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Turn with me in your Bibles to 
the book of John. We're working our way through the gospel of 
John, and we are in chapter 12. Two weeks ago, we looked at the 
triumphal entry when our Lord Jesus comes into the city of 
Jerusalem in that Passion Week. So I want to pick up the reading 
in verse 17 after the triumphal entry, and then our focus this 
morning will be on verses 20 to 26. So beginning in chapter 
12 at verse 17, Therefore the people who were with him when 
he called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the 
dead bore witness. For this reason the people also 
met him, because they heard that he had done this sign. The Pharisees 
therefore said among themselves, you see that you are accomplishing 
nothing. Look, the world has gone after 
him. Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship 
at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who 
was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we 
wish to see Jesus. Philip came and told Andrew. 
And in turn, Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered 
them saying, the hour has come that the son of man should be 
glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat 
falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, 
it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose 
it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for 
eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him 
follow me. And where I am, there my servant 
will be also. If anyone serves me, him my father 
will honor. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
great and blessed God, we thank you for this beautiful day. The 
heavens do declare your majesty and your righteousness and your 
glory. We see the perfections of God revealed in the created 
order. We look at the creature and it leads us up to consider 
the God who made all things. As well, we acknowledge your 
sovereign providence that you are in heaven and that you govern 
all your creatures and all their actions according to your perfect 
and holy will. And on these Lord's days, when 
we come to consider the gospel of our salvation, We reflect 
upon that grace and that mercy and that wisdom displayed in 
that gospel. We thank you for the coming of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for his life of 
perfect obedience, his death as a sacrifice and substitute 
on the cross, and his resurrection that third day. As well, we praise 
you for His current session now at the right hand of the Father, 
and we look forward to His return again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. And may it be the case that all 
of us would be prepared for that day, that all of us would be 
cleansed in His precious blood and clothed with His righteousness. 
We ask that the Holy Spirit would guide us now as we consider this 
passage of Scripture, that we would see the glory of the Son 
of Man as it's revealed in the Bible. And we ask that He would 
forgive us for all sin and everything that darkens our understanding, 
And we pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen. Well, as we have 
been considering the public ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, we 
noticed that the book of John is outlined in three sections. 
First, the prologue in chapter one, verses one to 18, and then 
the book of signs, the public ministry of Christ, beginning 
in chapter one at verse 19, and continuing here through chapter 
12 to verse 50. And then the book of the passion, 
beginning in chapter 13, verse one, and continuing to the end 
of chapter 20, and then there's an epilogue in chapter 21. So 
that's the sort of overarching outline of the Gospel of John. 
Chapters 11 and 12 are a transition, and we see the emphasis upon 
the cross already in this particular section. So the title of this 
morning's message is The Arrival of the Hour. in verses 20 to 
26. And there's two things that I 
want to observe here in this small section. First, the desire 
of the Greeks in verses 20 to 22. And then secondly, the glorification 
of the Son of Man in verses 23 to 26. Let's look first at the 
desire of the Greeks in verses 20 to 22. And look at verse 20. Now there were certain Greeks 
among those who came up to worship at the feast. We know that the 
setting is Jerusalem. Jesus triumphantly enters the 
city of Jerusalem where he'll ultimately be delivered up to 
these godless men. the Sanhedrin, he will then be 
turned over to Pontius Pilate, who will then sentence him to 
death. And so he's in Jerusalem for 
that particular occasion. The Son of Man came to give his 
life as a ransom for many. So that's the particular location, 
but as well, we know that it's during the Passover, and that's 
what verse 20 indicates. Now, there were certain Greeks 
among those who came up to worship at the feast. If you look back 
at chapter 11 and verse 55, it says, the Passover of the Jews 
was near. And then again in chapter 12 
at verse 1, then six days before the Passover. So these Greeks 
were in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. And I think 
that's significant. It's significant in the immediate 
context because this is precisely the grumbling and the whining 
and the complaining of the Pharisees back in verse 19, but it's also 
what we find throughout scripture. So notice in verse 19, the Pharisees 
therefore said among themselves, you see that you are accomplishing 
nothing. You see that you are accomplishing 
nothing. Look, the world has gone after him. And on the heels 
of that, John tells us that there are Greeks in the city of Jerusalem 
at the time of the Passover feast, and they want to see Jesus. So 
the very fear that these Pharisees had, and the very expression 
of their grumbling hearts, is actually the truth. And that's 
the blessing of the Christian gospel. God so loved the world. that he gave his only begotten 
son. Not simply to save the lost tribes of Jacob, but to be a 
light unto the Gentiles. This was prophesied in the Old 
Testament to the patriarchs. We see it throughout the Psalms, 
and we certainly see it in the prophets. Gentile inclusion in 
the covenant promises of God Most High. In other words, Israel's 
Messiah will mediate the blessing of God to the entire earth. He's 
not just coming to one small people group, but He is coming 
so that men from every tribe, every tongue, every people, and 
every nation can come to salvation. In other words, He's not simply 
a Savior for the Israelites. He is a Savior for Gentiles. 
He is not simply a Savior for white people. He's a Savior for 
black people. He's not simply a savior for 
one particular niche group, but he is the one in whom the blessings 
of God reside. And so, when we consider the 
Psalms, when we consider the prophets, when we consider the 
testimony of the Old Testament, it is perfectly appropriate and 
fitting that these Greeks would be in Jerusalem on the day of 
Pentecost, or at the feast of Pentecost, and that the desire 
of their hearts would be to see Jesus, to see the Messiah. And 
I think Solomon sort of captures this mindset and the dedication 
of the temple. 1 Kings chapter 6, Solomon starts 
out to build the temple. We see by the time of the end 
of chapter 7, We see it completed. And then in chapter 8, Solomon 
dedicates that temple. He prays to God Most High. He 
acknowledges the transcendence of God. He acknowledges the limitations 
of this earthly temple. He knows that God can't be contained 
in the temple. The pagans thought that. Dagon 
actually lived in Dagon's temple. The God of heaven and earth is 
transcendent. He's above us. He is enthroned 
on high. Heaven is his throne and earth 
is his footstool. So the temple is the visible 
representation of God's presence with his people, but it does 
not confine him or constrain him. But in that dedication of 
the temple, listen to Solomon in terms of the nations around 
Israel. He says in chapter 8 at verses 
41 to 43, He says, moreover concerning a foreigner who is not of your 
people Israel, but has come from a far country for your name's 
sake. For they will hear of your great name and your strong hand 
and your outstretched arm. When he comes and prays toward 
this temple, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according 
to all for which the foreigner calls to you. That all peoples 
of the earth may know your name and fear you as do your people 
Israel. And that they may know that this 
temple which I have built is called by your name. It was always 
God's plan and purpose. It was always God's intention. 
It was always God's means to save His people from their sins, 
wherever they might find themselves, whether they're in Canada, whether 
they're in America, whether they're in Africa, whether they're in 
Asia. The nations of the earth are blessed in and through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So when God tells Abraham in 
Genesis 13 to look north, to look south, to look east, and 
look west, and he says, you're going to inherit all this. It's 
not predicated on the faithfulness and the glory and the righteousness 
of Abraham, but it's the seed of Abraham. In him all the nations 
of the earth will be blessed. And even preceding Abraham, the 
oracle to Noah, it spoke concerning Japheth, Gentiles finding refuge 
in the tents of Shem. So God's purpose in Christ Jesus 
our Lord is to save his people from their sins, no matter where 
they find themselves. And so this is the comprehensive 
nature of God's glorious gospel of salvation. In terms of the 
historical precedent, it's not just here that we see greats 
at the time of the feast coming to Jerusalem. The book of Acts 
is scattered with that. All throughout the book of Acts, 
Acts chapter 2, all the nations of the earth are gathered together 
on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. Why do you think that is? so 
that the gospel of Jesus Christ can go to all those nations. 
Gentiles brought nigh through the blood of Jesus Christ, Acts 
chapter 10, the household of Cornelius. How about the Ethiopian 
eunuch that Philip comes to in Acts chapter 8? What is the Bible 
telling us? The Bible is telling us that 
the promises of God are mediated to the entirety of the world 
through Christ the Lord. He's not only the Savior for 
the lost tribes of Jacob, but he is the light of the Gentiles. 
And that is what we find in this particular passage. It is consistent 
with John's emphasis throughout his gospel. John 3, 16, God so 
loved the world. Remember last week, Chris Santiago 
preached from John 4. What did the Samaritans learn 
when they come into saving contact with our Lord Jesus Christ? according 
to John 4, 42. They learn that Jesus is, in 
fact, the Savior of the world. And we see that same emphasis 
replicated here in chapter 12. In fact, in chapter 11, Cainaphas 
prophesies the death of Jesus for the benefit not just of that 
nation, but for other nations as well. Jesus in John 10 says, 
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold, that I must 
go call and collect. Well, how does he do that? through 
the proclamation of the gospel through the apostles and then 
since then and subsequent to them through the church proclaiming 
the glories of Jesus Christ as the one in whom alone there is 
salvation. One man wrote the fact that these 
Gentiles came to the temple out of devotion prefigured the conversion 
of the Gentiles to the faith. Now notice their desire according 
to verses 21 and 22. Then they came to Philip, who 
was from Bethsaida of Galilee. John's already told us that in 
John 1, 44. We also know that Andrew came 
from Bethsaida in Galilee as well. Andrew, of course, was 
the brother of Simon Peter, one of the sort of chief apostles 
amongst them. But notice here in verse 21, 
then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee. 
That's significant. What's with Bethsaida of Galilee? 
Well, Bethsaida of Galilee is pretty much Gentile country. 
Again, Chris did some of my work last week. He explained how in 
2 Kings chapter 17, we see the fall of the northern kingdom. 
And that was as a result of Assyria. And Assyria had an interesting 
method of conquest. They would take other peoples 
and put them in other places. And they would do that to destabilize 
populations. They would put sea peoples in 
the mountains. They would put mountain people 
near the sea. Why? Because they didn't have 
the wherewithal to survive well in an environment like that. 
So when they are planted in Assyria, according to 2nd Kings chapter 
17, God sends lions upon them to kill them. Why? Because they 
were wretched, filthy idolaters. I've always thought that if you 
ever answer your door and there's a lion standing there, God's 
got an axe to grind with you. And that is precisely what you 
see there in 2nd Kings 17. So what do the people do? The 
people say, we need help. We need help not to learn how 
to glorify and honor God, but how to do enough to keep the 
lions at bay So they find a priest an old-school priest, but he's 
in Bethel Which is an indicator for anybody who's read up to 
that point that Bethel is not the best place to hail from in 
terms of being a priest so that priest gives them some counsel 
and what they do is they marry their gods to Yahweh of Israel 
and That's not the way you're supposed to operate. Anyways, 
that region, Samaria, is Gentileville. And so that they contact Philip 
and then Andrew makes sense. They probably had some sort of 
familiarity with these particular men. And then notice the particular 
action that they pursue, verse 21. They come to Philip, who 
was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we 
wish to see Jesus. I think I've shared with you 
before, many a Puritan pulpit had this placard on their pulpit. Sir, we wish to see Jesus. Sir, we want to see Jesus. That's what preachers should 
always be mindful of. You're not here to see me. You're 
not here to see whatever's going on in the world. You're here 
to see Jesus by faith. And that's the desire of these 
Gentile hearts. And intriguingly, look at the 
contrast. Notice that the Pharisees are 
upset about this. The Pharisees want to destroy 
him. The Pharisees want to murder him. The Pharisees are counting 
the days until they can put him on the cross and cry out, away 
with him, away with him, crucify him. Look at the contrast. The 
Sanhedrin, the religious leadership in Israel, is wanting to murder 
Jesus. And yet the Greeks are here wanting 
to see him. wanting to learn about him. And 
C, I think, connotes that. It has the idea of interview. 
They want to understand something about him. Why is that? Because 
the knowledge of his works was spreading. Vis-a-vis the resurrection 
of Lazarus in chapter 11. Wouldn't you want to see the 
man who was able to say to a dead body, come forth? I would. I'd be intrigued. I would be 
curious about that. But it wasn't just the knowledge 
of his works that was spreading around, it was the knowledge 
of his word, his teaching, his doctrine. What do they say at 
the end of the Sermon on the Mount? Jesus is not like the 
scribes, but rather he teaches with authority. And I think it's 
the authority invested in him by virtue of the fact that the 
very word that he's teaching is his word. When Jesus teaches, 
it's not according to this rabbi. It's not according to that rabbi. 
When Jesus makes that statement that our brother read, you've 
heard that it was said to those of old, but I say to you, he's 
not saying Moses bad, me good. He's saying that the rabbinic 
tradition, the Pharisees and the scribes that botched up interpreting 
Moses, he's contrasting him with them. Moses was right on and 
Jesus is his true expounder. So Christ spoke as one with authority. 
So of course, these Greeks desired to see him. But it wasn't just 
his works, it wasn't just his word, but it was also his identity. See, at this point, people are 
asking, is this the Messiah? People are curious, is this the 
one promised in the Old Testament? Is this the one that Moses wrote 
of? Is this the one that Isaiah prophesied? Is this the one that David sung 
of in the Psalter? Is this the Christ? So of course 
the Greeks are desirous. Of course the Greeks want to 
learn. Of course the Greeks want this interview with our blessed 
Savior. Now notice secondly then the 
glorification of the Son of Man. So verse 22, Philip came and 
told Andrew and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. That brings 
us to the glorification of the Son of Man in verses 23 to 26. Two things I want to do here. 
First, the declaration of the hour, verse 23, and then the 
implications of that hour in verses 24 to 26. I'm going to 
explain what the hour is, so if you missed that anywhere along 
the past exposition, I'll define that for you. But the declaration 
concerning the hour in verse 23, and then the implications 
concerning the hour in verses 24 to 26. This triumphal entry 
into Jerusalem is with a specified purpose. He is going to carry 
out all that the Father had given him to do. His life of active 
obedience is coming to an end, and now he comes to the passive 
obedience. When I say passive, that does not mean he was wholly 
uninvolved in his death. He lays down his life for the 
sheep. But in theology, we make a distinction 
between what Christ did in terms of his positive obedience, his 
active obedience to every law that God had specified. In other 
words, you're not supposed to commit adultery, as we just heard 
in the reading. You're not supposed to commit murder, as we heard 
in the reading. You're not supposed to engage 
in blasphemy or idolatry. You're not supposed to be a Sabbath-breaker. 
You're not supposed to be a lying thief. You're not supposed to 
be a covetous wretch. Jesus obeyed all that. And Jesus 
obeyed all that by virtue of his uniqueness, but he obeyed 
all that by virtue of the fact that he is a public person. He's 
our representative. We oftentimes focus on the cross 
and, well, we should, and the benefits that accrue. We need 
His death as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the 
world. But we need His life to provide us with a righteousness 
by which we'll be accepted by God. That's what the gospel brings. If you're not a saved person 
here this morning, listen to what Jesus says. With Jesus you 
get not only forgiveness, which if that's all it was, praise 
God Almighty, but you get His righteousness imputed to you 
and received by faith alone. So of course we focus on the 
cross, of course we celebrate the cross, of course we concentrate 
on that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness, but 
by that we don't neglect or negate the fact that Jesus obeyed perfectly. Why? Because we don't. Because we can't. As our brother 
pointed out, in Adam all die. When Paul comes to deal with 
the Ephesians to celebrate the riches of God's grace, in Ephesians 
2, 1 to 3, he rehearses what we were. He says, you being dead 
in your trespasses and sins. How do we get from the state 
of deadness and trespasses and sins to acceptance with God Most 
High? Well, it's by virtue of the work 
of Jesus Christ in His death, but as well in His life. So when 
we believe on Him, we're not only forgiven of our sins, but 
we're clothed in a righteousness by which we can enter into the 
presence of God Most High. So that act of obedience, by 
and large, is complete, and now He's moving into the path of 
obedience. Again, passive does not mean he's not involved, but 
it's probably related to the word passion. It has to do with 
his penal sufferings on the cross for all those whom the Father 
had given him. And so when we look at this language 
and the declaration concerning the hour, notice what he says 
in verse 23. He doesn't answer the question directly. When Andrew 
and Philip say, you know, Jesus, the Greeks want to see him. He 
doesn't say, well, you know, just send him over here and I'll 
give him an interview. Tell him to bring their iPhone 
and hit the, you know, record dial and I'll, you know, I'll 
enter into a series of questions. He doesn't answer them that way. 
So raise his hand and, you know, gesture over to the Greeks and 
say, you know, here I am. But he answers their question 
theologically. What do you think the Greeks 
want to interview him about? You know, what's your view on 
Caesar? What's your view on Pontius Pilate? What's your view on the economic 
crisis that we're facing here in the first century? What's 
your view of the larger sort of macrocosm? They want to know, 
are you the Messiah? Are you the Christ? Are you the 
one we're waiting for? Are you the one that Moses and 
Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zechariah spoke of? Are you the one that 
is going to come and save us from our sins? So he doesn't 
answer them directly, here am I, but he answers them theologically 
by pointing forward to the hour. And he says that that hour has 
arrived. Notice in verse 23, but Jesus answered them saying, 
the hour has come that the son of man Should be glorified turn 
back to John 2 John chapter 2 just a bit of this emphasis on the 
hour John chapter 2 Jesus has referred to the hour but up until 
this point in John 12 It's always been future. It's always something 
coming. It's always something on the 
horizon. It's an eventuality. It's a certainty, 
but it hasn't yet come. The scene shifts here in John 
12. The hour has come. But notice in John 2, specifically 
at verse 4, this is when Mary asks him to deal with the wine 
problem. Verse 4, Jesus said to her, woman, 
what does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet 
come. John 7. John 7, similar emphasis, 
John 7, specifically at verse 30. Therefore they sought to 
take him, but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not 
yet come. John 8, specifically in verse 
20, similar emphasis. These words, Jesus spoke in the 
treasuries, he taught in the temple and no one laid hands 
on him for his hour had not yet come. So in light of these two 
passages, what ought we to conclude? The hour had come, they're going 
to lay hands on him. The hour had come, and they're 
going to take him. The hour had come, and they're going to deliver 
him up. The hour had come, and they're going to crucify him 
because they're godless, vile, bloodthirsty wretches. This is 
what John is preparing us for in these previous chapters. We 
get to John 12, 23 makes that declaration. Drop down to John 
12, 27. Now my soul is troubled and what 
shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this 
purpose I came to this hour. Notice in 13.1, the upper room 
discourse. Now before the feast of the Passover, 
when Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he should depart 
from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were 
in the world, he loved them to the end. Notice in John 16, specifically 
at verse 32, similar emphasis. Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, 
has now come that you will be scattered, each to his own, and 
will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone because 
the Father is with me. Isn't that exactly what happens 
at the cross? Isn't that exactly what happens? 
The disciples forsake Him, they bail. When Jesus is hung upon 
the cross, they're not there, brethren. It's the faithful women 
that attend to him at that particular time. And then notice the high 
priestly prayer in John 17.1. Jesus spoke these words, lifted 
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify 
your son that your son also may glorify you. So back to John 
12. It's not an eventuality or a 
certainty that's in the distant future, but it's come. Passion 
week has started. First day, Monday, he's triumphantly 
entered into the city. Several events will occur in 
that week. It will culminate on the Friday when he is delivered 
up by these godless men at the behest or rather at the agreement 
of Pontius Pilate, that wicked coward that capitulated to an 
angry mob, but that's what's gonna happen. And of course he 
dies, he's raised again on the third day. So he speaks of the 
hour having come. Now notice the language that 
he employs here in verse 23. The hour has come that the son 
of man should be glorified. It's one of the favorite titles 
of Jesus for Jesus. Up in our Sunday school room, 
there's a beautiful banner that Mrs. Dawn Mars had made when 
we had Sunday school for the children. By the way, we don't 
have Sunday school because we hate kids. It's hard to find 
sort of volunteers that will do that and commit to that. So 
if anybody's ever interested in doing Sunday school, let me 
know. But she made this beautiful banner 
with all of the titles of God Most High that we find in the 
scripture. I think we all have sort of our favorite ways that 
we address God. We call him Father or we call 
him Holy Father or we call him God. You know, we refer to Jesus, 
you know, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 
We refer to him as Savior. We refer to him as King and Lord 
and all those things. Well, Jesus refers to himself 
as Son of Man. Now, persons say, well, that's 
to make sure that we understand that he was truly man. Well, 
he is truly man, and we know that. John 1, 14, the word became 
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory 
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 
I think the Lord Jesus takes that title, son of man, with 
its Old Testament meaning. And its Old Testament meaning 
is Daniel 7, 13 and 14. And it points to his divinity. 
It points to his glory. It points to His Majesty. It 
points to the fact that He will be exalted at the right hand 
of the Ancient of Dates, and He will always live to make intercession 
for His people, and He will come in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. He uses that title here specifically with reference 
to the hour. If, on the one hand, you consider 
the hour as the biggest crime ever perpetrated against an innocent 
man, you're right. What does Jesus ever do in any 
of the gospel records that would earn him the death penalty? It 
was a travesty of justice. You think you've been framed? 
You think you've been misrepresented? You think you've been judged 
harshly? Jesus was holy, harmless, and undefiled, and he was crucified 
on a cross. But at the same time, how do 
Christians refer to that cross? It's the place of glory. Yes, 
shame, and ignominy, and the curse of God, and the wrath of 
God, and the fury of God. But it's there that he finishes 
the work of redemption. It's there that he says triumphantly, 
it is finished. We as Christians look at the 
cross as an emblem of Christ's glory. And that's what he is 
doing here. The cross, which was a scandal 
to the unbelieving Jew, was nevertheless a demonstration that Christ is 
both the wisdom and the power of God. So he says, the hour 
has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. He associates 
that with his death, but I think Jesus assumes everything else 
that goes along with his death. His incarnation, that means His 
life of perfect obedience, His death on the cross, but then 
His resurrection, and then His exaltation to the right hand 
of the Father. All of that is the glorification of the Son 
of Man, who for us men and for our salvation came down from 
heaven. So that's the declaration concerning 
the hour. The hour has come that the Son 
of Man should be glorified. Now let's move on to the implications 
of that hour in verses 24 to 26. In other words, notice what 
Jesus doesn't do. I'm gonna die. Let's go. What's 
the significance of this death? What does it mean for us? There's 
a Latin phrase, I think it's pro nobis, which is God for us. For us men and for our salvation, 
he came down from heaven. And I think Jesus now is going 
to lead his hearers by the hand to explain to them the significance 
of his death. In other words, it's not just 
some abstract concept, but it has concrete application in the 
lives of real human beings. He didn't just come down to set 
an example. He didn't just come down to start 
a new religion. He didn't just come down to be 
a revolutionary. He came down for us men and for 
our salvation. And there's three things he says 
concerning that hour with reference to us. In the first place, he 
says the death that he dies is absolutely necessary. Verse 24. 
Secondly, he underscores the response to his death, verse 
25, and then outlines the benefit of his death in verse 26. So 
he moves from the concept of his dying to the application 
of that death in the lives of the people. So let's look at 
the necessity of his death. Notice, verse 23, the hour has 
come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Now, as if he's 
amplifying or explaining or expounding on that, he goes on to give the 
significance of the hour. So verse 24, most assuredly, 
I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground 
and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much 
grain. Now, let me just ask you, is 
Jesus a farmer? Does he have any agricultural 
lesson? I know that Home Depot has lessons 
for kids on how to learn carpentry. What a good thing. Take your 
kids to that. You know, they should learn how 
to build stuff. They should learn how to, you know, use hammers 
and nails and put things together. Is Jesus just got an agricultural 
bent? That's his mindset. You know, 
I just want to teach you about how to plant seeds and what happens 
as a result of that. No. That's not his concern. He's using a real-life illustration 
with spiritual application. Paul does this when he comes 
to deal with man resurrected from the dead. He says in 1 Corinthians 
chapter 15 at verse 36, foolish one, what you sow is not made 
alive unless it dies. So Christ speaks of the hour, 
associates that with His glorification, and then shifts gears specifically 
in verse 24 to His death. And notice the emphasis. There 
has been, in the history of theology, a discussion on the way that 
God saves sinners. Could God, who is omnipotent, 
save sinners in a way other than His Son coming, taking on our 
flesh, living, dying, and being raised again? Some have suggested, 
yeah, He in His power could have formulated another way that would 
not have entailed the death of His Son. That's always seemed 
suspicious to me, because it's always sort of suggested that 
the infinitely wise God didn't choose the infinitely wise path 
to save his people from their sins, to uphold both his justice 
and righteousness, and to manifest his grace and mercy and love. 
Notice that Jesus says, unless this series of events transpires, 
you will die in your sins. Unless a seed is planted and 
it dies, or unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and 
dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much 
grain. So notice the necessity of his 
death. In other words, there's no stopping 
this. There's no sort of staying the 
hand of Jesus. This is why I say, for instance, 
in Matthew chapter 16, just after saying to Peter, Peter confesses, 
thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. And Jesus 
says, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, flesh and blood didn't 
reveal this to you, but my father who's in heaven revealed this. 
Just a few verses later in my Bible, it's a few, you know, 
two inches down. Jesus announces that he must go to Jerusalem, 
he must be tried, he must be delivered up, and he must die. 
What does Peter do? The man who was just pronounced 
blessed, Simon Bar-Jonah, he says, forbid it, Lord, that's 
not gonna happen. And what does Jesus then do? 
Well, you know, Peter, that's just the way it's gotta be. He 
says, get behind me, Satan. You're not thinking God's thoughts 
after him. You're not thinking in terms 
of the prophets. You're not thinking in terms of Moses. You're not 
thinking in terms of blood atonement. You're not thinking about that 
day of atonement which necessitated the death of the goat in order 
for the forgiveness of sins. So the Lord Jesus must die. And when we look at the application 
that follows here and that we know of elsewhere, We learn a 
few things. First, the death of Jesus Christ. 
That must take place. That's what he associates with 
the hour. But notice as well the death 
of Jesus Christ for the benefit of others. Don't miss that. The for us-ness about the mission 
of the Savior. So verse 24, most assuredly I 
say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and 
dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much 
grain. In other words, there's benefit 
for others through the death of the Savior. Peter waxes on 
this when he says, "...for Christ also suffered once for sins, 
the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being 
put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit." So 
in other words, when you look at the death of Christ, there's 
an exemplary factor to it. You know, go out and die for 
Jesus the way Jesus showed how, you know, he died for us. Okay, 
but that's not the primary emphasis. The primary emphasis is, you 
know, Hebrews 9. Without the shedding of blood, 
there is no remission. It's Ephesians 1.7. In him we 
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according 
to the riches of his grace. So what does the death of Christ 
entail? It entails benefit for others. But if you're reading 
verse 24, it's not just a handful of others, is it? Is it just 
one tree? One sprout? A few? You know, 
hyper-Calvinists tell us there's only going to be a handful in 
heaven. I mean, come on, why would you even preach the gospel? 
There's, you know, not much hope for anybody out there. There's 
only hope for a handful. Is that what Jesus teaches? Is 
that what Jesus says is true concerning the death of Christ? Look at what he says in verse 
24. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat 
falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, 
it produces much grain. It's not just grain, but the 
accent, I think, ought to fall on the muchness of the grain. And lo and behold, when you move 
through scripture, going from this point on, you get to the 
book of Revelation. And when you get to the book 
of Revelation, is it just a handful? What about those churches that 
think they're the only ones that are right? We've been accused 
of that. Brethren, just because you prefer something or you think 
something is right doesn't necessarily exclude everybody else. I think 
Reformed Baptist theology, our confession of faith, represents, 
in summary form, what the Bible teaches. But I'm not suggesting 
that's it, if you don't hold to the 1689, you're hell-bound. 
There are churches in history that have interpreted it that 
way. When you get to the book of Revelation, is it just that 
church? Is it just that group of mouth-breathers and knuckle-draggers 
that are going to sit at the throne of God Most High? No, 
that's not what you get. Listen to John elsewhere. John, 
who wrote the Gospel, writes in Revelation, And they sang 
a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open 
its seals, for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by 
your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 
The Revelation 7, 9 and 10, after these things I looked and behold, 
a great multitude which no man can number. What does that suggest 
in terms of our missionary fervor? It ought to give us that impotence. It ought to make us prayerful. 
It ought to make us hopeful. It ought to make us confident 
and expectant. It ought to send us to our knees 
when we look at Revelation 7 and you see this great multitude 
assembled before the throne of God. And Jesus says as much here 
in verse 24, it produces much grain. So John says, after these 
things, I looked and behold, a great multitude, which no one 
can number of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues standing 
before the throne and before the lamb, clothed with white 
robes, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with 
a loud voice saying, salvation belongs to our God who sits on 
the throne and to the lamb. They're not congratulating themselves. They're not patting themselves 
on the back. They're not Arminians or Pelagians. They're not celebrating 
their free will. They're not saying, praise God, 
because we were smarter than everybody else. Salvation belongs 
to our God and to the lamb who sits on the throne. The one who 
died produces much grain. Now, going back to John chapter 
12, notice, secondly, that specific response to his death. In other 
words, What is the much grain going to look like? He says he's 
going to die. He says that his death is necessary. He says that his death will indeed 
produce much grain. Well, how do we know what that 
much grain looks like? Do they have G's on their back? 
Grain. Do they have E's on their forehead? Elect. Do they wear special clothing? Do they have special, you know, 
insignia? Are they identifiable in a group 
of people just by the way we look at them? Well, notice what 
Jesus says in verse 25, the response to his death. He who loves his 
life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world 
will keep it for eternal life. In other words, the much grain 
are going to be those who, by God's grace, believe on Jesus. You see that emphasis all throughout 
John's Gospel. You see it in John chapter 1. 
You see it in John chapter 6. You see it in John's purpose 
statement for the very writing of the book. John 20, 30, and 
31. These things are written so that 
what? So that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the 
Son of God, and that by believing in him you may have everlasting 
life. So those by grace who believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ are described here in verse 25 as not being tied to 
this world. as not being lovers of this world, 
as not being the sorts of people that value the temporal, that 
value the physical, and that value what they can touch, taste, 
feel, and see right here and right now. He's not calling us 
to asceticism. He's not saying, you know, go 
live out in the desert and don't eat and die. He's not saying 
that. But he is telling us that those 
who are tied to this present evil age, Those who find truck 
with the Godless in our day, those who do not value and prize 
Jesus Christ, those who do not have a saving interest in Him, 
are those who love their lives. They're those who don't care 
about eternity. Have you ever witnessed or testified 
or tried to share the gospel with somebody? And they were 
so tied and set to this present evil age, they wouldn't even 
hear it. The thought of another world, the thought of a glorious 
God, the thought of a coming judgment, the thought that there 
would be discrimination on the part of the Son of Man between 
the sheep and the goats. People don't care. In a materialistic 
age, all they want is Netflix and chill. All they want is some, 
you know, beer in their fridge and some hockey on their television. 
All they want is the here and now. But for the people of God, 
we may struggle with some of that to be sure. We've got remaining 
laziness and apathy and lethargy and all that sort of thing. But 
definitionally, we are concerned about the age to come. Descriptively, 
we are a people that are fixated with the blessed Savior. Notice 
what he says here in verse 25. He who loves his life will lose 
it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for 
eternal life. In a parallel in Matthew 16 verses 24 to 26, then 
Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after 
me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow 
me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it. Whoever 
loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it 
to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? 
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? That's obviously 
what he's talking about in this passage. So verse 25, he who 
loves his life will lose it. If you are attached to you, yourself, 
and you, if your orientation is the unholy trinity, me, myself, 
and I, you're going to lose your life. You're going to go to hell. Notice that Jesus doesn't ever 
shy away from telling that. Oh, we can't tell sinners that 
they're going to go to hell because they won't like that. Oh, well, 
then, therefore, let's just throw out, you know, large swaths of 
our Bible. Let's do the hospital ministry in pre-COVID times, 
and we'd always get the guidelines. You know, don't talk about judgment. 
Don't talk about hell. Well, you know, I've never been 
constrained to walk past my neighbor's house and it's on fire and say, 
well, you know, I'm just not going to let him know that his 
house is on fire. That would be ghoulish and insensitive. So the others might interpret 
that as loving to say, you know what? Your house is on fire. 
You probably should vacate it. Grab the wife. Grab the kids. 
Grab the dog. Get out. Just go, because your house is 
on fire. How is it unloving to tell people the truth? Why has 
the church bought that lie? Why has the church been so conditioned 
to think that we can't ever say anything that might make people 
feel bad? You know what, brethren? Feeling 
bad occasionally is a good thing. Feeling your guilt and your sin 
and your shame can be a blessed thing when it brings you to the 
foot of the cross. when it causes you to say with 
the hymn writer, foul I to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, 
or I die. When it evokes from that same 
hymn, nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. 
See brethren, Jesus doesn't shy away from telling people that 
if you resist him and you reject him, you will lose your life. You will perish in hell. You 
will go to that place of torment and damnation and curse. And 
notice when he goes on in verse 25, he says, he who loves his 
life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world 
will keep it for eternal life. Again, that doesn't mean you 
wake up and you punch yourself. It doesn't mean you go to the 
cupboard and get arsenic and ingest it. It doesn't mean you 
stand out on train tracks. That's not what it means. Hating 
your life in this world means the opposite to what those lovers 
of their life in this world look like. They don't care about the 
age to come. They don't think about the judgment 
to come. They don't think about the reality of a gracious God 
who sent his son into this world, sinners to save. So when by grace 
we believe the gospel, what else do we learn? We learn to hate 
the world in the righteous sense. Paul speaks this language in 
Romans 12, do not be conformed to the world. What does he mean? 
Stop eating? Stop wearing clothes. Stop having 
a house. No, he means don't be a wretch 
like everybody who populates the world. Don't be wicked. Don't be vile. Don't be wretched. 
You've been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your 
body and soul. And then notice thirdly and finally, 
with reference to the implications, he speaks concerning the benefit 
of his death. The benefit of his death. And 
he does this a lot elsewhere, and so does the entirety of the 
New Testament. But in this particular instance, 
he gives the declaration, verse 24, 3, and then he brings out 
these implications. The necessity of his death, the 
purpose, or rather the response to his death on the part of the 
verse 25 people. And then notice in verse 26, and I think the 
connection is simple. The death of Christ produces 
much grain. The much grain is obviously not, 
you know, fruit trees and bushes and shrubs and all that. The 
much grain has saved sinners. Those sinners believe in Him 
by the grace of God, and they are the ones who hate their life 
in this world, and they keep it for eternal life. Now, notice 
the benefit. The benefit, you'll probably 
zip through 26 and say, oh yeah, there it is, my father will honor. 
But I suggest the preceding clauses are benefit too. Look at what 
he says in verse 26. If anyone serves me. When you hear that language, 
do you go, I don't want to serve any man. You're not the boss 
of me. Who says that? The nation's in rebellion against 
Yahweh and his Christ. You're not the boss of me. For 
the blood-bought child of God, who by God's grace is believing 
in Jesus, the service of Christ isn't the chore. The service 
of Christ is the blessing. It's a benefit. It's the goodness. It's the joyfulness. Remember 
years ago, I preached from Acts chapter 2. the response of the 
church to the preaching of Peter. And somebody took me aside, that 
somebody's no longer here. He said, well, that was law. 
That was, that was not good. Well, I was preaching the bit. 
They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship. in the breaking of bread and 
prayers. Now, I guess in one category you could see that as 
law, but I was preaching it as the glorious blessing of the 
blood-bought children of God who get to continue steadfastly 
in the Apostles' doctrine, in fellowship, in the breaking of 
bread and prayers. If there's a oughtness or mustness 
to this, and it causes you to recoil in horror, you've not 
embraced the blessedness of it. And so when Jesus says in the 
connection here, he produces much grain, saves sinners, they 
believe by God's grace, they hate their lives and they keep 
it for eternal life. And then he says, if anyone serves 
me, Beautiful. We get to serve our Jesus. What 
could be better? This is what Adam and Eve were 
purposed to do with God, isn't it? They didn't come from the 
hand of God as vile, cantankerous sinners rebelling against Him. 
When God comes to deal with them in their sin, when does He come? 
He comes in the coolness of the day. I don't know all the ins 
and outs of that, but I surmise it was after Adam's work day. 
After Adam went out and did what he was supposed to do in terms 
of his vocation under God, God would come and bless them with 
His presence. I don't know anybody who would 
say, oh, that's terrible. I wouldn't want to commune with God. I don't 
want to have any truck with God. I don't want to serve Jesus. 
Well, if that's the case, may I exhort you to believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Because His servants 
want to serve. They only are upset that they 
don't serve Him as they ought. Isn't that our usual complaint? 
I'd like to serve Him a whole lot better. Sorry, Lord, I don't 
serve you as I should. Sorry, I'm not as good of a servant. Praise God, we're not going to 
heaven because of our servanthood to our Lord Jesus, but rather 
His servanthood for us in terms of His life, death, and resurrection. 
Notice the trajectory here. If anyone serves me, let him 
follow me. John 8, he talks about being 
a slave of sin. What does a slave of sin do? 
He follows the devil. He follows his lusts. He's governed 
by his passions. He's governed by the things that 
the Baal worshipers were governed. When you look at the Old Testament, 
there's a contrast between the worship of the living and true 
God and Baal. What was Baal about? Baal was 
about sexual promiscuity. Baal was about indulging yourself. Baal worship was trying to get 
Baal to return in kind fertilization for crops. That's not how Yahweh 
was worshiped. What about Moloch? If you wonder 
how Moloch was worshiped, think Planned Parenthood, because it's 
pretty much the same. Moloch was a big statue with 
outstretched arms, and they had a fire at his base. How'd they 
worship? They'd bring their little ones 
and throw them into the arms of Moloch. The psalmist says 
that the idol has eyes and cannot see. He has ears, but he can't 
hear. He's got a nose, but he can't smell. He's got a mouth, 
but he can't speak. He'd also say they have arms 
and they can't catch. So when they threw these little 
ones into the arms of Moloch, what do you think happened? He 
didn't have opposable thumbs. He didn't have the ability to 
do what you and I do if a baby's falling. So that baby would bounce 
off the arms right into the fire, and that's the way Moloch was 
praised. It's about passion. It's about lust. It's about carnality. 
It's about sin. What does Jesus say? The one 
who serves me will follow me. And when we follow him, we don't 
go, oh, man, I got to follow Jesus. How terrible is that? 
In the parallel in Matthew 16, pick up your cross daily and 
follow me. That means be ready to die. We've reinterpreted that too. You know, the cross today in 
the Christian life is, you know, my wife doesn't have dinner ready 
at 5.30. What a cross to bear. I've got 
a son who leaves his hockey stuff in my garage and it smells. What 
a cross to bear. I've got this person at work 
that's a real pain. What a cross to bear. The cross 
in Matthew 16 was the willingness to die for Jesus. It was the 
willingness to follow the Lamb wherever He goes. In Matthew, 
Revelation chapter 14, you see that. Who are these that are 
washed? Who are these that are spotless? Who are these that 
are purified? They're the ones who follow the lamb, wherever 
he goes. Revelation 14, four. So Jesus says, if anyone serves 
me, let him follow me. And where I am, I love the language. Notice the contrast in tenses. Jesus is there. Huh? Remember, he's not just true 
humanity. He's true divinity. He never 
ceases being true divinity. And we saw the same sort of thing 
in John 3 at verse 13. Same sort of curious language 
concerning the person of our Lord Jesus. John 3, 13, no one 
has ascended to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, that 
is the son of man who is in heaven. He does the same thing here in 
John 12 at verse 26. If anyone serves me, let him 
follow me, and where I am, there my servant will be also. So there's 
a present-ness in terms of Jesus, according to his divinity, where 
I am, and there's a future-ness in terms of us. Let him follow 
me, and where I am, there my servant will be also. The ones 
for whom Jesus dies, the one for whom Jesus lives, the one 
for whom Jesus saves, those ones have a secure future based on 
what he's accomplished on their behalf. We will be with him. That's what I want you to get 
from this passage. We will be with him. Don't we enjoy him 
now in public worship? I hope you do. I hope you say 
with David in Psalm 122, I was glad when they said unto me, 
let us go to the house of the Lord. Even if when you first 
pop out of bed, that's not true. By the time you get to the parking 
lot, it may still not be true. When you walk through those doors, 
it still may not be true. Once you start seeing the brethren, 
once you start singing praises to God, once you start hearing 
the word read, once you start hearing the word preached, once 
you start engaging in the worship of the triune God, hasn't it 
caught up with you? Yes, I am glad to be in the house 
of the Lord. We're going to dwell with Him 
forever. And that's the promise connected 
to the hour. The glorification of the Son 
means the glorification of the sons of men. The glorification 
of Christ means the glorification for all those whom the Father 
had given Him. And that's the sure promise of 
our blessed Savior in verse 26. If anyone serves Me, let him 
follow Me. And where I am, there My servant 
will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father 
will honor. Now this idea of the Father honoring 
us, we're going to see glimpses of that in the Upper Room Discourse 
as well. It's inconceivable. God honoring 
me? Really? I mean, come on. That is, you know, you talk about 
stuff that's hard to believe. Brethren, we walk by faith in 
what the scripture says. Now the honoring here doesn't 
mean that God bows down to us, oh beautiful, wonderful human. 
I think John Gill gets it right. Gill says by accepting his service, 
this is what it means to honor us. It's what it means by the 
Father honoring us. It means to accept our service 
because it comes cleansed in the precious blood of Jesus, 
clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, so therefore this can, 
in fact, be a sweet-smelling aroma to our God. So by accepting 
His service, affording Him His gracious presence here, and by 
giving Him eternal glory hereafter, to which He has called Him. And 
as well, we know that the father honors the son. So what Jesus 
is saying that that beautiful relationship that obtains between 
the father and the son is extended to include all those whom the 
father has given to the son. Another man says, Jesus said 
this to show how intimately His servants are related to Him, 
inasmuch as they will be honored by the same One who honors the 
Son. For the honor the Son has by His nature, they will have 
by grace. Beautiful. This is what Jesus 
is talking about. He announces the arrival of the 
hour, verse 23. He draws out the implications 
of that hour in verses 24 to 26. The next time we come to 
John's gospel, we will see further amplification and explanation 
of what the hour entails in the following verses. But in conclusion, 
we ought to appreciate in the first place the glory of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. He comes to save his people from 
their sins. And vital to that is this hour. Vital to that is his death. Vital 
to that is his suffering. In our stead, the wrath and fury 
and curse of God most high. See, gospel readers can fall 
into that. We read it and we see what horrible 
people people are. And brethren, we should see that. 
We should see that when we move into the Passion narrative. There's 
something more going on than the wretches saying, away with 
him, away with him, crucify him. There's something more going 
on than the Roman soldiers banging nails through his wrists to hang 
him on that tree. There's something more going 
on than the rabble at the base of the cross mocking himself. 
He saved others. Let's see if he can save himself. 
What's going on beyond that is the wrath and fury of God Most 
High. When Christ goes into Gethsemane, 
it's not what man is going to do to him. It's what God's going 
to do to him. It's the cup of wrath that he 
must drink. His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, 
even unto death, according to Matthew 26. What does he pray 
to the father? If it is possible, let this cup 
pass from me. But the resolution is very clear. 
Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. In other words, 
he must go to the cross. Please see his glory in that. And then secondly, the nature 
of discipleship. See, Jesus, again, doesn't throw 
his death out there, the allusion to his death, in sort of an abstract 
way. He defines for us and describes 
for us what it will look like for the benefactors. You're not 
going to be the kind of person that is so tied to this earth 
you have no concern whatsoever for the age to come. If by grace 
you believe the gospel, you're going to be fixated on another 
world. Now again, fixated ebbs and flows. I wish I was more 
fixated on that world of love than I am. But at the same time, 
there is a radical orientational change in the lives of believers. What we once valued, what we 
once esteemed, what we once prized, We say with the Apostle Paul 
that this is dead to me now. Everything that was prophet, 
I count but loss. Why? For the excellence of the 
knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, through whom the world 
has been crucified to me and I to the world. That's the change, 
that's of God, that's regeneration, that's saving faith, that's that 
breach in terms of the old man, that is living now for our Lord 
Jesus Christ, serving Him, following Him, not whining when you hear 
a sermon on the law, because The commandments of God are not 
burdensome to those who have the Spirit of God. They love 
the law. They're like David, that man 
in the Old Covenant who says, I love the law of the Lord. It 
is my delight all day and night. And then finally, for anybody 
here that's not a believer, I want to stick to the script here because 
I want to make sure that I get this across. First, consider 
the wisdom of these Greeks. Consider the wisdom of these 
Greeks. There is no more important question on the face of the earth 
than, sir, we wish to see Jesus. Not your portfolio, not your 
college plans, not the little filly you're gonna marry, but 
sir, we wish to see Jesus. Consider the wisdom of these 
Greeks. As well, recognize the way of approach to God. It's 
not by your works, because they're terrible. It's not by your performance 
because it's wretched, but it's by God's grace through faith 
in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is clear. We're justified 
freely by His grace. And the way that we appropriate 
it, the instrument, rather, by which we come into saving contact 
with God is faith in Jesus. But as well, understand that 
faith in Christ is the alone instrument of justification, 
yet it's not alone in the person justified. In other words, once 
we're justified, then what? I think verses 25 and 26 illustrate 
that for us. We come to Jesus, we're justified 
freely by His grace, we're forgiven of our sins, we're clothed in 
His righteousness. Now what? Well, now we repent 
of self-love and a love for this present evil age. Now we serve 
the blessed Savior who is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. 
Now we follow him wherever he goes. And just realize this, 
he's never going to lead us into debauchery. If you find yourself 
committing adultery or committing theft or you're a robber, Jesus 
didn't lead you there, brethren. That's off the devil. That's 
off this present evil age. Jesus leads you into pastures 
that are good for your soul. Jesus leads you to those things 
which are good and pleasing in the sight of a great God. And 
to follow him means blessing. It means privilege. It ultimately 
means inclusion in the very heaven of God himself. where Jesus Christ 
is. Anticipate that. Look forward 
to it. Understand that the momentary 
light affliction that we go through in this present age is nothing 
compared to the exceeding weight of glory that is awaiting for 
all of God's children. Well, let us pray. Our blessed 
Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the ministry 
of our Lord. We thank you as well for his 
teaching. the clarity of it, and the emphasis on this hour, 
this glorification of the Son of Man. I pray that you would 
all give us that saving interest in Him, that we would all be 
looking to Him in faith, that we would know the joy of being 
found in Him, not having our own righteousness, which is from 
the law, but that which is from you and received through faith 
alone. I pray that you would go with us, that you would bless 
us, that you would help us to follow the Lamb and to do so 
with great joy and with great thanksgiving. And we pray through 
Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen. Well, you can turn in your hymn 
books to 568 and we'll close our service by singing the doxology 
in praise to our triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
♪ Praise God almighty ♪ Praise Him, glory to His dearly 
beloved. Praise Him, our God in heav'nly host. Praise, Father, 
Son, and Holy Ghost. May the grace of the Lord Jesus 
Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit 
be with you all. Amen. Go with us now, Most High, 
and bless us and strengthen us and keep us by your sovereign 
grace. And we pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. We may 
be seated for a brief time of meditation.