We Wish to See Jesus

John 12:20-33
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. ²¹They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ ²²Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Very 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. ²⁵Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
27 ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ ²⁹The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ ³⁰Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people ³³He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. to myself.’

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. The Greeks who went to the festival in the reading from John, have a request, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” When we come to worship, that is our request as well. But be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

Picture yourself as the Greek in the story. You want to see this man who has fame and a following. You want to see Jesus. But you get a man who talks about grain and fruits, life and death, obedience and service. Be careful what you wish for you just might get it.

How does Jesus respond? “ ‘Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came form heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ (John 12:28)” Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

As we gather to worship, we do so to glorify God and to build up believers. How can we glorify God if we do not worship the Holy Trinity? How can we build up believers or ourselves if we do not receive the invitation or the challenge to grow? How can we expect to see Jesus if we are not offering Christ to all. Christ is the one who will lift up and draw all people to himself. What a joy, what a delight that despite our best efforts, we serve a risen Lord who speaks to us, with us, and for us.

Prayer: For this week, for this day, for this hour, we give thanks and ask that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.