JOHN 12:20-33| MULTIPLICITY

MULTIPLICITY

JOHN 12:20-33

MARCH 18, 2018

WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG MY MOTHER SHARED WITH ME A MEMORY OF HER GRANDFATHER, A FARMER FROM RICHMOND, INDIANA.

IT’S ONE OF THOSE SNIPPETS OF MEMORY PEOPLE HAVE, PERHAPS UNRELATED TO ANYTHING ELSE, BUT TUCKED AWAY IN THERE, JUST THE SAME.

AS NOBODY IN OUR FAMILY WAS EVER A FARMER AGAIN, AND I, THE LEAST OF THESE, NEVER HAVING REALLY GROWN ANYTHING IN MY LIFE, I’M SURPRISED I’VE REMEMBERED IT ALL THESE YEARS.

IT HAS TO DO WITH PLANTING CORN; A LITTLE RHYME; THE AGRICULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WHICH, I CAN’T REALLY SPEAK.

ON PLANTING CORN-

FOUR SEEDS TO A HOLE

ONE FOR THE CUTWORM

ONE FOR THE CROW

ONE TO ROT

AND ONE TO GROW.

AS I SAY, I CAN’T SPEAK TO THE EFFICACY OF THIS PLANTING INSTRUCTION, BUT IT DID STICK WITH ME AS SOMETHING OF A LIFE LESSON – THAT BEING: PLAN FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

AS I SHARED WITH THE CHILDREN, CORN IS PRETTY AMAZING.  ONE SILK PER KERNEL; ALWAYS AN EVEN NUMBER OF ROWS; A BUSHEL OF CORN CONTAINS ABOUT 27,000 KERNELS – HOW MANY EVER CANS OF CORN THAT IS.

CORN IS AN INGREDIENT IN OVER 3,500 GROCERY PRODUCTS; MAYBE MORE.  A BUSHEL OF CORN CAN MAKE ABOUT 33 GALLONS OF SWEETENER, 32 POUNDS OF STARCH, OR TWO AND A HALF GALLONS OF ETHANOL.

IT’S THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT FOOD CROP OF THE WORLD BEHIND WHEAT AND RICE.

I COULDN’T FIND OUT HOW MUCH CORN COULD BE PRODUCED FROM A SINGLE SEED (OR FOUR SEEDS IN THE HOLE) BUT I IMAGINE IT’S A LOT.

“UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS INTO THE EARTH AND DIES, IT REMAINS JUST A SINGLE GRAIN; BUT IF IT DIES, IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT;” JESUS SAYS IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING.

LET’S BE HONEST, IT WAS A RATHER STRANGE ANSWER JESUS GIVES TO HIS COMPANIONS PHILIP AND ANDREW, WHEN THEY TELL HIM THERE ARE SOME GREEKS HERE, WHO WOULD LIKE TO MEET HIM.

NOT: “WELL, BRING THEM OVER, I’D LOVE TO MEET THEM.”  NOT: “SURE, WHY NOT, I HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO MEET SOME PEOPLE.”  NOT EVEN: “NO, SEND THEM AWAY, I’M A LITTLE TOO BUSY TO MEET ANYBODY ELSE RIGHT NOW.”

NO, ACCORDING TO JOHN, JESUS ANSWERS PHILIP AND ANDREW’S INQUIRY AS TO MEETING SOME GREEKS WITH AN AGRICULTURAL METAPHOR; AND THIS:

“THOSE WHO LOVE THEIR LIFE WILL LOSE IT, AND THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR LIFE IN THIS WORLD WILL KEEP IT FOR ETERNAL LIFE.  WHOEVER SERVES ME MUST FOLLOW ME, AND WHERE I AM, THERE WILL MY SERVANT BE ALSO.  WHOEVER SERVES ME, THE FATHER WILL HONOR.”

AGAIN, A BIT OF A CRYPTIC MESSAGE, AS IT WERE, BUT WHAT JESUS SEEMS TO BE SUGGESTING TO PHILIP AND ANDREW, AND HIS WOULD-BE GREEK VISITORS, AND TO THE REST OF THEM, AND TO ALL OF US, IS THAT IF WE THROW OUR LOT IN WITH JESUS, WE’D BETTER BE PREPARED TO BE ALL IN!

MAYBE JESUS WAS LEAVING IT UP TO THE GREEKS WHO HAD COME TO PAY HIM A VISIT – YOU DECIDE – COME AT YOUR OWN RISK – BUT IF YOU COME, JUST KNOW IT’LL COST YOU YOUR WHOLE LIFE.

AND THIS IS A MARVEL OF JESUS’ MINISTRY; HIS PLAN FOR WHAT WAS TO COME NEXT; WHAT WOULD COME AFTER HE WAS GONE; OF WHAT WOULD BECOME HIS CHURCH.

I’M GOING TO MAKE REFERENCE SEVERAL TIMES THIS MORNING TO THE CURRENT VIDEO SERIES WE ARE USING IN OUR ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS: FIRST LIGHT – JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  IT IS VERY GOOD.

MY REFERENCE HERE IS TO WHAT THE AUTHORS REFER TO AS JESUS SETTING UP A FRANCHISE, AS OPPOSED TO JOHN THE BAPTIST HAVING A MONOPOLY.

I’LL NOT GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT WHAT THE AUTHORS OF THE SERIES SUGGEST IS, THAT WHERE AS JOHN THE BAPTIST OPERATED PRETTY MUCH ON HIS OWN, AND WHEN HE WAS KILLED BY THE AUTHORITIES, THAT WAS THE END OF HIM AND HIS MOVEMENT.

JESUS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ESTABLISHED WHAT WE MIGHT CALL, FRANCHISES: BECAUSE, WHEN HE DIES, THE WORK GOES ON; HIS MINISTRY CONTINUES THROUGH HIS COMPANIONS AND FOLLOWERS;

AND IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS CHURCH; AND, ULTIMATELY, OF COURSE, THROUGH US!  WE ARE THE FRANCHISEES.  WE CONTINUE THE WORK OF CHRIST.

IT IS ALSO WHAT I WANT TO CALL MULTIPLICITY, THIS MORNING, THE IDEA THAT WHILE THE SINGLE GRAIN OF WHEAT FELL INTO THE GROUND, AND DIED, (THAT BEING JESUS CHRIST, OF COURSE);

WHAT SPRINGS UP IN THE RESURRECTION IS A FULL STALK OF WHEAT, OR CORN, TO CONTINUE WITH MY METAPHOR THIS MORNING; AND NOT JUST A SINGLE STALK, OF COURSE, BUT FIELDS UPON FIELDS OF WHEAT AND CORN.

MULTIPLICITY!

THERE’S PRECEDENT FOR THIS, OF COURSE, IN JESUS’ WORDS: ABOUT HIS BEING THE VINE, AND WE THE BRANCHES; HE, THE LIGHT AND WE, THE LIGHT TOO – AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST SUNDAY; HE, THE GOOD SHEPHERD, AND WE, HIS SHEEP;

AND NOT JUST SHEEP, BECAUSE, IN ONE OF THE LAST SCENES IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, POST-RESURRECTION, JESUS IS SPEAKING WITH PETER ABOUT HOW, NOW, HE AND THE REST OF THEM, ARE TO TAKE OVER THE ROLE OF SHEPHERD: CARING FOR THE SHEEP, FEEDING THE LAMBS, AND TENDING THE FLOCK.

MULTIPLICITY!  WE ARE THE FRANCHISEES – AND IT IS UP TO US MULTIPLY JESUS’ MINISTRY ACROSS THE EARTH AND AROUND THE WORLD!

ANOTHER REFERENCE I WANT TO MAKE THIS MORNING THAT HAS TO DO WITH ABOUT OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS, ALSO HAS TO DO WITH THE IDEA OF MULTIPLICITY, AND AGAIN, OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.

IN LAST WEEK’S LESSON THE AUTHORS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE EATING EVENTS OF JESUS – THOSE TIMES JESUS ATE WITH THOSE HE MET;

AND IN PARTICULAR, THOSE TIMES HE FED PEOPLE;

AND EVEN MORE PARTICULARLY, THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND, WHICH THE AUTHORS TREAT MORE AS A PARABLE THAN A MIRACLE; OR, AT LEAST, A MIRACLE WITHIN A PARABLE.

AGAIN, WITHOUT GOING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL, WHAT THE AUTHORS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE STORY OF THE FEEDING OF THE 5000 WAS THIS.

JESUS DID NOT DO THIS MIRACLE ALONE, RATHER, HE ENLISTED THE HELP OF HIS COMPANIONS IN GIVING THE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO EAT; IN FINDING WHAT FOOD WAS AVAILABLE; IN HAVING THEM DIRECT THE PEOPLE TO SIT IN GROUPS; AND IN GATHERING UP THE LEFTOVERS AFTERWARDS.

THE SECOND POINT THE AUTHORS MAKE IS THAT JESUS DOES NOT CALL DOWN THE FISH AND LOAVES OUT OF HEAVEN, LIKE MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS, IN THE EXODUS STORY; NOR DID JESUS TURN STONES INTO BREAD, BY WHICH TO FEED THE PEOPLE.

NO, WHAT’S IMPORTANT HERE, ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY, IS THAT JESUS USES THE FOOD THAT IS ALREADY AVAILABLE.

JESUS THEN TAKES, BLESSES, BREAKS, AND GIVES (THE LANGUAGE OF THE EUCHARIST, OF HOLY COMMUNION);

AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THAT EVERYONE IS FED, AND THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH LEFTOVERS TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.

AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A PARABLE FOR THE CHURCH;

THAT WHEN WHAT WE HAVE – PASSES THROUGH THE HANDS OF JUSTICE INCARNATE – JESUS CHRIST – THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE, AND PLENTY TO SHARE.

IT IS A MESSAGE FOR THE CHURCH; FOR THE WORLD, REALLY.  IT IS A MESSAGE OF MULTIPLICITY.

AND WHILE THIS IS REALLY A RATHER MINOR POINT TO ALL OF THIS, I MENTIONED TO THE CLASS, HOW IT REMINDED ME OF THE POTLUCK DINNERS WE HAVE AROUND HERE.

HOW EACH OF US BRINGS A DISH FROM HOME TO SHARE; AND HOW ALL OF US HAVE PLENTY TO EAT; AND HOW OFTEN WE ARE THEN ABLE TO TAKE WHAT’S LEFT OVER TO FEED THE 12-20 MEN AT FKOC’S NEESE CENTER.

IT HAPPENED AT THANKSGIVING, WITH OUR JOINT THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON WITH TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH;

WE FED NEARLY 100 PEOPLE LIVING HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY; AND THEN DOZENS OF OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS;

AND EVEN AFTER THAT, KAREN AND I WERE ABLE TO TAKE THANKSGIVING DINNER TO ALL OF THOSE AT THE NEESE CENTER TO EAT.

IT HAPPENED ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY WHEN WE SHARED LEFTOVER HAMBURGERS AND HOTDOGS FROM OUR TAILGATE PARTY HERE, ALL THE FIXINGS, CHIPS, AND DESERTS FOR THEIR OWN SUPER BOWL WATCHING PARTY.

IN FACT, IT HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY TIME WE HAVE A MEAL AROUND HERE.

AND THAT DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO INCLUDE THE 84 CANS OF SOUP WE DONATED ON SOUPER-BOWL SUNDAY; OR OUR MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR LOAVES AND FISHES FOOD PANTRY; OR YOUR GIVING TO TWO CENTS A MEAL.

NOW, AS I SAID, THIS IS REALLY A RATHER SMALL THING, BUT MULTIPLY (THAT’S OUR WORD FOR THE MORNING) MULTIPLY THAT BY ALL THE CHURCHES, EVERYWHERE, WHO HAVE OR SUPPORT FOOD PANTRIES; OR DESIGNATE OFFERINGS TO FEEDING MINISTRIES, LIKE SOS IN KEY WEST;

OR SUPPORT DENOMINATIONAL FEEDING AND FARMING PROGRAMS, AND SEND AGRICULTURAL MISSIONARIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND IT BEGINS TO REALLY BE SOMETHING!

AS I HAVE MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, THINK OF THE WAY IN WHICH CHRIST’S CHURCH HAS MULTIPLIED HIS MINISTRY EXPONENTIALLY: MILLIONS OF FRANCHISEES, OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS, IN THOUSANDS OF PLACES!

JESUS FED THOUSANDS, BUT THINK OF THE BILLIONS OF PEOPLE SERVED BY FEEDING PROGRAMS CONNECTED TO HIS CHURCH.

JESUS PREACHED TO HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS, BUT HOW MANY MILLIONS, BILLIONS OF PEOPLE, IN FACT, HAVE HEARD GOD’S WORD THROUGH GOD’S PEOPLE?!

JESUS TAUGHT DOZENS, MAYBE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, BUT HOW MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EDUCATED IN CHURCH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES, AND MISSION SCHOOLS ASSOCIATED WITH CHURCHES AND DENOMINATIONS OVER THE YEARS.

JESUS HEALED DOZENS – HOW MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, BILLIONS, I SUPPOSE, HAVE BEEN HEALED IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS STARTED AND SUPPORTED BY THE CHURCH; OR TREATED BY MEDICAL MISSIONARIES SENT IN CHRIST’S NAME?!

AND NOT JUST PEOPLE; OUR DAUGHTER ASHLEY, WHO IS A VET, IS PART OF A CHRISTIAN VETERINARIAN ORGANIZATION THAT TRAVELS INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, TREATING ANIMALS USED IN FARMING AND FOR FOOD PRODUCTION IN VILLAGES THERE.

WE COULD GO ON AND ON, OF COURSE, WITH EVERY ASPECT OF JESUS’ LIFE AND MINISTRY, AND HOW HIS FRANCHISEES, HAVE MULTIPLIED THE IMPACT OF HIS LIFE, HIS MESSAGE, AND HIS GOOD WORKS.

YOU SEE, JESUS WAS RIGHT ABOUT THROWING OUR LOT IN WITH HIM COSTING US OUR LIVES!

AND ABOUT HOW A SINGLE GRAIN MUST FALL INTO THE GROUND, AND DIE, IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A GREAT HARVEST.

AS TO THE END OF OUR PASSAGE THIS MORNING; ABOUT JESUS’ INITIAL HESITANCY TO FULFILL GOD’S WILL FOR HIS LIFE;

“NOW MY SOUL IS TROUBLED.  AND WHAT SHOULD I SAY – ‘FATHER, SAVE ME FROM THIS HOUR?’”

AND HIS ALMOST IMMEDIATE REVERSAL OF THOSE MISGIVINGS: “NO, IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I HAVE COME TO THIS HOUR.  ‘FATHER, GLORIFY YOUR NAME.’”

THEN, ACCORDING TO JOHN, GOD, THE FATHER, OFFERED IMMEDIATE CONFIRMATION, IN A VOICE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THUNDER TO THOSE GATHERED AROUND;

BUT TO JESUS, IT SOUNDED LIKE THIS: “I HAVE GLORIFIED IT, AND I WILL GLORIFY IT AGAIN.”

IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PASSAGE, THIS ALMOST CERTAINLY MEANS THAT AS GOD HAS CONFIRMED JESUS IN HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY, GOD WILL DO SO ALSO IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.

AND THAT IS HOW WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT GIVEN WHAT WE’VE SAID HERE THIS MORNING, I THINK WE CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND IT TO BE GOD’S CONFIRMATION OF THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO LIVE OUT CHRIST’S LIFE IN OUR OWN!

THE WAYS IN WHICH GOD CONFIRMS THE LIVES AND MINISTRIES OF HIS FRANCHISEES.

ONE LAST LESSON FROM OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL CURRICULUM: AND THAT IS THIS – GOD WANTS US TO PARTNER WITH HIM IN THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM.

THE WAY THE AUTHORS SAY IT IS LIKE THIS: “WITHOUT GOD, WE CANNOT, WITHOUT US, GOD WILL NOT.”

THAT MAY BE JUST A BIT OVERSTATED, BUT THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR: WE AND GOD ARE IN THIS THING TOGETHER.

JESUS IS THE VINE, AND WE ARE THE BRANCHES;

JESUS IS THE SHEPHERD, AND YES, WE ARE HIS SHEEP, BUT SHEPHERDS TOO;

JESUS IS THE HEAD, WE ARE HIS BODY;

JESUS IS THE CORNERSTONE, WE ARE HIS BUILDING;

JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, AND SO ARE WE, LITTLE LIGHTS, I SUPPOSE;

JESUS IS THE FOUNDER AND COO, AND WE ARE HIS FRANCHISEES; AND MULTIPLICITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

HOW MANY BILLIONS HAVE BEEN SERVED?

HOW MANY MORE ARE STILL OUT THERE WAITING TO BE SERVED?

“I HAVE GLORIFIED IT,” GOD SAYS, “AND I WILL GLORIFY IT AGAIN.”

ON THAT, YOU CAN BET THE FARM!