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Summary of the message Sunday, March 30, 2025 by Mike Fleming In John 12:20-33, we find a profound moment in Jesus' journey as He approaches His crucifixion. This passage reveals the depth of His mission and the cost of following Him. Jesus uses the metaphor of a grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying to illustrate the necessity of His sacrifice. Just as a seed must die to produce a harvest, Jesus' death would bring forth a multitude of believers. This is a call to understand that true life is found in surrendering our own desires and following Him, even when it leads to difficult paths. Jesus' mission was not just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, fulfilling the prophecy that He would be a light to all nations. His death and resurrection opened the door for all people to come to God through faith, not through adherence to the law. This is a reminder that salvation is available to everyone who believes, not just a select few. However, this does not imply universal salvation; rather, it emphasizes the necessity of faith and repentance. The cost of following Jesus is significant. It requires a willingness to forsake our own lives and ambitions for the sake of His kingdom. This doesn't mean abandoning responsibilities but aligning our goals with His will. Jesus' followers are called to serve Him, and in doing so, they will be honored by the Father. This honor is eternal and far surpasses any recognition we might receive in this world. Jesus' focus was always on glorifying the Father's name, even in the face of suffering. This is a powerful lesson for us to shift our focus from our own struggles to how God can be glorified through them. In moments of trial, we are encouraged to trust that God will provide the strength to endure and that our trials can serve a greater purpose. Finally, Jesus' first coming was as a suffering servant, a concept that was difficult for many to accept. His crucifixion was necessary for the redemption of humanity, and it is through His sacrifice that we have the hope of eternal life. As we reflect on His journey to the cross, we are reminded of the depth of His love and the call to share this message with the world. Key Takeaways: Links with timestamps at the end of each point goes to that point in the message on YouTube.
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As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the city was alive with expectation. The great crowd that had gathered for the Passover feast took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” (John 12:13). This was a moment of celebration, but beneath the surface lay a deeper, eternal significance. I. A Hail to the King At Passover, Jerusalem was filled with people—historian Josephus estimated that millions may have been present. Among them were key groups: Jesus’ disciples, local Jews, those who had witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection, Jews from outside Jerusalem, Greeks, religious leaders, and even Roman officials. Each one observed this extraordinary event, but not all truly understood its meaning. A. The Palms for the Savior Palm branches were a symbol of victory. In Jewish tradition, waving palms was a declaration of triumph. The crowd treated Jesus as a victorious king returning from battle. This imagery is echoed in Revelation 7:9, where a great multitude stands before the throne, clothed in white, holding palm branches in their hands, praising God for salvation. B. The Plea to Save The people cried, “Hosanna!”—a plea for immediate salvation. They wanted deliverance from Roman oppression, yet Jesus came not to conquer Rome but to conquer sin. Their expectation was political; His mission was spiritual. Today, we continue to praise Him for the salvation He brings, knowing that our ultimate victory is in Him. II. The Humbleness of the KingJohn 12:14-15 tells us that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a young donkey, fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy: “Behold, your king is coming…lowly and riding on a donkey.” Unlike earthly kings who enter with displays of power, Jesus came in humility, offering peace. A. The Perfect Timing of His Ride Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was not random. Daniel 9:24-27 prophesied that from the command to rebuild Jerusalem until the arrival of the Messiah, 483 prophetic years would pass—ending precisely on the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry in 32 A.D. His timing was divine, demonstrating God’s sovereign plan for redemption B. The Plan of Redemption At the time, even His disciples did not fully grasp the significance of these events. John 12:16 says they only understood later, after Jesus was glorified. Like them, we often fail to see God’s purposes in the moment, but hindsight reveals His perfect plan. Jesus entered Jerusalem to fulfill prophecy, to suffer, and to rise again—offering salvation to all who believe. III. The Hate for the King A. The Marveling Crowd Many had witnessed Jesus’ miracles, especially the raising of Lazarus, and eagerly proclaimed His power. They were testifying to what they had seen and experienced. As believers, we are called to do the same—simply sharing what we know about Jesus and the transformation He has brought into our lives. B. The Malicious Crowd However, not all rejoiced. The religious leaders saw Jesus as a threat. Their hearts, hardened by pride, refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah. The same resistance exists today—many reject Christ, not for lack of evidence, but because of unwillingness to submit to Him. ConclusionAre we like those who hailed Jesus as King with temporary excitement, only to turn away when expectations weren’t met? Or are we truly surrendered to Him as Lord and Savior?
A humble missionary in China once described herself as “the Lord’s donkey”—simply carrying Christ wherever she went. This mindset is key for all believers. We are not the object of praise; Jesus is. Like the donkey who bore Jesus into Jerusalem, our greatest purpose is to lift Him high. Without Jesus, we are nothing. With Him, we carry the King of Glory into a world that desperately needs Him. Will you be His faithful witness today? Discipleship is a biblical concept all throughout the Scriptures. In fact, it is the very mission of the church. First, it is taught as a pattern of life. God “with” His people is a central theme in all of Scripture. God created man so that He could be with him and have fellowship. In the beginning, God walked “with” Adam and Eve in the garden. Another word that is part of the pattern of life is the word “sent.” From the beginning of creation, God gave a cultural mandate in Genesis 1:28 where He tells them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. After man’s rebellion in Genesis 3, man’s with-ness is broken and their sent-ness is cursed. But that was not the end of the story, we all know that God had a wonderful plan of redemption for His people. Jesus demonstrated discipleship first with the call: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). In this short little sentence, Jesus brings together the concepts of following God, with-ness and sent-ness as He lives out the definition for discipleship. Jesus’ ultimate mission was to accomplish redemption for His people, but He also shows us what it looks like to be followers of God and demonstrates it through discipleship; then He commands His disciples to partner with Him in His redemptive work and disciple the nations. So then, what is a disciple? A disciple is a follower. All Christians are Jesus’ disciples, but we can also be disciples of others as they follow Christ, and we can disciple others as we follow Christ. In Luke 9:23-24, we can see that the characteristics of a disciple are that they: 1) deny themselves, 2) take up their cross daily, and 3) follow Jesus. Jesus then says that a “true follower” loses his life for Jesus’ sake. This post has material taken from Life-on-Life Missional Disciupleship curriculum written by Perimeter Church in John Creek, GA
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He called His church and sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to “make disciples.” While He was on this Earth, He modeled a strategy to reach all the nations and recorded it in His Word. The Bible is clear that someone who is Christian is a follower of Jesus, a disciple of Christ (Luke 14:26; John 8:31). One definition of a disciple is: one who is called by Jesus, who has repented and is trusting in Jesus for their salvation, and as such, they are seeking to follow Jesus with their whole life while training others to do the same. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” In John 17, Jesus prays the high priestly prayer, and we see a glimpse into how He viewed His mission from His Father. He taught His disciples that eternal life comes from knowing His Father, the only true God. Jesus was given authority by the Father to give eternal life to all those who believe in His name. In John 17, verse four, Jesus says that He accomplished the work that the Father gave Him to do. Jesus’ ultimate and primary mission was His work of redemption, His atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is evidenced by His mission statements in the Bible such as “I came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10), and “I came not to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) As mentioned in John 17 above, Jesus’ mission also included the selection and training of men who would carry on His work after He left Earth. His disciples grew in their maturity as they were with Jesus, and He equipped them as they ministered together. He was consistently "with" His disciples in a life-on-life way, modeling how to be a follower of God. He called them to a high commitment with great cost, sending them out to minister and providing them feedback, exposing them to His teaching and miracles, and asking them hard questions that led them to the heart of the matter. After Jesus' resurrection, they became disciple-makers, He had delegated the ministry to them. It was said of them, “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been “with” Jesus” (Acts 4:13). It was their “relationship with Jesus” that made all the difference (Luke 4:18-19). This post has material taken from Life-on-Life Missional Disciupleship curriculum written by Perimeter Church in John Creek, GA
The raising of Lazarus should have been the undeniable proof of Jesus’ power. He had just demonstrated His dominion over death, showing that He was indeed the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). Yet instead of leading to universal belief, this miracle sealed Jesus’ fate. John 11:53 says, “Then from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.” The religious leaders feared that if Jesus continued performing signs, people would believe in Him, and they would lose their power. They were more concerned with their position than with the truth. ronically, the high priest Caiaphas unknowingly prophesied the very purpose of Christ’s mission. “It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:50). He meant it politically—hoping to prevent conflict with the Romans—but God meant it eternally. Jesus would indeed die for the people, not to preserve their earthly nation, but to save them from sin and gather God’s children into one family (John 11:51-52). This moment reveals a sobering truth: people respond to Jesus in only two ways. Some humble themselves and believe (John 11:45), while others harden their hearts and reject Him (John 11:46). Faith requires trust, not just in the signs, but in Christ Himself. Jesus’ journey to the cross was not an accident or a tragedy—it was God’s plan of redemption unfolding. He is our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The question is, how will you respond to the truth? Will you entrust yourself to Jesus, or will you, like the religious leaders, resist Him? The cross was always the plan. The only question is, will you believe?
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