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There’s something so relatable about the text we’re going to be looking at in this Sunday’s text. Something that I wonder if many of us, even all of us have felt. There’s a group of people that want to see Jesus. That’s all they want. Just to see him.
Give it a read, if you have a moment. It’s John 12:20-36. Jesus responds to the request for the people to see him almost with frustration. He says: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” And then his Father replies.
Did you know that God spoke from heaven in this moment? There was a booming voice that everyone around could hear. It said: “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.” The people had heard the voice of God. But they didn’t hear it. Not really. John records that the people there “said it was like thunder” or that an angel had spoken to Jesus. The people heard the voice of God, but Jesus never came out to see them. In fact, John says that Jesus hid himself away from them.
See, this is what I think is so relatable. We want to see Jesus, right? I think most any person, if they knew that they could see Jesus and his glory, would take the opportunity to see him. We want to see Jesus, and we even look for him in our hardest moments, but it seems like he is hidden away from us.
Where can you look to see Jesus? Look at the cross. Jesus himself said it. “The Son of Man will be lifted up. (He’s talking about the cross.) And when I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself.” Look to the cross. He’s not hidden there. He’s there for all to see. He’s there, paying for our sins.
Come and see him.
John 12:20-36
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.32 And I, when I am lifted up[a] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’?Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
