Skip to content
  • DONATE
Me
  • Hope in Suffering

Day Eighteen – The paradox of faith

share

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email

Welcome to your daily Bible 2020 reflection. Over this series we’ll be taking time to read, speak, pray and share God’s word.

The best way to access the daily readings is through the Bible 2020 app. Open it now for today’s reading, or download it via Apple or Google App stores.

Open BIble 2020
  • Download on the app store
  • get it on google play

John 12:23-25 (NIVUK)

Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

How can death produce life?

 

This is the paradox at the heart of the Christian faith: that through the death of Jesus Christ, eternal, indestructible life is offered to all.

Jesus, as ever, has a wonderfully simple picture to illustrate this truth: seeds. A seed is planted in the ground, and through its death – the giving of its life – it multiplies life: giving birth to many more seeds.

It’s wonderful isn’t it? That Jesus gives his life, that he dies, and through this, brings life to us.

But this trajectory of giving up life to bring life to others is, it turns out, not just something for Jesus. Jesus goes first, and in calling us to follow him, asks us too, to give up our lives to bring life to others, to die.

Jesus lays before us a simple but challenging choice: to hold on to our lives for ourselves, which ironically leads to us losing out lives. Or to give up our lives to serve Christ, that we might bring life to others through the gospel, which leads to eternal life.

If we are suffering today – experiencing something of the losing of life that Christ is speaking of – may we be encouraged that we are following the path on which we are called by our crucified Lord, a path that for Christ, and for us as we follow, leads to resurrection and glory.

PrevPreviousDay Seventeen – In all things
NextDay Nineteen – In the endNext

BIBLE 2020

Hope in Suffering

download the app

  • Download on the app store
  • get it on google play

subscribe to the podcast

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • RSS Feed


Copyright © 2021 The Scottish Bible Society
Scottish Charity No. SC010767
Registered Office: 7 Hampton Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5XU, United Kingdom
Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Contact Us
Scottish Bible Society
CloseMenu

We have compiled resources which can help you and your loved ones stay in close relationship with God. These resources also equip all who are engaging in virtual community to stay close to one another.

Stay connected with us

ReAD GOD's WORD

  • WHERE YOU GO - AUDIO DRAMA
  • ADVENT READER
  • EQUIP
  • BEYOND DISASTER

SHARE GOD's WORD

  • BIBLE 2020
  • The Outspoken Bible
  • Gospel of Mark

children & families

  • Christmas Windows
  • Bible World Books
  • bible 2020 family resources