What It's All About

What It’s All About

Bible Reading:

John 12: 20 - 36

PREPARED BY

KEN GEHRELS

PASTOR

CALVIN CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

NEPEAN, ONTARIO

What It’s All About p.2

A few weeks ago they gathered, a few thousand of them on Petrie Island beach. They wanted a glimpse of their

heros, coming home to Ottawa.

A chance for a handshake, to hear a word or two, perhaps even have a quick “hello” and a hug for these folks -

Herbert & Diane Stuemer,

who took their children four years ago, bought a boat, and began a voyage around the

world.

Many in Ottawa followed their exploits through Diane’s weekly columns in The Citizen or

on their web site. Everyone’s read and heard so much about the Stuemer’s and Northern

Magic. Now they were home. And it was time to meet them. So it was that thousands

came in the rain to see them home.

They’ve heard so much.

Now they were close.

So it was that a few Greeks came to see Jesus.

It was the holiest week in the Jewish year. Rumors abounded that not too long ago Jesus had actually

raised a dead man back to life. Sunday previous had seen a palm-branch waving crowd usher Jesus into town

on a carpet of coats, singing hymns of salvation. The crowds buzzed. The leaders grumbled.

On Monday Jesus went into the Temple and cleaned house, as it were. He tossed out all the moneygrubbing

traders, who were cluttering up that place of worship, making it look more like the Parkdale Market

rather than a place of prayer.

Now it was Tuesday, and these travelers wanted to see, with their own eyes, the religious celebrity of

the day... speak to Him if they can.

So they head to Philip, the follower of Jesus with a Greek name. Perhaps someone they thought might give

them an “in.”

"We want to see Jesus."

To get the gist of the original phrase: not just see him from a distance, but interview him. Get in a few

words. Find out what makes him tick. What’s He all about? Why’s everyone so excited?

And Philip?

Seems he was caught off guard.

No doubt his mind was still spinning with all the events of recent days and the atmosphere of the moment. He

had plenty on his plate. And then this, out of the blue. Other people, strangers, cutting into his precious time

and space. Not exactly what a fellow needs...... at least, not right now.

“Sir,” say the Greeks, “can we see Jesus?”

True, these Greeks were converts. But still, it was rather unusual for Greeks & Jews to mingle much.

On top of that, Jesus had said a few times that his mission was focused primarily on the lost sheep of Israel.

What to do?

It’s all more than Philip can handle.

Check it out with Andrew.

Make room for these guys, or not? Still not sure.

Together they go to the Lord Himself.

Jesus’ answer is somewhat cryptic. Doesn’t say “yes” or “no.” He talks about glory. Now is the time for glory

of the Son of Man.

Son of Man - the essence of humanity...

that’s Jesus himself. The One around whom the hope of the whole human race revolves.

The kernel of wheat who dies on Golgotha’s cross, and will fall into the ground of Gethsemane, dead.

What It’s All About p.3

Who in His cross death, in the losing of His life, will bring the hope of eternal life to the human race –

millions upon millions of lives.

The Son of Man, willing to count His own life as worth nothing

- hating it, as it were -

Because He loved the lives of humanity so much.

For God so loved the world......

Not an easy thing to do.

It weighs heavy. It costs Jesus much. It troubles his heart. It hurts.

But He won’t shirk it.

Philip needs him.

Andrew needs him.

And those Greeks?..........

.............They need Him, too.

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (v.32)

The bringing in of humanity,

men and women, boys and girls,

Jews and Greeks,

close to home and come from away,

familiar and stranger

church founder and new convert

traditionalist and cultural rebel

bringing them to the throne of the Father, as claimed, paid for and covered by the sacrifice of

Jesus on the cross

THAT is what brings glory to God.

More than ANYTHING else.

ANYTHING.

Luke 15 gives a side door view in on this truth when it presents this question to the listener:

What do you think causes a larger party in heaven - 99 folk whose lives are squeaky clean and in order

hunkered down and safe, or one who manages to crawl out of the ditch and find rescue from death at the