Read the Lectionary Texts

John tells us some Greeks wanted to see Jesus.

This may seem an insignificant detail to you and me living two-thousand years removed from the moment, but it was not insignificant to Jesus. In fact, when Jesus found out about it – that these Greeks had come to seek him out – he realized his life had reached a major turning point.

“The time has come,” Jesus said in response to the news.

Now anybody who has seen the movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” can appreciate how the arrival of a bunch of Greek people on your doorstep can be an exciting moment! I’m not sure all Greeks are like the flamboyant members of the Portokalis family…but I sure hope so! I found myself wanting to go out and become Greek after watching that film!

But for Jesus, the arrival of these Greeks was a little different.

This was a sign that the hour had come for him to go to the cross.

No longer would he be the Savior of the Jews only, but now even of the Greeks. Jews and Gentiles alike are now gathered in his arms.

And Jesus expressed it so beautifully, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people – ALL people – to myself.”

So the time has finally come.

Up until now, Jesus has been able to touch with God’s saving grace only some people – the people he encountered in the towns and villages of Galilee. The stories of his amazing love are recorded in all four Gospels. His unique ability to bring people and God together, to rise up above their afflictions to seize the wonder and beauty of life, and to find and rescue even those who were lost. These are the Gospel stories we sing and speak about even today. What a wonderful life Jesus has lived! There was nobody like him before, and no one like him since! He is the greatest Lover who ever lived!

But his love was limited …to a time – and a place – and a particular people.

But now…

Now the time has come for the love of Christ to be unleashed to the world!

“When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people – ALL people – to myself.”

People in Jerusalem – and in Moscow – in Tokyo – and Your Town, USA. People at the Wailing Wall – and people whose wailing comes from hospitals – and nursing homes – and crack  houses – and prisons. People at the top – and people on the bottom – those who are up – and those who are down – the strong – and the weak – the rich – and the poor.

Jews and Gentiles alike!

“…I will draw ALL people to myself.”

Some people ask why Jesus had to die. And there are many answers our faith proposes. Jesus had to die as our substitute, paying the full cost of our sin. That’s why we sing, “Jesus Paid It All!” Jesus had to die to open the door between humans and God. That’s why we say Jesus is like a bridge over troubled waters. Jesus had to die to demonstrate once and for all that God forgives us and loves us, and that everything that would keep us from God has been taken care of. That’s why we recite the Scripture that says, “Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.” Jesus had to die so that, in the resurrection, sin and death would be defeated. That’s why we sing, “Victory In Jesus!”

Christian Faith provides a number of important answers to the question, “Why did Jesus have to die?” But there is one more answer and John is trying to bring it to us today.

While Jesus was alive, you see, he was limited to a certain time, and a certain place, and a certain people. But once he is lifted up from the earth, HE CAN BE EVERYWHERE AND FOR EVERYONE ALL AT ONCE!

“When I am lifted up, I will draw ALL people to myself…”

I was thinking about this one night years ago when I saw on television the news that an American FA18 Hornet off the carrier Kitty Hawk had been shot down over Iraq. Immediately, I thought of the couple in our church whose son flies FA18’s off that carrier. I barely slept all night, wondering if it was him. The next morning, his parents received a brief email letting them know it was not him, and that he was okay. And we all breathed a sigh of relief.

But – truth be known – the young man who went down was somebody’s son.

For me, it is no minor thing that the promise of Christ is that he himself is with that young man.

And that he himself is with that young man’s parents.

And with all the young people and their families, allies and enemies alike.

You see, the cross declares that Jesus and his love have been set free from the limits of time and space.

Even today, no matter who we are, no matter where we are, and no matter what is happening in our lives, Jesus is present – just as Jesus was present in love with the 10-lepers – just as Jesus was present in love with the woman at the well – just as Jesus was present in love with Jairus the synagogue ruler the day his daughter died.

The cross, you see, is like a time machine – able to bring the presence of Christ into every place and every moment. And in the same beautifully redemptive, loving and healing way Jesus was with the people of the New Testament, Jesus is with us today!

I need to know that as a parent.

You know, I think the worst times of parenthood are the times your kids hearts are broken, and there’s nothing you can do to fix them. We used to tease our daughter about the steady stream of boyfriends through her life. There seemed to be a new one every day. She’d love ‘em, and leave ‘em. The parade of boys through her life was so rapid that, after a while, my wife and I didn’t even bother remembering their names. We just called them all, “Bud.”

But then one day, things changed. Instead of dumping a boyfriend, our daughter got dumped. Now that was a new experience! She called on the telephone. Her pain came right through the earpiece. Her heart was truly broken.

And I’m grateful that, when I wasn’t able to be physically there for my brokenhearted daughter, Jesus was there for her. And I’m glad Jesus was with me in that moment, too. You know, my first inclination was to say, “Well, now you know what it’s like to be on the other side.” But sensing the presence of Christ with her, and with me, I found myself restrained. Thank goodness! So I just listened. And I just wept along with her. There are some things parents can’t do and be for their children. But Jesus is with them. And even in situations where it seems like our children are lost to us,, they are never lost to him.

Because Jesus has been lifted up.

Same is true in our world today, you know. Yes, there are wars going on. Yes, the economy is ravaged by inflation. Yes, we are concerned about nuclear weapons in North Korea, and the worldwide threat of terrorism. The danger level is high, and these are difficult times in which to live.

But we are not alone. Christ is with us. Christ is with the world. Christ is at work behind the scenes creating new possibilities for hope and healing. And we can turn to him to find the way to life.

Yes, Jesus is with us today!

And Jesus is with you!

“When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself…”

Can you feel Christ’s arms embracing you today?

Maybe not.

Maybe you’ve been indoctrinated into a religious system in which God doesn’t like people very much. Maybe you’ve been part of a church or religious organization that has hurt you deeply. Maybe you’re one of the many, many people in our world who, in the face of all sorts of injustice and evil have a hard time coming to grips with the possibility of a God of love.

Well, all I can share with you today is the cross.

And Jesus’ promise.

He also said, “Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

This is a principle of nature that we all understand. It is visibly at work in this beautiful Springtime in East Tennessee.

It takes a dying to release new life!

As Natalie Sleeth’s song says, “In the bulb there IS a flower, in the seed an apple tree, in cocoons a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free. In the snow and cold of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until it’s season – something God alone can see!”

And it is the very same principle of the cross.

It took a dying to bring Jesus from there to here – from then to now – from them to you!

“When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people unto myself!”

Today, this cross before us has an important message for each and every one of us.

Jesus is reaching out to you in love!

I hope you’ll let yourself be found!

And I hope you will reach out in love to others – Jews and Greeks alike.

For God so loves THE WORLD!