March 20, 2023 – “Unless a Grain of Wheat…Dies”

“Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24

“A Dayak proverb puts the human quandary this way: “Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways, but where it is unwilling it will find a thousand excuses.” . Lent is the season of Christian self-denial. For this reason, this text beckons believers to follow Jesus’ lead. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” When stewards practice selfless giving on behalf of others, then they defy their own instinct for self-preservation. Our culture today lives under the myth of scarceness: it is only by hoarding and keeping possessions that we can assure ourselves of continuous survival. Yet Jesus teaches that within life in God there are ways of living that transcend simple survival. Jesus even reminds stewards, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.” (Lenten Devotional Stewardship Principles, We walk together as stewards in God’s church, ELCA, 2012, March 25)

What more difficult teaching can there be then to hear Jesus suggest we are to lose our life rather than to love it – for the sake of the Gospel. Sacrifice is never easy, but Jesus truly believed that his sacrifice would bring the best out his disciples, including you and me. Few will go the distance to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the teaching of Jesus Christ. But we can live in the manner where we choose first the Kingdom of G-d rather than give into the Kingdom of the world each and every day. That means living in the manner where we put others first. It means prioritizing our time to put G-d at the top of the list and other things at the bottom. Lent is the time for spiritual spring cleaning, and for reconsidering re-prioritizing our schedules. The very fact that we are thinking of Jesus today is proof that he was correct about his powerful impact on all people.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, thank you for leaving heaven and living here among us. Thank you for being a person of compassion and character who modeled a life of selflessness and service. Amen.

Pastor Dave