire it
the spirit of grace and of supplication:
Deliver us, when we draw near to You,
from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind,
that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections
we may worship You in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Psalm 126
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Scripture Reading
The Scripture appointed for today is John 12:20-36. Here, we read verses 20 to 26.
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Reflection
Up till now, in many of Jesus’ teachings and parables, seeds have been used to illustrate growth. Here, He used it to refer to death.
He spoke of it in an unusual way. Death must precede life.
Death before life? This is contrarian to human experience. Death ends life, not the other way round.
Yet, this was the heart of His response when his disciples told Him that some Greeks wanted to meet Him. “They will see Me: on the cross.”
Just as a seed needs to “die” to allow a new fruitful plant to emerge, his death was essential. It was necessary for the salvation of the world. We will witness this seed falling onto the earth and die on Good Friday, only for a “new plant” to emerge on Easter Sunday.
As always, this was also an “intentional discipleship” moment for his disciples. He said that likewise, we must serve and follow Him. In so doing, we will be with Christ in eternity and His Father will honor us. The hyperbolic terms of “love-hate” were used to describe the right attitude we need to have for this life. The statement is not to be taken literally. Jesus is not teaching self-hatred. He is emphatically saying that a life lived for God’s glory—not ours—will lead to fruitfulness.
Like a seed that dies, if we learn to die to ourselves and follow Christ, we will bear much fruit.
Are there areas in your life which is keeping you from following Christ?
Do you wish to live a fruitful and God-glorifying life?
Pray for God’s grace to help you to do so.
Prayer
We end with song written and sung by Earnest and Ming Li. You can visit this link for the background of this beautiful song.
Every song I can sing
Every gift I can bring
They count for nothing if I don’t lay me down.
LAY DOWN
Every song I can sing
Every gift I can bring
They count for nothing if I don’t lay me down
Lay down, lay down
My life I lay down
Lay down, my life I lay down
Every charity known
Every piety shown
I offer nothing if I don’t lay me down
Lay down, lay down
My life I lay down
Lay down, my life I lay down
Let the beauty of worship
And resonant praise
Be unto Jesus for whom I lay down
Daily Devotion 
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