By Kevin Harris, pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church of Dapto, NSW
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
From birth we are so full of ourselves. Pride marks our journey through childhood. We are encouraged to believe in ourselves. Pumped full of self-esteem, we are told to pursue our dreams and ‘Don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way.’
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Life is not found in pursuing happiness.
Life was never designed to be about me.
Death to self is essential for life and fruitfulness.
In today’s verse, the Lord Jesus is teaching that a seed that will not die is isolated. It doesn’t reproduce or bear fruit until it is planted and dies.
Likewise, in order to bear fruit, believers must submit to be buried, planted in death.
We are speaking not of physical death, but of death to self, the crucifixion of the flesh.
The Apostle Paul wrote, ‘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).
Like John the Baptist, we must come to the point where we genuinely say, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ (John 3:30).
Father, like the seed, I am willing to die in order to truly live and be fruitful. Kill my dreams, my will, my affections, my longings. You become my life. Make me to bear fruit for Your glory. I ask in the Lord Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Kevin Harris pastors the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Wollongong, NSW