Holy Tuesday - We Want to Come and See

Listen now for this special devotional-style episode! As we sing, pray and reflect on the readings of Holy Week in the gospel of John. Today we read the final public speech of Jesus. Even the Greeks come and see Jesus and listen as he predicts his death and the life that will come out of death. 

Scripture quotations from the COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE. © Copyright 2011 COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Music:
Jesus, Remember Me
Text: Luke 23:42 Taize Community
Music: Jacques Berthier (1923-1994)
Text and music copyright 1981 Les Presses de Taize. Admin GIA Publications, Inc  (Used under One License # A-724822)

We Remember
Text and Music: Marty Haugen (b. 1950) copyright 1980 GIA Publications, Inc (Used under One License # A-724822)

Learn more about St. John Lutheran Church at stjohnchurchmars.org or follow us on Facebook.

Learn more about St. John Lutheran Church at stjohnchurchmars.org or follow us on Facebook.

Scripture quotations from the COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE. © Copyright 2011 COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Welcome to Tuesday in Holy Week. On this day, we remember Jesus' final public speech. As he speaks of his death, as he introduces an imagery he'll pick up later with his disciples of a seed that falls to the earth. And we hear echoes of the so many invitations to come and see throughout the Gospel of John, as even the Greeks, even the Gentiles are proclaiming their desire. We want to come and see Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

A reading from the Gospel of John, the twelfth chapter, beginning at the twentieth verse. Some Greeks were among those who would come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Betheda and Galilee, and made a request. Sir, we want to see Jesus. Philip told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus. Jesus replied, The time has come for the human one to be glorified. I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My father will honor whoever serves me. Now I am deeply troubled. What should I say? Father, save me from this time? No, for this is the reason I have come to this time. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. The crowd standing there heard and said, It's thunder. Others said, An angel spoke to him. Jesus replied, This voice was not for my benefit, but for yours. Now is the time for judgment of this world. Now this world's ruler will be thrown out. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me. He said this to show how he was going to die. The crowd responded, We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the human one must be lifted up? Who is this human one? Jesus replied, The light is with you only for a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness do not know where they are going. As long as you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become people whose lives are determined by the light. After Jesus said these things, he went away and hid from them. As I mentioned at the beginning, this is Jesus' final public speech. This is the last time he speaks to anyone who is not his closest disciples. And in it, Jesus tells people about his death with the imagery of the seed and the idea of the seed going to the earth. But surrounding all of that is so many themes of John coming together. We begin our reading with the Greeks, the Gentiles, the people who are outside of the Jewish community recognizing that Jesus is someone to pay attention to as they make a request of wanting to see Jesus. If you recall some of our readings from earlier in the season, we heard about the woman at the well, where as soon as she recognized Jesus for who he was, she ran to the town to say, come and see, and invite them to come and experience Jesus. And how in believing the man born blind is seeing Jesus for who he is and seeing himself for who he is as a disciple. This come and see theme is present throughout John, and now we see that others are wanting and feeling drawn to come and see Jesus. And then we hear this time of Jesus' public prayer when he says, What should I say? Father, save me from this time. In another gospel reading, we hear about how Jesus asks that maybe this cup might pass from him, but ultimately he defers to God the Father's will. But in John, there is no such scene. In John, Jesus knows exactly what's happening, and just as he chose the donkeys to ride in, he has control in this moment, and he says that he is choosing to walk this path to the cross. And so then he prays to the Father, not for his own benefit, for he knows exactly who he is and what he is doing. Instead, he prays to the Father that others might recognize who Jesus is and what Jesus is doing. Still, the people are confused. Still, there are misunderstandings as there often are when Jesus offers glimpses into who he is in the Gospel of John. But as we continue to follow Jesus in this story, as we continue to walk along this path to the cross and resurrection with him, we will eventually come to hear how people will see Jesus and see him for who he is. God's word made incarnate, made flesh. And in Jesus, God's name has been and is being glorified. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you. Grant that our love may not grow cold in your service, and that we may not fail or deny you in the time of trial. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

We remember how you loved us to your day, and still we celebrate for you with us.