An Abundant Harvest
Jesus' death is necessary for spiritual growth and fruitfulness, producing an abundant harvest of glory to God and salvation to souls.
Robert Hawker preaches on the profound truth shared by Jesus in John 12:24, comparing His death to a corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying to bring forth much fruit. He urges the listeners to reflect on the blessed fruits of Christ's death and resurrection, emphasizing the abundant harvest of glory to God and salvation to souls that resulted from Jesus' sacrifice. Through this analogy, Hawker highlights the life-giving and soul-quickening power of Jesus as the root of His church and people, filling the garner of God with His seed.
Text
APRIL 21
EVENING.-"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."-John xii. 24.
How sweet and lovely is this similitude of the Lord's, in allusion to himself! See to it, my soul, this evening, that thou art able to receive it. Thou hast been attending thy Lord to the tomb: here behold the blessed fruits of his precious death.
When Jesus became incarnate, like a pure corn of the finest wheat, he fell to the ground, and when at his death, "He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death," he fell into the ground: and now what an abundant harvest of glory to God, and salvation to souls, hath that death, and grave of Jesus produced! Had Jesus never died, how would he have seen his seed, and the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand? Had Jesus not descended to the grave, how would he have been the life-giving, the soul-quickening root of all his church and people? But now, by this one precious corn of wheat falling into the ground, and dying, how hath the garner of God been filled, and is now continually filling, with his seed!
Precious Jesus! Give me to see that I am thy seed, in the ever green and flourishing verdure of my soul from thy quickening influence! And let that promise of my covenant Father and God in Christ be my daily portion: "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord: my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Similitude of the Lord's Death
- A. Jesus is compared to a corn of wheat
- B. His death is necessary for fruitfulness
- II. The Abundant Harvest of Jesus' Death
- A. His death produced glory to God and salvation to souls
- B. His death made him the life-giving root of the church
- III. The Promise of the Covenant
- A. God's spirit and words will remain in the believer's mouth
- B. This promise is for the believer and their descendants
Key Quotes
“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” — Robert Hawker
“As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord: my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.” — Robert Hawker
Application Points
- Recognize the importance of Jesus' death in producing spiritual growth and fruitfulness.
- Understand the promise of the covenant and its implications for the believer and their descendants.
- Seek to be a vessel for God's spirit and words to flow through, bearing fruit for the kingdom.