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.”
—John 12:20-21
When I first started seminary, not fully knowing where God was calling, preaching was the course that terrified me the most. Terrified. I didn’t like public speaking and always was incredibly nervous to the point of visible trembling. Even to this day I get asked about nerves and my answer still surprises me with the incredible thing about preaching. Preaching and participating in worship is not the same as public speaking. When you stand in worship and you see the faces of God’s children in your midst, you can see in their eyes this very line from scripture. This text is about a group of nameless Greeks that showed up where they knew Jesus was going to be and wanted to see him.
The same thing happens in worship each and every time we gather. The sanctuary is filled with people who all have arrived for the same reason: we wish to see Jesus. We wish to hear his words to us. We want to express our gratitude for our lives and the people and things in it. We want to connect with God and we arrive with hope each time we walk through the doors or click on the link to worship.
This image from the back of our pulpit is the reminder of why we are all here and what keeps us returning week after week. From the Greeks long ago to the people who gather on 6th Street, we wish to see Jesus.
Prayer
Amazing God, we wish to see you. We invite you into our lives and discover that you have always been there waiting for us. We take comfort that no height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from your love. In Christ Jesus, Amen.
Yes!