John 12:20-36 (alternate Gospel)
The Greeks said to Philip: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” What did they expect to see? A philosopher whose teachings would transform the world? A worldly king who would establish a peaceful, prosperous nation? What did they expect to see?We still say the same thing: “We wish to see Jesus.” What do you expect to see? Do you expect a Jesus who can give you a trouble-free life of smooth-sailing? Do you expect a Jesus who can make you healthy, wealthy, and wise? Do you expect to “see Jesus” only when things go well? Or when you “strike out” at the curve balls life throws at you, do you think Jesus has somehow left you?
Jesus processed into Jerusalem. Shouts of “Hosanna!” filled the air. People sang and waved palm branches to welcome their King. But He was riding on a donkey! He looked so humble. Things just didn’t fit. Many watched the victory parade. If Jesus is a King, He sure does not look the part! Where’s His royal robe? Where’s His scepter? Where’s His mighty, white victory horse? Where’s His victorious army behind Him? And yet they still called Him their King.
After this Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was teaching the crowds. Some Greeks came to see this Jesus. First, they found Philip and implored him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” That was not just their request and need; it’s also our request and our need. We need to see Jesus!
But do we know where to look? Through the Prophet Isaiah, God said, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near” (Is. 55:6). But where? When St. Paul preached to the Greeks in Athens, he said God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27). But how shall we “feel our way” toward Him? Where shall we seek Him?
That’s the problem, isn’t it? We are created to live fearing, loving, and trusting in God, but we don’t. Adam and Eve severed that intimate bond, and we truly are “one man” and “one blood” with them. Their sin brought death into the world. We’ve received that congenital birth infection, and we keep heaping up the sins. And we keep looking for Jesus in all the wrong places. We can look high and low, near and far, but somehow we can’t seem to find Him by our own devices.
We might try to look for Jesus in creation. Stand on a high hill; behold the majestic, colorful sunrise or sunset. Hear the birds singing; enjoy the warm, sunny day; marvel in the colorful blossoms of spring. But you still have not seen Jesus. Sure, He created it all. He delights that you enjoy it all. Sure, you know that some Intelligence must be behind the mystery of the universe. After all, such beauty and synergy in nature cannot come by random chance. But you still haven’t seen Jesus. Besides, the beauty and majesty can quickly turn to chaos and destruction. Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. Sicknesses, injuries, illnesses, and deaths. You can look in creation all you want, but you will not find your Savior there. Jesus has not promised to show Himself as your Savior in creation. We still wish to see Jesus.
We might try to look for Jesus in other people. A beloved family member; a faithful friend; a local or world leader. You look to other human beings hoping they will help solve your big problems and needs. You bare your soul and reveal your deep, dark secrets. You want other people to help you keep going, help keep you on track in the rat race of life. Yes, family and friends are great blessings. God gives them to us, and we need them. But they cannot save you. They cannot give you the life with God that you so desperately need. They cannot be there for you all of the time. And, to be honest, other people can disappoint. You won’t always see Jesus in other people. They will say or do something to hurt you or let you down. They will miss an appointment, forget to call, or not notice you at the store. You need other people, but you cannot look to them for every good and blessing. As Psalm 146(:3) says, “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.” We still wish to see Jesus.
We might even try to look for Jesus within ourselves. If only you can get the right thoughts, or the right feelings, then you suppose you will see Jesus in yourself. If only you can love other people the right way, then you will know Jesus is there. But that’s the problem. You and I don’t always do the right things, love the right way, or have the right thoughts and feelings. We often do the opposite. We have sinful, wicked thoughts, feelings and actions, and we turn to doing sinful things. As Jeremiah said: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (17:9). Or as Jesus said: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Mt. 15:19). No, Jesus did not promise to show Himself as your Savior within your human heart and mind. We still wish to see Jesus. So Jesus must reveal Himself to us.
The Greeks said to Philip, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went to Andrew, and both of them went to Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” You can imagine the disciples saying, “Awesome! It’s about time we get this new kingdom under way. Jesus rode into town as a king. The crowds of people are here. Let’s have a coronation! Let’s see some action, Jesus!” But then Jesus explains what He means by “glorified”: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
If you wish to see Jesus, look where He has promised to be seen. If you want to see Jesus, look to the place where He shed His blood for the forgiveness of your sins, where He trampled down death by dying: look to the bloody cross and the empty grave. If you want to see Jesus, look to the places where He still reveals Himself and gives you forgiveness, life, and salvation. Look to His Word, His Baptism, His Absolution, and His Supper. If you want to see Jesus, look to the place where He puts His Gospel and Sacraments: His “one, holy, Christian, and apostolic Church.” These are the places where you can “see” Jesus with the eyes of faith. These are the places where you can be certain you have the right Jesus.
Isaiah gives us a rather gruesome picture of the Jesus we need to see: “His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of mankind…. He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him” (52:14; 53:2). Why would we want to see a Jesus like that? Why gaze upon a gruesome, bloody, disfigured Man? Because “He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…. He was wounded for our transgressions…. And with His stripes we are healed” (53:4-5). What wondrous love! What boundless mercy! King Jesus, the Son of God, died a horrible, excruciating death so that you might live a blessed, joyous, eternal life.
This Holy Week, we get to see this wounded Jesus and His marvelous mercy. Seek Him where He may be found on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, as well as next Sunday. Yes, it’s a rigorous schedule, but nothing is more life-giving. We will get to see our Lord stooping to love His disciples by washing their feet. We will get to see Him nailed to the cross for the life of the world. And on Saturday after sundown, we will begin the joyous celebration of His glorious victory over the grave.
And so we sing “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” The crowd sang it when they saw Jesus riding on a donkey. You and I, though, sing it as we see Jesus riding into our midst on the altar! Our Lord Jesus “saves us now” as He gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation in the eating and drinking of His sacred Body and His life-giving Blood. Thus we sing, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” Our Lord Jesus actually comes right here to be with us, in His Supper. What a blessing! What a privilege! What a Savior to see!
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Look where He hangs on a cross, bloodied and beaten. Look where He, the Risen One, comes to give His life to you. Amen.
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