69 - A Grain of Wheat

Life Lessons with Dr. Steve Schell

The greatest decision you or I will ever make is to repent and receive by faith the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That decision changes where we will spend eternity. But there is another decision each person must make which determines the outcome of our life. It’s one of those decisions where to not make a decision is to make a decision. If we make the right choice our life will be “fruitful,” meaning it will be full of people who are, in one way or another, being drawn closer to Jesus. If we make the wrong choice we will, essentially, live alone focused on ourselves.

Jesus compares this decision to a grain of wheat which must be planted in the earth in order to produce more wheat. He says, “Unless the grain of wheat which falls into the earth dies, it remains alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24) (literal). And He’s not talking about self-neglect or having a sour attitude toward the good things this world provides when He adds, “The one who loves His soul (natural life) loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will save (guard, preserve) it into eternal life” (Jn 12:25) (literal).

Most humans are born with the instinct to care for themselves. God places that desire to stay alive in us, and it’s healthy and necessary. When someone begins to neglect those needs people recognize it as a warning signal that something is wrong. Jesus lived a rugged life (Mt 8:20) but not a life of self-neglect or withdrawal from others (Mt 11:18-19).

For Jesus Himself to choose to be a grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies meant that He chose to die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. But Jesus was unique. He alone is the eternal Son of God who came from heaven to rescue us by His physical death and resurrection. You and I aren’t called to die like that. Our physical death would have no power to atone the sins of others. We’re simply not good enough, and our death is not needed because His death was more than sufficient to pay for the sins of every human who ever has or will live. Yes, serving Him can lead us into danger, and many have suffered and died for their faith. But that suffering is a by-product of their obedience, not a goal that God desired for them. It was the price they had to pay but not the prize.

Yet He makes it clear that we too must become like a grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies. So what type of death is He talking about? If it’s not physical death and it’s not being grumpy at the world around us, then what is it? Let’s try to answer that question today because the decision we make will determine whether or not we produce fruit for God.