Lent Devotional – Day 43

We want to see Jesus!

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (John 12: 20 – 22)

Right after the triumphal entry of Jesus in Jerusalem, John writes about a group of Greeks who were at the festival and wanted to see Jesus. These Greeks were probably not Grecian Jews, but Greek proselytes to the Jewish faith, who were there to attend the Passover festival. They approached Philip who was from Bethsaida, who in turn told Andrew who was also from the same place (John 1:44). And then both of them told Jesus.

It is interesting that as the ministry of Jesus came to a climax, that people from the west sought to know and behold the same Saviour whom the wise men from the east had worshipped at His birth.

Why did they want to see Jesus? They were not interested in beholding the beauty of the temple. They were not even interested in meeting the religious authorities like the high priests and so on. But they were drawn towards Jesus, the preacher, the miracle worker and the one with the words of eternal life. I hope in our coming, we are drawn primarily to Jesus, rather than the beauty of the Church building, or the melody of the worship band or even relationships with the Pastors and spiritual figures. I hope we come saying what the Greeks said, “We would like to see Jesus.”

Because it is only Jesus who can save people from their sins. It is only Jesus who is the Christ and the Son of God. It is only Jesus – the living bread and the living water, who alone can satisfy. It is only Jesus, the light of the world who can keep us from stumbling, and it is only Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life, the one who can reconcile us to God.

This would also serve as a timely reminder for the preachers and teachers among us, who when on the pulpit see people eagerly waiting for every word that comes out of their lips. The crowds may sometimes inflate our egos and give us a feeling of importance. But let us remember, it is Jesus that they want to see. It is Him that they are interested in. After all the donkey on which Jesus sat, did get a very nice treatment but it was because of the person it was carrying and not because of the donkey itself. Let us never forget that.

The world wants to see Jesus. Let us make Him known by our words, our works and our lives.

Rev. Vijayesh Lal