My son Jacob texted me the other day to tell me that the health of Professor James Tiefel is declining. For about 40 years Professor Tiefel has taught homiletics at our Seminary, that is he has taught decades of pastors how to preach. I remember Professor Tiefel having a bit of a sarcastic edge to him, he could be brutally blunt with his criticisms, and somehow, he managed to be both crude and eloquent at the same time. So naturally, Professor Tiefel was one of my favorite professors at the Seminary.
There were several lessons I learned from Professor Tiefel, but one has stuck with me more than all the others. I don’t remember the conversation that led up to it, but I remember Professor Tiefel telling us, “Gentlemen, as you preach your sermons give no one an occasion to say to you, ‘sir, we would see Jesus’”. Professor Tiefel’s advice has served me well over the years. Every week I pray that God work through me to present you with a sermon that is engaging, edifying, and occasionally entertaining, but more than anything, I pray that through my sermons, you see Jesus.
Of course, Professor Tiefel did not come up the words, “we would see Jesus”. He borrowed and repurposed them from some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. In John 12:20-21 we read, “20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”” We are not entirely sure what these Greeks were hoping to see. We know that they had come to Jerusalem to worship and celebrate the Passover, which suggest that, though they were Gentiles, they were believers in the coming of the promised Messiah. However, prior to their request we are told there were “many people” who wanted to meet Jesus. You see Jesus had become a bit of a celebrity. Turns out when you raise a man from the dead, as Jesus had done for Lazarus just a few days before, people tend to take notice, they are curious, they want to meet you.
Having never met them and lacking the ability to read people’s hearts, I can’t say for certain what these Greeks were hoping to see when they saw Jesus, but they do kind of give off a groupie vibe. But maybe I’m just projecting. Maybe it’s not these Greeks who are acting like Jesus Groupies maybe it’s you and I who act like Jesus Groupies. For some Jesus is a seasonal sentiment to be seen twice a year at Christmas and Easter. But that doesn’t seem to fit the definition of a Jesus Groupie. A Jesus Groupie is more dedicated… Like us. We come to church week after week to see Jesus. But what are we looking for? Are we simply looking for someone who will give us relationship advice, parenting tips, and personal growth? Are we looking for Him to give us ammunition that can be used in arguments about creation, abortion, and homosexuality? Are we looking for Him to answer life’s big questions, like the meaning and purpose of life, or the relationship between man’s free will and God’s omniscience, or how we are going to spend our time in eternity? To be sure we can learn a lot about all these things when we come to see Jesus, but is that all we are looking for? If we are only looking for someone to help us with our relationships, provide us ammunition for arguments, and answer some questions, then we are the ones who are acting like Jesus Groupies.
What did you come here to see? Do you wish to see Jesus, I mean really see Him? Then, look at how Jesus responds to the request of the Greeks who would see Jesus. One of the first things you are going to see is His understanding of what your salvation is going to cost Him. In verse 23 we read, “23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” In John 2, at the wedding in Cana Jesus’ mother Mary tried to get Jesus to reveal Himself as the Messiah who provides for His people. Jesus told her “My time (hour) has not yet come.”[1] In John 4 Jesus is talking to a Samaritan woman at a well about the coming hour of salvation. In John 7 Jesus’ brothers are encouraging Him to “show yourself to the world” and Jesus tells them, “The right time (hour) for me has not yet come”[2]. In John 8 the Pharisees and teachers of the law try to harm Jesus. “Yet no one seized him, because his time (hour) had not yet come.”[3] Finally at long last in John 12 Jesus says, “the hour has come”.
It was time for Jesus to fulfill the ancient promise of salvation God had repeatedly made to His people and Jesus understood what that would cost Him. Jesus spoke of a kernel of wheat that dies and is buried. The thought of it “troubled” His heart. You see, Jesus had read the 22nd Psalm and understood it as a description of what was going to happen to Him. He understood the hour had come for Him to be mocked and insulted. He understood the hour had come for His bones to be pulled out of joint, His heart to turn to wax, and His hands and feet to be pierced. He understood the hour had come for Him to be forsaken by His Father. The first thing we see when we look at Jesus is, a Savior who understands what your salvation is going to cost Him.
Seeing how Jesus understood exactly what your salvation was going to cost Him, you would think He would be reluctant or at least apprehensive about going through with it. But that’s not what you see when you look at Jesus, rather, you see His unwavering dedication to save you. In verses 27-28 Jesus asks, “27… 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!” Jesus had the power, ability, authority (however you want to say it) to avoid paying the price of your salvation. In a few days’ time He will remind Pontius Pilot “you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above”[4] or to paraphrase ‘Pilate, you have the power I allow you to have’. But Jesus was not interested in exercising that power. Jesus was interested in sticking to the Father’s salvation plan. In John 4:34 Jesus said, “My food,” …, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” In John 5:30 Jesus said, “I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” In John 6:38 Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” And finally in the garden, as I am sure you recall, Jesus prayed “not my will, but yours be done.”[5] Jesus was not interested in saving Himself. The next thing you see when you look at Jesus is a Savior who is dedicated to your salvation.
Jesus understood the cost and He was dedicated to the plan because He was confident, He, and through Him we, would be victorious. You see this confidence in verse 31 where Jesus says, “31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.” In all four gospels Jesus refers to His resurrection from the dead, saying things like, “after three days I will rise again.”[6]. Jesus was confident He would be victorious. Where does this confidence of victory over sin, death, and the devil come from? Well, I believe a good portion of this confidence comes from experience. When war broke out in heaven and the devil attempted to overthrow God, it was Jesus who proved to be victorious. When the devil attacked Jesus in the wilderness with temptations, it was Jesus who proved to be victorious. I also think Jesus’ confidence stemmed in no small part from the fact that God had repeatedly promised Jesus would be victorious. To our first parents God promised Jesus would crush the serpent’s head[7]. To the patriarchs God promised through Jesus “all nations on earth would be blessed”[8]. Through the psalmist God promised Jesus would finish it.[9] Through the prophets God promised after the suffering of His soul, Jesus would “see the light of life and be satisfied”.[10] Jesus had plenty of reason to be confident of victory, and that is exactly what we see when we look at Him; you see a Savior who is confident about your salvation.
So far, we have seen a Savior who understands the cost, is dedicated to the plan, and is confident of victory. But before we set John 12:20-33 aside there is one more thing I think you should see. Look at Jesus and you will see how much He loves you. In verse 32 Jesus says, “32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” The disciples were used to hearing Jesus say the Jews were God’s chosen people, that He had come first for the lost sheep of Israel, that salvation came from the Jews. But Jesus also spoke of other sheep, He acknowledge that the dogs could eat the scraps that fell from the masters table, and He accepted the worship of the wisemen after His birth and these Greeks before His death. Jesus seeks to draw all men because, God so loved the world that he sends out messengers to make disciples of all nations so that everyone who believes in Him and is baptized will be saved.
Jesus seeks to draw all men to Himself, including you. For many of you that drawing near began at your baptisms when God adopted you to be His own dear child. That drawing near has continued through the preaching, teaching, and devoting on The Word. That drawing near further occurs through the body that was given and the blood that was shed for the forgiveness of your sins. Finally, that drawing near will be completed after you pass through the valley of the shadow of death and arrive in the high country of heaven where you will be welcomed with the open arms of your Savior. Look at Jesus and you will see a Savior drawing all men; drawing you to Himself, because He loves you.
Like the Greeks who went to the temple, you have come to this church to see Jesus. But I urge you to be more than a Jesus Groupie looking for someone to help you with your relationships, give you ammunition for your arguments, and answer your questions. I urge you to take a look at Jesus and see Him, I mean truly see Him! See a Savior who understands the cost, is dedicated to the plan, is confident of victory, and loves you. When you see that, you see Jesus.
Very soon now we will see Jesus betrayed, condemned, and killed. But you who have seen Jesus know that also very soon you will see Him rise from the dead, ascend into heaven, and take His seat at the right hand of the Father. By the grace of God, you have seen Jesus, which makes you better equipped than most to invite your friends, and your family, and your neighbors to join you in worship this Easter. Simply ask them, ‘do you wish to see Jesus?” Amen
[1] John 2:4
[2] John 7:8
[3] John 8:20
[4] John 19:11
[5] Luke 22:42
[6] Matthew 27:63
[7] Genesis 3:15
[8] Genesis 22:18
[9] Psalm 22:31
[10] Isaiah 53:11