why hello
much to say. Its getting cold here. brr. I need to purchase some sheep skin. getting out of my bunk bed is tough in the morning as our rooms are barely heated. Capernwray is very cost efficient with heat and milk portions. With much to say you wouldnt think that I would talk about the weather! oh my- im shivering as I write this and just sneezed all over my computer monitor. yuck. I dropped my lap top on cement and the screen broke so now I have this giant monitor that I found in the attic. By no means is it cold enough to have to plug in the old car but we have to let it run a while these days. Good thing it has a choke. On two week break me and Naomi were on the beach and I found a rotton fish. I thought it would be funny to put it on the windshield behind the wipers. Not funny nor intelligent. SOmetimes i forget to use a thought process and I do anything for a good laugh. When we put the vents on to defrost, we got the aroma of fish. It got worse and worse. haha. but we sure did laugh. I wish you could all meet this girl. She is such a peach and we have so much fun. She keeps me young. She is one of the younger ones here and I one of the older ones but youd never know. I am not looking forward to turning 23 out here in June! I feel silly being that old and I think I will run out of the room if people sing happy birthday. I dont think they will though as I will not being telling anyone. Hard to imagine that in six weeks I will be saying goodbye to all these people. For those of you who dont know... I will be homeless for about a week in new zealand after schools out and then go to Australia for a missions trip. But its not the ritzy australia. its the outback or the dessert of austrailia where many Aborigionals live and have not had the Gospel brought to them. The team will be sleeping under the stars, no tents, often no running water or electricity. Just us, the aborigionals and hopefully God working through us. I have been praying alot about the decision to go and its been a tough one. I do nto want the concept of how I FEEL determine my ministery. So often I try to live my life according to what I want and according to my desires. But if Christ truly dwells in me then I should be able to see him in EVERY area of my life and do everything to glorify his name. today we learnt in lecture that "A strong indication of christian maturity is the relaxed willingness to trust in the lord, to peacfully wait, and be good natured in the process." whew. sorry this is getting a bit heavy, its just whats been on my heart. God will provide answers. I just need to wait. I have been mediating on 1 Thessalonians 4:11... Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own buisness and to work with your hands... I need to learn to just be still and know that He is God. Capernwray has also now offered me an internship to work here alongside the staff for a year... just another thing to think about but it does not look like that is what I will be choosing. life brings soo many choices my mind sometimes aches.
hmmm... what else is new. On Tuesday (monday for you) I will be doing a 10 min speech on the topic of my choice. I chose to talk about Pain and Suffering and relate it to snowboarding all the while making it Christ centered. complicated. I made a cardboard snowboard which i will strap to my feet and stand on a chair. I will teach a little land snowboarding 101 and then talk about ways to fall on a snowboard. All snowboarders must endure some pain before getting good at the sport. Sometimes God uses pain and suffering to bring us closer to him. Suffering is not by itself good. What is good is the sufferer’s submission to God’s will. I think I have learnt a bit about this in the last year. Very cool stuff. I hope I do not fall off the chair. I think I will wear mittens and a helmet too. for effect of course. anyway, i best go here its 230 a.m for me and Im chopping firewood tomorrow at 830. I do like to busyness, something I need to be concious of and make sure there is balance. Im like my own pysciatrist.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
I am back to dry eyes with no tears. Sometimes a good cry is just necessary! Unfortunately my health took a small toll and I had some blood tests done. Nothing too serious just very low iron levels which was causing fatigue. Fatigue kills. The other day after lecture I collapsed into bed. SO tired. My little asian friend, won whos still learning English came in to say she would love a ride to the bank. I told her I needed to rest for 20 min. Of course with the language barrier she came back in about 5 and said, “ok Im ready to go.” Haha so I told her to crawl into my bed and just let me rest my lids for a few moments. She crawls in and in honestly 15 seconds says, “how about now?” I pulled myself out of bed but apparently my speech seemed a little slurred ( I don’t believe it was that bad, but I wont argue) so I got a ride into town where I re-amped with some iron pills. Im a bit of a pill popper so I wanted to take a few extra the first day…but then a friend compensated them. At first I thought I could beat this low iron thing by eating more red meat but I would probably of had to kill a cow to get the levels normal. Other then that, and a bicycle accident a while back I have been healthy. Never try to take a phone out of your jean pocket while biking free hand in a construction zone. A few teenagers saw my wipe out and laughed as I tried to compose myself. I thought I would never have to see them, but nope, they attend the youth group I volunteer at on Wednesdays. Despite the awkwardness of seeing those kids, that I have really fallen in love with this youth group. There is a huge need for young people to get involved in churches and be a mentor to teens. I have the privilege of meeting with 6 girls after youth group to pray together and have a short devo. Did you know If every believer chose one person to mentor, disciple to and lead to Christ each year did you know that the worlds population could be Christ followers in 24 years. Each person that was disciple would have to disciple someone else and so on and so on. ONE person a year! That surely is not impossible but rather a challenge to us all.
Im learning that I cannot grow spiritually without prayer. 1 Thesssalonians 5:12 says, “Be joyful always, praying continually without ceasing.” I do not think that this means that we have to be on our knees in prayer all day but rather have God working through us and be completely aware of his presence.
Im learning that I cannot grow spiritually without prayer. 1 Thesssalonians 5:12 says, “Be joyful always, praying continually without ceasing.” I do not think that this means that we have to be on our knees in prayer all day but rather have God working through us and be completely aware of his presence.
The definition of prayer is actually ``a conversation with God. Gods voice is like the voice of conscience. Only richer and more positive. The bible says that the voice of God informs, instructs, encourages and guides. Too often I am guilty of separating my spiritual life from other areas of my life. If my life was like a TV dinner I would have the potatoes which would be like my family and friends, the meat which could be career and studies and then veggies which is my spiritual life. Its all separate! But should it be. Shouldn’t it be more like a casserole… with my faith being mixed into all areas of my life. Ive got a lot more learning to do. Maybe I should just spend the rest of this semester at the poolside. I wish I could learn at a faster rate sometimes. Its slow going. Well Im sorry I haven’t told you more about the activites of my life. Pretty much I am in lecture every day till one. Study till four. Have tea (which means supper) then have some evenings off. Weekends are free to travel. Yup, if you have questions or even just wanna let me know ur reading this just shoot me an email. My address here is oliviaschinkel at capernwray.org.nz (the at is the symbol, just doesn’t work on my comp). below is one of the assignments ive done. It’s a bible study that I presented. Take a little tour of it if you so desire.
“Dying to Self” –Bible Study II
John 12:20-27
Olivia Schinkel
For Johnson and Hargrave
John 12: 20-27
(20)Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. (21) They came to Philip, who was from Bethesda with a request, “sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”(22) Phillip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (23) Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.” …. (27) Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
INTRODUCTION
At a Soldiers' Cemetery in Nashville a stranger was once seen planting a flower upon a grave. When asked if some relative was buried there, he replied: "No; when the war broke out, I was too poor to enlist, as I had a wife and seven children to support. I was drafted, but had no money to hire a substitute, and made up my mind to go. After I was all ready to start, a young man came to me." "You have a large family," he said, "which your wife cannot take care of. I will go for you." "He did go in my place, and at battle he was wounded and taken to Nashville, where he died. Ever since I have wished to come and see his grave. So I have saved up all the spare money I could, and came and found my friend's grave." He then took the headboard and fixed it into the ground at the head of the grave. It bore the soldier's name, and underneath were the words, "He died for me."
This soldier died so someone else could live. Does this sound familiar? In John 12:23 Jesus uses the metaphor of a kernel of wheat to paint a picture of the purpose of his death. A kernel of wheat will not produce seeds unless it dies first. We would not have salvation had Christ not died for us.
BACKGROUND
Author: Apostle John
Date: AD 85. Some scholars have suggested an earlier dates possibly as early as AD 50
Purpose: The writer himself states that the main purpose is so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (20:31) His primary intention was evangelistic. (NIV study Bible, pg 1512)
* John is different from the other Gospels in that John assumes that readers know the basic facts about Jesus. Instead of facts he mulls over the profound meaning of what Jesus had said and done. I love the first chapter where John highlights Christ’s nature. There are no Christmas scenes or telling of Christ’s birth or youth. He is introduced as the Son of God and John humbly and beautifully points to Jesus as, “the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
TEACHING POINT 1: “We want to See Jesus!”
WORD STUDY: “See”- Ra’ah (7200) “to see, observe, perceive, get acquainted with, gain understanding, examine, look after, choose, discover. Basically ra-ah connotes seeing with ones eyes. The second primary meaning is “to perceive” or to be consciously aware of.
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethesda with a request, “sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Phillip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”
EXPLANATION
This passage takes place six days before Jesus was going to die. How would you feel if you knew for sure you were going to die six days from now? If you knew you were going to die this week Wednesday, from a heart attack or cancer would you not be preoccupied by it? Distracted by it?. That is what this passage is about. Jesus is thinking; he is contemplating about what lies ahead of him when suddenly he is interrupted by Andrew who tells him that two Greek men want to see him. Instead of answering them directly, he answered with, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”
CREATIVE IDEA:
One person will be asked to close their eyes (probably Ruth). They will be told that something will happen to them that will probably make them startled. The person will likely become preoccupied with the thought of being startled. With eyes closed I will drop a heavy book on a table in front of her which will hopefully make her jump.
Even though Christ knew he was going to be crucified he still feared it. Verse 27 says: “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father to glorify your name.”
APPLICATION
Lets also put ourselves in the shoes of the two greek men. We are standing among people who say that Jesus, who is near by, is the messiah of Isreal. We hear and our bodies ache with longing, a possibility too good to be true. We’re hungry, we’re thirsty. We long for the bread of life that truly satisfies. To see him. To see his face. So there we are, with the Greeks and we get up enough courage, the faith to plea to see Jesus. These Greeks were begging to see Jesus. In the Greek language begging means to to ask continually, not just a one time action. Have you heard such a cry from anyone around you? There are people everywhere who want to see Jesus just as these Greeks did. They are in Cambridge and in every city and town in the world. They are in our neighbourhoods, our offices, our schools, and our homes.
DISCUSSION QUESTION/EXPLANATION OF PASSAGE Why do people want to see Jesus? (not necessarily in the literal sense)
Because they know that Jesus alone can help them. Money cannot help them. Designer jeans cannot help them. The newest technology cannot help them. Only Jesus can save them. There are Greeks in our time crying out, "We would like to meet with Jesus, the friend of sinners." They are crying to us. We are the Philips and Andrews of this world--everyday Christians, Disciples of Christ. God has given us a profound mission: As the light of the world, we have an obligation to bring these Gentiles to their Savior. John does not tell us whether Jesus met personally with these Greeks or even spoke directly to them. But the truth is, in this passage Jesus Christ addresses their very need.
QUESTION:
1. Imagine what it would be like to actually see Jesus. What would your first response be? Do you think we would live our lives differently after?
TEACHING POINT 2 Humans: Selfish. Christ: Selfless
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”
WORD STUDY: “Glorified” –kauchaomai (2744) “signifies “to boast against, exult over.” Or “rejoiceth”
APPLICATION/EXPLANATIONI was inspired when I heard David Susuki, a Canadian environmentalist speak on how unnecessary our overconsumption of meat is. To help us think about all the meat we there was a suggestion that we thank God for animals that died so that we are fed. I thought about this for a while but it seems like it would not be a popular prayer before a meal. How would you feel if I prayed for the cows that died in order that we can have hamburgers? Or the chickens that died so we can have chicken nuggets? Or whatever had to die to make hotdogs? It feels weird to realize that the food we eat had to die in order for it to enable us to live. But this isn’t just meat, ALL food has to die first. The grain is plucked from the ground, dies, is crushed, mixed and baked to make bread. The fresh fruit and vegetables we eat were all yanked off their life support and are in the process of death when we eat them. But truthfully we don’t spend too much time thinking about it. You may think about it at lunch today but by dinner it will have passed. That is because we are self-absorbed creatures. We think so much of ourselves that we hardly make room for anything else. Our culture is only attributing to this. Our modern technology tells me I am important. I am so important I need to have a personal phone that someone else calls to get a hold of me. No longer will you call a house and may get someone else, instead you call MY cell phone and I pick up or you can leave a message on MY voicemail. The social networks on the internet are even worse. We become obsessed with facebook and blogs. I’ll confess I am addicted to many of these things. I have done a blog before. I’m on Facebook. These things stroke the ego and build self esteem. That is why the words of Christ sting me when he says, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Those who love their life will lose it…” A kernal of wheat has a hard, glossy husk, within which its life is contained. But if it falls into the ground then its husk softens and rots and breaks open. From inside the seed the power of its life begins to push outwards. Roots go down into the soil. A shoot comes up into the light where it grows stronger and taller and produces a single ear of corn. By harvest time there will be forty seeds where before there was only one. Next year if those forty seeds all fall on good soil they will produce sixteen hundred seeds. In the third year sixty-four thousand. In the fourth year over two and a half million. But only if that first seed falls to the ground and dies. So it is that Jesus offers bread to the whole world. He offers himself, his life, to come alive in hundreds, then thousands, then millions of others. But first he must die. And if we his followers wish to pass on his life then we too must learn the pattern of life. We will bear fruit only when we die to self. Romans 6:4 says, “we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. “
ILLUSTRATION
This concept is similar to that of salmon spawning. Each year salmon, every so slowly lumber along the bottom of the lake exhausted from swimming up the river. They travel literally hundreds of miles to a specific swimming hole to spawn. A salmons instinct is to be back to the place of its birth to die. So after the long laberous journey of being driven over rocks and dams and waterfalls they finally, dig a hole, lay their eggs and die. And out of those eggs comes new life. For it is only through dying that there is new life among the salmon.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
How can we die to ourselves? Write down on the piece of paper what you would like to give up to God.
TEACHING POINT 3: The purpose of the Cross
Verse 27 says, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father to glorify your name.”
WORD STUDY: “Troubled” Tarasso (5015) – troubled metaphorically, (a) of the soul and spirit of the Lord
EXPLANATION/APPLICATIONIn this verse Jesus is confessing that he does not really want to go through with the pain and suffering of crucifixion but in a model of selflessness, still pledges to go through with the plan. The scripture tells us that his heart was troubled. It was agony for Jesus to do the will of his Father. It was agony for Jesus to bring glory to his Father. It was agony for Jesus to draw all men to himself. But there was no other way. ”Martin Luther king once said, "No one ever feared death as much as this man." Just as Christ, Christians are not protected from pain. We have no insurance policy against agony. Sorrow can burn up a great deal of shallowness or it can lead to bitterness. It all depends on our perspective, it all depends on our motive. Jesus was not saved from the hour. He was saved for it. And so are we. We should not ask to be saved from agony, but that we glorify God through it.
ILLUSTRATIONOne of my favourite books in the Old Testament is Esther, the scene where Esther's life is at stake. She must plead for the life of her people before her husband the king. But for anyone including her to enter his presence unannounced could mean instant execution. Just as she was wavering, Mordecia reminds her,"If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
Just as Ester was making a choice to change the lives of the Jews, Jesus was making a decision that changed the course of history for the entire universe. Jesus entry into Jerusalem was not in anticipation of being crowned, but crucified. It was the example of supreme courage, knowing He was going, willingly, voluntarily, sacrificially to his death on our behalf. John 12:32 says, But I, when lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself.” The phrase "lifted up" means two things. It means to be crucified, but it also carries with it the idea of glorification. The Son of God was glorified by being crucified. What was the passion of Jesus? You are the passion of Jesus. Even if you were the only person in the whole world he would still have died for you.
SUPPORTING VERSE
"In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
QUESTION:
What can we do more willingly for Christ?
CONCLUSION
This bible study has looked at the importance of seeing Christ and through “seeing’ him surrendering what we can of our sinful natures. We will never be able to completely die to ourselves because it is impossible to even be close to Christlike. Even though we are only sliver of his mighty and perfect image we can set our goals high and rely on his strength to help us. Psalm 44 says, “Create in my a clean heart O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”
DYING TO SELF
When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take in all in patient, loving silence.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you stand face-to- face with extravagance, spiritual insensibility-and endure it as Jesus endured.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any interruption by the will of God.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, when you can truly love to be unknown.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you can receive correction from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
“Dying to Self” –Bible Study II
John 12:20-27
Olivia Schinkel
For Johnson and Hargrave
John 12: 20-27
(20)Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. (21) They came to Philip, who was from Bethesda with a request, “sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”(22) Phillip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (23) Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.” …. (27) Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
INTRODUCTION
At a Soldiers' Cemetery in Nashville a stranger was once seen planting a flower upon a grave. When asked if some relative was buried there, he replied: "No; when the war broke out, I was too poor to enlist, as I had a wife and seven children to support. I was drafted, but had no money to hire a substitute, and made up my mind to go. After I was all ready to start, a young man came to me." "You have a large family," he said, "which your wife cannot take care of. I will go for you." "He did go in my place, and at battle he was wounded and taken to Nashville, where he died. Ever since I have wished to come and see his grave. So I have saved up all the spare money I could, and came and found my friend's grave." He then took the headboard and fixed it into the ground at the head of the grave. It bore the soldier's name, and underneath were the words, "He died for me."
This soldier died so someone else could live. Does this sound familiar? In John 12:23 Jesus uses the metaphor of a kernel of wheat to paint a picture of the purpose of his death. A kernel of wheat will not produce seeds unless it dies first. We would not have salvation had Christ not died for us.
BACKGROUND
Author: Apostle John
Date: AD 85. Some scholars have suggested an earlier dates possibly as early as AD 50
Purpose: The writer himself states that the main purpose is so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (20:31) His primary intention was evangelistic. (NIV study Bible, pg 1512)
* John is different from the other Gospels in that John assumes that readers know the basic facts about Jesus. Instead of facts he mulls over the profound meaning of what Jesus had said and done. I love the first chapter where John highlights Christ’s nature. There are no Christmas scenes or telling of Christ’s birth or youth. He is introduced as the Son of God and John humbly and beautifully points to Jesus as, “the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
TEACHING POINT 1: “We want to See Jesus!”
WORD STUDY: “See”- Ra’ah (7200) “to see, observe, perceive, get acquainted with, gain understanding, examine, look after, choose, discover. Basically ra-ah connotes seeing with ones eyes. The second primary meaning is “to perceive” or to be consciously aware of.
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethesda with a request, “sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Phillip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”
EXPLANATION
This passage takes place six days before Jesus was going to die. How would you feel if you knew for sure you were going to die six days from now? If you knew you were going to die this week Wednesday, from a heart attack or cancer would you not be preoccupied by it? Distracted by it?. That is what this passage is about. Jesus is thinking; he is contemplating about what lies ahead of him when suddenly he is interrupted by Andrew who tells him that two Greek men want to see him. Instead of answering them directly, he answered with, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”
CREATIVE IDEA:
One person will be asked to close their eyes (probably Ruth). They will be told that something will happen to them that will probably make them startled. The person will likely become preoccupied with the thought of being startled. With eyes closed I will drop a heavy book on a table in front of her which will hopefully make her jump.
Even though Christ knew he was going to be crucified he still feared it. Verse 27 says: “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father to glorify your name.”
APPLICATION
Lets also put ourselves in the shoes of the two greek men. We are standing among people who say that Jesus, who is near by, is the messiah of Isreal. We hear and our bodies ache with longing, a possibility too good to be true. We’re hungry, we’re thirsty. We long for the bread of life that truly satisfies. To see him. To see his face. So there we are, with the Greeks and we get up enough courage, the faith to plea to see Jesus. These Greeks were begging to see Jesus. In the Greek language begging means to to ask continually, not just a one time action. Have you heard such a cry from anyone around you? There are people everywhere who want to see Jesus just as these Greeks did. They are in Cambridge and in every city and town in the world. They are in our neighbourhoods, our offices, our schools, and our homes.
DISCUSSION QUESTION/EXPLANATION OF PASSAGE Why do people want to see Jesus? (not necessarily in the literal sense)
Because they know that Jesus alone can help them. Money cannot help them. Designer jeans cannot help them. The newest technology cannot help them. Only Jesus can save them. There are Greeks in our time crying out, "We would like to meet with Jesus, the friend of sinners." They are crying to us. We are the Philips and Andrews of this world--everyday Christians, Disciples of Christ. God has given us a profound mission: As the light of the world, we have an obligation to bring these Gentiles to their Savior. John does not tell us whether Jesus met personally with these Greeks or even spoke directly to them. But the truth is, in this passage Jesus Christ addresses their very need.
QUESTION:
1. Imagine what it would be like to actually see Jesus. What would your first response be? Do you think we would live our lives differently after?
TEACHING POINT 2 Humans: Selfish. Christ: Selfless
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”
WORD STUDY: “Glorified” –kauchaomai (2744) “signifies “to boast against, exult over.” Or “rejoiceth”
APPLICATION/EXPLANATIONI was inspired when I heard David Susuki, a Canadian environmentalist speak on how unnecessary our overconsumption of meat is. To help us think about all the meat we there was a suggestion that we thank God for animals that died so that we are fed. I thought about this for a while but it seems like it would not be a popular prayer before a meal. How would you feel if I prayed for the cows that died in order that we can have hamburgers? Or the chickens that died so we can have chicken nuggets? Or whatever had to die to make hotdogs? It feels weird to realize that the food we eat had to die in order for it to enable us to live. But this isn’t just meat, ALL food has to die first. The grain is plucked from the ground, dies, is crushed, mixed and baked to make bread. The fresh fruit and vegetables we eat were all yanked off their life support and are in the process of death when we eat them. But truthfully we don’t spend too much time thinking about it. You may think about it at lunch today but by dinner it will have passed. That is because we are self-absorbed creatures. We think so much of ourselves that we hardly make room for anything else. Our culture is only attributing to this. Our modern technology tells me I am important. I am so important I need to have a personal phone that someone else calls to get a hold of me. No longer will you call a house and may get someone else, instead you call MY cell phone and I pick up or you can leave a message on MY voicemail. The social networks on the internet are even worse. We become obsessed with facebook and blogs. I’ll confess I am addicted to many of these things. I have done a blog before. I’m on Facebook. These things stroke the ego and build self esteem. That is why the words of Christ sting me when he says, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Those who love their life will lose it…” A kernal of wheat has a hard, glossy husk, within which its life is contained. But if it falls into the ground then its husk softens and rots and breaks open. From inside the seed the power of its life begins to push outwards. Roots go down into the soil. A shoot comes up into the light where it grows stronger and taller and produces a single ear of corn. By harvest time there will be forty seeds where before there was only one. Next year if those forty seeds all fall on good soil they will produce sixteen hundred seeds. In the third year sixty-four thousand. In the fourth year over two and a half million. But only if that first seed falls to the ground and dies. So it is that Jesus offers bread to the whole world. He offers himself, his life, to come alive in hundreds, then thousands, then millions of others. But first he must die. And if we his followers wish to pass on his life then we too must learn the pattern of life. We will bear fruit only when we die to self. Romans 6:4 says, “we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. “
ILLUSTRATION
This concept is similar to that of salmon spawning. Each year salmon, every so slowly lumber along the bottom of the lake exhausted from swimming up the river. They travel literally hundreds of miles to a specific swimming hole to spawn. A salmons instinct is to be back to the place of its birth to die. So after the long laberous journey of being driven over rocks and dams and waterfalls they finally, dig a hole, lay their eggs and die. And out of those eggs comes new life. For it is only through dying that there is new life among the salmon.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
How can we die to ourselves? Write down on the piece of paper what you would like to give up to God.
TEACHING POINT 3: The purpose of the Cross
Verse 27 says, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father to glorify your name.”
WORD STUDY: “Troubled” Tarasso (5015) – troubled metaphorically, (a) of the soul and spirit of the Lord
EXPLANATION/APPLICATIONIn this verse Jesus is confessing that he does not really want to go through with the pain and suffering of crucifixion but in a model of selflessness, still pledges to go through with the plan. The scripture tells us that his heart was troubled. It was agony for Jesus to do the will of his Father. It was agony for Jesus to bring glory to his Father. It was agony for Jesus to draw all men to himself. But there was no other way. ”Martin Luther king once said, "No one ever feared death as much as this man." Just as Christ, Christians are not protected from pain. We have no insurance policy against agony. Sorrow can burn up a great deal of shallowness or it can lead to bitterness. It all depends on our perspective, it all depends on our motive. Jesus was not saved from the hour. He was saved for it. And so are we. We should not ask to be saved from agony, but that we glorify God through it.
ILLUSTRATIONOne of my favourite books in the Old Testament is Esther, the scene where Esther's life is at stake. She must plead for the life of her people before her husband the king. But for anyone including her to enter his presence unannounced could mean instant execution. Just as she was wavering, Mordecia reminds her,"If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
Just as Ester was making a choice to change the lives of the Jews, Jesus was making a decision that changed the course of history for the entire universe. Jesus entry into Jerusalem was not in anticipation of being crowned, but crucified. It was the example of supreme courage, knowing He was going, willingly, voluntarily, sacrificially to his death on our behalf. John 12:32 says, But I, when lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself.” The phrase "lifted up" means two things. It means to be crucified, but it also carries with it the idea of glorification. The Son of God was glorified by being crucified. What was the passion of Jesus? You are the passion of Jesus. Even if you were the only person in the whole world he would still have died for you.
SUPPORTING VERSE
"In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
QUESTION:
What can we do more willingly for Christ?
CONCLUSION
This bible study has looked at the importance of seeing Christ and through “seeing’ him surrendering what we can of our sinful natures. We will never be able to completely die to ourselves because it is impossible to even be close to Christlike. Even though we are only sliver of his mighty and perfect image we can set our goals high and rely on his strength to help us. Psalm 44 says, “Create in my a clean heart O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”
DYING TO SELF
When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take in all in patient, loving silence.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you stand face-to- face with extravagance, spiritual insensibility-and endure it as Jesus endured.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any interruption by the will of God.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, when you can truly love to be unknown.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you can receive correction from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart.
THAT IS DYING TO SELF
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