Jesus invites us, “anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.” We want to be where Jesus is. We get a bonus, too, honor from God the Father. Who would not want that?
Jesus’ words are a bit confusing to the people because they don’t understand the true meaning of why Jesus came. If he is truly the Messiah, he should be using his power to conquer and save the people from their oppression. Little do they realize that is exactly what Jesus does. It’s just on a much deeper, permanent level. It is also for the whole world, then and now. Continue reading “John 12:20-36 – Jesus Invites Us”
Well, the religious leaders got their answer. A couple of readings ago they were wondering if Jesus would dare come to Jerusalem for the Passover. There were people assigned to be on the lookout for him, ready to give intel of his arrival to the religious leaders. Now he was here. He didn’t slip in quietly, did he? 
Today’s reading is a beautiful example of expressing our love for Jesus extravagantly. When is the last time you gave Jesus way more than you could afford in terms of possessions or time? Too many people show up for church on Sunday and think they’ve done their “deed” for the week, refueled their tank, so to speak. We were created for so much more than that.
There is one in every crowd, isn’t there? A tattletale, a trouble maker, someone that just isn’t a fan. Jesus knew that raising Lazarus from the dead would cause a stir, not to mention be dangerous. It was worth it. God was glorified. People believed in him. Bethany was close to Jerusalem, too, and there were people there who were devoted to their religious leaders. These were probably the curious ones who wanted to see what Jesus was doing. They would be afraid to believe and anxious to report the unbelievable. 
If you haven’t read the last two reflections, you might want to do so to get the full impact of this text. We have seen Martha, Mary, and even Jesus grief-stricken at the death of their brother and friend, Lazarus. However, even before he died, Jesus knew this moment would come. God was going to be glorified. The people should finally believe that he had been sent by God. Jesus called on God by saying, “Father.” There should be no doubt.
