HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-04-07, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011. PAGE 19. By Rev. Dr. Peter Kugba-NyandeDuff’s United Church
Why were people so attracted to
Jesus? Scriptures say, he came from
no family of influence. He had no
money. Was it the miracles? We can
rule out that there are always people
who want to see magic show.
But on a deeper level, what Jesus
must have embodied for the folks
was a sense of hope, the same kind
of hope that ancient Judah felt when
they heard the words of Jeremiah: It
had been since the night of his birth
– humble shepherds and learned
magi. As a boy in the temple, there
were rabbis and scholars. As a man
there were folks from all walks of
life – from fishermen and tax
collectors to men like Nicodemus
and the children. Folks had travelled
from all over the known world to
celebrate the Passover. Word about
Jesus had apparently spread to the
visitors in the city. Some of these
Gentile converts (God fearers, as
they were known) got wind of this
incredible rabbi. Perhaps they had
even heard of what he had done in
cleaning out part of the temple
precincts of all the commercial
traffic, the selling of sacrificial
animals, and the money changing,
that was constantly going on.
These visitors who came to see
Jesus might have missed the (Palm
Sunday) entrance on a donkey with
the crowds and the children shouting
“Hosannas”. They came to
Jerusalem just in time to make
preparations for their Passover meal
– for the Seder – and they found the
whole city buzzing about this Jesus
character and they wanted to see him
for themselves.
It appears that Philip wasn’t sure
what to do with their request. There
did not seem to be a set of rules of
precedent of how to deal with
Gentiles in the disciples’ training
manual. So Philip consulted with
Andrew, the other disciples with
Greek names, and together they went
and told Jesus of the Gentiles’
request.
Jesus’ response on the surface may
appear a bit odd to us. In previous
narratives Jesus had repeatedly said,
“My hour has not yet come.” But
after the request by the Greek
visitors, he announces that the hour
has come, that the glory they have
been longing for was to be revealed,
not in wreaking vengeance on his
enemies or in performing even
greater miracles, but by his falling
into the earth and dying as a grain ofwheat, in his losing his life, by beinglifted up on the cross.
Perhaps we may wonder how
Philip and Andrew responded to the
words of Jesus. We know that no
amount of explanation by Jesus to
his disciples that he must be lifted up
on the cross, be crucified, and die
ever seemed to get through to them.
They simply could not embrace or
receive that revelation.
His proclamation comes as the
world was knocking at his door. The
nations were clamoring for
salvation, and the Gentiles had
come, and he knew that the only way
they would truly see him was to gaze
upon him in his bloody glory, lifted
up from the earth on the cross where
he would draw all people unto
himself.
This passage from Hebrews says:
“Although He was a Son, he learned
obedience through what he suffered;
and having been made perfect, he
became a source of eternal salvation
for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-
9). So the main point from this rather
confusing passage is that as a high
priest, Jesus was a human being. It
was through his weakness that he
learned obedience. Through his
suffering, Jesus learned what it
meant to be weak as a human being.
Without knowing his weakness,
Jesus would not have realized how
much he needed to depend upon
God. So for us, suffering was a
necessary part of his journey.
The request of the Greek visitors
in Jerusalem perhaps stirs something
in us as well.
Perhaps their very simple request
can become our request. Perhaps we
see life and glory and wonder and
faithfulness all around us but ourexperience of the living God hasgrown old and tired and dusty and
cold.
The words of the Greek visitors
can energize us and instruct us;
perhaps these are words we need to
say, we wish to see Jesus. In this
bloody glory, lifted high upon the
cross where he draws us, he draws us
with his cords of love stronger than
all our wilfulness, with cords of love
stronger than our sinful habits,
stronger than our deaf ears, our blind
eyes, lame limbs and stony hearts.
He draws us with gentle surgery, he
give us grace, “grace to love what
God commands and grace to desire
what God promises, that among the
swift and varied changes of the
world, our hearts may surely be
fixed where true joys are found to be
found” (Book of Common Prayer).
What is it that is transforming, so
powerfully healing about gazing
upon our crucified Lord? What is it
that draws us back here again and
again as we walk through these
sober days of Lent and into the
passion of our Lord Jesus Christ?
“When I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw all people unto myself.”
Perhaps Jesus was saying to Philip
and Andrew, to the Greek visitors,
and to us, that it is the time to gaze
upon him in awe and wonder as we
allow our hearts to be drawn by his
transforming love which calls forth a
loving response from us.
Lent is a season when we are
challenged to face all the truth,
particularly the truth that we don’t
want to hear. I think the harshest
words that our Lord spoke to Peter
were, “Get thee behind me, Satan!”
(v.33).
Our Lord desires to tell the hardtruth, the fact that he will be put todeath after being rejected and
experiencing deep and spiritual
suffering. If we are going to be
followers of our Lord, we are going
to have to face the truth. The truth
may bring us to harsh and difficult
realities in our families, in our
communities, in our schools, in our
nation, and in our world. Our Lord
Jesus knows that unless we face the
whole truth we will be stuck in our
own thinking and in our own narrow
view of life.
Jesus invites us to set our minds on
divine things, things that are likely
beyond our human capacity, things
that don’t appear natural to us, things
that stretch us out beyond our limits,
things our Lord himself will assist us
with through the presence, power,
and indwelling of his Holy Spirit.
As we move deeper into the
Lenten season, let us move deeper into the place of surrender to our Lord. From the Minister’s StudyJesus attracted followers, but how did he do it?
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, April 10
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644
Please join us for worship
Hwy. 4, Blyth
519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor Gary Klumpenhower 519-523-9233
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, APRIL 10
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Small Group
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women’s Ministry
Fridays 7:00 pm - Youth Group
April 10: Romans 4:13-25
“The Benefit of
Abraham’s
Unwavering
Faith”
Evangelical Missionary Church
April 22: FREE Community Breakfast
at Mem. Hall 8:30 - 10:30 am
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
MINISTER
Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
All Welcome
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
April 10th ~ A Penny Saved...
April 17th ~ Palm Sunday Celebration
ABC LADIES
SPRING BREAKFAST
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
Guest Speaker:
Rev. Eugene Neudorf
at Heartland Community
Church, Clinton
Guest Speaker is Cheryl Welch
Tickets are $8.00 and can
be purchased at
The Dutch Store, Clinton,
The Gift Cupboard, Blyth
or Radiant Life, Goderich
Saturday, April 16th
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
Sunday, April 10
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
Church Office: 519-357-4883
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Sunday, April 10
Rev. Perry Chuipka
www.nabcom.ca/church