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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Some people will do almost anything for celebrity access. Some will breach the strictest of security measures to have the briefest of encounters with someone who they think can help them in some way. Today's message is about some folks who sought to use a common name to gain access to Jesus.
“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the [Passover] feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.' Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, 'The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.'” (John 12.20-26).
It is most probable that the Greeks in this passage chose to ask Philip to help them with their desire to see Jesus because he had a common Greek (not a Hebrew) name. It may also be the case that these particular Greeks were from Philip's home area around Galilee. In any case, the non-Jews (Greeks) in this text had a strong desire to gain access to Jesus. The text indicates that they asked Philip and they kept on asking him; they were insistent with their desire.
We don't know why Philip saw fit to relay their request to Andrew, who in turn along with Peter, notified Jesus of the Gentiles who wanted to have an audience with Him (certainly they did not want merely to “see” Him; this almost anyone could do who had such a desire). Jesus was, as His miracles prove, able to do anything consistent with the will of God. However, He could not grant the Greeks their wish. His inability to grant their wish had nothing to do with the fact that they were Gentiles; rather it had to do entirely with the timing of their request. Sometimes, as in this case, access cannot guarantee that one will gain what they seek.
Jesus explained that the time had come for Him to be glorified. This process of glorification included His subsequent humiliation and death. While the first three years of His earthly ministry had been devoted to training and teaching, the time for these things had run out. Jesus was on a time schedule and these men had missed their opportunity. He was not rude, nor was He uncaring; it was just that the need to do His Father's will far out weighed any earthly need. Jesus had announced this unchanging priority to His parents at the age of twelve (see Luke 2.42-52). Nothing but nothing was going to stand in His way of doing exactly as had been planned in the Heavens even before time began. His strongest earthly ties, even those to Mary and Joseph, had to take a back seat to His intent to do the will of the Father. Compassion, sympathy, grace, mercy, and all those other wonderful traits of Jesus were still intact, hut His greatest gift to mankind would not be sidetracked in order to fulfill any earthly wish!
Access to Jesus by the Greeks in today's story was of great importance to them, else they would not have verbalized their request. However, they were not permitted an audience with Jesus; time had run out. There is a valuable lesson in this for all of us. We do not control time! Even when we think we have time, sometimes time has us! Today is the day of salvation (see 2 Corinthians 6.2). Opportunities once squandered can seldom be recalled. Make God's business the most important business on your calendar!
Questions:
1. What possible reason did the Greeks in today's story have for deciding to ask Philip their favor?
2. When did Jesus first say that He must be about His Father's business?
3. How did mercy, compassion, and all the godly traits that Jesus had figure in to His refusal to allow the Greeks to see Him?
4. What is meant by the expression, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation"?
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