A Grain of Wheat

A Grain of Wheat

Monday of Holy Week – 3/30/2026

John 12:1-43

Rev. Nathan Wille

That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration this morning is our third reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John in the twelfth chapter, with special emphasis on verse 24 which reads as follows:

                [Jesus said,] “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.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him during the week called “holy.” He had learned from His childhood that He was and is the suffering servant from the prophecy according to Isaiah. He knew that He would be lifted up, that is, crucified, between two criminals, and in this way He would be glorified. His hour of glory would see Him with His knees bent at less than a 90-degree angle, His arms stretched, not broken, and pierced with nails to hold them out. He would hang there, on that cross, in nakedness, in shame, having been beaten to a pulp, His flesh having been made raw by the cat of nine tails, whips, and a gruesome crown of thorns.

Is this glory? Per Jesus’ own words, yes. By worldly standards, no. One source is Truth, and one is deceived. The world tries to sell you a bill of goods wherein suffering is inglorious, wherein the avoidance or the fleeting from pain and sorrow is true glory. But what about Jesus’ Words? “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.” 

It was Jesus’ greatest delight to suffer and die for the sake of the sinful. That is not to say that He savored the experience, but that He knew that His task was singular in goal, yet would benefit all. And so it is that Jesus said that a grain of wheat must fall into the earth and die. It must be brought to nothing. To die is to be ended, and to be buried is to be planted. It is for good reasons that this section of the Gospel according to St. John is recommended for use at the burial site of a saint who has gone to their rest. Jesus was lifted up in death, and brought low such that the earth which He created swallowed Him whole. 

And yet, it is in this, His worldly degradation, His Heavenly glorification, and His entombment in the depths of the earth, that He draws all to Himself. He shed His blood to

cover the iniquity of all who have sinned against Him. See what kind of love He has for His beloved, those whom He formed from the dust of the earth who have rebelled against Him. He owed them nothing, yet gave all He had. In His self-denial, He draws all to Himself. This bloated world and its adherents would eat all there is in this life, for they know not of the world to come. But He calls all people to die to themselves, just as He has done.

He was crucified and died. He descended into Hell, not in solemn submission to the forces of evil once in the heavenly places, but in triumphant victory over the wicked one, his wicked horde, and the soil infected by the love of self. It is from this soil that you were created, the dust of death which must return to dust. But our Lord, Jesus, was not of the sinful dust, but of the Father, and He died, giving Himself into death, covering Himself in the soil which He used to form the first man. And He bears much fruit, those who by His love, the water, the blood from His side, are grafted into Him. 

And He calls you to die to yourselves too. He who has shown you perfect love works the fruits of repentance within you. For you will die, your flesh will return to the dust, and yet it is from the dust that your flesh will be recalled on the day of His glorious return. Having canceled the debt of your sins by paying the blood owed for the transgressions of the sons of Adam, He has taken your death, and calls you to live in Him, to die to yourself, and to produce fruit which you, having died, cannot help but show forth.

Jesus’ soul was troubled. He wanted to call it quits, but not because of His doubt, for He had none. He wanted to go back on the plan that was laid before the foundation of the world, but only because of the flesh which He has taken upon Himself. He knew the pain of soul that He would experience, yet He trusted His Father to raise Him on the last day. In His humanity, fully aware of the pain which His flesh would feel, the agony of the burden of sins upon His shoulders, the raw flesh which would be covered with violet and stripped again. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. This warning is for you - your flesh is still infected with sin and death. But your spirit is being renewed, being borne from the ground again and again, the New Adam dying and rising each day. The soul is grafted into Christ, He who for us men and for our salvation was laid in the earth, dead, and sprung forth in victory over death and decay. 

But what of the flesh? It is dying. It is dead. It will be laid in the dust from whence it was made. And it will be raised again, having died. The soul is in Christ by baptism into Him, when you were planted into His flesh. And, in Christ, you bear fruit, fruit that turns from sin, flees from temptation, and yet you are weak in the flesh. Your flesh shall not remain sinful, however. In your flesh, you were grafted into Jesus’ flesh by baptism. In your flesh, you have received His flesh and blood. In your flesh, you have believed in Him who has drawn you to Himself by being lifted up. Your flesh is being made holy by He whose holiness was given to you by His bitter passion and death.

Jesus’ death has canceled the record of debt that stood against you. Your flesh shall die, but your soul already has, for, being grafted into Jesus, your soul has died and is now hidden with Christ in God. This week we follow with our Lord as He traverses the valley of death, sure and certain death at the hand of His wicked creation. But take heart, He, the seed of eternal life has sprung forth from the ground, guaranteeing your glorious resurrection. This week, the church celebrates as she recounts that horrible process by which her Lord has overcome death and the devil for her. She recalls His scars, the agony, the mockery, the shame and suffering heaped upon Him, and she rejoices, for she deserved all of that, but that she will never receive.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] John 12:24 English Standard Version. All further quotations from the Holy Scriptures are from the ESV.