Living Words
"Living Words" is a weekly podcast that explores the transformative power of scripture across a diverse range of Biblical books, guided by insightful devotionals from the author's own works. Each episode seeks to deepen faith and understanding, connecting listeners with the enduring wisdom and relevance of the Bible in their daily lives.
Living Words
In His Footsteps Week 27: Resurrection and First Fruits
What if understanding a simple grain of wheat could completely transform your view on life and death? This week on the Living Words Podcast, join Charles Vance as he unpacks the profound teachings of Jesus from John 12:23-24. Through the metaphor of a grain of wheat dying to produce abundant fruit, Charles takes us on a journey to grasp the paradoxical nature of life and death in Christ’s kingdom. Dive deep into the significance of Jesus' glorification, the necessity of sacrificial love, and the universal reach of His mission. Charles also presents a thought-provoking interpretation of Jesus as the first fruits, suggesting it symbolizes the second resurrection and provides a fresh perspective on morality by celebrating Jesus’ resurrection as a triumph over death.
In our next chapter, we turn our focus toward three heartfelt prayers designed to lead us into a more profound relationship with God. Learn how to embody sacrificial love by following Jesus’ example, and discover the secret to finding true life through the act of self-surrender. This episode also highlights the beauty and unity within God's diverse kingdom, encouraging us to be living testimonies of Jesus' love and resurrection power. As we bind Satan’s influence and seek divine protection, Charles guides us in walking more closely with God, fostering trust in His infinite wisdom and grace. Join us to enrich your faith and gain a deeper understanding of the transformative power of Jesus' teachings.
Get a copy of the In His Footsteps devotional here.
Good morning, I'm Charles Vance and this is Living Words Podcast. Have a blessed Sabbath and a happy day today. And I just pray that you would receive a blessing this morning from Word, as we're in our 27th week of the In His Footsteps 52 weeks in the Gospel of John, and if you want a copy of this devotional, you can find a link to it in the show notes or you can visit Amazon and just search for In His Footsteps 52 Weeks in the Gospel of John, charles Vance. This week is week 27, is the resurrection and first fruits, and the text for the week is John 12, 23, and 24. And the text for the week is John 12, 23, and 24.
Speaker 1:Now, as usual, I like to switch it up a little bit on my format. I want to keep it brief, because that's the whole point is. This is a brief devotional to give you some insights for the day and for the week. So sometimes I'll read the scripture, but the last few times I've just went through the devotional and read scripture as it was needed. I think keeping it brief and keeping it succinct is helpful. So let's talk about the text for the week.
Speaker 1:This text contains a profound teaching from Jesus that encapsulates the heart of the Christian gospel and foreshadows his imminent crucifixion and resurrection. When, in the brief passage, jesus offers a metaphor of death leading to life which not only speaks to his own sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, but also to the transformative journey of every believer. The passage is part of his response to the request for some greeks to to wish to see him sign this signal the the universal scope of his mission. He recognizes the hour of his glorification. Glorification is near and he uses the moment to teach about the paradoxical nature of life and death in his kingdom. John 12, 23 through 24. J replied the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. So the key themes are the hour of his glorification. He indicates that his time of suffering and subsequent glorification is at hand. The hour encompasses his death, resurrection and exaltation, revealing the necessity of these events for the salvation of humanity.
Speaker 1:The death leading to life. The metaphor of a grain of wheat dying to produce many seeds illustrates the principle that true life and faithfulness come through sacrifice His death would bring forth the fruit of salvation for many, establishing a foundational principle for understanding his discipleship and sacrifice. The universality of his mission. The context of this teaching, following the request of the Greeks wanting to see Jesus, underscores the universal significance of his death and resurrection. It's not only for the Jewish people, but for all who would come to believe him. And some of the lessons we draw from this passage are the necessity of sacrificial love. Jesus exemplifies and teaches the principle that true life and faithfulness often come through sacrifice. His reference to the grain of wheat dying to produce many seeds serves as a metaphor for the impending death on the cross, which was necessary for salvation. This lesson extends to his followers, calling them to the life of sacrificial love, where personal desires and ambitions are surrendered for the sake of others in the gospel. The universality of the gospel in the context of this teaching, coming as a response to the Greeks seeking Jesus, underscores the universality of his mission. Jesus' death and resurrection were not just for a specific ethnic or religious group, but for all humanity, and this sets the stage for the church's mission to bring the message of salvation to every corner of the globe, emphasizing the inclusive nature of the gospel.
Speaker 1:Now for reflection and discussion. What does the concept of Jesus as the first for its reveal about the nature of the resurrection and its significance for his believers? And now, moving on to reflections and discussion, what does the concept of Jesus as the first for its reveal about the nature of the resurrection and its significance for believers? Well, personally I believe that that verse that talks about Jesus as the first fruits has been misinterpreted. That actually is talking about the four resurrections. Jesus, his resurrection, was the first resurrection and the resurrection of the first fruits is the second resurrection. So the first fruits is not referring to Jesus as the first fruits, it's actually referring to the firstfruits is the second resurrection. So the firstfruits is not referring to Jesus as the firstfruits, it's actually referring to the firstfruits.
Speaker 1:If you read the account of his crucifixion, it says that when he gave up his ghost, the rocks were rent, the temple was, you know, the veil was split from top to bottom, there was an earthquake, and it says that the rocks were rent and the graves were opened. And it said when he arose, they arose, and that's who that's talking about. It's talking about the firstfruits, who were chosen to be the firstfruit offering, because this is the Passover going into the Feast of Firstfruits or the Feast of Unleavened Bread, where they would offer the firstfruits before the throne, before the altar? And if you think about what the priests are doing right now, what the Levitical priests are doing the high priest, it follows 100%. It's a rehearsal for what he did in his death, burial and resurrection. In other words, he is the Lamb of God and as they brought the Lamb into the city, jesus was coming into the city as he gave up his ghost and they took him off the cross and put him into the tomb. They were putting the Lamb into the oven. The priest had sequestered himself, they were everything mirrored. So me, to me, the significance of the first fruits is that second resurrection. The third resurrection is the resurrection of the lamb, for those that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and the fourth and final resurrection is the resurrection of the damned, the great white throne, judgment where every knee will bow.
Speaker 1:Now the next question is how does understanding his resurrection as a victory over death transform your perspective on morality? Well, this can, as a perspective, it can ease your soul, ease your mind, to know that you'll be with him in eternity and that he's given you victory over death and that we have nothing to fear, and so that this should empower us to live our life in peace and have the peace of the Holy Spirit within us, you know, have the peace of the Holy Spirit within us, and that, though we may go through trials and tribulations, we have his eternal nature within us and the promise of life over death. At the end, in what ways does the resurrection inaugurate his kingdom and how do we see signs of his kingdom in the world today? It inaugurated his kingdom because he says, if I don't go, then the helper can't come, but when I go, I'll send you a helper who's just like me, and that helper is the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKadosh of the living God, which lives within you if you are a believer, if you've covenanted with Yeshua, and so that perspective, then, is that we, you know, are to be transformed, and that the signs of his kingdom are that we have that life within us. We can see it as he works in our lives.
Speaker 1:Prayer for embracing sacrificial love. Lord Jesus, you're the grain of wheat that fell to the earth and died to produce a harvest of righteousness and peace. Teach me to follow in your footsteps, embracing a life of sacrificial love. Help me to lay down my desires, ambitions and comforts for the sake of your kingdom, trusting that through sacrifice you bring forth abundant life. May my life bear fruit that glorifies your name and draws others closer to you. Amen.
Speaker 1:The prayer for understanding the paradox of life through death. Heavenly Father, your ways are higher than our ways and your wisdom surpasses all understanding. Grant me the grace to grasp the profound truth that in dying to ourselves we find true life in Christ. Help me to surrender my will to yours daily, dying to sin and selfishness, so that I may live fully for you In this paradox of faith. Strengthen my heart to seek your will above all.
Speaker 1:Amen and a prayer for universality of the gospel. Amen, empower us to be witnesses of Jesus' sacrificial love and resurrection power to the ends of the earth, celebrating the diversity and unity of your kingdom. Amen. I hope this lesson's been helpful in some way in your walk and your desire to be closer and more united with God and the Holy Spirit. Have a relationship with Jesus. I hope you have a good day and a rest of the week that's good for you as well. We just bind Satan in any aspect of your life and we pray for the blood of Yeshua to be upon you and to protect you, surround you with his guardian angels. We know that for every evil spirit, there are two spirits of the kingdom of God, and that good shall overcome evil. I pray this in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach, amen.
