Welcome to our Worship on the fifth Sunday of Lent. Our Sunday service has now resumed at St Thomas' Church, but if you, or members of your family, are in a vulnerable group you are strongly advised to remain at home to worship. This morning's Worship is led by Revd Christine Steel. If you can't be with us in person, you'll find everything you need to worship from home here on this page, or you can find links to other services on our facebook page - Leesfield Parish
Our first hymn this morning is "Here is Bread, Here is Wine"
Today's Gospel
John 12:20-33
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 honour.
“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.
Reflection
A few months ago, I wrote about everyone wanting to around Jesus. And why not with all those good things happening, bringing people back to life, curing the lame and the sick and of course throw in a few miracles here and there for good measure.
The same can be said for the Greeks in this passage who wanted to experience the wonder of this great man. So how must they have felt when full of expectation, Jesus starts to talk about death and in quite a paradoxical manner.
With hindsight, there is of course the obvious conclusion that when Jesus says, “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.”, he is referring to his forthcoming death and resurrection. In this ‘farewell’ lesson Jesus knows that the ‘hour has come’ and soon he will be betrayed and crucified.
But Jesus wants us know we should not be afraid of death. Death is the gateway to a new beginning and glory with God. Jesus wasn’t about to turn and run to try and save his earthly life for he knows that an eternity with God the Father beckons. He also knows that through his resurrection he will open our eyes and that same gateway for all who want to enter – ‘through dying he will bear much fruit’.
Next Jesus talks about loving and hating of life. “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” I must admit, at first this was a difficult statement for me to get my head around.
At first glance this almost appears to infer that those of us who have a happy and enjoyable life will lose our life whereas those of us who are depressed, forlorn and sad will find eternal life. The miserable people have much to look forward to – so let’s all be ‘glass half-empty’.
But fortunately, Jesus is saying something quite different, he is using this as a metaphor to call us to discipleship.
He is warning us that if we are selfish and live our lives exclusively for the betterment and enjoyment of ourselves and our family then we may have a good life on earth but there will be nothing to look forward to afterward. The Father will not honour them.
On the other hand, people who sacrifice things for benefit of others and who are dedicated to the service to God and his people will keep their lives because the Father will honour them and bless them with eternal life.
Jesus reinforces the point when he says, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also”. He knows that before he can fulfil his destiny to be with the Father and open the gateway for all mankind, he must first face crucifixion. He is the ultimate servant and disciple. He is showing us that we too, as disciples, must make some personal sacrifices and face a little suffering along the way.
So how can we be good disciples? We need to serve him. We need to follow Jesus, and to follow Jesus is to love him and do the works that he did, to care for others and to testify on his behalf.
“If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him”. If we follow the path that Jesus has trodden and shown us, if we serve him, that path will lead us through the gateway to eternal life and the glory of the Father.
Our Prayers
Almighty Father,
We give thanks that you sent us your only Son,
To show us the path to your kingdom.
Give us the courage to follow that path with faith
Give us the strength to make our own sacrifices
And to serve you with love and gratitude.
Lord, help me to be more than a single grain
may I fall to the ground and die to selfish ways
so I can bear fruit and serve others
and rise up to new life in Jesus Christ.
Amen
Our final hymn this morning is "Praise to the Lord, The Almighty, The King of Creation"
Notice
Tuesday the 23rd March is one year since the first UK Covid-19 lockdown began, and since then millions have been bereaved. The National Day of Reflection, coordinated by the charity Marie Curie and officially supported by the Church of England, has designated a special day to reflect on collective loss and grief. Leesfield Parish will be participating, and further details will be here on our blogspot shortly.
