Listen to God Glorify his Name
John 12:20-36a
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our text for this morning is from the Gospel lesson. Where Jesus says, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." Throughout the Gospel of John, the hour has not yet come, but now the hour has arrived. Today, we celebrate the last Sunday before Lent. So we celebrate the last manifestation of God in flesh, before the judgment of this world comes.
Jesus tells these gentiles who have desired to come and find him, that the Son of Man must die. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." The Son of Man has come to die. And the people rightfully can ask, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?"
Our short sightedness does not want the Christ to die. We are like St Peter telling the Lord that he can't go and die. We want to see the Son of Man glorified, by this we mean some type of honor, praise, and even worship. Even today Christians around the world come to places like this on Sunday Morning in order to give God praise. They come to offer God their voices. They come to bring their treasures to God.
Just as these Greeks come to Jerusalem to worship, like the Jews, they desire to offer to God something. Does God need your voice? Does God need your praise? Is God glorified by your words, songs, thoughts, and deeds? God does not need you!
Listen, Jesus tells us how God is glorified. "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." You have nothing to offer to the one who has given you life. He already owns everything. He has made everything. He is the one who gives you breath, voice, life, even food and drink.
Listen, Jesus tells us how God is glorified. "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out." It is not you that cast out this ruler of the world. It is not even you who can judge this world. But it is God judging the World. It is God who casts out the devil from Heaven. It is God who glorifies himself, by casting the demons out of you. You can not do any of this.
Listen, Jesus tells us how God is glorified. "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." Likewise, "But if [a grain of wheat] dies, it bears much fruit." Jesus is going to die. Jesus is going to glorify his Father's name, by dying on the cross. He is going to be lifted up for all the people to look at his accursed flesh. This is where God is glorified.
You do not get to glorify God. God glorifies himself. Listen to the voice from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." God has always been glorifying his own name and will continue to glorify his name.
Small Catechism lesson: We pray, Hallowed be Thy Name. What does this mean? God's name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also. How is God's name kept holy? God's name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God's Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!
Listen to how God has glorified his name. He has glorified his name by creating a world that was once perfect. He has glorified his name by continuing to care for that world even after it has abandoned him, rejected him, and profaned him. God has glorified himself by calling for himself a people to lead holy lives. God has glorified his name by defending those people. God has glorified his name even by giving those people promises and a hope.
God continued to glorify his name, by delivering these people out of bondage to slavery in Egypt. He continued to glorify his name by bringing judgment upon his own people for their false living, corrupt and vial lifestyles. He even glorified his name by sending his own people into exile, casting out those who would try to rule in his name.
Then the hour came once more for God to glorify his name. He sent forth his Word to become flesh and dwell with his people. He sent that word to manifest itself in the people's eyes, ears, and hearts. The Word of God made flesh in order to glorify the name of God. This very Son of Man must be lifted high upon the Cross. He was crucified for the very people of God.
God glorifies his name, by not just sending his Son to die for the people he claimed long ago. But as Jesus words say, "[Jesus] will draw all people to [himself]." God glorifies himself by killing his Son, casting out the ruler of this world. Yet, he continues to glorify his name, by raising that very son from the dead. This grain of wheat dies and rises again. This is the Light that no darkness can overcome.
You can not glorify the name of the Lord. You can not honor, praise, or offer to God anything he does not already possess. You have nothing. Your lives continue to be ruled and follow after the ruler of this age, culture, or society.
Listen, God is glorifying his name here today. He is glorifying his name by coming to you in His very Word. He has died for the forgiveness of your sins. He has glorified himself by washing you in the blood of Christ. He has glorified you by casting out the demons from your flesh. Christ has claimed you to be a son of the Light, a Son of God.
It is not easy for us to Hate this life, or die to sin. But thanks be to God, that he has drowned you in the waters of Baptism and raised you to new life. Your hour of Judgment has arrived, now LIVE. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
