Loving God, you bring life out of death and light out of darkness.  Renew our hearts and our minds in your love this day, that others might experience Christ through us, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            Today, our Lenten journey continues as Jesus moves ever closer to the cross.  At the same time, we hear today about the new covenant that is promised to God’s people – in spite of the fact that they have broken the covenant that was made at Mt Sinai.  We are reminded once again of our baptismal covenant, and of the God who wants to be known so intimately that God’s love is written on our hearts.

         Today’s gospel – as John often does – uses a couple of different images in order to describe what is about to happen to Jesus.  The first image is of a grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies in order to bear much fruit (Jn. 12:24).  It is a transformation that is quite common in nature, as one tiny seed can grow into a plant that produces vegetables, or fruit, or even flowers.  In each case, you are not going to get that original seed back again, as it has now been transformed and is busy bearing fruit.

         While this image does point to Jesus and how his death will lead to resurrection and new life for many people, it also points to all those who follow Jesus.  We hear about how those who love their life in this world will lose it, but those who give it up will gain eternal life.  We hear about how those who serve Jesus must follow him in the way of the cross – denying themselves in order to follow Jesus (Mk. 8:34; Jn. 12:26).  Yet, many of us have trouble working out exactly what this means.

         It doesn’t mean that we literally need to get ourselves killed, or even that self-flagellation is necessary.  It doesn’t mean that we literally hate our life or go looking for crosses that we can drag around.  It doesn’t mean that we need to have a martyr complex and allow people to walk all over us.

         However, we do need to let go of our selfishness and self-centredness in order to follow Jesus.  A number of passages in the New Testament talk about our old self and our new self.  Our old, sinful self is turned inward – turning us away from God and from others.  This is the self that is to be denied – drowned in the waters of baptism so that a new self can be raised to life.  This means letting go of ambitions that are all about us, in order to make room for the Holy Spirit and allow the love of God to be at work within us and through us.

         It is, after all, this same Holy Spirit who produces fruit in us – not literal fruit, of course, but the fruit of the Spirit.  When Paul writes to the Galatians (5:22-23), he describes such things as love, joy, peace, and patience as fruit of the Spirit.  There are also things like kindness, generosity, faithfulness and self-control.  These are the qualities that begin to appear as our old, sinful self is transformed into a new creation by water and the Spirit.

         Another image that appears in today’s gospel is of Jesus being lifted up from the earth.  Jesus says: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (Jn. 12:32).  The most immediate meaning, which is provided by the gospel of John, is that this refers to Jesus’ death on a cross.  However, Jesus is also lifted up from the earth when he is raised from the dead, and when he ascends into heaven.  As Jesus is lifted up in the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, the power of God will draw all people (and even all things!) to him (Jn. 12:32; 6:44).

         As you might imagine, various people have had images come to mind that go with these gospel verses.  One online commentary even asks if God draws people to Jesus using something like a truck and trailer, or maybe even a tractor beam, like the Starship Enterprise (Stoffregen).  While this might be some fun speculation, I’m not so sure that these images work.  Whether it’s a tractor beam or being pulled like a trailer, both have the ability to take people in a certain direction against their will.  God, on the other hand, is not in the habit of forcibly converting people.  It seems far more likely that people would be drawn to Jesus by the power of love.

         This is the same love that is written on our hearts by the God of the new covenant, telling us that we are known, and loved, and forgiven.  As we ponder this love today, it seems appropriate to close with part of the Breastplate of St. Patrick, which is a prayer:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen.  May it be so.  Amen.

Lent 5(B)                                           John 12:20-33

March 17, 2024                                Jeremiah 31:31-34

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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