We wish to see Jesus.
John 12:20-21
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
I want to piggyback from the last Sunday’s message, we wish to see Jesus.
During the time of Jesus' ministry, he clearly attracted many people from all different levels of society. From unwelcomed statuses, such as prostitutes and tax collectors, to high-rank officials, like the Roman centurion and Jewish Religious leader, Jesus' life and teaching intrigued the hearts of all kinds of people.
However, the same thing was also true on the opposite side. Many people stood against Jesus and criticized him. Not everyone loved Jesus—in fact, in multiple incidents, people attempted to capture and execute Jesus. And as we know, eventually, they succeed.
But one thing is certain. It did not stop Jesus from displaying the purpose of his coming, that is, to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God.
No matter how many fans were surrounding him, Jesus did not arrogantly change his approach to entertain with the idea of the potential power and fame of the world. Even when exposed to the provocative and offensive criticism of his action and message from the mainstream, Jesus did not change but stayed on the course.
Well, are we able to say today that the church and Christians around the world are taking the same approach of Jesus?
Let me ask it this way. Are fame and criticism altering the manifestation of the gospel you received in Jesus? Because in the same chapter, John deliberately addresses this issue. [John 12:42-43 NASB1995]
42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
This passage warns the reader of two things:
1. The gospel is inconsequential and empty to us when the approval of men inevitably becomes superior to the approval of God in our lives.
2. Jesus is no fool. He knows. I repeat. Jesus knows what you and I prefer. He knows the unseeable, classified, and inconspicuous heart of ours.
This brings another level of meaning to Paul's proclamation when he states in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
As Jesus demonstrated, the manifestation of the gospel should never alter, corresponding to the surroundings. Rather, the gospel must be trusted and believed even when the surroundings are extreme in measure. And when the church and His people can showcase this trust in the gospel, Paul says it will reveal the power of God for salvation. This is what led the Greeks, in John 12:20, to come and worship Jesus, Sir, we wish to see Jesus—the reciprocal evidence of the power of the gospel.
"We wish to see Jesus." But unfortunately, this phrase has yet to be heard in this day and age. And this truth should challenge the Church of Christ and His people.
When we alter the manifestation of the gospel, corresponding to the mainstream's criticism, and reacting to our reputation, we are not attracting more people to Jesus. Quite the contrary, we are pulling people away from Jesus by being ashamed of the gospel.
Jesus was not afraid to be criticized by people. Unapprehensively, he stood against the mainstream culture. His reputation and fame did not stop Jesus from fulfilling his goal.
Church, we ought to do the same if we want to see people come to know Jesus.
As I preached last Sunday, Are we making him visible? Are we making him attractive? Are we making him known?
