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.
“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.
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There are some sermons where I want to show you something, perhaps teach, perhaps even challenge the way you think, but for today, I hope you can see how you are already doing what this passage asks. For you who already do so much, sometimes my hope is that you simply can see your service reflected back to you. Sometimes, I just hope, in the busyness and pressure to always do more, that perhaps you are doing enough.
I see it in my neighbor who walks across the street as the woman recently widowed pulls into her drive, just checking in, showing some company, some community. I see it in the board at MayDay trying to understand, not just a system of domestic violence, but how to help one person. I see it in the Women’s Support Group’s willingness to fill Easter Eggs, double bag plastic bag backpacks, and plan meals for the April Presbytery Meeting. I see it in Annalea’s consistent presence with our youth, from Wednesdays, to Sunday mornings, to trips and sporting events. I see it in Mark and Betsy taking their grandkids to Hawaii, giving up a peaceful vacation, to show the kids a new place, and give them new eyes. I see it in Kyra, working with Michelle and Kourtney to pick colors for the Ingram room. I see it in Luke’s excitement about the conference he is attending this weekend and the ideas he wants to bring back. I see it in each of you, the Greeks have come, saying, “We wish to see Jesus,” and rather than be merely just one seed, you begin to plant.
There are other things you could be doing, a million errands to run, chores to finish, and business to which to get back. For Andrew and Phillip, there are many followers wondering what will be the next meal, what will be the next place to sleep, there are a million questions to ask Jesus, and back home so many fish to catch. But they stop for these outsiders, these Greeks have come, saying, “We wish to see Jesus.” The Greeks do not feel culturally that they can simple go look, and Phillip doesn’t know either. So, Phillip seeks out Andrew, together they tell Jesus, and Jesus welcomes the Greeks, saying not only may they come and see, but they should also follow. In so doing each of them, the Greeks, Philip, Andrew and Jesus point to a ministry that is bigger then themselves, a ministry of service. I see this in each of you so often, Lynn down in the basement on a Friday morning prepping for Backpack, his truck so often present at the side door giving up so much of his retirement to serve kids and the church, a grain of wheat planting a field. Carolyn’s quiet welcome both to those in the community and the church by her awareness of others and resources of things they would enjoy. Gary Ball heading up the Food Bank and the youth and church adults scampering about with boxes and directions, two rice, one soup, three canned veggies. Bill Fessel making lunch and Tanya O’Neal to be a Cottie College Freshman and Pat and alum pouring over a Cottiee College photo album, “They still have meals in that dorm.” Nanette’s classroom this week, and a kid up sharing in front of the class while others ask questions, practicing public speaking, and sharing as a part of creating community, some kids being reminded to end speaking, others encouraged to share as they nervously make bigger a hole in their shirt. I think of Katya’s God moment this week where her music director was brought to tears at the beauty of her playing.
Looked around for more examples in the congregation...
These, each of us, a single grain, giving oneself over to bear greater fruit. For 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. You are a community that bears much fruit. In so doing, Jesus can be seen, and the people served, the community is made a harvest, God is glorified.
