Their lack of common courtesy also gave them away.
"Sir," The tallest man in the group spoke again. "We wish to see Jesus."
"I'll need to talk to Jesus to see if that's alright." Philip could tell that they were disappointed, but he hurried away from them.
Philip scanned the crowd of people looking for a familiar face. There was Andrew. Rushing over, he grabbed Andrew's arm and pulled him to the side. "Some Greeks are here to see Jesus."
Andrew's eyebrows raised. "Let's go see what Jesus want us to say to them." Clearly Andrew didn't expect Jesus to see them either. He was much to busy with the feast, and with his own people.
They found Jesus and told him about the Greeks.
Jesus nodded thoughtfully. "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
Philip looked at Andrew with a raised eyebrow. What was Jesus talking about? They needed to know what to say to the Greeks.
Instead of elaborating any further, Jesus got up and headed the direction where the Greeks were waiting.
Based on John 12:20-26
Did anyone else feel like Jesus completely ignored the matter at hand here? They came to Him about some Greek dudes who wanted to meet Him, not about dying and saving their lives. What the disciples didn't realize, is that Jesus still attended to the matter at hand. To Jesus, it no longer mattered what nationality the people came from. What mattered was that no matter who they were, they would be willing to abandon the wants of the flesh and serve Him. If those people would follow and serve Him, then God would honor them. Jesus wanted the disciples to "die to self." To get rid of their preconceived notions, and just follow after God whole-heartedly.
Plain and simple. Right?
Until you try to do it. It's like when you're trying to diet, but all you want is that chocolate cake with the fudge frosting. An evil hologram of you pops up in your mind saying, "Eat it. Do it." What about in the spiritual sense? Are your flesh and earthly desires constantly badgering you to do it? Do you feel like you're constantly at war with yourself, but you're never winning?
Dying to self isn't about going around saying, "I hate my life. I never have any fun. I wish I was dead." It's not about hating your body or looks. It's about giving all you have to Jesus - because you don't want to hold anything back! You don't want to be the person you were without Jesus, or the person you are when you act outside of God's will. The grumpy person who scares children with a single raised eyebrow. You want to say, "So long! You are the weakest link! You have been eliminated from the great race of my life. You've been chopped from my life! Your time's up! Good bye!"
I've always found this song, "So Long Self" by Mercy Me, to be hilarious when I need to "break up" with myself. There's a saying that breaking up is hard to do. Breaking up with yourself is still hard, but it can also be the easiest thing you ever do, if it's for God.
'And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.' Luke 9:23
V. Joy Palmer
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