More than Jams and Pies

“Now there were some Greeks (Greek God-fearers) who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip came and told Andres; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. And Jesus answer them, saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’” (John 12:20-23 [NASB])

I remember going to a farm and picking berries when I was a child. A few times mom and I picked strawberries, and other times we picked blackberries. Just thinking about them-puncturing their skin with my teeth and the sweet juice bursting across my taste buds-was enough reason to want to get to the farm quickly. With that idea on my mind, I and sure I ate half the berries in the first fifteen minutes I picked. I did not think of what more I could do with them. I just wanted to taste those sun-ripened berries in my mouth immediately.

This same idea applies to the Greek God-fearers in John 12:20-21. They had heard about Jesus and the miraculous things He did and taught, so they wanted to see Him. These Greeks approached Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, and said just that. He said, “We want to see Jesus.” They did not mentally fathom God had a greater meaning to Jesus’ life on earth. These Greeks wished just to see this famous man-teacher and miracle-worker.

Jesus’ reply to Andrew and Philip, when they told Him about the Greeks, seems not to answer what these two men said to Him. He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” What?! How does Jesus’ statement relate to the what Andrew and Philip told Him? Look again at what Jesus said and for what the men asked. The Greeks literally wanted to see Jesus. They did not seek Him as the Son of God, the Son of Man, and the Messiah. These Greeks did not see Jesus’ purpose beyond His earthly life. They were not the only ones. The Jews who laid palms on the ground as the donkey carrying Jesus trod into Jerusalem saw Him as a warrior King who would take back the lands Israel had lost since Solomon’s reign (vs 13). Before that, Judas did misunderstand the symbolic significance of Mary washing Jesus’ feet with perfume (vs. 1-8). He saw the act as wasteful. The crowd of Jews went to see the man (Jesus) who raised Lazarus from the dead (vs. 9). The chief priests saw Jesus as interfering their leading the Jews (vs. 10) Each of these individuals and groups of people only saw the man, Jesus. They did not look beyond the immediate to the eternal and spiritual purpose of His life on earth.

Going back to our berry picking analogy, if when I picked berries, I thought ahead to the jams and pies I could make with them, that is, if I looked beyond the berries themselves to what they could become, I might have been able to take more home for future purposes. A similar thing could have occurred to each of the people in John 12. If they had looked beyond the body of the man, Jesus, beyond their blinders and biases, they could have seen Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God, and the Messiah. These people would have believed, and Jesus would have saved them from their sins and into eternal life with God. Instead, they just saw the miracle-worker, teacher, and man. These people saw what their earthly eyes saw and nothing more. They did not look at Jesus through spiritual eyes. The Greeks and Jews wanted the Messiah but did not expect Him yet or did not expect Him to be in the form in which He arrived.

Because of this, Jesus answered the request by the Greek God-fearers to see Him with verse twenty-three. He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” People clamored to see Jesus, but they did not see accurately. When a person sees the truth about Jesus Christ, then he or she will lay down his or her right to his or her life, just as Jesus did. That means they will die to themselves and live following and serving Jesus, so they will bear fruit. They will live as Jesus did, so that all people may come to know Jesus truly, in heart, mind, and spirit. When people follow and serve Him instead of seeking their own way, those people abide with Christ and the Father, and the Father will honor them.

Berry picking is much more significant than just getting the berries from the plant into our mouths. Seeing Jesus is much more significant than recognizing Him. Seeing Jesus should cause us to see who He is as the Christ and what His purpose is for now and the future then following and serving Him. The hour has come for Him to be glorified in us.

The pies and jams cannot get made if we eat all the berries when we first touch them. Jesus is more than just for now, the moment we first see Him. God has a plan for more than one moment. His plan is for eternity because of His love for each of us. See beyond the first moment with the berries. Make jams and pies, then share them with your neighbors and friends. Jesus is for everyone. Share Him with your neighbors and friends.

“And Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.’” (John 12:44-45 [NASB])

Glory and Grace

“Father, glorify Your name,” some heard Him say.

A cry from His heart, the Father’s greatness proclaimed.

Sound like thunder; an angel speaking;

Lack of understanding; lack of believing.

A week before His sacrifice, the Savior’s purpose drew near;

His mind in anguish, in His heart, the people He held dear.

For these He gave up His claim of royalty and fame;

For these He took the name Savior for their sin He came.

Not His hour when as man He would want to dash away,

But in the Father’s hour, as the Son, His love to proclaim.

Soul troubled, Father’s glory, Jesus gave His everything

So each person who believed, His love each would receive.

Love more than mere sentiment, more than coins, He gave;

Love most expensive that required a heaven-sent only God could pay.

A love undeserved no mere mortal could ever repay;

Love from God stamped on each believer, “Balance zero, debt is paid.”

Reluctantly we question whether to “give up” our plans

To accept this deep love, this grace, with Him take a stand.

For this purpose, He said, He came to that hour;

For this purpose, we each must choose Him or to cower.

Life in our own strength with our own design and purposes

Can lead us through darkness, sin-stain, roads never certain.

With fear, trepidation, anxiety, and pain

We walk life alone instead of calling His name.

Our pride, our sin, our pushing and shoving Him away

Causes us to falter, to fall, to question the way.

Yet, life full and certain, darkness chased away

Comes with humility, repentance, accepting His pain.

His pain chosen freely because of the Father’s love;

His love given freely, He came down from above.

A love so extreme, for each person so certain

Because He’s Creator, Savior, the breaker of sin’s curse.

How can we fathom a love so great and free

When we never knew, never gave, could not conceive?

It’s more than a statement, more than a lavish, extreme gift.

It came through a Life’s blood, puncture, and anguish.

What greater love can we deem of such great a depth,

Than what Jesus said, a life for a life, a breath for breath?

Still our life for another’s isn’t enough to redeem;

Only Jesus’ life offered can a person make clean.

Cleaned from the stain of a person’s wrong choices.

Washed from the darkness of guilt that haunts us.

Better breathing anew with light for the dark way;

Jesus’ death gives new life, guidance, protection each day.

A death of one sin-free, no need to endure pain,

Yet, He chose because of love to provide a way

For people travel-weary, guilt-laden, sin-stained,

To live with God, be released, proclaim His great name.

This kind of love, once-given, no remittance required

Comes from depth of heart only God can provide.

We receive what’s undeserved, unable to remit;

We give what we have, a grateful heart, love, and obedience.

This depth of love is grace, undeserved and free

For the sin-stained person who turns, repents, and believes.

Jesus, the Son of God, come down because of love

Saves from sin, redeems from death, renews us within.

Grace so much greater than all our sin,

Once given, never rescinded, gives new heart within.

Love only God could provide in such unfathomable depth.

Jesus, His purpose, to that hour, God He glorified to His last breath.

Though unable to offer love at the depth of His grace,

We show our love, His love, with our obedience.

Whether lifted up or cast down by troubles and trials,

As Jesus’ followers, our voices lifted, God glorified.

Oft considered foolish and weak by people refusing to believe,

God’s people, Jesus’ followers, allow His wisdom to be seen.

What’s folly to one man, for others is wise.

What’s weakness in stance is God’s greatness in other’s eyes.

God’s grace given, His love perfect and free

Came through the Son’s death upon crossed-tree.

A love shown with His life at greatest of price,

Requires nothing of us but faith, confession; our heart and life.

He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the Lord has spoken.

And it will be said in that day,

‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’  Isaiah 25:8-9 [NASB])

 

(For more, read John 12:27-50, John 15:13, & 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)