Note: There was no live stream this past Sunday.

Jeremiah 31:31–34 & John 12:20-33
When John talks about the Greeks, I suspect that some context is needed about what that means. That means, however, looking back to the time of Alexander the Great. I will keep this brief, I hope.
Alexander and his Macedonian army defeated the Persian empire around 354 BC. He then proceeded to expand and solidify his grip on what used to be the Persian empire over the next few decades.
Upon his death however, there was no natural successor, and that Greek empire was split between a number of his friends and generals. Several wars were fought between these successors over the next several decades. A few of those generals proved more successful than others.
Two of the most successful were Ptolemy and Seleucus. Ptolemy took control of Egypt, and Seleucus took control of Babylon and much of what was Persia. Between them, they controlled what was Judea up until the arrival of Rome in the first century BC.
What that all means is for a couple of centuries, Greek culture dominated the world around Judea.
Greek language, Greek laws, dress, styles, and Greek philosophy. Many resisted and dug deeper into their traditions; or tried to. Others adopted the language and the styles. Although they were born in Judea. They could trace their roots back generations in Judea; they were called Greek.
I suspect this is the case with the people who come to see Jesus in this passage. They are countrymen; seen as Greek who wish to meet Jesus. Philip and Andrew are operating as gatekeepers of a sort.
And once again in this instance, Jesus sees a teachable moment. It seems an odd response to a request to visit a few men who are not seen as to use a more contemporary term – colonized.
I would argue that Jesus is thinking more about what is to come. He knows his message and reaching new people and new circles of influence and a response is inevitable. But also, how prepared is he to stay on the path he has chosen? It is only through death that he can bear the fruit he desires to see grow.
These Greek men are seeking something. They have heard the call to come and see. Greece and what it represented was viewed as the pinnacle of civilization. The centre of law and thought, of art. And despite their connections to all of this, these people come seeking something more in the person of Jesus.
Jesus has announced that he is God’s word. Jesus is the revelation of God’s love made known for all the world. He is the light of God. I could go on with the multitude of ways Jesus describes himself in John. But essentially, when you look upon Jesus, you see the personification of God at work in the world; loving all of creation.
And Jesus is now saying that to truly blossom forth, to take the next step in this revelation of God’s love, he must die. You only have so much more time to walk in this particular light, so make the most of it.
We get to choose to walk in the light of Jesus, but what does that mean?
We can get caught up in the minutiae of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I am certain you are familiar with the various purity tests we can find on what it means to identify as a Christian. Jesus was certainly aware of the numerous purity tests that could be applied to Jewish rule and authorities. He spent a lot of time debating with experts on Jewish law. And Jesus knew that law.
But he also had a way of boiling things down to their essence. Tried to make things simple.
How do you view the people around you? How do you treat the people around you?
God loves God’s creation. Jesus is a sign of that love in action. That he is ready to be killed by the authorities because of his commitment to that message; as it indicts the authorities lack of compassion, is a sign of God’s love. God desires a connection with the people of God. And Jesus is that way of connecting the people of God with one another and with God. Jesus is the root that connects to all the vines and leaves that make up this tree of creation.
We get to choose to walk in the light of Jesus. The light of love and compassion. A light that exposes the corrupting influence of greed and fear. The darkness found when you deny the humanity of your neighbours; no matter where they come from or where they are going.
Finally, when you choose to follow the path set by Jesus, you are eventually going to need to ask the question: what are you prepared to sacrifice or abandon in the name of that love?
Jesus gave up his life in the knowledge that a new life awaited him. He declares that holding on to a life in a world you profess to despise, condemns you to a continued life in that world.
It is only through letting go of that life that you can find new life.
Jeremiah is writing at a time when Israel is facing conquest by the Assyrians. Once again, the people of Israel have lost their way; in particular, the ruling class. He accuses them of abandoning their covenants with God. And yet Jeremiah says; despite forgetting these prior covenants through Noah, Abraham, and Moses, God is prepared to enter a new covenant. But unlike the prior ones that were written in the sky or on slabs of rock, this one will be written on our hearts.
It is a covenant that reminds us time and again, that God does not give upon us. God keeps inviting us into a new relationship with God and with one another. God has written on our hearts that we are not forgotten.
We are all connected, and we are all called to lives of peace, of love, and mercy, and to seek justice and compassion for all of humanity. And through this covenant, we are all called to participate in the work of creating that world of peace and love, compassion and mercy, yearning for justice and welcome for all of God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Rev. Warner Bloomfield