By Rev Charles Seet

Preached at / Published life BPC 10.45am Svc, 2009-09-20

Text: John 12:12-26

On 28 November this year, a group of 42 will have the opportunity to visit Israel and Jordan for a 12-day trip with an itinerary which will cover at least 50 places of interest, including those in and around Jerusalem. If you happen to be one of those going on this trip you may notice that the walls around the old city of Jerusalem have 9 gates. But of these 9 gates, the oldest and most impressive of all is the Golden Gate. With foundation stones that date back all the way to the time of Nehemiah, it is the entrance that is nearest to the Mount of Olives. Before the Temple was destroyed in AD 70, this was the main entrance to Temple courts. 

But what is interesting about the Golden Gate is that no one can use it now because it is completely sealed up and there is a Muslim cemetery right in front of it. Why is this so? Well according to a historical account, after the Ottoman Turks had conquered the city the Turkish ruler, Sultan Suleiman learned that the Jews believed that when their Messiah comes, He will enter Jerusalem through that gate. And so in the year 1541 he sealed it up and built a cemetery in front of it to prevent the Messiah from coming. 

Well that sultan was actually 15 centuries too late, because the Messiah of the Jews had already come in AD 30 and He had been welcomed into the city through the Golden Gate. This event took place 5 days before He died on the cross for the sins of the world. It was the triumphal entry of Christ. 

Our Lord Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a young ass. This was the fulfilment of Zechariah's prophecy that the Messianic king of Israel would enter the city not on a horse, as a mighty conqueror, but on a lowly ass, as a gentle bringer of salvation. This typifies the first advent of Christ when He came to the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17). But a time is coming soon when the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven riding on a white horse, to judge and to make war with the world. And all the kindreds of the earth will then wail because of Him and the judgment He brings against the world (Revelation 1:7). 

I. Why did the Jews shout 'Hosanna'?

A. Because they were convinced that He was their Messiah and King

In contrast to that future event, this triumphal entry of Jesus Christ was greeted warmly by cheering crowds of Jews waving palm branches in their hands and shouting, 'Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.' (v.13) The cry 'Hosanna' was a Jewish exclamation derived from Psalm 118:25 'Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.' The original Hebrew for the words 'save now' was actually 'Hoshi'ah Na' Out of this verse in Psalm 118, these words soon became used by the Jews as a cry to God for deliverance and blessing. Now, why would the words of this psalm be on the minds of the Jews when Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem? One probable reason is found in verse 12. It mentions that many people had come to Jerusalem 'to the feast.'

This feast was the Passover, which was to be celebrated in a few days' time, to commemmorate the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, that was effected by Moses. Now during this feast it was customary for the Jews to read and meditate on Psalms 113-118. These 6 psalms constituted a collection called 'The Great Hallel'. The climax of these was Psalm 118, which was a grand psalm of national rejoicing for deliverance from God. And the acclamation, 'Hosanna!' given in this psalm, embodied all their hopes for God's deliverance.

But what was it that prompted these Jews to shout 'Hosanna' when they saw Jesus entering Jerusalem? According to vv.17,18 'The people therefore that was with him when He called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met Him, for that they heard that He had done this miracle.' 

What had made this miracle so remarkable was the fact that Lazarus had been dead for 4 days when Jesus brought him back to life. The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, together with the many other miracles Jesus had done in His 3-year ministry had thoroughly convinced them that He was their long-awaited Messiah - the Deliverer of Israel whom their prophets had foretold. The Jews knew that the Messiah would also be their rightful king. You will notice that this is what they called Jesus in v.13 'Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.'

The earlier part of this verse tells us that they 'took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him'. The palm tree was a symbol of grace, elegance and uprightness. It was also a symbol of victory and rejoicing, and the waving of palm branches is mentioned in Revelation 7:9 as part of the heavenly worship that will be given to Christ there. And so during the Triumphal entry the whole multitude that had come to Jerusalem for the Passover waved palm branches and shouted 'Hosanna!' to acknowledge that Jesus is the rightful King of Israel and the Messiah of the Jews. 

B. Because they expected Him to fulfill their selfish hopes.

But the amazing thing about all this, was that a few days later, the same crowd that welcomed Him with cheers of 'Hosanna! Hosanna!' hurled jeers of 'Crucify Him! Crucify Him!' Why did they change their tune? It was probably due to an utterly selfish and mistaken concept of the Messiah. To them, the Messiah was the One who would bring back the glorious Davidic Kingdom to Israel.

Thus, their shouts of 'Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!' expressed their hopes that Jesus would now lead all of them in a mighty revolution to overthrow the Romans, and to restore all the lost fortunes of the Kingdom of Israel. But when it became very clear to them that this was not His intention at all, all their excitement gradually died down. In the days that followed, this selfish concept of the people became evident, as they went back to their own businesses, and hardly paid any attention to what the Lord Jesus said or did. All the joyful exaltation and praise they had given Him during His triumphal entry was soon forgotten, as they returned to their own pursuits. Only a few of them continued to seek after the Lord Jesus sincerely. Among them were the Greeks that are mentioned in v.20.

The point we want to take note of, is that the majority of the people sought after Christ for the wrong reasons. They craved for all His benefits and for manifestations of His miracle power, but they did not want to give themselves and everything that they had to Him. The same thing is still true today. Multitudes of people still come to Christ, but unfortunately not all come to Him for the right reasons. Many are merely looking for a Saviour who can help them to escape from the fires of Hell, and who can keep giving them whatever they wish to have in this life or in the life to come, be it wealth, or health, comfort or ease. 

II. Why you should sing 'Hosanna.'

Dearly beloved, do you come to Christ for these reasons, or for different reasons? Are you seeking Christ with the right motives? Why do you sing Hosanna and call Him your King? Do you do it to give Him the full-hearted worship He deserves, or do you to it with a persona; agenda of seeing all your selfish desires fulfilled by Him? Dear friends, let me ask you this: Would you still come to Jesus, if He does not save you at all, or bless your life in the end? Would you still come to Jesus Christ, if He requires you to sacrifice everything you have for Him, yes, even your own life?

Please listen again to what the Lord Jesus said in vv.24-26 '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. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.' Now, these are very important words for us to ponder in our hearts. They remind us of what it costs to be a follower of Jesus Christ. 

They show us that those who desire to follow Christ must be willing even to forsake their own life, like Jesus was going to do shortly, on the cross. So let us study what Jesus said here carefully, beginning with v.24: '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.' The imagery used here obviously comes from the realm of farming. Any farmer knows that a single seed can never produce anything good, unless it is first planted into the ground. Only then will it germinate into a plant and produce fruits. 

A. Because you are willing to follow Christ's example (v.27,32,33).

Why did Jesus say this? One reason is that His own death was imminent. (v.27) In less than a week after saying these words, Christ's own life was going to be sacrificed. Thus the seed here refers to Himself. As the seed falls to the ground and dies, so Jesus was shortly going to fall into the hands of those who would crucify Him. But out of His death, the glorious and bountiful atonement for sins would germinate and blossom, bringing many into eternal life! Thousands upon thousands would be saved from eternal death through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is stated by Him in vv.32,33 'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die.'

But there is another reason why Jesus said this. And that is, to teach us to follow His example of self-sacrifice. Listen to what He says in v.25 'He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.' Here Jesus was no more talking about His own death, but of a general principle that is applicable to every one of us.

But there seems to be a strange paradox in this statement. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life will get to keep it. This thought is totally opposite to the world's thinking, which is based on the survival of the fittest. Most people are motivated by the survival instinct, to jealously guard the precious life they have. And most people not only desire to preserve their own lives, but to enhance and improve their lives as much as they can. What the world promotes is self-love and self-esteem. 

We all have probably been guilty of this at some point of our lives. Whenever we put our desires and our will before God's desires and God's will, we love ourselves. Whenever we want to have things going our way rather than God's way, we love ourselves. And whenever we live our lives the way we want, rather than the way God wants, we are loving ourselves. But Jesus says in v.25 'He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.' And the illustration that He provides in the preceding verse is that of the seed '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.' Within this verse we can observe two distinct strands of teaching. The first is:

1. Living in Humility

'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.' Unless we are willing to deny ourselves any glory, we would never be able to do this. But many do not like to humble themselves. Many do not like to end up with the unpleasant prospect of having less privileges and rights than others. But that is the price we must be willing to pay if we are to live in humility. The other strand of teaching is found in the latter part of the verse: 

2. Living and Dying for God's Glory

'But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' The words, 'much fruit' here is the term that Jesus often used to describe good works that bring glory to God.

Jesus Himself has set the example. In v.28 He expressed His earnest desire that the Father's name would be glorified. Therefore our lives become fruitful when when we die to self and live for the purpose of glorifying God. Dearly beloved, let us resolve that whether we live or die, we do so to glorify God. Let our earnest prayer be, 'In my life, or in my death - may God be the One who is praised and glorified.'

B. Because you are willing to serve Christ (v.26).

Besides bringing glory to God, there is one more motivation for self-sacrifice. This motivation is mentioned in v.26 'If any man serve Me, let him follow Me' This means that anyone who follows Jesus Christ must be willing to make the same sacrifice that He made, and to have the same level of self-denial that He had. That is the requirement that Jesus has set for all who would serve Him. Is it an unreasonable requirement? No it isn't. Jesus Himself said that by virtue of the relationship that a disciple has to his Master, the disciple must never expect to be better off than his master. 

We can see this in Matthew 10:24,25, where Jesus said 'The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord' Therefore, as followers of Christ, we should not expect to be in better circumstances than what our Lord had. Christ expects all who follow Him to have the same willingness He had, to forsake every personal right for the sake of God's Kingdom. As His disciples we must be willing to sacrifice all our rights and privileges, whenever such a sacrifice becomes necessary. 

Dearly beloved, what has your commitment to Christ cost you so far? What price have you paid thus far, for following the Lord Jesus Christ? What sacrifices have you made to do His will? I think that if we were to list all the things we have endured for Christ's sake so far, they could never compare with what Christ had to endure for us. Nor could they even compare with what many saints before us had to go through. Many believers in the early church had to pay the price of martyrdom. 

According to church tradition and history, The Apostle Matthew was slain with a sword at a distant city in Ethiopia. Mark died at Alexandria, after being cruelly dragged through the streets of that city. Luke was hanged upon an olive tree in the land of Greece. John was put into a cauldron of boiling oil, but escaped death in a miraculous manner, and was afterward banished to the island of Patmos. 

Peter was crucified upside down at Rome. James was thrown from a lofty pinnacle of the temple and then beaten to death with a club. Bartholomew was skinned alive. Andrew was bound to a cross, from which he preached to his persecutors until he died. Thomas was pierced with a lance. Jude was shot to death with arrows. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded. Barnabas was stoned to death in Greece. Paul, after various kinds of tortures and persecutions, was beheaded at Rome by the emperor Nero.

Besides these there are many, many others who had to pay the price of commitment to Christ with their own lives in church history, such as those who were fed to the lions by the Roman Emperors and those who were burnt at the stake for their faith during the Spanish inquisition. But not all Christians are called to pay this price. There are many others who brought glory to God without being martyred, but by living a life of whole-hearted service for Christ. 

Perhaps you may wonder what the price of following Christ would mean for you. God has put each of us in different circumstances, with different opportunities, different abilities, and with different limitations. Discipleship simply means that each of us make the utmost, and most cost-effective use of whatever God has given to us, to do His will. And what will this cost us? For some, it may mean the loss of convenient comfort, the loss of your sense of security, or the loss of your leisure time. For others, the cost may involve going the second mile, or stretching yourself right to your limits, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually.

Dearly beloved, let us be willing to serve the Lord in whatever way we can - Bring your friends and loved ones to Him for salvation. Visit the sick and bereaved. Volunteer to help teach the children who come for our weekly Yishun Children's Club and Children's Ark ministry on Saturday. Now we need members who are willing to help with traffic control before and after worship services on Sundays. Get yourself involved in some area of service for the Lord, or get yourself equipped to serve. You can do this by attending a Bible study class, or our evening Bible lectures, or training seminars that are offered by our church. 

Doing this will involve some kind of sacrifice in time, in effort or in convenience, but each of us must be willing to make any sacrifices the Lord requires of us. As our King, Jesus deserves nothing less than our full submission to do His will, and our total willingness to give Him our very best.

Dearly beloved, is Christ really your King? Are you giving Him what He deserves as your King? What price are you willing to pay to do His will? Please examine your life today with these questions. And if you find that your life has not measured up to His standards of discipleship, please take steps to make sure it does from now onward. The Lord wants every one who belongs to Him to serve Him and follow Him. Listen once again to His words in vv.25,26 'He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.' May the Lord help us all to be what He wants us to be.

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