“Glorify Your Name”
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (O.T. Lesson)
John 12:20-33 (Gospel Lesson)
We define the term success in a variety of ways.
For the businessman, or woman, I guess that might mean earning the corner office. Having a profitable portfolio. The nice home, the nice car. And there again, everyone looks at success in a different way. Those things that might lead to success for one person may mean absolutely nothing to the next person.
For those that run for their health and as a hobby, maybe getting in the occasional marathon; they train as much as possible to get in the best shape and to be able to shave time off of their competitions. As some of you have heard me say, if you see me running, I’m either running away from someone or towards a really good buffet or maybe for some peanut butter ice cream. Or, I could be running away from someone who I’ve stolen their peanut butter ice cream.
For the golfer. They watch all the instruction videos—purchase the best clubs and equipment—and practice as much as possible to shave strokes off of their game. I’ve been asked, “What’s your golf handicap?” And I usually respond, “Me, or my swing.” The last few times I played I was invited by Dave Morrison to join him and Patty and some of the school bus drivers. We play in teams, and we play the best ball hit by one of our team members. I can finally play my game and win. You see, I use whatever equipment I can afford—I practice very little if ever—and I play only occasionally so I can get my money’s worth, or a high number of swings.
Jeremiah, the author of our Old Testament Lesson this morning was a prophet, and his ministry was between the years 627-586 BC. He is sometimes referred to as the “Weeping Prophet,” not necessarily for his preaching style but more because of his lack of success in ministry, which led to the weeping. The basic theme of Jeremiah’s message throughout his career was simple: Repent and turn to God, or he will punish you. Wasn’t exactly what the folks wanted to hear, thus his lack of success.
Consistently and passionately, he urged people to act, but nobody moved. And he certainly didn’t attain material success in life. He was poor and underwent severe deprivation to deliver his prophecies. He was rejected by his neighbors—his family—the false priests and prophets—his friends—his audience—and the kings of Judah. He was thrown into prison (the guardhouse in the courtyard of Jerusalem where he could continue his work but still be under arrest; much like the Apostle Paul) and taken to Egypt against his will (which he warned people against). Throughout his life, Jeremiah stood alone, declaring God’s message of doom (which took place), and weeping over the fate of his belove country.
In the eyes of the world, Jeremiah wasn’t a success. But his announcement of the new covenant, our O.T. Lesson this morning, may have had some folks looking at what many considered to be unsuccessful in a totally different light. Maybe our definition of success can change over time. (Jimmy Carter)
These three verses that Jeremiah shares with us this morning are packed with good news!
The use of, “The days are coming” leads to the famed, “When I will make a new covenant.” God has promised to take the initiative to internalize His law in an intimate way within the hearts of His people so that everyone, not just some, not just a few, not just the most successful, will “Know the Lord.” (Not just know of Him)
The old covenant, broken by man, will be replace by a new covenant. The foundation of this new covenant is _? Jesus Christ! The old covenant didn’t have the power to transform people’s hearts or give them the ability to obey. The new covenant has revolutionary power, involving not only Israel and Judah, but even the Gentiles. It offers a unique personal relationship with God Himself, with His laws written on individual’s hearts instead of stone tablets. Jeremiah looked forward to the day when Jesus would come to establish the covenant and through His forgiveness all sins would be forgotten (not just forgiven, but forgotten—the intermittent wipers). For us today, the new covenant is here. We have the wonderful opportunity to have a fresh start and establish a permanent, personal relationship with God.
John 12:20-33
“He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.” Not exactly how we might begin a story thinking about success. Going to the Cross doesn’t sound like much of a success story. But then again, as I’ve been saying, in the kingdom of God the way up is actually down. But, for our benefit, the only way for us to achieve this new covenant that Jeremiah proclaimed, is for Jesus to die, to rise, and to return to His Father. When all that happens, God is glorified, and we are granted success.
For a moment, let’s read backwards, shall wee. John 12 begins with, “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany.” We’re pretty sure that the last week that Jesus walked this world as a human was spent here in Bethany with Lazarus, Mary and Martha. He and His disciples would spend the day in Jerusalem, except for Wednesday, and their nights were spent in Bethany.
On this particular day, there’s a party going on. Martha was doing what she did best, and Mary, well Mary was doing what she did best, staying close to Jesus. Nothing was said about Lazarus, so we assume he was just being a good host to his friend and His disciples.
After a wake-up, we are at five days before the celebration of Passover and the point in which we enter the story. Passover was a massive celebration in Jerusalem. It was the Super Bowl. It was a Beatles concert. It was Woodstock. Whatever your analogy may be.
Josephus, the great Jewish historian, estimated that over two million people were attracted to a great Passover Feast. Devout Jews from all around the Mediterranean came to offer their sacrifice to God and to pay their half shekel temple tax. I would venture that not a soul, other than Jesus and the Father, had an inkling of what was going to occur during this Passover.
We’re told that 256,500 lambs were slain at one such Passover and that each lamb represented at least ten worshippers, so you can see what a crowd was present. Among those who came for the celebration were Romans, Persians, Syrians, Egyptians, and Greeks, who kind of take center stage here in our story.
Our visitors seek out Philip maybe for a couple of reasons. First of all, Philip was a Greek name. Secondly, Philip haled from the town of Bethsaida, which was an area heavily populated with Greek converts. Or, you could say, they were looking for a familiar or friendly face. (Meeting the guy from Dayton, Ohio on my mission trip to Honduras).
Philip, maybe because he didn’t know what to do or because the disciples seemed to do everything in pairs, looks for Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Philip and Andrew were two of the first disciples Jesus called to follow Him, depending on which Scripture you use, but they get very little ink. Today, they are more like tour guides or cruise directors, pointing these Greeks where they wanted to go.
They probably could had just easily pointed and said, “He’s over there.” But, together, they personally take them to fulfill their wish, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Community is important in Christianity. Completing the journey with these seekers was important.
If I were one of these Greeks, I might have been surprised that Jesus doesn’t begin their conversation with any greetings or formalities. He just strikes right in on a sermon about how “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
Several years ago, now, when the Betty Crocker Company first began selling their cake mixes, they offered a product which only needed water. All you had to do was add water to the mix that came in the box, and you would get a perfect, delicious cake every time.
It bombed. No one bought it and the company couldn’t understand why, so they commissioned a study which brought back a surprising answer. It seemed that people weren’t buying the cake mix because it was too easy. They didn’t want to be totally excluded from the work of preparing a cake; they wanted to feel that they were contributing something to it. So, Betty Crocker changed the formula and required the customer to add an egg in addition to the water. Immediately, the new cake mix was a huge success. Unfortunately, many people make the same mistake when it comes to “packaging” or presenting the Christian faith. They try to make the call of Jesus Christ as easy as possible because they’re afraid people won’t “buy it” if it seems too hard.
Jesus said, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it bears much fruit. Jesus then explained what he meant. “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” It’s true in life isn’t it? If are going to get anything out of it, we have to invest ourselves in it. Do you remember the second to last album by the Beatles? It was called “Abbey Road.” The last song is a little musical response called “The End.” It’s the last lyrical statement the Beatles make on an album. And it went, “And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
The truth of this is written in creation. It is evident to see. It can be found in something as small as a grain of wheat, a seed.
So, why is it that these Greeks want to see Jesus? It ’wasn’t what He said—it was who He was. Isn’t that the most sincere desire of our hearts, to see Jesus? If it isn’t, then it should be! Shouldn’t we want to experience Him for ourselves? A secondhand report shouldn’t be enough. We long to be, or should long to be in His presence.
We want to see Jesus! Isn’t that why we are here this morning? We’ve not come to learn the latest political philosophy (not from me anyway), and we’ve not come to celebrate some dead theology. We’ve come to see Jesus!
The Son of Man’s hour had indeed come and with it the new covenant promised by Jeremiah begins. Our sins will be forgotten forever!
In closing, Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth (the pole story from last week), will draw all people to myself.” Ultimately Jesus would get lifted up in the ascension into heaven, but the first ten feet of the ascension came by way of the cross. Jesus’ upward journey started when the Roman soldiers hoisted Him skyward at the Place of the Skull.
So, if you want to fly off into glory with Jesus, you’ve got to be part of the first ten feet of the trip as well. You can’t prop up a stepladder on the side of the cross, climb it, and then meet Jesus at the top for the balance of the journey to glory. You’ve got to be crucified with Him. You have to be the kernel who gets buried into death with him. “Where I am, my servant will also be.” But as a servant, it’s not up to you to pick and choose the times and places you want to be with Jesus. You are with Him always and everywhere or you are with Him never and nowhere.
Thanks be to God!
Eastman First Methodist Church 