Scripture Text: John 12:21
So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
John 12:21
There was a point in Christ's ministry when the hour had arrived for the Son of Man to be glorified. This time had been scheduled from the foundation of the world and Christ's whole life, from His birth in Bethlehem, had been a journey towards this historic moment.
He had been sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and had been baptized by John in the River Jordan to fulfill all righteousness. He had declared His Messianic mission throughout His ministry and authenticated His claims through many signs and wonders. He had been identified as 'My beloved Son' by His Father in heaven and was anointed by Mary of Bethany for His burial, when she broke open the alabaster jar of precious ointment and poured it on His feet.
He had told Nicodemus that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that all who believe on Him, all who look to the Son of Man for salvation, would be healed and declared righteous by His heavenly Father.
He was born through Isaac, his son of promise and Israel, God's chosen people. He was from the house of Judah who held the kingly sceptre and David, the man after God's own heart who was chosen as the shepherd-king of Israel.
And in this passage, the hour had come when Christ would be betrayed into the hands of Gentiles, falsely accused, and unlawfully sentenced to death. The hour had come for Jesus to be beaten and whipped, scourged and mocked, ridiculed and put to death. The hour had come when a crown of thorns would be rammed on His brow and a trusted friend who had professed Him as, "Christ, the Son of the living God," would deny Him three times.
The hour had come for the heavenly Seed to fall into the ground and die... for unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains alone - it stays a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds and brings many sons to glory.
The hour had come when the crowd who cried, "Hosannah, blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord," would scream, "we will not have the man to rule over us! Crucify Him! His blood be on us and on our children - we have no king but Caesar!"
The hour for the Son of Man to be glorified came - when a group of Gentiles, who were travelling to Jerusalem with others attending the feast, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
Reflect
1. Have you already found the Lord Jesus?
2. How was the experience of having the assurance given by our Savior?
Remember
Today, we are living in the age of grace when whosoever wishes to come to Jesus may look to Him and live. Whosoever will, may have their spiritual eyes opened by grace through faith in Him. Whosoever will, may come to Him freely and drink of the water of Life, eat of the living Bread, and be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son - by faith.
May we not only be that little group of Gentiles who wished to see Jesus, but may we be like Philip - men and women who point others in His direction.
Read
Matthew 2:2; Luke 19:2-4; Romans 5:8-12; John 14:8-9; John 6:40
Pray
Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You that Jesus is the Seed of the woman who has crushed the head of the Serpent and that He is the Messiah of Israel Who came to fulfil Scripture and be crowned as their Messiah-King. I also thank You that You did not exclude the Gentiles from Your gift of salvation, but opened the life-gate so that whosoever may come to You, may look and live and believe. Thank You that whosoever may come and "SEE" the Lord Jesus and be saved by faith in Him. AMEN.
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