Greater Love is Jesus being the Grain of Wheat

In John 15:12-13, Jesus defined greater love this way:

This is my end goal for you: that you all love one another according to the pattern I love you all and have loved you all. No one has greater love than this: that the one would lay down his life for his friend.

In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul pictures this greater love in the midst of that assembly of beleivers: Let this regulating mindset be in and among you all, which was also within the Anointed One Jesus… Then Paul goes on to explain how Jesus was above and one with God, but like a lone seed came down, emptying Himself. In Bible-lingo this is called, “kenosis” – the idea of rendering your rights and status void. It is the idea of becoming of no reputation, the servant of all. Philippians 2:8 takes it right to the bottom where the seed falls into the ground and dies: Jesus humbled Himself, even becoming obedient unto death – like Isaac – and even the worst of deaths: on a Roman cross.

But since seeds have to die before life can spring up into increase, often do not understand this point of Jesus being the Grain of Wheat in John 12:24. Jesus said, “Most assuredly this is how it is: I conclusively say to you all, if a grain of wheat doesn’t actually fall into the ground and die, it remains alone. However, if it actually does what an obedient seed does, then it bears much fruit!” Jesus is claiming to be the Seed!

Greater Love is just like this, a willingness to be with Jesus in His Anointing One Reality of a seed going to increase. It looks like death, but it is how life goes and grows. I cannot make myself do it, but I can be with Jesus in such a way to hear His heart and see pictures of this reality in Old Testament stories. And seeing the pictures and templates in the Old Testament, means I see the Spirit of Him being active. And since Genesis 1:26 tells us that this is our design, His Image and Likeness in us, then seeing Him “as He is” in this way means we are being with Him in His Way. He is the Way, so it is Him! As He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Thus, within this situation, love has been brought to its end goal with ongoing reality with effect for us, so that we may have confidence in the day of crisis that sees what we are really made of (1 John 4:17 too).