Kernels Eternal

What’s the most precious or expensive thing you’ve ever had? Maybe it was something or someone you saved for, longed for, prayed for, cherished dearly when you got it, and thought you could never live without. Now imagine losing it completely—gone in a way you could never retrieve it. At first, the loss feels painful, even pointless. You feel the heart wrenching ache of knowing that it is gone forever. But the Bible tells us that there is still hope.

John 12:24 -“Very truly I tell you, 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.” 

These words are spoken by Jesus at as He is in his final week before the cross. He’s in Jerusalem for Passover, and the crowds are buzzing—some are hailing Him as the Messiah with palm branches, but others are whispering doubts. Greeks (Gentiles) have just approached Philip asking to see Jesus, signaling that His message is spreading beyond the Jews. In response, Jesus starts talking about His “hour” coming—the time of His glorification through death and resurrection.

Kernel that stands.
When Jesus spoke about a kernel of wheat, He revealed that death isn’t the end—it’s the doorway to multiplication. Think about a kernel while it’s still on the stalk, alive in the field. It’s safe, wrapped in a protective shell. It looks smooth, whole, and beautiful. It sways in the soft breeze, enjoys the gardener’s daily care, and draws steady nourishment from the soil. Life seems secure. Yet even in all these favorable conditions, one thing remains true—it stays alone. Its potential is locked inside, never released. And if it never falls and breaks open, that potential dies with it. In time, the kernel may wither on the stalk or be eaten, leaving no legacy behind.

Kernel that falls.
But when the kernel of wheat falls to the ground, everything changes. It separates from the stalk, buried in dark, unseen soil, and breaks open—dying to its former form. Hidden away, it no longer feels the soft breeze, basks in sunlight, or enjoys the gardener’s daily care. At first, it seems lost in obscurity. Yet in that very process, life begins. Roots push downward, a shoot rises, and slowly a harvest emerges. The kernel releases the life hidden inside, and what was once a single seed multiplies into many. Its purpose is fulfilled: producing fruit, blessing others, and sustaining life. Through death comes abundance, through breaking comes growth, and what seems lost becomes a legacy.

Jesus – the first kernel
Jesus is the first kernel that fell and died, yet in His death, He brought life to the world. Like a single seed, He left the glory of Heaven to enter the world, fully human yet fully God. On the cross, He “fell to the ground” in death, appearing defeated to the world. For three days it seemed that all hope was lost, and that death has indeed won. But this was not the end—just like a kernel in the soil, His death unlocked life. Through His resurrection, Jesus produced the ultimate harvest: salvation, eternal life, and the promise that anyone who follows Him can bear fruit beyond what they could imagine.

Kernel named Paul
In Galatians 2:20, Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Paul died to his old life as a Pharisee, took on the unglamorous task of being a missionary, faced shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment. But in the end churches sprang up all over the Roman Empire.

Modern Day Kernels

Charlie Kirk: On September 10, news from Utah broke our hearts—Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. Only 31 years old, a young dad giving everything to inspire the next generation, he faced protests and attacks for boldly standing for faith, family, and freedom. He could’ve chosen comfort, but instead he “died daily” to ease, and in the end paid the ultimate cost. Like a kernel of wheat that falls and multiplies, his life is already bearing fruit. Turning Point USA has reached millions, sparking faith and activism among students, and now his story is igniting others to carry the torch. Pray for his wife Erika and their two little ones—may God turn their grief into purpose.

Graham Staines: In 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons were burned alive in their Jeep by extremists in Orissa, India. The tragedy was unspeakable, yet just days later his wife, Gladys, publicly forgave the killers and carried on the mission for years. That courageous act planted seeds far beyond their loss. Today, the village where it happened has multiple churches, dozens have come to Christ—including some from the very mob—and the mission has grown with hospitals, hostels, and outreach programs. Their suffering became a harvest of grace and healing.

Kernels in Family
In my own family, I’ve seen firsthand what it means to live as a seed for Christ. My late grandmother, Alummoottil Ammachi, wasn’t a missionary, yet she served the Lord with a quiet, sacrificial heart. Widowed at just 45, she raised six children while still putting generosity first—often giving to others even if it meant her own family went hungry.

My uncle, the late Pastor M.I. Thomas, spent more than 50 years serving in Gwalior, India. Beatings, cuts, bruises, and crushing poverty were daily realities for his family. Yet through his endurance, the Lord planted churches that still stand strong across that region today.

And many of you may know about my daughter Hannah, who went to be with the Lord last year at just 16. She poured herself into serving right up until her final days. Though losing her has been our greatest heartbreak, her life has already inspired a wave of young people in our church to step up and serve.

Each story reminds me that the kernel must fall and “die” before it multiplies. Pain isn’t wasted in God’s hands—He turns sacrifice into harvest.

Life Application:
Whatever you’re walking through today—stress at home, a deep loss, or even health struggles—remember the “kernel.” A.W. Tozer once said, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” Sometimes God allows us to be broken so new life can spring up.

Ask Him to help you die to fear, to personal ambition, to the pull of popularity or riches. Pray for courage to love others even when it’s risky, and to stand for truth like Charlie Kirk and so many others who planted their lives as seeds. Come alongside those carrying the weight of loss—whether it’s a grieving friend or a missionary family on the field. Your hidden seed, sown in tears, will never stay buried. God multiplies what we surrender.

Jesus promises, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (John 12:26). The harvest is certain—more souls reached, more lives transformed, more joy than you can imagine.

So here’s the challenge: what “kernel” will you let fall this week? Share it in the comments—we’d love to encourage one another as we plant together.

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