Hello friend, and welcome to Hope for Today. The program you’re listening to is produced by Heralds of Hope. We’re an international Gospel media ministry. Each week our Bible teaching broadcasts circle the globe in English and 22 other major languages. Tens of thousands tune in each week for spiritual nourishment and blessing.
If you’ve been listening regularly, you know that we are currently studying in the Gospel of John. So, here’s Pastor J. Mark to lead us in our continuing study.
Because we live in this world of people our lives are influenced by others. By that, I mean changed or directed. In some areas those changes come in ways we do not understand, and at times we do not even know we are being affected. Later we learn how a friend helped us be a better person. It may take months for us to understand what happened or how it happened.
It may also be that someone we have never known or met may influence our lives by the way other people have been changed by knowing that person. Every week by radio I can talk to my friends in many lands. Hopefully, our time together helps them become better people.
Above what we can do to help each other there is One who can influence all of us as we come to know Him. We can say He has influenced more people than anyone else.
Do you say, “No, I have not been affected by him in any way?” But, my friend, Jesus has influenced your life. He has influenced your community. He has influenced your family, more than you are aware of. I can show you how this happened from John 12:20-33.
20. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
21. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again, Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
23. And Jesus answered them, saying, the hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24. 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.
25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26. If any man serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serves me, him will my Father honor.
27. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, an angel spoke to him.
30. Jesus answered and said, this voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
31. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33. This he said, signifying what death he should die.
In this Scripture, I find those PARTICULARS which should lead us to see Jesus as the One for All.
The first Particular: The Sincere Desire.
This was expressed by some Greeks who had come to worship. They had come from a distant land to Jerusalem. Their wish...
