The True Call of Being His Disciple: Pt. 2 John 12:20-26- Pastor C.A. Rogers

John 12 brings the Lord back to Jerusalem with crowds everywhere, and the Lord makes clear that excitement around Jesus is not the same as being a true disciple. The crowds wanted Lazarus, miracles, food, a king, and all kinds of blessings, but the Lord keeps drawing the line between tares and wheat. The Greeks come saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus,” and the Lord answers by talking about his death, because nobody can come to Jesus right without understanding why he came.

The Lord says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” The cross is not a mortal man’s funeral where death has the last word. The Son of Man dies, but his death is glory, because he rises on the third day and proves that death cannot hold him. The death of Christ is the beginning of his kingdom glory and the redemption of all who believe.

The grain of wheat shows why Jesus had to die. If the grain stays in the hand, it remains alone. If it falls into the ground and dies, it brings forth a harvest. Apart from the cross, there is no spiritual harvest, no forgiveness, no joy, no heaven, no hope. The true disciple understands that Jesus had to shed his blood, and that understanding makes a sinner come differently, not casual, not proud, but broken, pleading for mercy.

The Lord then gives the cost of discipleship: “He who loves his life will lose it.” That life is not bike riding, gardening, hiking, or enjoying a cruise. That life is the sinful life, the drinking, drugging, lying, lust, pornography, fornication, pride, and wickedness that fallen man loves. The one who loves darkness rather than light proves that the life of Christ is not really desired. The Lord says that kind of life will be lost, both in eternal judgment and in the destruction sin brings even now.

The true disciple hates his life in this world. The tax collector beating his breast, the immoral woman weeping at Jesus’ feet, Zacchaeus giving back what he stole, and the criminal on the cross all show what that hatred looks like. It is not self-righteousness. It is sorrow over sin, a desire to be saved from it, and a turning to Jesus.

The Lord finally says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me.” The true disciple makes Christ the center, obeys his word, walks behind him, suffers with him, and wants to be where he is. The Father will honor the servant who gives Jesus the whole life, because the gospel demands the soul.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus had to die The grain of wheat remains alone unless it falls into the ground and dies. The cross is not one religious detail among many, but the necessary place where forgiveness, deliverance, and salvation are brought forth. The true disciple does not treat Jesus as useful, but as the only Redeemer whose death was absolutely necessary. [15:55]
• 2. Sinful life cannot stay loved The Lord does not allow a person to keep cherishing darkness while claiming life in him. The sinful life becomes exposed for what it is: a life rejecting God, feeding the flesh, and calling rebellion joy. The true call of Christ confronts the deep affection sinners have for their own way. [21:53]
• 3. True repentance hates the darkness The hatred of life in this world is not theatrical emotion or religious performance. The tax collector, the immoral woman, Zacchaeus, and the criminal on the cross all show a soul that sees sin as plague, guilt, and shame before God. That kind of sorrow turns toward mercy instead of defending the old life. [29:10]
• 4. Following Christ means losing self The Lord’s command is not simply to admire him, but to follow him. Following means going behind Jesus in obedience, purity, rejection, suffering, and even death if that is where the cross leads. The false disciple falls away when persecution comes, but the true disciple keeps walking after Christ. [37:29]
• 5. The Father honors Christ’s servants The Lord promises that the Father himself will honor the one who serves the Son. The world may reject the servant who sacrifices everything for Jesus, but heaven does not miss that life. The honor of the Father belongs to those whose devotion, interest, and focus are truly centered on Christ. [45:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:24] - Tent Revival and Confusion
• [03:07] - Living Among Tares and Wheat
• [04:24] - Crowds Seeking Jesus for the Wrong Reasons
• [06:43] - Jesus Returns to Jerusalem
• [08:18] - Greeks Desire to See Jesus
• [10:55] - The Outcome of Christ’s Death
• [13:58] - The Necessity of the Grain’s Death
• [19:16] - The Cost of Discipleship
• [24:17] - Loving Darkness and Losing Life
• [29:10] - Hating Sin and Turning to Mercy
• [35:50] - Serving and Following Christ
• [42:26] - Being Where Christ Is
• [46:40] - Jesus Demands the Whole Life

Bible Reading

John 12:20-26
“Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 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.’” [00:02]

John 3:19
“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” [24:48]

Luke 18:10-14
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” [30:01]

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” [23:47]

Observation questions

1. In John 12:20-26, what does Jesus begin talking about when the Greeks say, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus,” and what images or commands does he use in his answer? [10:55]
2. According to John 12:24, what happens if a grain of wheat remains alone, and what happens if it falls into the earth and dies? [14:14]
3. In John 12:25-26, what four things does Jesus say about loving life, hating life in this world, serving him, and following him?
4. In Luke 18:10-14, what visible differences are there between the Pharisee and the tax collector in the way they approach God? [30:01]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Why does he speak of glory when he is speaking about his death? What does that show about who he is and what his death would accomplish? [11:21]
2. Jesus says the grain of wheat must die to bear much fruit. Why is that a fitting picture for the cross? What would be missing for sinners if Christ had not died? [15:55]
3. Jesus says, “Whoever loves his life loses it.” How should “life” be understood here? Why is this not mainly about innocent enjoyments, but about clinging to a sinful way of life? [21:53]
4. Jesus says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me.” What does it mean to serve Christ in a way that makes him the center rather than self? How would that show up in a person’s direction, choices, and willingness to suffer? [37:29]

Application questions

1. Many people want Jesus for help, comfort, blessings, or answers, while still staying in control of their own life. When there is a desire to seek Christ, what signs show that the heart is coming for mercy and forgiveness rather than just wanting something from him? [19:16]
2. Jesus had to die, and apart from his cross there is no forgiveness, no hope, and no spiritual harvest. Has the necessity of Christ’s death become precious and personal, or has it become familiar and easy to take for granted? What helps keep the cross central in daily life? [15:55]
3. Jesus says that loving darkness leads to losing life. What sinful patterns are most easily excused, hidden, or protected in life right now? What does it look like to stop defending them and bring them honestly into the light? [24:48]
4. Hating life in this world is not self-hatred for its own sake, but grief over sin and a turning toward mercy. Is there more of the Pharisee or more of the tax collector in the way the heart usually comes before God? What would humble repentance look like this week? [30:01]
5. The true disciple does not make peace with sin but wants to be saved from it. Where is there still a temptation to say, in effect, “Jesus can stay, but this sin can stay too”? How can that double-mindedness be confronted honestly? [27:32]
6. Following Christ means going behind him in obedience, purity, rejection, and even suffering if necessary. In what area is following Jesus likely to cost something real right now—reputation, relationships, comfort, habits, or plans? [39:02]
7. Jesus says, “Where I am, there will my servant be also,” and the Father honors those who serve the Son. What would it look like in a practical way to be found where Christ is—near his word, his people, his worship, and his work—more faithfully than before? [45:27]