In a Life Freely Given

Yesterday we reflected on John 12:21, where some Greeks find the disciple Phillip and say, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

By identifying them as Greeks, John is telling us that they are not Jewish. They are not religious insiders. But they have somehow found themselves at a religious festival. They must have heard about Jesus because they found one of his disciples, a man named Philip, and they asked to see him. They want to know more. 

It’s interesting.  Jesus doesn’t say, tell the Greeks I’ll meet them in Church. He doesn’t say: tell them they must first believe this, this, and this – then they will see me.  No. He says my hour has come.

Now, in the Gospel of John, the word “hour” is heavy. Jesus uses it to refer to the cross and the resurrection. So he is saying here – if these folks want to see me – they will see me in the clearest sense through the events that are about to unfold. They will see my teaching – lived out. They will see my life poured out. And they will see life being brought out of death.

Jesus goes on to say, “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit.  Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.

Jesus is talking about his own life and death. But he is also talking about ours. When we love, when we sacrifice for the good of others, when we die to ourselves, to our egos, to our pride, to our own agendas, we are showing people his love… 

There is no doubt, people are still longing to see Jesus. 

May they see him in you, and in me.

Let us pray: God of Hope, meet us today at the deepest point of our need. Heal us where we need healing. Comfort us where we need comfort. Challenge us where we need to be challenged. And then use us as instruments of your love and grace, that the world might see Jesus, through us. Amen.