PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 12:20-33 A seed

Time to reflect: The old, seemingly irreverent, slang term for burying, “being planted,” is actually a good, Biblical term. We can't “grow” into our resurrected form until we've been “planted,” like a seed. The second paragraph emphasizes that Jesus, and therefore us have things that we must do on earth. We don't commit suicide in order to be planted for that is cutting short our opportunity to serve God. It is therefore not fulfilling God's plan for us. But we need not fear death. Better things await.

Moving through the day: Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the coming resurrection for your loved ones and for you.

Scripture:

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

 Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"

   Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.