An Ending is Just the Beginning
An ending is just the beginning of the transformation process. That’s why we call today, the Friday when we remember and reflect on the crucifixion and death of our Lord and Savior, Good Friday.
It was Jesus who told his disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:24-26).
There are several things to notice in this passage related to endings. First, the teaching revolved around an illustration that a grain of wheat bears much fruit only after it falls to the ground and dies. Second, the whole point of Jesus sharing the illustration was to compare what happens when a grain of wheat dies to what would happen when he died. His sacrificial and substitutionary death on a Roman cross—along with his victorious resurrection—would transform everyone who puts their trust in him.
Jesus could have stopped there. Instead, he took the illustration further. He noted that eternal life is experienced by all of us through an ending of sorts. When we die to our “natural lives,” we experience something new.
Oftentimes, an ending is the result of a physical or symbolic death. When we respond in faith to the gospel, we die to our old lives spiritually. The ending of our “natural lives” is the beginning of a life of spiritual transformation and fruitfulness in Jesus Christ.
Jesus knew his earthly life and ministry were coming to an end. In fact, the passage above is placed in the Gospel of John between Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the Last Supper. With this in mind, let’s reflect on portions of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. How might Jesus’ encouragement to his closest friends in his final hours also minister to us on Good Friday?
My first point is that an ending in life is an opportunity for us to face how we feel. Jesus said, “truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament” (John 16:20). What the disciples witnessed at the cross would cause them to weep and mourn, but their sorrow would change to joy when Jesus defeated the grave. This teaching by Jesus reminds me that it is not only normal, but healthy, to face how we feel when we are experiencing an ending in life.
Laments are a healthy way to grieve our losses and our limits, and there are a lot of examples of them in the Bible. Lamenting is an opportunity to be “real” with God. If you are sad, let him know about it. If you are confused, let him know about it. If you are angry, let him know about it. He’s okay with all of that, and he would like to hear from you. Laments are also an opportunity to put your trust in the Lord. Every good lament is directed toward God and ends with a declaration of faith in Him.
My second point is that an ending in life is an opportunity to bring our needs before our heavenly Father. Jesus told his disciples, “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). Jesus’ encouragement, “Ask, and you will receive” reminds us that frequent answers to prayer give us great joy. We see God actively at work in the world and in our lives as we pray in accordance with his character and his will.
Finally, an ending in life is an opportunity to “take heart” because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:25-33). I love that Jesus’ Farewell Discourse ended on a high note! Jesus was just hours away from being humiliated, tortured, and crucified to death on a Roman cross to pay the penalty for our sins. His earthly life and ministry were coming to an end in the most horrific way, but his message to his closest friends was, “Take heart, this is not the end, it is really just the beginning!”
God desires to transform our lives. Endings in life are one big way that he does that. The Bible is full of examples of people who came to discover that an ending in their life was just the beginning of the transformation process. They learned that as they faced how they felt in faith, brought their needs before their heavenly Father in prayer, and put their trust in the One who overcame the world, amazing things happened in and through them.
On this Good Friday, I encourage you to consider how this might be true in your life. Where are you approaching an ending in your life? You have the choice whether to respond in faith or not. Will you allow God to use this ending to draw you closer to Him and strengthen your faith?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.