Scripture: St. John 12:20-50 (NKJV)
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the
feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and
asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew,
and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. 23 But Jesus answered them, saying,
“The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly,
I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it
remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life
will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My
servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this
hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will
glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that
it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered
and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is
the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33
This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains
forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this
Son of Man?” 35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is
with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who
walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light,
believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus
spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. 37 But although He had done so
many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah
the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our
report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” 39 Therefore they
could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and
hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should
understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.” 41 These
things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the
Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 44
Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but
in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come
as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in
darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge
him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who
rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word
that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on
My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should
say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting
life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Devotion
“And I know that His command is everlasting life.”
The Word of God is a word of power. Whatever God speaks, His Word contains the
power to make that Word effective. Even as God commanded the heavens and the
earth to be formed and it was so, every Word that proceeds from the mouth of
God accomplishes God’s purpose.
What a comfort, then, it is to know that God’s ultimate command is eternal life
for the Christian! This knowledge is truly the key to understanding the
entirety of God’s Word. His Word of Law, which announces His demands upon man’s
life and pronounces His judgment upon any one who fails to meet these demands,
does indeed bring death to the sinner. But God speaks this Word so that its
power might put to death the Old Adam within each of us, so that he no longer
lives within us. Then God speaks His Word of Gospel, the power of which raises
up the New Man of faith. In this new life we are made able to believe, observe,
and be blessed according to those things He has commanded. This is His ultimate
purpose for His ultimate Word, that His command of eternal life might be
brought to fruition in the lives of all whom He has chosen in Christ, and
continues to preserve in Christ through His powerful, life-giving Word!
We pray: We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people,
that by Thy great goodness we may be governed and preserved evermore both in
body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
The Lutheran Herald is a publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of
North America. These daily devotions are authored by the bishop, pastors, and
deacons of the diocese. Direct inquiries to The Reverend Jeffrey A. Ahonen at
[email protected].
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