JOHN 12:20-26 DIVINE INTRODUCTION

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 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. 25 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. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

The Gentiles now, like the Magi of old, come looking for Jesus. Elsewhere Jesus said that when the Son of Man is lifted up he will draw the world to himself (John 12:32). Here is the sign that the world is already gathering to acknowledge Jesus as the incarnate Son.

Jesus continues to tell his disciples not only to whom he will be made know, but how that glory will be revealed. The Passover motifs bathe this entire discourse. The death of the lamb (shedding of blood) is the vehicle of deliverance from bondage. The blood (life of the lamb) is given so that the people might live. The plague due to disobedience among the people in the wilderness is cured by the lifting up of the serpent on the staff and the people looking (believing) on it. Through the Passover and the Exodus, God claims a people as his people and delivers them into a new life and a new land that is to be his Kingdom. It is the fulfillment of the promise that he would be their God, they would be his people and he would dwell among them.

We who are wandering through this wilderness of evil and disobedience suffer from the plague of sin which is death. Like the opening procession in a liturgical church service, the cross has been lifted high and goes before us. We must fix our gaze upon the cross if we are to realize the promise. We must follow Jesus by serving God and our neighbors, as Jesus did. While his death was a death of deliverance achieved once for all, our death is to be a death of service. We are to live no longer for ourselves, but live to do the will of Another and demonstrate that obedience through loving others in his name. Like Philip, our lives need to be so closely linked to Jesus’ life that those who would see Jesus will come up to us and ask us to direct them to him.

Dear Jesus, through your Spirit, transform my life so that it might be a graphic invitation to others to come and meet you. Amen.