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| Shed Your Shell June 06, 2010
John 12:23 - 27 Killen 23And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, 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. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26If 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. 27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour I believe all true believers want to get to the greater end of ministry. (THE HARVEST) * Where there is plenty! New life! * Where everyone is being affected in one way or another by what God is doing in their midst. Everyone is being blessed! * Where there is joy and spiritual prosperity! * Where you can SEE what God brings forth as the results of all your labor! True kingdom living! But to get to this greater end of the harvest and experience this kingdom living, (for us to end up where God wants us to be), it has to be done God’s way. (vrs 27). What hinders us? * We don’t follow the perfect purpose for our lives. (vrs 27) For this purpose I was born. * We abide alone because we don’t want to go through the process of giving our all. (vrs 24) (we don’t change) * We don’t grow beyond our comfort zones. (vrs 27) I’m not doing this! Result: > A certain distinct feeling of being “alone” ----- deeper loneliness (Vrs 24) > A selfish life that is more interested in serving self than pleasing God and helping others --- gets angry when it doesn’t get it’s way > A continual searching throughout life to find that missing part ( we can’t explain what it is) > An awareness or feeling that we are not who we are suppose to be > No matter how great the accomplishments in life, there is still something we have left undone (vrs 26) > A wondering around in our life looking for “things to make us happy” What does this teach us? We must die! What does this mean? I. NEVER STOP GROWING! (vrs 24) Even when growing and change gets challenging and you feel like you are being asked to give up things you don’t want to give up! * This is tough! (vrs 27) Jesus was troubled. It’s not easy to let God change you in the areas you need to change. We don’t ask God; we just don’t do it! (results: no harvest and abide alone, no fruit) The clearing of the field, the plowing and disking and planting. It all looks sooooo good! Just keep it that way? It’s all important to that point, but if we stop then it becomes tragic! II. BE WILLING TO SHED YOUR SHELL (vrs 27) Shed your shell! The shell has to die and fall off to let the life within grow. We have become great shell preservers! According to statistics the Methodist Church is drying up, because we have no harvest. * Is it not in part because we have become more interested in preserving the shell of our traditions and past that we have failed to move on to the harvest of plenty? * We are a church full of the seeds of potential and greatness for the glory of God. We just never shed our shell! Therefore we abide alone within ourselves. III. FALL TO THE GROUND! (vrs 24) Give God the chance to use ALL of you! Give Him your heart,your wants – desires – the way you want things done in your life. (vrs 26) Serve Him (not self) (vrs 26) Follow Him BE WHERE CHRIST IS! In attitude, love, joy and care for others. |