2024-03-18
Brooke Strong
Sermon Text...
March 17, 2024 Sermon Rev. Betsy Wooster
Based on the Gospel of 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 Human One 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, God will honor.
27 ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father-Mother save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father-Mother 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 to myself.’ 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 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 Human One 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, God will honor 27 ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father-Mother save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father-Mother 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 to myself.’ 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Let us pray: Holy One of God, let us love the questions that arise from your teachings. Let us live the questions until we can, with your help, ease into the answers. Nurture and cultivate us, Holy One, that our lives may bear fruit. Through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, Amen.
HOMILY
In Jerusalem, some people who had heard about Jesus found two of his disciples. In today’s gospel passage, they said to the disciples: “we want to see Jesus.” Join the club! Everyone wants to see Jesus! Those who are longing with hope; those who need healing; those who are hungry for teaching about God…but also those who oppose him; those who are threatened by him; those who wanted to challenge him. Everyone wants to see Jesus. Not everyone responds in the same way.
The gospel describes different kinds of people. In contrasting images and stark language: different kinds of people. Jesus said “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” That’s difference!
On the one hand: those who love their life but lose it. On the other hand: those who hate their life in this world, who will keep it for eternal life. Two kinds of people. Two kinds of responses to Jesus. Which one am I? Which side are we on? Which side are you on? We’re in the middle? Right?
This passage in the gospel, like many parts of scripture, uses clear contrasting language as a teaching tool to help us see the difference and understand. It is not meant to say that you can divide all people neatly into one group or the other. We’re all somewhere in between. We’re all in the gray area. Imagine that there is a whole spectrum between one side and the other, and we’re on it. So, on one side of the spectrum is those who love their life but lose it. This side reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge, the famous Charles Dickens character from A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge does not like Christmas. If you say to Scrooge, “Merry Christmas!” Scrooge will say to you….[Bah, humbug!]
All Scrooge cares about are his business profits. He closely guards his wealth, his security, his possessions, reluctant to part with one schilling as a Christmas donation or to give his employee Bob Cratchit the day of on Christmas. As we learn, Scrooge has loved his own wealth and security so much that he has lost his life. He lost friends, enjoyment, the goodwill of others, and the woman he loved. Loving all that he thought made his life secure, he lost it. That’s one side of the spectrum. Miserable Scrooge. The other side of the spectrum is what Jesus describes as those who hate their life in this world will have eternal life in that stark, clear, language. This side reminds me – actually, this reminds me of Scrooge too! The Scrooge of Christmas morning!
The Scrooge who dances around the room, the Scrooge who is generous with the Cratchit family, and the boy on the street who buys the big goose, and with his Christmas donation! The Scrooge who is joyful and “giddy as a schoolboy!” because he has discovered joy, and human empathy, and generosity, and love for his neighbors – all the qualities of God’s eternal life! Jesus is saying that our lives are shaped by what we give them to. If we just live to protect ourselves and keep ourselves secure, then what is the meaning of that kind of life that hasn’t been made vulnerable or made sacrifices for anyone else.
Jesus also described this as being like a grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies in order to produce much fruit. It is the purpose of a seed to be planted and grow. In the same way, Jesus says that the purpose of his life, and of all lives, is to be given over. So, on the one hand are those who try to securely save their lives, and on the other are those who give their lives away in generosity. That’s the spectrum of responses to Jesus. Where are you? Somedays closer to one end, other days closer to the other? There is another comparison in today’s passage. There is a second set of opposites. When a voice from heaven speaks in response to Jesus, some people in the crowd recognize it as the voice of an angel – God’s messenger, but other people say that it is thunder! Have you ever wished that God’s existence was more clear in an obvious and powerful way? Do you ever wish that God would just clear things up with some unmistakable miracle? Well, here’s the problem: people can always brush off the presence of God. When a voice from heaven spoke, some people said “it’s just thunder!”
On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit filled the room like a rush of wind and tongues of fire, some people said “they’ve just had too much to drink.” On one side: those who recognize the presence of God in the world. On the other side: those who perceive the same world but see nothing of God in it.
On one side: people who see the gifts, and beauty, and goodness of this world as testaments to the glory of God. Those who see that God’s presence radiates through all of life. On the other side: those who are oblivious to God’s presence. Those who see things only as chance or dumb luck.
Another spectrum: we are somewhere between those polar opposites. Somedays more aware of God’s gifts, and some days, more oblivious. It is a gift of scripture and a gift of our community of faith that we are given these ways of reflecting on our lives. In the teachings of these stark contrasts, we can reflect on where do we find ourselves now? And we can reflect on how we might grow to be more open to receiving and sharing God’s gifts, and less selfish and oblivious. As we do that, remember this. Jesus does not always teach in terms of contrasts. The ultimate message of God is not about people being on one side or the other.
The ultimate message does not separate people into groups or along a spectrum, but brings all people together. After Jesus spoke about the people who lose or keep their lives, and after some heard thunder while others heard a voice from heaven, Jesus said this: When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.’ I will draw all people to myself. In Jesus, God has come for the people who selfishly guard their lives AND for people who generously give their lives away. God has come for those who perceive the heavenly gifts of earth AND for those who think the earth is nothing but meaningless chance and luck. God has come for those who are like Scrooge on Christmas Eve AND for those who are like the transformed Scrooge on Christmas morning.
When we talk about our responses to Jesus, we’re not talking about a standard we have to meet to earn God’s grace. These are not requirements to earn God’s love. This is more a description of how meaningful it is to live a life that is not just about you, not centered on you. God’s saving grace is not dependent on us, but only on an unconditional love that draws All People to God. How we respond is our opportunity to join in the way of Jesus. Our opportunity to worry less and to trust more. To trust that Jesus is already drawing us to him in this life, so that we may know the fullness of God now. So that our eternal lives have already begun. AMEN.