Jesus Speaks about His Death

“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. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. (John 12:27-35, NRSV)

Jesus told the people that the Son of Man would be lifted up from the earth to indicate the kind of death He would die. It also goes along with Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness so all who gaze on the serpent would live. As we gaze upon Jesus high and lifted up on the cross, we see the love that God has for us and our darkness goes away. We see the light and continue for all eternity in that light.

But sometimes our darkness seems to be deeper than that and we can not find our way out even with Jesus. Well, Jesus is with us in our darkness and will never leave us. He will light our way even when our darkness is too much for us to see His light. His light is still shining and He will always lead us on.

So know what His death and rising has done for you and know that His light is always shining in your life, even when you can’t see it.

Some Greeks Wish to see Jesus

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. (John 12:20-26, NRSV)

Is it really any wonder the disciples didn’t get Jesus?

Some Greeks come and ask to see Him and Philip went to Jesus and told Him and He starts talking about the Son of Man being glorified and a seed dying and producing much fruit. Uhm Jesus what does all of that have to do with these people who want to see you, what should I tell them?

This is truly where faith comes in. We must believe and follow even without understanding and that is hard but so worth the effort and the ride will be one that is not ever forgotten!

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” (John 12:12-19, NRSV)

As the disciples watched this scene of Jesus riding a donkey and people waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna, they didn’t get it. Until they saw Him glorified. The world nor religion can keep God from doing what He is going to do. Nothing will keep the mission of God from happening. Not leaders, nor our not understanding. God will work in and through all things to have His will done.

Are you ready to serve Him even when you don’t understand it?

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11, NRSV)

They wanted to kill Lazarus because people were believing in Jesus because of him! Was it honestly because of Lazarus or because Jesus brought him back to life? And did Lazarus really have any choice in this?

People want to eliminate any and all adverse effects against what they believe. We will go to the end of the world to eliminate a foe against our thoughts or beliefs before we look to see if we are wrong. Why do we look to eliminate rather than to see if we might be wrong?

What is wrong with being wrong?

Mary Anoints Jesus

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (John 12:1-8, NRSV)

This is extravagant love! Love poured out for one.

Mary had a pound of perfume made from Nard and it was expensive. Judas said that it was worth 300 Denarii, and 1 Denarii was a days wage. So in today’s terms that would be about $58 for 1 Denarii. So 300 Denarii would be $17,400. Could you imagine pouring a bottle of perfume that costs $17,400 over someone’s feet?

And then on top of that, she dries them off with her hair! A very intimate extravagant display of affection.

But is it about the costs financially or the relationships?

I think that is what Jesus is getting at with you always have the poor with you. It is about meeting their needs, but that is more about being in a relationship with them than it is about funding.

So what is your relationship with God worth to you? Are you ready to intimately and extravagantly pour out your life for Him, like He did for you?