September 14, 2024 

Today's Reading: John 12:20-33

Daily Lectionary: 2 Chronicles 33:1-25; Jonah 1:1-4:11; Colossians 1:24-2:7

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

The cross looks like defeat, but faith sees the victory of Jesus over sin and death. The cross looks like helplessness, but faith sees the power of God for salvation. The cross looks like humiliation, but faith sees the exaltation of Jesus and His coronation as King. “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” The death of Jesus on the cross is a result of sin. And since everyone who has ever lived on the earth (except Him) is a sinner, the cross is where He draws all sinners to Himself. He “came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:17-18). 

The Greeks said to Philip, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (John 12:20). In response, Jesus spoke of His coming death as His glorification and said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also” (12:26). The servants of Jesus are with Him in His death: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). 

Jesus gathered you to Himself on the cross by your baptism so that you would be always with Him, not only in death but even more– in His resurrection. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). This is the mystery and contradiction of the holy cross: here, Jesus wins victory in defeat, power in weakness, and exaltation in humiliation. “Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; sing the ending of the fray. Now above the cross, the trophy, sound the loud triumphant lay; tell how Christ, the world’s redeemer, as a victim won the day. … Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, be for all the noblest tree; none in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thine equal be; symbol of the world’s redemption, for the weight that hung on thee” (LSB 454:1, 4)!  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Merciful God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, was lifted high upon the cross that He might bear the sins of the world and draw all people to Himself. Grant that we who glory in His death for our redemption may faithfully heed His call to bear the cross and follow Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-Rev. Timothy Winterstein is pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, East Wenatchee, Washington.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

The new Guiding Word series takes you through all the books of the Bible in six volumes. Starting with the Books of Moses—Genesis through Deuteronomy—you will explore every passage of every chapter of each book with the help of maps, diagrams, links between the testaments, and clarification points.