Pastor Tom Johnson, March 21, 2021
A group of Greeks ask Philip to see Jesus. Philip tells Andrew and together they tell Jesus about these foreigners in Jerusalem on pilgrimage in the holy city who want to see him. This set up is important. These are Gentiles who were not born into the Hebrew faith. They are not ethnically Jews. But they have converted and are Jewish in faith. They have come to the Temple to worship the true and living God.vThey hear about a certain Rabbi—Jesus of Nazareth—whose teachings are creating a stir. They want to see Jesus. They want to meet Jesus. They want a face to face encounter. They clearly want to better understand his life-changing teaching.
On the surface of things, Jesus denies their request. He does not say, “Sure, send them in.” Instead, he launches into a conversation about how now is the hour for him to be glorified—that is to say—now is the time for Jesus to be lifted up for all to see—not for this Greek coalition alone—but for the whole world. John does not want us to miss the troubling irony. Jesus says he will be lifted up—and by that he indicates the kind of death he will suffer. He will be lifted up on a Roman cross. Last week, in John chapter three, Jesus uses the same language and imagery: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man will be lifted up.” It seems like Jesus has denied this Greek delegation’s request to see him. But by speaking about his death and resurrection, he is committed to fulfilling his mission to how he is best seen. He is best seen—best understood on the cross confronting death and evil for all humanity.
This is what Jesus does not want the Greeks, the Jews, or any of us to miss: he did not just suffer and die for our sins. I know this may sound like a strange point to make since we emphasize it so much. Christ died for our sins and for the sins of the world. He was lifted up on the cross so that we could be lifted out of the guilt of our sin. But he was also lifted up so that we could be lifted out of the power of our sin, death, and evil. This is what is so glorious about God the Father’s words and Jesus’ words in our text. They both speak about lifting Jesus up. They both speak about glorifying his name. They do not speak words of surrender and defeat but of victory and triumph.
I love Jesus’ rhetorical question, “Should I say, ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.” Jesus boldly sees his own death with resolve and purpose. “This is what I have come to do.” “Now the ruler of this world will be driven out,” he says. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” These are the words of Christ the Victor over sin, death, and our adversary. Do you see Jesus lifted up on the cross in that way—that when he dies on the Cross, he is not being defeated by death but confronting and defeating death with his innocence, righteousness, and divine power? Satan, the ruler of this world, is not driving Jesus out of Jerusalem and eliminating the Messiah. Jesus is driving out Satan and evil by his victorious crucifixion. “Now the ruler of this world will be driven out,” Jesus says confidently and triumphantly.
Jesus is lifted up in glorify—magnifying his love and the love of the Father for all creation. Jesus is lifted up to put on open display his triumph over sin, death, and the devil. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth,” Jesus says, “I will draw all people to myself.” That means when Jesus is lifted up and his arms are stretched out on the cross, it is to open his arms to more widely embrace the world. He is stretching out his arms in acceptance, openness, and love. And once his arms reach around the world, he will draw all people to himself. All people. That includes the Greek seekers who wish to see Jesus.
Jesus gives these Gentiles something better than a face to face meeting. He gives them his life. He literally welcomes them with outstretched arms. The will see him as God the Father sees him—as Savior of the world and Victor over death and the adversary. And notice he does not say, “I will draw both Israelites and Greeks to myself.” He says, “I will draw all people to myself.” That includes you and me—not matter out religious background, our ethnicity, gender identity, or social status. Jesus not only powerfully defeats all our enemies and the enemies of our well-being, he also powerfully reaches his arms around all humanity to draw us into his loving embrace. He is lifted up to wrap his arms around you and lift you up.
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown
That they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I
That for my sake
My Lord should take
Frail flesh and die?
(“My Song Is Love Unknown,” LSB 430, v. 1)
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