Death to Live

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. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (John 12:20-28 ESV). There are many paradoxes in the world. This is especially true in the teachings of Christ. Our reading today is one of those vivid illustrations of the paradox of life. In order to live we must die. In 1799 the famous Prussian explorer and scientist Baron Von Humboldt discovered a potent drug called curare. On an expedition into the jungles of Venezuela, he watched an Indian hunter bring down a large animal with a single shot from his bow and arrow. The arrow had been poisoned with curare, a potion with two curious properties, derived from the jungle plants. Curare injected into the bloodstream, as it was when hunting animals, was deadly. It immobilized the body, attacked the vital organs, and caused death almost instantaneously. Humboldt discovered the second property of curare in a more dramatic fashion. He became sick, and a native witch doctor forced Humboldt to drink some curare that had been diluted with water. Terrified that he was going to die, Humboldt was surprised to find that after drinking the curare, he felt significantly better. Curare, when it was diluted and taken orally, he discovered, could have a positive medicinal value without causing any damage to vital organs. The key to curare's impact lies principally in the way it is taken into the human body. Injected into the bloodstream, it's a deadly killer. Ingested orally, it's a soothing muscle relaxant. Faith in Christ is a lot like curare. Its impact depends chiefly on how it is received. Many people choose to take it orally, diluted as much as possible, so that it has few side effects and makes them feel better but that's not the purpose of true faith. Christianity's purpose is to change us into new creations. In order for us to become new creations, we must die to our old selves and be born again, trading in our old lives for new ones. Those who want a "safe" faith that costs them little have a difficult time accepting death and new birth. True Christianity is not safe; it costs you your life. It cost God His only beloved Son, and it will cost you everything to follow Him.