Day 14 of 21 Days

Today is the beginning of the big count day of the last week of our corporate time of fasting and praying. I shared with you last week to protect and prepare yourself for the attack of the enemy. And did he attack…just as the Holy Spirit shared in our service last weekend but here’s the good news we survived. After a spiritual battle our heart sometime are wounded well God knew that would need some encouragement. So, on day 14 we have before us one of the most encouraging and enlighten chapter in all of the New Testament. I pray that it will strengthen you as it did me.

I heard a story that illustrates what the disciples were probably feeling by the time we reach John chapter 14. It is about a lady at the airport who bought a Kit Kat candy bar to eat while she was waiting for her plane.

In the crowded waiting area she spied an empty seat at the end of a row. Rushing to get it, she quickly propped her hang up bag against the end of the row, sat down, and placed her purse and several small items on the table between her and a rather large man seated there, and then turned back to straighten her hang up bag.

With everything finally in order, she was ready to eat her Kit Kat candy bar. But to her surprise, as she started to reach for it, she saw the man in the next seat unwrapping her Kit Kat candy bar, and she watched in utter amazement as he broke off a section and ate it.

She thought, "Well, my goodness, I’ve never seen such gall." She glared at him, and he looked at her, but no words were exchanged.

She was so furious at what he had done that she decided that if he was going to be that brazen about it, she could be brazen, too. So she reached over to him, broke off a piece and ate it herself. Then he broke off another piece and ate it.

It became almost a duel between the two of them to see who would get the most. Quickly the candy bar was consumed, and she sat there just boiling that someone would be so rude and so presumptuous as to eat half of her candy bar.

Well, after a few minutes of silence, the man got up and left and then came back with another Kit Kat candy bar. He unwrapped it, broke off a piece and started eating. She thought, "Well, since he ate half of mine, I’m going to eat half of his." So she reached over and broke off another piece and ate it.

Once again the same scenario was repeated until the whole candy bar was gone. She sat there thinking, "This is the most ridiculous thing that has happened to me in my whole life." She continued to glare at him, and he looked at her, with neither one saying a word.

Just then, over the intercom came the announcement that her plane was ready for boarding. So she opened her purse to get her boarding pass and, to her utter embarrassment, there was her Kit Kat candy bar. She had eaten half of 2 of his candy bars, and her candy bar was still in her purse!

There are times, I suppose, when things really start to go wrong. Your whole world seems to be crumbling around you and you wonder what is going on.

That is probably about the way the apostles are feeling as we come to the 14th chapter of John. Their week had begun gloriously with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and people waving palm branches and shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" (John 12:13)

Even the Pharisees and the chief priests who had been plotting against Jesus had cried out in despair, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!" (John 12:19)

But Jesus had not come to establish an earthly kingdom, and He refused the crown. Disappointed and thwarted in their dreams of a Jewish kingdom with Jesus as their miracle working king, the fickle crowd began to change. And soon the priests were once again seeking someone to betray Jesus into their hands.

So as the 14th chapter of John opens, we see Jesus and His apostles in the upper room where they have eaten the Passover meal together. Jesus knew exactly what the next few hours would bring.

He knew Judas would betray Him. He knew about the illegal trials of the night, and how troubled the apostles would be. He knew of the cross and the borrowed tomb. And He tried to prepare the apostles for all that. So He begins to comfort them.

1. TRUST IN MY PRESENCE

First of all, Jesus tells them, “You can trust in My presence.” In Vs. 1 Jesus begins by saying, Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

You see, we have always found it easier to trust in things that we can see and touch. We have a little bit of Thomas in us, don’t we? Remember, Thomas said, "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it" (John 20:25).

So Jesus shows him and he believes. “Then Jesus told him, "Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

This is a hard lesson for us to learn, isn’t it? Yet it is an important lesson, because when we face troubles and difficulties in life, we need to remember as Christians that Jesus has promised, "I will be with you always. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Trust in My presence."

2. TRUST IN MY PROMISES

Then Jesus tells them, “You can trust in My promises.” In vs’s 2 and 3 Jesus says, In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so , would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

God gave many promises both in the Old and New Testaments. He promised the children of Israel a land where there would be milk and honey. It took a while for the promise to be fulfilled, but finally it was fulfilled.

He promised a Messiah, and that took a long time. But it, too, was fulfilled. Jesus the Savior was born.

Now God promises that He is coming back for us. Someday we’ll be with Him forever and ever. Sometimes we grow impatient, but the scripture says, "You can trust the promises of God. This promise will be fulfilled, too."

3. TRUST IN MY PERSON!

Thirdly, Jesus is saying, “Trust in Me.” In vs’s 4-6 Jesus says, And you know the way to where I am going. Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth, and the life. Now one comes to the Father except through me.

What a wonderful promise! He is saying, "I’m not just going to show you the way, or tell you the way, or write out the instructions on how to get there. I’m going to come and take you by the hand to My Father’s house. Then you’ll be home."

A few years ago Dave Galloway told of a soldier who returned from Viet Nam. His parents were socialites, very well to do. It was near Christmas, and they were getting ready to go out to the first of the round of parties of the Christmas season.

Just then the phone rang, and it was their son on the phone. "Mom," he said, "I’m back in the States." She said, "That’s wonderful! Where are you? Will you be home for Christmas? Can you get here in time for the parties? Everybody will just love to see you."

He answered, "Yes, I can be home for Christmas, but I want to ask you something first." "What is it?" she asked. "Well, I have a friend with me from Viet Nam. Can he come?"

"Oh, of course," she answered. "Bring him along. He’ll enjoy the parties, too." "Wait a moment, mom," he said, "I need to explain something about him. He was terribly wounded, and lost both legs and one arm. His face is disfigured, too."

There was silence on the phone for awhile. Then the mother said, "That’s all right. Bring him home for a few days." "No, mom, you don’t understand. He has nowhere to live. He has no one else. I want to bring him home and to let our home be his home."

The mother was quiet again. Then she said, "Son, that just wouldn’t do. What you’re asking would be very unfair to us. Why, it would disrupt all our lives. I’m sure there are government agencies that would be more than glad to take charge of him. Look, just you hurry home for Christmas now, and then maybe you can visit him once in a while."

"Darling, I’m sorry, but we’ve got to rush or we’ll be late for the party. Call us again as soon as you know when you’ll be home. Goodbye."

When the parents returned home from the party that night, there was an urgent message from the California police asking them to call.

They telephoned, and the officer said, "I’m very sorry to have to call you, but we have just found a young soldier dead in a motel room. His face is disfigured, and he has lost both legs and one arm. From the documents on him it would appear that he is your son."

Whatever your burdens are this morning, the solution to a troubled heart is still the same, to trust, to trust in His presence, trust in His promises and trust in His person.

• Jesus' Death Delivers Troubled Hearts, 14:1-3
• The Way to God Is By Jesus Alone, 14:4-7
• The Embodiment of God Is Jesus Himself, 14:8-14
• The Holy Spirit: Who He Is, 14:15-26
• The Source of Peace, Joy, Security, 14:27-31

Day 13 of 21 Days

Welcome to day 13 Family! We’ve one day away for making it to our two-week mark. What a glorious thing. Thank you for joining Janice and I on this journey it mean a lot to both of us and will set the tone for everything you do this year. Let’s jump in to our devotional reading today: The 13th Chapter of the Gospel of John is a pivotal point in the ministry of Jesus. John's Gospel makes it clear that something special is about to happen. I think it’s important today for me to share with you that the Gospel of John is divide into two sections. In the first half (chapters 1-11), he summarizes roughly thirty-three and half years of the Savior's life. The last half is devoted almost totally to the last few days. Everything from chapter twelve on points to the cross and the resurrection.

As we read yesterday chapter twelve sets the stage: Jesus replied, The hour 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 servers me he must follow me and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name…And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. John 12:23-28;33 (ESV)

Jesus gathers his disciples in an upper room, probably a large banquet hall above the home of a wealthy Jerusalem family. In all likelihood, the room was built to be rented out and used for such occasions. In this room, Jesus would give his disciples his parting words and some of his most important teachings.

I know that you’ve already picked up on it but I’ll share it anyway Chapter 12 and Chapter 13, deal with the same theme. Both of these chapters revolve around feet. Feet! 21 chapters - the Holy Spirit takes two chapters and deals with feet.

Chapter 12 is Mary washing the feet of Jesus and drying His feet with her hair. Chapter 13, we see Jesus girding Himself with a towel, washing the feet of His apostles and drying their feet with that towel. In both of these chapters, the central element, the theme, the setting revolves around the washing of feet. As we look at yet another posture in the Christian lifestyle, we see this posture demonstrated in the posture of Jesus.

This story is one of the most memorable incidents in Bible. It was the night before Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion. It was an intense time in Jesus’ life. His public ministry had ended. Jesus now turns his full attention to his disciples.

I want you to imagine this situation with me for a moment. In that culture the most demeaning task around was to wash the guest’s feet. This was job done by lowest slaves.

It was necessary because people wore sandals did most of their travel by foot. They walked along trails that we not only dusty but also cluttered with camel and donkey dung.

I’m sure that guests arrived with more than dust on their feet. It was a common courtesy for the host to have his slave wash the guest’s feet as they entered the house.

Jesus had sent Peter & John to prepare for their meal together. The food had been cooked. The table had been set. And I’m sure the disciples thought this matter would be taken care of as well. It wasn’t!

As Jesus and the disciples enter the room they see towel & water basin in the corner. They do not see a slave to wash their feet. Perhaps some of them pause as they enter the room, wondering where the servant was—maybe wondering why Peter and John had not taken care of this important detail.

As they recline at the table, each disciple feels a little uncomfortable. “Somebody ought to at least wash Jesus’ feet” Each one may have begun to JUSTIFY in own mind why it was not his job to do it.

“I did it last time—its Matthew’s turn—he hasn’t done it in long time.”

“Peter and John were supposed to take care of all this-Jesus told them to. One of those guys ought to take care of it.” “I came to enjoy a time with the Lord—and now we’ve got this problem”

John is thinking—“Look I’m over here leaning next to Jesus, I’m in spiritual intimacy. Jesus doesn’t want me to leave and help you.”

Peter is thinking—“Don’t these turkeys know the call of God on my life? If they had, they would be over here right now washing mine and Jesus’ feet.”

We don’t know all the specifics, I’m taking some liberties--but we do know that nobody rose to the occasion.

1. What Jesus Did!

John 13: 3-5 ESV Jesus KNOWING THAT THE FATHER HAD GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO TO HIS HANDS, and that he has come from God and was going back to God, ROSE from the supper. He LAID ASIDE his outer garments and TAKING A TOWEL, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to WASH THE DISCIPLES’ FEET and wipe them with that towel that was wrapped around him.

2. What Jesus Knew!

Verse 1 says When Jesus knew that his hour has dome to depart out of this world to the Father

Verse 3 says Jesus, knowing that the Father has given all things into his hands

Verse 11 says For he knew who was to betray him

He knew he was rapidly approaching the most important moments of life. He knew that the pain and agony of the cross was imminent!

John is wanting us to see something about Jesus. Fully God and fully man, here is Jesus facing something we cannot even imagine. He is not saying to the disciples, “Don’t you care about what I’m facing?” He is not focused on himself. He is concerned that they be prepared for what’s about to happen. Jesus is focused on others!

He knew Who he was. With all that in mind he bowed before these disciples and washed their feet. He was not ignorant of the glory and authority that the Father had given him.

3. What Jesus Taught!

Verses 12-17 When he has washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” Has the significance of all this soaked? It goes way beyond just getting your feet washed. It goes way beyond just getting your need met.

Jesus comes into our lives. He loves us. He receives us. He meets our needs.

And sometimes people think that’s all this is about—getting my need met, getting my feet washed.

No, it’s about a personal transformation of character and thinking. It’s about becoming something. It’s about becoming a servant like Jesus. verse 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Freely you have received, freely give.

If my experience in God is only about me, only about me getting my needs met, I’ve missed something along the way. If church is just about me getting what I want, I’ve missed something. The greatest human tragedy is for a person to never receive Christ and his mercy.

The second greatest tragedy is that a person would experience Christ, experience his love, experience his grace—but never translate that into service toward others.

I know you’ve been waiting on my story so here it is… A wealthy American traveler tells the story of how he was a visiting a hospital in South Africa. He entered just as a young missionary nurse was cleaning the sores of a sick, dirty, young woman who was dying of HIV/AIDS, which had been lying in a gutter for days. The wealthy man said to the nurse, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars.” She answered quietly and firmly, “Neither would I.”

It’s a whole lot easier to talk about service, think about service, fanaticize about great service, and hear sermons about service—than to actually do service for others. But the blessing, the joy, the happiness, is not found in talking about it or hearing about it. It is found in actually doing it.

Is there a need you can meet? Is there someone near you who needs his or her feet washed—some practical service that could make that person’s burden lighter?

It is my prayer as we spend the remaining days of this corporate time of fasting and praying that the Lord opens our eyes to dirty feet and give us a heart to wash them. That’s the church I want to pastor…A church where every member is a minister and every seat is filled with a serving servant.

• In the Upper Room right before the Passover (v.1a)
• The awareness of His enemies (v.2)
• The extreme demonstration of royal service (v.3-5)
• The prerequisite for royal service: Washing and cleansing (v.6-11)
• The meaning of royal service (v.12-14)
• The reasons for royal service (v.15-17)
• The Prediction of the Betrayer (v.18-30)
• The Departure of Jesus From This World (v.31-38)

I literally had to quit today. This chapter is simple jammed packed with so much teaching. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoy writing this. See you tomorrow for day 14!

Day 12 of 21 Days

Hello fasting friends and family, it is day 12 of the Fast and you are almost there, Praise the Lord!!! When you think about fasting you have to think about “dying.” Not necessarily a physical death but a carnal death that leads to a spiritual resurrection. As we continue this corporate time of fasting and praying be encourage that you have made a major decision to participate in a spiritual discipline that will change your life. As I read and reread our devotional reading from John chapter 12 it hit like a ton of bricks.

John 12:23-25 is a hard saying. And Jesus answered them, the hour 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 love his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Jesus is basically telling His disciples that to live they need to die. That’s not a comfortable teaching. I know that’s not popular teaching these days with the gospel of prosperity being so popular. But the TRUE is that it is the uncomfortable teaching of Jesus that causes us to be in His will, His way and His word. Just check it out how we are to face the uncomfortable word of Jesus in order to be comfortable with Him:

• We see unseen things (2 Cor. 4:18)
• We conquer by yielding (Rom. 6:16-18)
• We find rest under a yoke (Mt. 11:28-30)
• We reign by serving (Mark 10:42-44)
• We are made great by becoming little (Luke 9:48)
• We are exalted by being humble (Mt. 23:12)
• We become wise by being fools for Christ’s sake (1 Cor. 1:20, 21)
• We are made free by becoming His bond servants (Rom. 6:10)
• We wax strong by being weak (2 Cor. 12:10)
• We triumph by defeat (2 Cor. 12:7-9)
• We find victory by glorying in our infirmities (2 Cor. 12:5)
• But perhaps most difficult of all for us:
• We live by dying (John 12:24,25; 2 Cor. 4:10,11)

These are all very difficult saying but each leading to something so amazing, marvelous and miraculous And yet, Jesus tells us our very usefulness - our fruitfulness for God is tied to our willingness to surrender our lives even to die for Him. Listen to the words one more time UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS INTO THE EARTH AND DIES, IT REMAINS ALONE; BUT IF IT DIES, IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT. If I was preaching/teaching I would tell you that if we are going to be any good to the King or the Kingdom we must experience a falling down, dirt and death in order to be fruitful. In order for a seed to produce fruit it must go through a drop, dirt, drought, drench and death to bring about fruit.

Verse 32 says And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

One Commentator noted that there are 6 instances where Jesus mentions BEARING FRUIT as a Christian - and 5 of those are tied to the cross or dying.

In Short - it is in dying... not in doing... that we bear fruit for God. OR, to put it another way: Placed in the position of obeying God when it might very cost you WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

You can be like those who chose living over dying or those who chose dying over living. Check out the contrast: there are those who chose disobediences over obedience when the price was too high for those who faced the decision:

1. 10 spies who went into Canaan (we looked like grasshoppers)

2. Rich Young Ruler (Jesus looked on him and loved him - sell all that you have)

3. Peter denying knowing Christ (3 times)

They all regretted their decisions.

Then there are those who chose obedience over disobedience; death over life and was blessed and honored by the Father.

1. Abraham sacrificing Isaac - "God will provide…"

2. Job - "though He slay me, I will serve Him"

3. Joshua - "Choose you this day whom you will serve..."

4. Shadrach, Mesach, Abednego - "Our God is able to rescue us...but even if..."

5. John the Baptist - "He must increase, and I must decrease"

Each of these people made hard decisions and succeeded where lesser men would have failed. Why was that? Because of a principle found in John 12:26 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.

If you chose living over dying you die, but if you chose dying over living you live.

Let me close day 12 with a story That which appears to be death to us is often that which gives life. In his book, "Written in Blood," Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from 2 years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister."

Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room, nary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.

As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny’s smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.

With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence, "Doctor, when do I die?"

John was willing to die for his sister. Jesus has died for you BUT are you willing to die for Him?

Here’s a short outline of John 12 to help deepen your reading.

• Jesus dined in a home in Bethany (v.1-2)
• The supreme believer (v.3)
• The hypocritical, unbelieving disciple (v.4-8)
• The half-sincere seekers (v.9)
• The fearful, self-seeking religionists (v.10-11)
• Jesus Proclaimed as King: The Triumphal Entry, 12:12-19
• Jesus Approached as King: The Misunderstood Messiah, 12:20-36
• Jesus Rejected and Accepted as King, 12:37-50

Day 12 of 21 Days

Hello fasting friends and family, it is day 12 of the Fast and you are almost there, Praise the Lord!!! When you think about fasting you have to think about “dying.” Not necessarily a physical death but a carnal death that leads to a spiritual resurrection. As we continue this corporate time of fasting and praying be encourage that you have made a major decision to participate in a spiritual discipline that will change your life. As I read and reread our devotional reading from John chapter 12 it hit like a ton of bricks.

John 12:23-25 is a hard saying. And Jesus answered them, the hour 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 love his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Jesus is basically telling His disciples that to live they need to die. That’s not a comfortable teaching. I know that’s not popular teaching these days with the gospel of prosperity being so popular. But the TRUE is that it is the uncomfortable teaching of Jesus that causes us to be in His will, His way and His word. Just check it out how we are to face the uncomfortable word of Jesus in order to be comfortable with Him:

• We see unseen things (2 Cor. 4:18)
• We conquer by yielding (Rom. 6:16-18)
• We find rest under a yoke (Mt. 11:28-30)
• We reign by serving (Mark 10:42-44)
• We are made great by becoming little (Luke 9:48)
• We are exalted by being humble (Mt. 23:12)
• We become wise by being fools for Christ’s sake (1 Cor. 1:20, 21)
• We are made free by becoming His bond servants (Rom. 6:10)
• We wax strong by being weak (2 Cor. 12:10)
• We triumph by defeat (2 Cor. 12:7-9)
• We find victory by glorying in our infirmities (2 Cor. 12:5)
• But perhaps most difficult of all for us:
• We live by dying (John 12:24,25; 2 Cor. 4:10,11)

These are all very difficult saying but each leading to something so amazing, marvelous and miraculous And yet, Jesus tells us our very usefulness - our fruitfulness for God is tied to our willingness to surrender our lives even to die for Him. Listen to the words one more time UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS INTO THE EARTH AND DIES, IT REMAINS ALONE; BUT IF IT DIES, IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT. If I was preaching/teaching I would tell you that if we are going to be any good to the King or the Kingdom we must experience a falling down, dirt and death in order to be fruitful. In order for a seed to produce fruit it must go through a drop, dirt, drought, drench and death to bring about fruit.

Verse 32 says And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

One Commentator noted that there are 6 instances where Jesus mentions BEARING FRUIT as a Christian - and 5 of those are tied to the cross or dying.

In Short - it is in dying... not in doing... that we bear fruit for God. OR, to put it another way: Placed in the position of obeying God when it might very cost you WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

You can be like those who chose living over dying or those who chose dying over living. Check out the contrast: there are those who chose disobediences over obedience when the price was too high for those who faced the decision:

1. 10 spies who went into Canaan (we looked like grasshoppers)

2. Rich Young Ruler (Jesus looked on him and loved him - sell all that you have)

3. Peter denying knowing Christ (3 times)

They all regretted their decisions.

Then there are those who chose obedience over disobedience; death over life and was blessed and honored by the Father.

1. Abraham sacrificing Isaac - "God will provide…"

2. Job - "though He slay me, I will serve Him"

3. Joshua - "Choose you this day whom you will serve..."

4. Shadrach, Mesach, Abednego - "Our God is able to rescue us...but even if..."

5. John the Baptist - "He must increase, and I must decrease"

Each of these people made hard decisions and succeeded where lesser men would have failed. Why was that? Because of a principle found in John 12:26 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.

If you chose living over dying you die, but if you chose dying over living you live.

Let me close day 12 with a story That which appears to be death to us is often that which gives life. In his book, "Written in Blood," Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from 2 years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the disease. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

"Would you give your blood to Mary?" the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, for my sister."

Soon the two children were wheeled into the hospital room, nary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.

As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny’s smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.

With the ordeal almost over, his voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence, "Doctor, when do I die?"

John was willing to die for his sister. Jesus has died for you BUT are you willing to die for Him?

Here’s a short outline of John 12 to help deepen your reading.

• Jesus dined in a home in Bethany (v.1-2)
• The supreme believer (v.3)
• The hypocritical, unbelieving disciple (v.4-8)
• The half-sincere seekers (v.9)
• The fearful, self-seeking religionists (v.10-11)
• Jesus Proclaimed as King: The Triumphal Entry, 12:12-19
• Jesus Approached as King: The Misunderstood Messiah, 12:20-36
• Jesus Rejected and Accepted as King, 12:37-50