John chapter 12 and we'll read verse 12 down to verse 24. I want to speak on the subject as we come to the harvest of Christ represented by the corn of wheat. We pray that God will undertake and God will give us help. John chapter 12 and we'll read verse 12. On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is the king of Israel, that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion, behold thy king cometh, sitting on an ass's colt, these things understood not his disciples at the first but when jesus was glorified then remembered they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things onto him the people therefore that was with him when he called lazarus out of the grave and raised him from the dead bear record for this cause the people also met him For that they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive how ye prevail nothing. Behold, the world is gone after him. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was at Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh, and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew, and Philip telleth Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified. 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. Amen. We know the Lord will add his blessing to the reading of his word. The words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ in these words were on the occasion of his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem at the time of the Passover feast. The Passover feast was a celebration or a memorial, remembering when God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt and out of Egyptian bondage by the bloodshedding of the sacrificial lamb as recorded in Acts chapter 12. When the people heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they assembled and they cried out with praise as we read in verse 13, Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." Furthermore, attending the feast were some Greeks or Gentiles who openly expressed their desire to see the Lord. And so it was a wonderful scene. The Jews praised him and the Gentiles sought after him. But however, on many other occasions, as the crowds followed the Lord, they did so only because of His miracles. They wanted to see with their own eyes His works, but they still rejected the true meaning with their heart. In fact, the more you read through the Gospels, and obviously hear the Gospel of John, you will discover how their words, Hosanna, Hosanna, would change to crucify him, crucify him. It's interesting to note that in each miracle that took place, the Lord gave opportunity to share the gospel of his coming into this world to save sinners. And giving the Gentiles their desire as recorded in verse 21, we would see Jesus The Lord then spoke to them of his purpose of coming into this world, the need and the nature of his death. The reason being, it's only by Christ's death that sinners have abundant joy and everlasting life. And so it's wonderful to learn the evangelistic seal of the Lord Jesus Christ, how he leads by example in telling others about himself, about the gospel. He spoke to sinners of life through his death. Now today people don't mind hearing about the love of Jesus or the giving of Jesus or the miracles of Jesus just as it was in his day. They will even be content about hearing about everlasting life. by some other way, but they do not want to hear everlasting life only by Christ's death. And that is because everlasting life rests upon two biblical foundations, Christ's death and Christ's resurrection. In coming to illustrate Christ's death and eternal life and his resurrection, the Lord used the corn of wheat to symbolize this. And so what lessons can we glean by the Lord using the illustration of the corn of wheat to symbolize, to represent his coming into this world, to die, to give life to sinners? Well notice some simple thoughts. First of all, There is the condescension of Christ as represented by the corn of wheat. The condescension. As the Saviour spoke to his hearers, he did so by creating a picture from the harvest time. He took what we would do with the children. He used an object lesson to teach a spiritual truth. And this illustration allowed them to understand his purpose of coming into this world. He said in verse 24, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. Notice those words that Christ said, except. It means unless. and it emphasizes everything that follows. In other words, except or unless this happens, nothing else can happen. Unless the seed is sown and dies, there can be no life. Unless Christ died, there would be no life for sinners. And the reason being, entrance into heaven. is by the penalty of sin being paid in full, which was death by the shedding of Christ's own blood. By the Lord using such language, the minds of the people, they have the picture of the sower sowing the seed and the process for the seed. As the seed was sown in the sower's hand, it was high above the ground. But once the seed left the sower's hand, it came down to the ground. In other words, the seed came down from above. As the sower walked over the ground and put the seed down, it left his hand high above and came down to the ground. If you want to use another illustration, if you were to take a coin or if I take my pen high above and I drop it down, it's coming from high to low. It's coming from above down below. And so that's what the Lord is teaching. The corn fell into the ground. by the sower's hand. It came from a higher place to a lower place. And straightaway he brought their minds to consider his condescension, or his descent, coming down from heaven to earth to dwell among fallen and sinful men. as the God-man, that is God and man, two distinct natures in one person forever. He dwelt among men. The Bible says in John chapter 1 verse 1, the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god now the question is who is the word of god well the answer is given in verse 14 of john chapter 1 because scripture interprets scripture And the word was made flesh, that's referring to the Lord Jesus, and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. You see, there never was a time when Jesus Christ, the Divine and Eternal Word, never existed. He was not created. He was not invented. Rather, as the Creator and the Lord of Lord, He is, from everlasting, the Eternal Word of God. He said Himself in John chapter 6, Verse 38, I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me. He said in John chapter 8 verse 23, ye are from beneath I am from above. And so here is this picture the Lord is using as the sower had the seed in his hand. And he went across the field and he dropped that seed into the ground. It left his hand high above and came down to the ground. And so the Lord is showing, I came down from above. I came down from heaven to earth for the purpose to give life, to save your soul. He left the Father's side in glory to become the Son of Man to rescue sinners. Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9, For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, Yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." In other words, he stooped down to lift up, and that is the testimony of every sinner saved by grace. The Lord stooped down to where we are. He came from above down to earth to visit us in our need, our misery, our bankruptcy, our poverty, in order to lift us up, in order to save our soul. Again, you have that testimony. In 1 Samuel 2 verse 8, He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of His glory. David testified in Psalm 40 verse 2, He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the marry clay, and set my feet upon a rock. And so hear the Lord in using this seed is showing his condescension, why he came into this world. He came from above down to earth for the purpose to give life and to meet sinners where they are, in their sin, in their poverty, in their mary clay, and to bring them out of their misery. And hallelujah today for sinners in this room who can testify to the grace of God. He came and found me, where I was as a sheep wandering astray in my filth, in my corruption, in my sin. But hallelujah, he saved my soul and he's able to do the same for you today, young person, men and women still in your sin, bound by men's religion, bound by all the gimmicks of today, bound by the bondage of sin, the corruption of sin. He came down to set you free and to give you life, life, life, eternal life. Jesus alone is the giver. So the corn of wheat when he used this illustration of dropping the sower, taking that seed and putting it into the ground, was to teach him coming from above down to earth. But notice secondly, the identification of Christ as represented by the corn of wheat. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone so christ speaks of the seed falling into the ground and the term ground as you have before you means the earth means the soil or means land the ground or the earth was the place that God appointed in Genesis 1 verse 11 through 12 to bring forth life from the seed sown. However, due to man's transgression and rebellion against the Lord, we learn in Genesis chapter 3 verse 17, the ground, the land, the earth became cursed. because of sin and now was under the curse of sin. Remember it was from the ground where man was created. Genesis 3 verse 19 after the fall Thou return on to the ground, for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and on to dust thou shalt return. The ground cursed as result of sin is shown in Matthew 4 verse 16 when the Lord speaks of the people of the land, how they sat in darkness. and that spiritual darkness because of sin and therefore men and women upon earth in this land in this spot right now on the ground where you are you who are not saved you sit in great darkness because of your sin and this world as a fallen world is cursed because of sin that's why there's death And so the Lord was teaching that in His condescension, He came down from heaven to this earth. He came from glory to this earth, cursed by sin, to identify with sinners, He came to save. And how did He identify Himself with sinners? He came to save. He took our human nature, yet without sin. corn of wheat falls into the ground, which is the land, which is the soil, and it becomes associated and identified with that soil where it is sown. And so in his condescension, in coming into this world of sinners, lost and ruined by the fall, Christ identified himself with sinners he came to save, by taking their human nature unto his divine nature. As Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 states, For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise partook of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 16, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. and those words are amazing the creator of heaven and earth taking the form of the creature bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh the lord jesus had a real humanity a true man Philippians chapter 2 verse 7, He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Why? For the purpose of giving life to sinners. Believer, Had it not been for the amazing grace of God, had it not been for Christ identifying Himself coming into this world to receive you unto Himself and to intervene in your life, you would have remained in darkness under the curse of sin. But He who knew no sin became sin for us. He became a curse for us to redeem us from the curse and therefore here's hope in the gospel there's hope for you men and women and young people in your sin under the curse of god for sin there's life for luke and the crucified one there's life at this moment for you because the psalmist said in psalm 34 verse 6 this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles and therefore sinner in this meeting today you can cry out in your poverty stricken state Lord, save me. And the Lord will hear your prayer. He will hear the prayer for pardon. He will hear the prayer for mercy. And He will save you. He will deliver you out of all your distress, out of all sin's misery, out of sin's oppression, out of sin's poverty. He will save your soul. He will give you life. Because that's why He came into the world to give life to sinners who sit in darkness. Believer, you cried on to the Lord and he saved your soul. Notice thirdly, the death of Christ as represented by the corn of wheat. The death of Christ represented by the corn of wheat. Verse 24, except a corn of wheat fall in to the ground and die. it abideth alone." And so the Lord, teaching about the corn or the grain of wheat, brought his listeners to the most central part of the message. just as it was necessary for the seed to be sown in the ground to die to give life. So it was absolute necessity for Christ to come into this world, identify with sinners he came to save by becoming a curse for them in order to die and give life. Furthermore, Christ speaks of the corn of wheat falling into the ground in isolation. Whenever the seed was planted and sown alone, it was as any grain in the field. And so Christ was teaching as the corn of wheat. He alone is the one who came into this world to die for sinners and to suffer the curse for sinners. Galatians chapter four, verse four and five. When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that is under the curse of the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And so, coming near His death and upon the cross, Christ experienced the ultimate isolation, rejection, despising, mocking, grief, sorrows, and wounds. Upon the cross, Christ was forsaken by His Father because He was bearing the sins of all He came to save. All our iniquity and all our sin was laid upon Him. He was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, though he had no sin of his own as the Holy One of God. But upon the cross of Calvary, he took full responsibility as the surety of his people to bear their iniquity. Therefore, he was shaken, abandoned, and separated, taking the place of all he came to save, dying the just for the unjust. He was bearing the chastisement of our peace upon him. And as Peter said in 1 Peter 2 verse 24, that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. He paid the debt of our sin. And as he was there paying the debt of our sin, his father did not spare him. but delivered him up, and his full wrath and hatred and justice and holiness was all in view, as sin was being punished in the Lord Jesus Christ. God is holy, eternally unchangeable. and therefore he cannot look upon sin, he cannot ignore sin, he cannot turn a blind eye to sin, and no one will ever enter into heaven who is guilty of sin. The Bible says in Isaiah 59 verse 2, but your inequities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear. The only prayer that Christ hears is the prayer of forgiveness. Sin separates and cuts off sinners from God. That's why Christ, as the sin bearer, was forsaken, cut off, abandoned by the Father. God turned away from His Son while He was suffering the stroke of wrath, the penalty, and the punishment of sin. You see, on the cross, Christ was viewed and treated by God as guilty so that sinners who trust in him will be viewed and treated by God as pardoned. He endured on the cross the equivalent of hell. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 8 Verse 12, hell is described as outer darkness. Hell is a place where sinners, and I want you to pay attention to this men and women, because if you're not saved, you need to listen to this. And if you are saved, you must rejoice that you've been delivered from this, but get to prayer for those still in sin. Hell is outer darkness. It is a place where sinners will endure the eternal consequences for their sin in rejecting Christ as Savior. Hell is a place of separation. It is eternal banishment from God's love and from God's mercy. But hell is the place of God's presence, of His wrath continually tormenting and punishing the sinner for their sin upon the cross jesus died in the sinner's place and suffered what was due to sinners the curse of god the wrath of god for all who trust in him, that they will never be punished. He paid the debt in full. It is settled forever. He blots out every accusation and every judgment against his redeemed people. Therefore, child of God, you've been delivered from wrath. You've been delivered from hell. You've been saved from your sins. You will never be tormented in the flames. Hallelujah. But you ought to be driven to pray for your son, for your daughter, for your mom, your dad, someone in this church. who are still lost in their sin because they are heading for eternal fire, eternal torments, eternal punishment, outer darkness. And you may laugh and you may joke about it, but I tell you this, it's nothing more heartbreaking than to be at a funeral for someone who's heard the gospel time and time again. You must be saved. And they say, I've all the time in the world. And when they die, you're brought to the words of Job, man dieth, man wasted away, but where is he? That person who comes week after week and they've died, where are they? Are they in heaven or are they in hell? Men and women, young people, I urge you now, be wise on the salvation. Are you saved? Are you headed for heaven? Or will you be like the man in the gospel who said, I am tormented in this flame, out of darkness, eternal separation, but the wrath of God abiding upon you forever, forever, and forever? Will you not come to Jesus Christ now for full salvation? Will you not come to Christ who has come to give eternal life, to save your soul? Finally, and very briefly, the produce from Christ as represented by the corn of wheat. Except a corn of wheat, fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. It is only by the seed falling into the ground and dying that the corn, the seed can produce fruit. And the Lord is simply saying this by using the illustration that the seed was not sown in vain, rather it was sown to reap, to produce a harvest. And so the Lord is simply saying, He came into this world not to die in vain, He came to save His people from their sin. Through His death there is guaranteed a harvest of souls. He died to give everlasting life. His death was victorious over Satan, sin and death. He died to bring many sons to glory. He has died for a multitude of sinners that no man can number and every one are known to him and they will be in heaven. I said this before and I will say it again. There's no soul who Christ has been given to save will ever perish. they will all be saved. Christ laid down His life. He delivered Himself to produce a great harvest of souls that in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 23, that they are His at His coming. When the Lord comes to gather His harvest home, though be none lost, though be none left out, all will be there. It is because that Christ died on the old rugged cross that whosoever has come and whosoever will come and trust in God's appointed substitute and saviour of sinners will be eternally saved. For only through Christ Is there life? Do you have this life today? You may have sat here week after week, year after year, but maybe this is the first time, do you know what? Actually, I'm not saved. Do you know what? I actually don't have eternal life. Oh, I know about it. I've heard about it. I've been told about it. But I actually, for the first time, have actually realized I don't actually have everlasting life. And if I died, honestly, preacher, I would go to hell. Therefore, come today and ask Jesus Christ to give you eternal life. and he will, whatever age you are, young person, older person, I cannot save you, but I'd be happy to open the scriptures with you or your parents with you there, and to show you how to be saved. You read the news this week, younger people have died, older people have died, politicians have died, those who are not politicians have died. When it comes to your death, where will you spend eternity? I trust today that you will not leave this house until you have come to Christ as Saviour.