Drawing
All Men
John 12:20 “And there were certain Greeks
among them that came up to worship at the feast:
21 The same came therefore to
Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and
desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22 Philip cometh and telleth
Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
23 And Jesus answered them, saying,
The hour is come, that the Son of man should be
glorified.
24 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.
25 He
that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that
hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto
life eternal.
26 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.
27 Now is
my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save
me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto
this hour.
28 Father, glorify
thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven,
saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify
it again.
29 The people
therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it
thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This
voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
31 Now is the judgment of this
world: now shall the prince of this world be cast
out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up
from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what
death he should die.”
1. Something About Philip
2. The Corn
Of Wheat
3. For This Cause
4. Signifying What
Death
1. Something About Philip
Verses twenty-twenty-two: “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.”
There is something about Philip, that somehow told these Greeks that he was the right person to go to, in order, to get help. They sensed [from the gut] that he was the one who will lead them to Jesus. Amen!
Does not that speak well of Philip?
Now, you and I, as Christians ought to be that type of person that Philip was. I mean, we ought to be such [in our person] that others will see something in us that draws their attention to us, and tells them intuitively that we have something, that can help them see Jesus Christ [through faith]!
If we are a true believer in Jesus Christ [a TRUE Christian] there will be an unmistakable odor about us, or a certain kind of smell, that the lost of this world will sense that we are different that we know CHRIST [in a personal way]. This smell or odor will either draw or repel depending who smells this odor.
Somebody who seeking Jesus Christ will be drawn to us instinctively knowing this will help them in coming to the knowledge of Jeusus Christ.
The Spirit of God in Second Corinthians chapter two, verse fourteen through sixteen explains this truth in this way. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” [2 Corinthains 2:14-16]
Even though, there was something about Philip that told these Greeks that he could help them, Philip did not follow all the way through for them to Jesus. Please, notice something here, Philip took them to Andrew, and it was Andrew who actually got the job done.
“Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.”
What I want you to see, here, is that even though Philip had the proper odor to attract these Greeks, it was Andrew who actually finished the job, so to speak, by getting these Greeks to SEE Jesus.
Now, here, is the reason for his success. Are you ready to see this?
In First Peter chapter three, verse fifteen, is where the KEY is located that commands to us all, as believers in Jesus Christ, that will insure that this “savour of life unto life” is understood by all those … who are around us … who need our HELP.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
This READINESS in our heart will enable us to articulate [verbally] in such a way the reason for the hope that is in us [when the opportunities arise].
If this is done by us [by our witness and by our testimony], it will reveal the invisible work of GOD [SALVATION] that is inside of you to the LOST souls who are for seeking Jesus Christ. Are you ready to answer for this HOPE that is within you to all those around you?
2. The Corn Of Wheat
Verse twenty-four and twenty-five: “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. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
This is something that flies in the face of all logic within man’s very nature. Man’s desire to live [and to survive] can not be reconciled with the logic [of that of the Spirit of GOD] shown in these two verses.
The LORD says here “point blank,” if the corn of wheat is willing to die [death], it will bring forth fruit [life]. In other words, if you are willing to die [or lose your life] then you will by dying have life [keep your life].
God’s logic [HIS THOUGHTS] is not our logic [OUR THOUGHTS]. [Romans 11:33] “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Amen!
Turn to Galatians chapter two, verse twenty, and see more of God’s ways, which can not be understand by lost people.
It is not possible for them!!!
It will boggle their mind [the natural man – or the unsaved person] to try.
Here is our verse: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” [Galatians 2:20]
There it is! This seeming paradox is this: to die to self, means LIFE!
Paul said, I am crucified [or died] with Christ but Christ lives in me now, therefore; Paul says because HE is in me, I am alive!
3. For This Cause
Verse twenty-seven: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.”
Over and over again, the Scripture shows what this “cause” is. It is this!!!
Are you ready? Jesus Christ came to this earth to die for our sins [your sins, my sins].
Turn to Titus chapter two, verse fourteen, and see this: “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” [Titus 2:14]
Now go to First John, chapter two, verse two: According to First John chapter two, verse two: “he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” [1 John 2:2]
4. Signifying What Death
Verse thirty-two and thirty-three: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.”
Just as the serpent in the wilderness was lifted up on a pole for all [those Israelites] to LOOK AND LIVE, Jesus Christ was to be lifted up on a pole [the cross of Calvary] so all that who will look upon HIM will LIVE.
Do you remember the story of what happened in the wilderness?
Turn to Numbers chapter twenty-one, and let us read there starting with verse eight: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” [Numbers 21:8-9]
This event in the wildness happened fifteen hundred years before Jesus Christ would come to this earth … in the similitude, and for the very same purpose as the fiery serpent on a pole was in Moses’ day. [These two events are connected.]
Jesus Christ being lifted up from the earth on the CROSS of CALVARY has had the same effect.
This effect [which has lasted for the last two thousand years] is to DRAW all men to the one, and true salvation for all mankind.
In the book of Acts we see that: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” [Acts 4:12]
Amen! Amen! Amen!