John 12: 20-26

Today, it all started with some Greek people who attended worship in Jerusalem during Passover wanted to see Jesus.

I’ve been a big fan of Bob Dylan since I was in high school. I’ve seen him in concert five times. The most recent time was two years ago with our son in Huntsville. I remember an article in Rolling Stone magazine many years ago which documented several stories of Dylan’s fans going to extremes trying to meet him. The point of the article to me was that the fans wanted access to Bob Dylan, and if they couldn’t get access, they wanted a piece of Dylan by picking through his trash or stealing a guitar pick or a piece of clothing. The word fan comes from the word fanatic. To me, it seemed good enough to see him perform in person. That has always been good enough for me.

These Greeks wanted to go backstage and meet the star of the show. Jesus wasn’t interested in merely giving them access. His mother, Mary, and her other children, wanted to talk to Jesus on one occasion. He didn’t give them access either.

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” — Luke 8: 19-21

Years ago, when I still lived at home in Baltimore, I went to an Oriole baseball game with my nephew and brother-in-law. Afterwards, we went to the area in the stadium just outside the visiting team’s locker room. We stood waiting patiently for the visiting team, in this case it was the California Angels, to come out and head for their team bus. They started to mingle together before getting on the bus. My nephew went up to the players without any hesitancy and asked for autographs. I was impressed with my nephew and impressed with the players for granting him his requests. It was something I could never do as a kid. I never felt comfortable to do such a thing. That changed when I became an adult. Several years ago, April and I served as chaperons for our niece and her dance team who participated in a dance competition in New York City. One day we were waiting for all of our team to assemble in the hotel lobby. I scanned the crowd because it was believed this hotel was where visiting ballplayers stayed when they came to town to play the Yankees.  Sure enough, I spotted a player I recognized. Rod Carew stood at the concierge’s desk, and I had a New York City tour book and a pen in my possession. I told April I’d be right back. Rod’s attention was directed behind the counter. Before the concierge returned, I said to Mr. Carew, “I’d understand if you say no, but could I have your autograph?” He looked at me as if he preferred doing anything in the world except signing his name in my tour guide. He begrudgingly took the book, signed a back page and handed it back. I said thank you and sheepishly walked away with a slight sense of embarrassment and accomplishment at the same time. I had a bit of access to stardom, but I felt like it was a great imposition to that ballplayer in New York City.

Jesus responded to Andrew and Philip telling him some Greek folks wanted to meet him, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.” In a sense, “Their wanting access to me is meaningless. My interest is in their service and desire to follow me. When they do, where I am, they’ll be there too.”

We so often live our spiritual lives as those who search for a path of access to the God of our salvation. Such a pursuit or struggle wears us out in the long run. We then find meager contentment in believing we’re saved and heaven is our home when we die. Scripture, however, conveys to us we have access to the God of our salvation.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. – Psalm 23: 1

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37: 1

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” – Psalm 91: 14-16

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29: 11

And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. – Matthew 28: 20

Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it shall be yours. – Mark 11: 24

Do not be afraid, little folk, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom. – Luke 12: 32

There are so many references to who we are in relationship to our God of salvation, and who we become with what Christ Jesus has done for us and by virtue of what is offered to us in the Holy Spirit. Of course, we change. Of course, we become different because of the grace and truth, power and love of God we encounter and experience in the grace of God that makes all things new. He loves us, and with that, we have access to the Father, but that’s not where it ends.

In this relationship, in this new life in God, he invites us to serve and follow. By virtue of the love of God we encounter and experience in Christ Jesus and fills us in the Holy Spirit, we know what it is to serve in honor of our God. Such service is done in love. The apostle John wrote. “We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. (1 John 3: 16)” Its not foreign. Its not a different language or culture. By virtue of his love for us, we love others. As we believe in his love for us, that same love grows in us for us to share. That is serving him by serving/loving others. By loving and serving, we follow where he goes. We follow the mission of God’s kingdom.

Our access to God is not a mere pursuit, a game of hide and seek. In times like this, in places like this, we’re promised to be in the presence of our God. In times like this, in places like this, we can trust he has forgiven us and has cleansed us from all unrighteousness by virtue of what he did for us on the cross or Calvary. In times like this, in places like this, we can trust we’re not left alone nor unempowered to do the will of God in this world. We can do his will, serve in his name and follow where he leads. Hear then the good news: Where our Lord is, there his servant, his child, his daughter, his son is also. Alleluia.

Preached at Lincoln UMC in Lincoln, AL, March 24, 2021