Jesus Lifted Up

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 Jesus, Lifted Up

Scripture: John 12: 31-33 (NRSV)

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

Devotion:

            The scene in which today’s scripture plays out is important to understand. Some Greeks who are in Jerusalem for the Passover feast have asked to see Jesus. Perhaps they have heard about his miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead or other miracles, and they want to see this teacher for themselves. Jesus, however, is acutely aware that his time on earth is running out and he will soon be crucified. So, here we find Jesus teaching a mixed crowd of Gentiles and Jews about what must take place shortly there in Jerusalem.

            Jesus first states that the “ruler of this world will be driven out.” Who is this “ruler of the world?” Most commentators agree that this refers to Satan. Satan has overseen this world since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Satan is about to engineer what he thinks will be a great victory in his resistance against God. The killing of the Incarnate Son of God. Little does Satan know that what he thinks will be a great victory will be turned into defeat on that first Easter morning. God in the person of his son Jesus will reclaim the earth from Satan.

            Our Lord here proclaims his victory ahead of time. He foretells his death by crucifixion. He indicates that his death will be for all people not just those who are Jewish. Drawing all people to himself, he will become the Savior for all the people of the world, at all times, and in all places. This he declares in the presence of the Greeks in his audience, so that they would know that he was their Savior as well.

            Like the Greeks who originally heard these words from Jesus we can take heart that our Savior was speaking to us as well. No matter what is happening around us we can be confident that Jesus is Lord of all the heavens and earth. In him the Father is working all things together for both our individual good, and our collective good as well. The death of Jesus looked like a terrible defeat for God. Yet he turned it into a great victory by emptying the tomb of its captive on Easter morning. Let us rejoice in our great God.

Prayer:

            Holy and Blessed Lord Jesus, receive our praise in joyous celebration of the great victory you won for us. We celebrate your incarnation, your coming to dwell among those you called to be your own people. Even though we do not understand fully why you had to die such a horrible death on the cross, we praise you that you took our sins and crucified them on that terrible day. We celebrate with you the victory over the grave that took place on that Easter Sunday so long ago. We eagerly look forward to your second coming with power to rule over all the earth you created. Amen.


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