Dear Christian friends:

Here I have a seed. (Lift up the seed and show it to the audience.) You know that seed will not grow unless I plant it in the ground. But if I plant the seed in the ground then it will grow and multiply itself many times, maybe 30, maybe 60, maybe 100.

In our text Jesus compares a Christian with a seed that is planted and then grows and multiplies many seeds. The one seed must vanish, die, in order to grow many new seeds. So the Christian volunteers himself, offers himself to serve others. In volunteering the Christian often suffers - maybe even dies to serve others. A mother will die to protect and save her baby. A fireman will die to save a child from death in a burning house. A policeman volunteers to risk his life to protect the lives and property of others. A soldier volunteers his life to protect his country. So Jesus calls us Christians to volunteer and offer ourselves for good purposes.

Jesus intends good for ourselves, good for others and good for God.


A selfish person hurts everyone. He hurts himself; he hurts others around him; and he hurts God. Jesus says here in our text, "Anyone that loves his life, will lose it." (verse 25a)

A selfish person "loves his life." He refuses to volunteer for serving others. He refuses to suffer for others. He refuses to use his life for good purposes. Sometimes fathers of handicapped children get a divorce. They don't want the extra problems of a handicapped child. I have seen that happen often. Such a selfish father hurts his wife and children and also he hurts himself.

Selfish people not only hurt others and offend God, they "lose their life," as Jesus says in our text. (verse 25) Their life is wasted here on earth, does much harm to others, and they have not eternal life with God. The words on a gravestone in an English cemetery says it clearly:

"Here lies a fellow who lived for himself
And cared for nothing but gathering pelf,
Now, where he is or how he fares,
Nobody knows and nobody cares,"

Truly, a selfish life is a bad life! But it is beautiful to volunteer self, to do the good that helps everyone. Jesus is a beautiful example of that.

Jesus volunteered to suffer and die upon the cross to save the world from sin and hell. Jesus did not say, "Woe is me, I must suffer and die on the cross." He says here in our text, "The time is near for the Son of Man to receive glory." (verse 23) Jesus knew that in a few days He must suffer and die on the cross as His Father had planned. True, He feared and worried about the suffering before the Jewish Council and Pontius Pilate. He says, "My heart is troubled now. What should I say? Should I say, Father, don't let this happen to Me? No! I came to suffer this now. Father, give glory to Your name." (verses 27-28) True, Jesus feared to give His life on the cross, but at the same time, He looked beyond the cross to the glory. He conquered His fear by thinking of the glory He, Himself, will receive and the glory His volunteering would bring to God, His Father. Jesus also thought about how His death on the cross would conquer Satan and save many, many sinners. He says, "Now is the time for the world to be judged. Now the devil will be conquered. When I am lifted on the cross over the earth, I will pull all people to Me." (verses 31-32)

Jesus volunteered Himself, offered His life for glory: glory for Himself, glory for the heavenly Father, and glory for all who believe in Him. Jesus did the good that helps everyone.

Now Jesus says that we, His followers should do the same: "Anyone that wants to serve Me, must follow Me, so that the place I go My servant goes too. If you serve Me, the Father will honor you. Anyone that volunteers to give up his life in this world, will keep his life in heaven." (verses 25b-26) We Christians must be ready to volunteer ourselves to do the good that helps everyone. We suffer and risk our money and life to help others, and in doing that we bring glory to God.

One day a pastor thanked a Sunday School teacher because she taught Sunday School for many years. The pastor praised her and told the congregation how she worked hard and spent many hours preparing lessons, visiting children and their parents, and teaching faithfully every Sunday. But she didn't want his thanks and praise. She said, "I am getting so much out of it." True, this teacher volunteered herself and perhaps her husband, too, because teaching Sunday School demands a lot of time and energy from everyone. But she did not think too much about the hard work. She looked beyond the hard work to the glory, the blessings she herself received in that work, the good she was doing for the children and their parents and for God.

In our congregation here I see many of our members volunteering to do the good that helps everyone. Many members are eager and happy to volunteer and accept difficult offices and duties to do the good work of our church. Thank God for these volunteers! You know who they are! Last Tuesday CLH Auxiliary had a Recognition Tea to thank and honor the volunteers at Pilgrim Tower. Thank God for the volunteers at Pilgrim Tower!

Don't become tired of volunteering and doing the good works that help everyone. Jesus sees you and the Father sees you and He will honor you one day! Follow Jesus in volunteer service!

If you have been selfish and refused to volunteer, now is the time to be sorry and change. Jesus still loves you. He gave His life for you on the cross. Believe in Jesus and love Him and follow Him in doing the good that helps everyone.

Amen.