John 12:23

John 12:23 says, And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Jesus began to speak more openly of His purpose.  He says, "The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified."  He had so far gone out of His way to avoid being noticed for the miracles He did, because the time had not come for Him to do so.  Now, He knew the time was at hand.  As we follow Christ, I believe that we will always know when the time is right to do what God has called us to do.  Verse twenty-four adds, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  Jesus spoke of a grain of wheat dying alone in order to bring forth an abundance of grain.  Jesus was to die alone to bring salvation to everyone who would accept it.  We are to die to self that we can lead others to Christ.  Verse twenty-five continues, He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. Jesus said, "He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."  That does not mean that we are to live filled with self-hatred, but that we are to value God above all.  If we do everything simply for self-satisfaction, we are not following God's direction.  I find nothing in the gospel that states that if we follow Christ, we are going to be rich in material things.  I do find that we are to take up our cross daily, which is to die to self and live that others might be led to salvation. Verse twenty-six concludes, If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there also shall My servant be: if any man follow Me, him will My Father honor.  Jesus was fully and firmly in the will of the Father, and if we are to follow Him, we must be also.  He said this when He was preparing to go to the cross, and we should be just as willing to follow God even to the death.  There are those who call Christianity an escape from the realities of life, but it is a call to faith even when faced with the realities of life.  There is nothing easy about dying to self and living for God so that others may be drawn to Him. As Jesus spoke about His death and resurrection being necessary, He was submitting to the will of the Father.