Have you ever wanted to personally meet a celebrity, whether a certain movie star, singer in your favorite music group, politician or member of royalty? Depending on how famous they are, they are likely to have a lot of security surrounding them, and unless you are also quite famous, you likely won’t be able to get near. That is, unless you are friends with someone who is also a good friend of theirs. Then, perhaps, you could get them to introduce you to that celebrity. In our Scripture passage today we read of some people who wanted to meet Jesus, and what they did in order to accomplish that.
In our Gospel reading for this week, we see several Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover. These were either Hellenistic Jews, or Greek Gentiles who had converted to Judaism. After the conquest of most of the Middle East and Central Asia by Alexander the Great (356 BC - 323 BC), Greek culture was spread and adopted by many people. Also during this time many Jews settled in areas outside of Israel, moving all throughout the Mediterranean world, especially in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and in Greece. Though they kept their Jewish faith, many of them adopted a much more Greek lifestyle, including speaking Greek. By the time of Jesus, the Jews who remained in Israel tended to look down on these “Hellenized” or Greek Jews. These Greeks in vs. 20-22, were either Hellenistic Jews, or Greek converts, either of which Jews in Israel would have scorned, and made it difficult for them to approach Jesus.
These Greeks had heard of Jesus and His teachings, and now that they were near where Jesus was, they wished to meet Him. How could they get a way in to Jesus, and past the crowds, many of whom might try to stop them? How about through one of His disciples? They must have learned the names and identity of some of the disciples, and saw that one of them had a Greek name, that of Philip. Philip and his family might have had some Greek connections. These Greek pilgrims chose him, and told Philip that they wanted to see Jesus. Philip went and told his companion disciple, Andrew, and they told Jesus about the Greeks wishing to see Him.
Are there people that we know who wish to meet Jesus? What are we doing about that? Maybe we feel that we don’t know enough to effectively speak with them, or are too timed. If that is our dilemma, we can get another Christian, go get “Andrew”, and tell them about Jesus. Like Philip, we should always make sure that anyone who wants to meet Jesus is able to.
As we continue in our Scripture for today, we read where Jesus spoke again about His imminent death on the cross for us. The Savior spoke of “the hour” having come (vs. 23). This hour is the time of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and exaltation. The phrase “should be glorified” in this same verse guarantees the resurrection, because Jesus could not be glorified unless He was resurrected.
When we take a grain kernel or seed and plant it, in a sense it “dies”. That might not seem to be pleasant for the seed. However, in order to bring forth a crop it needs to be buried in the ground. In like manner, Jesus’ death will bring salvation to many (vs. 24). Jesus had to die to pay the penalty for our sin, and also to show His power over death. His resurrection proves that He is able to give eternal life to believers.
We, too, as Jesus’ disciples, may have to lose our life in service and witness for Him (vs. 25-26). As believers, we are called to put ourselves last and Christ first in all things. We must be so committed to living for Jesus that it would look like we “hated” our life by comparison. We can do this by disowning our self-centeredness, and releasing our own control over our life to Jesus.
Jesus, in His human nature, wanted to be delivered from this horrible death He faced (vs. 27). By going to the cross for our sins, He was taking on the wrath of God for the sins of the word, which caused horror and anxiety in the sinless Savior. However, Jesus knew that God sent Him into the world to die for our sins, and in our place. Jesus said no to His human desires in order to obey His Father and to glorify Him.
In closing, we read how as Jesus prayed that God would glorify His Name, the Father spoke audibly from heaven that He had glorified it, and would glorify it again (vs. 28). This was an audible Voice, yet not everyone heard what was said, and some who did, did not believe it was what it truly was (vs. 29-30). Some thought it was thunder, and some thought it was an angel, not God. Others, though, did know it was God. Some can hear the voice of God, while others only hear noise. Who are you listening to? Are you listening to the Voice of God, or are you listening to the devil’s noise? Be sure you keep your ears tuned to Jesus!
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