Woodlawn Evangelical Lutheran Church           

John 12:20-33 – Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

Introduction – Suffering from illness, anticipation of surgery that will alleviate the problem. What emotions and thoughts as you anticipate the future? Restless night of sleep. Alarm goes off. What does the clock say? The hour has come.

            Jesus anticipating the pain and suffering he would endure that brings eternal life. What emotions and thoughts as he anticipated the future? What does the clock say during holy week? The hour has come!

What does the clock say?

I. The hour has come for death

            It is obvious from the words of Jesus that he is thinking about death. He uses the illustration of the seed dying and bringing life. He talks about being lifted up from the earth on the cross. He talks about his followers hating their lives so that they can keep it.

            Thoughts of his death trouble him, not because he is unwilling to die for our sins, but because he knows he will experience incredible pain and suffering. But he understands the great blessing that result. As the seed stops being a seed and develops into a plant, it becomes the source of life for many more plants when it produces seed.

            When Jesus dies, there is judgment on the world. The world and its sin is condemn and punished in Jesus. When Jesus dies, the prince of this world is cast off his throne, powerless and no longer able to accuse us, because Jesus takes away our guilt.

            Jesus is troubled about the fact that he is going to face God’s curse on our sin, but he is willing and eager to do what he came to earth to do. As he would later express in the Garden of Gethsemane, he also expresses here. That God’s will be done.

            How willing are we to accept God’s will for our lives? God tells us how we should live as children and parents. He gives us responsibility to be loving and caring, to use his law to show our sin to each other and to forgive when people ask us to forgive. How willing are we to accept God’s will regarding marriage and keep our thoughts and words pure and honorable? How willing are we to accept our responsibility to honor God’s Word as the only guide for our life of faith?

            Thank God that our Savior was willing to accept God’s will for us when we are so often unwilling. Thank God that Jesus willing to accept God’s guilty verdict for himself. He knew that was the very reason he came to this hour, not to fight against earthly rulers, not to condemn us, but to be condemned in order to liberate us from the eternal sentence of death.

II. The hour has come for glory

            Jesus also has glory on his mind. First of all the glory that he will receive. What is the glory of Jesus? That he gets to be the one. That when he is lifted up on the cross, he will draw all people to himself. That judgment on the world is based on his sacrifice, that the devil is kicked off his throne when he dies.

            The spotlight shines on Jesus who is the only payment for our sins and the only way to heaven. That is the glory that only he gets to enjoy. The hour had come for Jesus to be in the spotlight and it will never be taken off of him.

            The hour had come for glory for the name of God the Father as well. Only two other times do we hear God the Father speak from heaven: at Jesus’ baptism at the beginning of his ministry, the Father said: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17) Again, when Jesus was changed in front of P, J, J and Moses and Elijah on a mountain: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matthew 17:5)

            This seems different, but as with the others “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.” A testimony from God himself, especially for the disciples, who apparently understood the voice when others did not. A testimony that God the Father would be glorified through the work of his Son.

            God’s justice would prevail. Sin would be punished. God’s mercy would prevail. The prisoners would be set free. God is glorified through the work of Jesus.

Conclusion – What does this mean for us? If we love our lives here we will lose our lives. If we hate our lives here, we will have eternal life. For those who think that life is here and now and that is all there is, then you will lose your life. But if you hate worldly success because you know eternal life in Christ is most important, you will live forever.

            The clock said that the hour that changed history had arrived. It meant death for the Son of Man, but it was also his moment of glory as our Savior. It also meant glory for our Father in heaven our holy God, who made a way for us to be with him forever.