The author of John understands that it is only through the act of Jesus being lifted up, that we as his followers, as his disciples, as the people of God, can see the significance of that moment upon our lives, upon our faith, and upon our world.
March 17, 2024
God is Doing Something Amazing! Are You UP For It?
“Lift Up”
John 12: 20-33
Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl
John 12: 20-33
Now 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. Jesus answered them, “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. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
“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. 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 it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 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.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Lift Up John 12: 20-33
For the second week in a row, the author of John has shared with us an image of Jesus being lifted up on the cross. As you have heard me say many times, if an author of the Bible repeats something, then we as people of faith had better pay attention. For us to take a more indepth look at this image of Jesus being lifted up on the cross, I’m going to ask that we put aside what the Church has taught for 2,000 years about Jesus on the cross, to put aside what it means, to put aside what we were taught as people of faith about how we are called to respond to the cross. I ask this not because I think I have the right answers but because oftentimes, when it comes to the verses which tell us about the cross, we take them out of context and in doing so, create a narrative which goes against what the author originally intended.
An example of this is when it comes to the cross, for some two thousand years, we have been told that God sent Jesus to die in such a way so that we might be saved, that Jesus died on the cross so that we would not have to pay the penalty for our sins. What this explanation of the cross has done for 2000 years is create an image of a God who is either powerless against the powers of this world which doesn’t inspire much faith or create an image of a God who is so vengeful, who is so filled with hate that God required a human sacrifice to make everything right which again doesn’t inspire much faith.
Yes I know the tradition of the Passover lamb and how the blood of the lamb was used to mark the doors when the Israelites left Egypt and how in tradition, this image has been used to describe Jesus and his mission while he was here on Earth.
Again, not saying any of this imagery of the Passover lamb and tradition tying it to Jesus is wrong. After all, our story today takes place during Passover. The author of John i s hoping, John is wanting us to make this connection. In fact, he is counting on it. What I am saying is that when we take the time to study the context of our texts, we are given an opportunity to add more depth to these images. What I am saying is that when we study the context which surrounds our texts, in doing so, as people of faith, we are invited to step back and see a broader picture of God’s redemptive love at work in the world. This is what I am inviting us to do today in regards to the image of Jesus being lifted up on the cross.
Because in studying the context which surrounds this particular image, we realize that the author of John draws on imagery which has been part of the people’s faith narrative for a very long time. Last week, when John mentioned Jesus being lifted up, it was in the context and connection to a story of the people’s time in the desert while wandering. The people were being disrespectful, again blaming God for bringing them out of the desert. God was frustrated with them again. God sent serpents to bite the people. Many died. The people realized their mistake again. God told Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole so the people would be healed. I’ll admit not God’s finest hour but that’s a different sermon for a different day. What’s important is that this image of the bronze serpent being lifted up in connection to this image of Jesus being lifted up on the cross shows a pattern. It tells us that as people of faith that the very act of being lifted up will bring healing and wholeness for the people of God.
This brings us to John’s second image of Jesus being lifted up to describe the type of death Jesus was to die. We read in this particular story that John is telling us over and over again about glorifying God’s name, telling us about the experience of glory which will happen when God’s Kingdom comes to fruition here on Earth. The author of John tells us that when Jesus is lifted up on the cross, the rulers of this world will be driven out. Again to describe Jesus being lifted up, the author of John draws on an image which has been part of the people of Israel’s faith narrative for a long time. The author of John draws on this image of all nations steaming to the holy mountain of God when God’s Kingdom comes to fruition here on Earth. All nations will go up this mountain while glorifying God, while praising God for restoring them, for bringing healing and wholeness to and for all God’s people. All nations will come up the mountain to Zion and there, God’s Beloved Community will be. Peace will reign. Love will be the way of relationships. All will be made One.
The author of John knows all of this as he writes this particular text. The author of John draws on all of this as he writes this particular text. He wants to show that Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. Jesus didn’t come to start a new church. Jesus didn’t come to start a new tradition. The author of John wants to show that Jesus came to draw all people from all nations to him. Jesus came to bring healing and wholeness to and for the people of God. The author of John draws on all this as he tells us that Jesus will be lifted up from the earth. The author of John understands that it is only through the act of Jesus being lifted up, that we as his followers, as his disciples, as the people of God can see, that we will understand the significance of that moment upon our lives, upon our faith, and upon our world.
Or let me say it is way…As people of faith, for us, the cross is not about a vengeful God. For us, the cross is not about a powerless God. For us as people of faith, the cross is about the life, the death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is about changing the narrative. It is about bringing healing and wholeness. It is about being drawn into the love of God. It is about showing the world that there is another way to be, to be in community, to be in relationship, to be in this world as a Beloved Child of God.
For us as people of faith, the cross which is displayed in our sanctuaries, which is worn around our necks, which is tattooed upon our bodies, the cross which tells us about the death which Jesus died, the cross which shows us that Jesus was lifted up from the Earth, the cross which we turn to for inspiration, for comfort, for us as people of faith, simply put…the cross is about this world not having the last word.
Everytime we look upon the cross, sing about the cross, draw the cross, form the cross, as people of faith we are reminded of this. It is a reminder of all the times love lifted us, that love brought us together, that the love of God calls us to bring healing and wholeness to and for all people, not just a select few. Everytime we look upon the cross, sing about the cross, draw the cross, form the cross, as people of faith, we are reminded that what this world intended for evil, God changed the narrative and brought about new life, brought about hope. Everytime we look upon the cross, sing about the cross, draw the cross, form the cross, as people of faith, we are empowered to say that the story does not and will not end in death. The story does not and will not end in brokenness or separation. Everytime we look upon the cross, sing about the cross, draw the cross or form the cross as people of faith, it is a reminder that God changed the narrative and in doing so, we experienced and continue to experience the glory of God come to fruition here on Earth for all of God’s people each and every day. May it be so.
Amen.
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