I remember the time not so long ago when you used to book a holiday without really knowing what you were going too.
You may have seen the odd picture in a brochure but you were never really sure if this was going to be the apartment you were having or even if the picture was of the right hotel.
Nowadays though you go onto your computer and google it to have a look.
If you go into google earth you can also pin point apartments and villas round the world if you want to have a good look at where you are going.
Its difficult for us in our world not to see things, in a way with computer access we can all see the world- nothing is particularly hidden from us.
Why start with this- because our gospel reading starts with the request of some individuals to see something.
And that something is Jesus.
And I want to think this morning as we enter the time of passion tide as we approach Easter to think how Jesus is seen in the world.
how in a world where we can see things from around the world at a click of a button- how Jesus can be seen and experienced in the world in which we live.
So we start our gospel reading with the request of these greeks to see Jesus.
We see them coming up to Philip and asking him.
Perhaps they had heard about him, or may even have seen him from a distance and decided it would be good to see him closer.
We are not sure why they ask but this request is pivotal to Jesus then beginning to teach the disciples further about what was to happen that first Easter.
It’s odd perhaps that Jesus doesn’t seem to want to see these Greeks.
He doesn’t appear to welcome them with open arms and invite them in.
Odd when we know that the good news of Jesus is shown not to be just for the Jews but also for the gentiles.
Of course he may have welcomed them in and we are just not told- but Jesus appears to use this incident to speak of how his death is going to open up to all the possibility of being part of his kingdom.
As well as speaking of how the world will see Jesus throughout the generations.
This is the glory that Jesus is talking about here.
So let’s think for a moment about what Jesus was saying here.
In verse 32 Jesus says: “And when I am lifted up from the earth- I will draw all people to myself”
What does he mean lifted up?
It seems to me that he is speaking not least of being literally lifted up when he was put on the cross to die.
He was literally again speaking of his death.
So he is saying that if the Greeks want to really “See” Jesus, if they want the full benefit of what he was sent in to the world to achieve.
Then he had to carry on and complete the task for which he had been sent.
He had to go to the cross in order to open the way for all men to come to God for themselves.
He had to go to the cross in order for man to gain a deep and true access to God.
If he carried on then these Greeks wouldn’t just be able to literally see Jesus- but they would be able to come to him, to know him for themselves through the amazing love of God.
This is a clear picture that Jesus was doing on the cross what he intended to do.
This is important to remember as we face people in the world arguing against our faith.
Some would say he was just a good person – who ended up dying and people just thought they saw him again to give a happy ending to a tragic story.
But this speaks against this strongly
This wasn’t just some accident that had a quirky ending where all was not lost.
This was a deliberate act- Jesus knew what he was doing.
As he entered Jerusalem
He knew that his time had come to draw all men to himself through his cross.
He knew that his time had come to draw all men to himself through his cross.
And in this way he was to be truly glorified- not how we think of glory but in a completely different way.
So the role of the Greeks in this little scenario in Johns gospel are key.
They enable Jesus to speak of the way that he will be seen for the whole world.
That to see him fully – for us to know him fully - he must die in order for us to reconciled to God.
But Jesus does not only in this passage speak of himself.
We are aware as we read this passage that this has a message to us too as his followers.
Although Jesus is speaking of how he alone will stand for our sin on the cross.
How this means that we will no longer have to take the punishment for our sin.
That he has won the power over sin and death through his death and resurrection.
He is also speaking of how this is a route which we his followers- his servants must follow.
This is a challenge he makes to his followers then, to the Greeks who came to see him and to us.
That if we really want to “see” him, to get to know him and understand what he is about for ourselves,
Then we must be ready in his words to be “Planted”- and to risk all for his service.
How does a plant grow- first the seed must die in order to break down and bear fruit- to grow into a healthy plant.
How do we grow as Christians- by loosing our life and following him.
Quite a tall order.
In some parts of the world the challenge is huge and individuals literally loose their lives or livelihoods to follow Christ.
We don’t face that challenge here – in many ways it is too easy for us to be Christians in England
And yet if we want to like Jesus show God’s glory then we are called to do this.
And this challenges me about the complacency of my faith.
What would I be prepared to bear- to loose – to give up because of my Christian faith.
And it was here as I was writing this that I began to feel quite uncomfortable.
That I got up and wondered around because I wasn’t sure what I should say.
Because this is really quite a challenge to us all- this is uncomfortable stuff, because it can take us out of our comfort zone and into unknown territory.
Because being a Christian does not make you immune from problems, it doesn’t keep you safe and wealthy and well fed.
Following Christ may lead us to have to do things where we are going to be ridiculed, laughed at, where it may have a detrimental effect on our bank account.
In our country it is unlikely that we will ever face the things of those Christians in other parts of the world.
But are we willing as Christians in this country to go against the grain of society to stand up for things that are wrong.
Are we willing to take action that leads us to be labelled fundamentalist or loony Christians- just because we stand up for what the bible tells us clearly.
Are we willing to do something that means giving up our time and money to follow Christ.
I ask this question because it asks a bigger question - Are we prepared to follow him fully or do we often put limits on what we are prepared to do.
These are the challenges I think from this passage.
The challenges that this gives us of dying to our selves and following Jesus.
And yet as we do this- as we serve others- as we begin to be an authentic witness to Christ in this world, this answers another huge question –
We began with thinking of seeing- of the Greeks question – can we see Jesus.
And it is in our witness that Jesus is seen in the world today.
If we went onto our computers and did a google search for Jesus – it may give up some interesting websites but it wouldn’t give us a true picture.
But how Jesus is seen in the world today is through us.
Jesus reveals himself now in the world through changed lives, through our experience, through us modelling his life of devotion and service.
If someone came into our church and said – can I see Jesus what would we say.
Would we point to some picture of him, would we invite them to see the Vicar-
Or would we say- here’s my life- this is what he has done for me- this is how he died on the cross- and this is how I now spend my life serving and following him.
Perhaps as we enter this last bit of Lent and into Holy week as we begin to look again at the cross- lets ask ourselves the question – not how do I see Jesus, how do I see his true glory- but how do I show Jesus in my life, how does his glory shine through me.
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