After a long winter, farmers are always eager to get back into the fields again. And every year they do the strangest thing: filling their planters with tiny seeds, they proceed to bury them all in the ground! What a waste—they paid good money for that seed! Of course, they only do this because they believe that life comes out of death. A good seed literally contains a million similar offspring. When it is forced into the ground, a seed will die there, but not for long. Eventually, that dead seed will burst forth from its tomb and become a resurrection plant, bearing many grains of resurrection fruit! In John 12, Jesus uses this farming analogy to teach that His own death will yield a far-reaching harvest. From His suffering to His exaltation, the glory of Jesus will be fully revealed. And through His death, many will receive life. If you are a believer in Jesus, you are part of this fruit He envisioned! (v 20-24). We may apply this life-from-death principle by our own willingness to walk in the shadow of His cross. All who truly know Jesus have identified with Him. By dying to self, we come alive to Christ, sharing in His eternal glory (v 25-26). In His human nature, the cross was certainly not what Jesus wanted. He was horrified by the prospect of bearing the sins of the world in His body. But He understood that this is why He came. God’s plan required a crucified Savior. As a result of His crucifixion, judgment will fall upon those who reject Him, along with the devil. But like iron filings drawn to a magnet, “all people” (both Jews and Gentiles) will be attracted to the uplifted Christ (v 27-33). In response, the crowd is eager to talk about the Bible. As they understood Old Testament prophecies, the Messiah would reign forever, so how could He be lifted up on a cross to die? For three years Jesus had supplied ample evidence that He was the Word made flesh, the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. But He was not meeting their expectations (v 34). The darkness of Calvary was imminent. Yet there was still time to turn to the light. Always full of love for those who are perishing, Jesus graciously issues one final call, then departs and hides Himself from them (v 35-36). Despite His miracles, “they still did not believe in Him… Therefore, they could not believe in Him.” God simply gave them over to their own sin, so they were unable to hear His Word or see His glory. And all this was foretold by Isaiah the prophet. The same message that brings life to the believer brings condemnation to the unbeliever. God sent His Son that we might not remain in darkness! (v 37-50). For further meditation: