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The apostle John, writing his Gospel for a Gentile audience, attached importance to the efforts of a Gentile delegation to meet with the Jewish rabbi, Jesus. But he wasn't inspired to report any actual encounter they may have had. Instead, he records Jesus' reaction to hearing about their approach.

John 12:20-26

1. Was Jesus excluding the Greek seekers because they weren't Jews? (See vv. 26, 32.)
   
   
2. Was what Jesus said about the principle of life through death an indirect reply to the Greeks' request?
   
   
3. How does the plant world illustrate this principle?
   
   
4. How would this principle be demonstrated by Jesus' death on the cross and his subsequent resurrection?
   
   
5. Why does becoming a disciple of Jesus involve in some sense duplicating his death?
   
   
6. How does a disciple "despise" his life instead of loving it? What does that mean for striving for advantage, security, and pleasure? What does it mean for serving God fully and freely?
   
   
7. According to this passage (vv. 25-26) can you call yourself a true servant/disciple?
   
   
8. What does it mean to be honored by the Father? Does that, or a "harvest of new lives," motivate you to serve?
   
   

Ask God to make you dissatisfied with a domesticated brand of Christianity and committed to serious, even risky, discipleship.

John 12:20-26

8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.

11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

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Prayer for the Week

Deliver me, Lord, from remaining a casual Christian. I'm ready to become the radical disciple Jesus called for.

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