19 April 2011

Psalm 6, 12; Jer. 15:10-21; Phil. 3:15-21; John 12:20-26

Jeremiah’s complaint is that he has not indulged himself as others have and they have treated him shabbily and they have hated him because he didn’t join them in revelry. It is a tough thing to be a prophet, devoted to the Lord, when all about you are enjoying the high life and you can only hear the Lord’s disapproval. Jeremiah was the conscience of the nation, God’s word on their lack of faith in Him. He was out of step with the world and because of that they hated him. The Lord was his portion and here we see that the Lord has Jeremiah in his sights, his faithfulness will not go unnoticed nor unrewarded. What is the reward of a prophet but to see that this will not last forever, there will come a day when the judgment is ended and the people will return to the Lord and He will restore them. We can have faith in the Lord’s promise of that new creation and the joy that will never end.

Yesterday’s lesson ended with the observation that the whole world was going after Jesus and here we see some Greeks whom we can only assume were “seekers” coming to the disciples in order to see Jesus. They had likely seen the crowds welcoming Jesus into the city and wondered who was this man and sought Him out to learn more about him, like a rock star in town. The disciples surely were thrilled to see them and could only imagine what this would mean, visions were probably dancing in their heads of heady days to come for Jesus and for them. His response would have done nothing to dampen their enthusiasm when He said it was time for His glorification. Can you imagine their puzzlement when they heard those next words about hating life in this world? They were seeing up close and personal what it means to be a prophet who is out of step with the world. Jerusalem was buzzing about Jesus as the Messianic King and Jesus was speaking about dying.

When we set our minds on earthly things we can generally rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, we follow the rhythms of the world because we delight in the things of earth. When we set our minds on heavenly things we have just the possibility at least of rejoicing always, secure in the knowledge that our inheritance is secure. We also have the possibility of mourning always as we grieve over the world and its rejection of the Lord. Paul says we are to remember that our true citizenship and thus our true home in with Him, we are exiles here on this earth. It is our joy and delight to tell of that home to the world that thinks that there is nothing better than what they experience here.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.