You Are the Seed that Dies

Jesus said in John 12:24, “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.” Whenever Jesus says, “truly, truly,” it is almost oath-like. It’s pseudo-equivalent to us saying, “I promise.” It is a strong statement, often because what follows it might be extremely important or hard to believe. Usually, it’s a mixture of both, which I think is true of this statement of Jesus!

Today (as I’m writing), I was praying for the harvest (Lk. 10:2), and a thought struck me. It struck me strongly enough that I completely set aside a two-part post I was writing about Job to write this one. The thought is pretty simple but the application is extremely hard.

Jesus told us to pray for laborers to go into the harvest and reap (Lk. 10:2). This picture is of us and other Christians (laborers) going into the harvest (world) and sharing the gospel to see people come into the Kingdom (reaping, fruit).

What if we applied John 12:24 to this Luke 10:2 prayer principle though? Unless a grain dies, no fruit will be produced. How do we see a spiritual harvest in this world? We die.

It is always interesting to me that Jesus didn’t take us out of this world at conversion. Why the suffering? Why the “fruitlessness” this side of eternity? Why the dark nights of the soul? Why the pain? What if, in God’s love for the world, He left you here to die, so that more fruit comes for your life? Seems very Christ-like, honestly!

Very simple example of what this “death” could look like. There have probably been over 400 people who have professed faith in Christ since The Well’s inception. If The Well had not been planted, obviously in God’s sovereignty these individuals could still have been delivered. However, I wouldn’t have gotten the joy of being one of the laborers helping to facilitate this. Has The Well been a deep death for me in many ways? Assuredly! I’m convinced by looking at my dad and my grandfather on my mom’s side. The amount of grey hairs that I have compared to them is evidence I’m dying being a pastor! (Haha!) More so, there are deep deaths to self and deep pains that happen amongst these deep joys.

Is it worth it though? Every year I’m convinced more and more. Every year. In every sacrifice, there seems to be more and more life. And even where I can’t see the fruit, I know in sacrifice seeds are planted, and I, by faith, believe that God will bring some of those seeds to harvest in people’s lives.

So, what if God left you here to die? Literally, you will literally die on this earth! What if God left you here to die so that other fruit might come from this death? And not just literally die, but what if every death– emotional, physical, and spiritual—when done for God and towards God… what if Jesus’ truly truly is true? As you’re buried in this ground called earth, fruit will come from your death, and ascend up into heaven for eternity. The sacrificial offering of your life will be to other people’s faith, and for this, you (and they) will rejoice forever (Phil. 2:17).

So yes, you die on earth, in many ways, and ultimately you die completely. The difference though with the Spirit of God coursing through you, when the world dies there’s no multiplication power in their seed. What if in your death-seed, filled with the Spirit of God and the work of God in your life, your death is multiplication, resurrection, and fruit for many to eat from?

I know dying is painful and hard. I pray that within your death-seed there is fruit for the nations though. And that they and you will rejoice at you laying down your life for others. Literally, as you read this, I’m praying for much fruit for your life, and that many would get to eat of the seed that is produced as you sacrifice, serve, and ultimately die for other’s. For this is what Jesus did for you. It is why we’re still eating of His fruit today. No one died like Christ. Now, as His followers, we get to die like Him and with Him. Praise God for His grace. I pray there’d be a great harvest because there are many dying on this earth, and that those seeds of death produce continual life for others.