Sermon onJohn 12:20-33

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

During Lent this year, our readings from the Hebrew Bible remind us of some of God’s promises.

1.    We started by reading about Godsending the rainbow as a permanent covenant of peace.

2.    Then, we read about God’s covenant that Abraham and Sarah’s numerous descendants would be God’s people forever.

3.    Two weeks ago, we read a third covenant: the 10 Commandments, which illustrate right relationship for God’s people.

4.    Last week, God brought healing to the complaining Israelites in the wilderness.

This week, we’re wrapping up this series of God’s promises as we progress on our Lenten journey to the cross.

In our reading from Jeremiah today, God declares a new covenant—not one that’s written on stone tablets that can be broken, but one that’s inscribed on the hearts of God’s people, where it will last forever.

Just because it says it’s a new covenant doesn’t mean it replaces what came before. As the organization The Salt Project put it earlier this season, each of God’s promises are like petals on a single flower. The older petals don’t go away because there’s a new petal. Instead, we get to see more of God’s beauty as each petal unfurls.

That’s why I’ve been listing all the promises we’ve been looking at all season at the beginning of each sermon, even though it’s gotten to be a long list. We’re getting to see a fuller, more stunning picture of God’s relationship with humanity with each additional promise.

Today’s promise reminds us that God has always been about forgiveness and reconciliation. When Jesus came, he wasn’t instituting anything new—he was fulfilling what God was already about and had been at work toward from the beginning.

And Jesus reminds his followers of his mission of forgiveness and reconciliation in our Gospel reading today.

The Gospel of John tends to show us a very divine Jesus, but we see a glimpse of his humanity in this reading. He admits that his soul is troubled at the prospect of what he’s about to undergo.

It’s a little strange to read this part before Palm Sunday next week, because in the Gospel of John, this scene actually happens shortly after Palm Sunday. Jesus had already raised Lazarus from the dead, which made the religious leaders decide that Jesus was too much of the threat to their power and that something would have to be done about him.

Then, Jesus rode into Jerusalem in a parade that essentially mocked the Roman authorities. The people watching were like, “Yeah, this guy’s going to kick out the Romans and make things better for us!” And the religious and political leaders were not going to sit back and let that happen.

So, Jesus knows in our Gospel reading today that he has made powerful enemies, and that his time is running out. He’s honest about the fact that he’s not looking forward to what’s about to happen, but he also declares to his followers that he is completely committed to his mission, which will lead to his execution.

His mission is expansive—in being lifted up, he will draw all people to himself. He will be lifted up on the cross, lifted up in resurrection power, and lifted up into the sky in his ascension.

That lifting up is for the healing of the world, as we talked about last week when we read about Jesus comparing himself to the bronze snake sculpture that Moses put on a pole so that anyone who had been bitten by poisonous serpents could look on it and live.

Jesus’ mission is to bring healing to the world, and that mission involves being lifted up to death, resurrection, and eternal community with God. Jesus talks about a seed that cannot be fruitful unless it dies to its current form in the ground. The new life of Jesus’ mission will not come to be without death.

It's only after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension that the Holy Spirit lights up the hearts of Jesus’ followers and spreads the Good News of God’s love far and wide. Shortly after our reading today, Jesus will gather his disciples over a Passover meal and tell them, “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”[1]

Despite what the authorities hoped, Jesus’ mission would not end with his death, but would instead spread beyond what they could imagine.

And it was already happening: our reading today opens with some Greek folks asking to see Jesus. It was not just Jesus’ own Jewish kindred who were interested in him. He was gathering attention from Gentiles.

And of course that was only the beginning of Gentiles’ involvement in the Jesus movement. We see that expansion and inclusion throughout most of the letters in the New Testament and in the book of Acts. And, unless you have some Jewish heritage, you and I would not be in this room today if it weren’t for that expansion and inclusion.

This scene with the Greek folks is really interesting, because it’s kind of a reversal of the story of Jesus calling his disciples at the beginning of John. Toward the end of chapter 1, Jesus goes to Philip (the same Philip from today’s reading) and says, “Follow me.” Then, Philip goes and tells Nathanael to “come and see.” And then Nathanael has an encounter with Jesus and becomes his disciple.

In today’s reading, the Greek folks approach Philip asking to see Jesus. Philip then goes and tells Andrew, and they approach Jesus.

Where Philip was approached by Jesus to become his disciple, the Greek folks approach Philip. They’re seeking out Jesus, instead of him seeking them. The Good News is getting out about the Beloved Community that Jesus is working toward. The message will spread throughout the world and will be embraced by a beautiful variety of people. The Beloved Community is big enough for everyone.

Do we live as if that’s true?

How do we show the inclusion of the Beloved Community today?

We, who are part of the whitest denomination in the United States, do we learn about cultures different from the one in which we grew up? Do we advocate for equal and equitable rights and dignities for people of every race and ethnicity?

We, who are part of a denomination that has ordained LGBTQ folks for 15 years, do we practice people’s pronouns and lift up and support LGBTQ leaders?

Do we say we want more children and families in the church and then get frustrated with the commotion that comes along with having real live children in worship? Or do we engage with people of different ages in church and get to know them as people—their interests, concerns, and hopes? Do we still engage with people who cannot physically attend our worship services but still want to be part of this faith community?

Do we get to know our pantry guests—learn names and ask about their families? Or do we just pat ourselves on the back for helping “those people over there”?

Jesus said in our reading today that, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.” Jesus knew what the path ahead would lead to, and though his soul was troubled, he did not waver from his mission of expanding the inclusive Beloved Community. And he instructed his followers to do the same.

As we approach Holy Week, be mindful of the inclusion of the Beloved Community that Jesus was willing to die for. Engage with someone who is different from you. That person is a beloved child of God and is a human just like you. The connection you form with others is the fruit of the Beloved Community. It ripens when we die to our fears of awkwardness and of saying the wrong thing.

God’s love and inclusion is written on our hearts. God’s promises are full of love. Let that love shine forth in all that you do. Go, Holy Week and beyond, and love each other.

[1] John 14:12