March 18, 2008

John 12:20–36

Tuesday in Holy Week

Trinity Church, Valparaiso, Indiana

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I once heard a learned seminary professor tell of his preaching from the pulpit of a venerable old church. As the pastor ascended the steps into the pulpit to begin his sermon, he noticed a small sign permanently affixed to the inside of the pulpit, where only the preacher would notice it. The sign read simply, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

“Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.”

Almost every church has said that it wants to grow. Very few churches, however, really seem committed to growing in ministry. Many churches talk of growing in numbers, so that they might grow in the amount of money they have to spend, so that all the current members can continue with the same level of commitments they have always had. People can join a church for all sorts of reasons: the beautiful building, the music, the youth ministry, the friendliness, the preaching, or some might even join because they like the pastor. Imagine that.

The foreigners who came up to Philip were not looking for dazzling ministries. The Greeks who came to worship at the festival were not interested in being entertained or made to feel good about themselves. The Greeks did not ask about small group ministries or youth group programs. “[The Greeks] came to Philip…and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’” When Jesus heard of the Greeks wanting to see him, he did not dazzle them with the power of positive thinking or with sermons guaranteed to entertain and energize. To those who wished to see Jesus, Jesus points them to his cross.

Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. Very 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…Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’ No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour…Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people
to myself.”

At Trinity, we are blessed with a beautiful worship space, inspiring music, energetic youth ministry, and—of course—phenomenal preaching. Above all else that we do, however, Jesus would have those who encounter our ministry see first his cross. In these troubled times, our world looks to you and me and asks, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Our world and our neighbors look to you and me to see the Jesus who promises an answer to the pain and brokenness of these days. In all that we do, may others see and hear Jesus in us. May all that we do in this place bring others to Jesus and hold before them the love of his cross.

Amen.

John Joseph Santoro +