作者Right Revd Dr Jo wells 主教 那時,上來過節禮拜的人中,有幾個希利尼人。他們來見加利利伯賽大的腓力,求他說,先生,我們願意見耶穌。腓力去告訴安得烈,安得烈同腓力去告訴耶穌。耶穌說,人子得榮耀的時候到了。我實實在在的告訴你們,一粒麥子不落在地裡死了,仍舊是一粒.若是死了,就結出許多子粒來。愛惜自己生命的,就失喪生命.在這世上恨惡自己生命的,就要保守生命到永生。若有人服事我,就當跟從我.我在那裡,服事我的人,也要在那裡.若有人服事我,我父必尊重他。 我現在心裡憂愁,我說甚麼才好呢?父阿,救我脫離這時候,但我原是為這時候來的。父阿,願你榮耀你的名。當時就有聲音從天上來說,我已經榮耀了我的名,還要再榮耀。站在旁邊的眾人聽見,就說:打雷了.還有人說,有天使對他說話。耶穌說,這聲音不是為我,是為你們來的。現在這世界受審判.這世界的王要被趕出去。我若從地上被舉起來,就要吸引萬人來歸我。耶穌這話原是指著自己將要怎樣死說的。 我想告訴大家,坐在前排的這些弟兄姊妹,今日踏出接受堅振禮的一步,是他們人生之中最好的決定。事實上,不管你是甚麼人,亦不論何時何地,跟隨耶穌,永遠都是最佳決定。 或者我們可以運用想像力,將今日預備接受堅振禮的弟兄姊妹,置身在上耶路撒冷過節的群眾中間。在擠擁的群眾當中,有幾個人亦同樣踏出一步,想要尋找耶穌的門徒腓力。比較令人意外的是,這幾位是希利尼人。儘管他們是外邦人,不能和猶太人一齊慶祝踰越節,他們卻願意採取主動,以莫大的勇氣去問腓力,他們可不可以去見耶穌。他們並非決定跟隨耶穌,至少在這一刻還未決定,但他們不怕公開表達對耶穌的好奇之心。他們有心追求,亦不怕承認,於是就開口提問,由此啟動了一串連鎖反應:他們問腓力,腓力去問安得烈,安得烈又和腓力一齊去問耶穌。這令我想起小熊維尼作者緬恩(A. A. Milne)的一首打油詩,開頭幾句是這樣的:國王問王后,王后又去問牛奶女工:「可不可以給我們一點牛油,讓國王塗在麵包上?」詩歌接著說,有人建議國王不如改吃柑橘醬,但國王卻是個老古板,堅持非吃牛油不可。他說:「我只是想要一點點牛油而已。」同樣地,不知道「求見主面」這個要求,是否太過分?究竟有無可能實現? 我在想,大家今日來到這裡,是否也是希望求見耶穌?不論你是最近信主,或者返教會已有幾十年,又或者對於教會根本全無認識,我都盼望你今日能夠抱著開放的態度,以好奇甚至渴慕的心情,來到求見耶穌,來到發掘更多。因為崇拜的意義,本來就是如此。 希利尼人究竟可不可以去見耶穌呢?耶穌自己給了答案。他沒有助手或主教侍從代為擋駕,只有親自接招。然則,我們從他的回答學會了甚麼?看到了甚麼?如果希利尼人只是想拿耶穌的簽名、與名人自拍selfie上載IG、然後回家向朋友炫耀一番,他們的收穫可以說是超乎預期。不過,這位名人與其他名人有點不同。耶穌首先提到人子要得榮耀,但是轉頭又將榮耀與死亡相提並論。耶穌亦都表明,門徒的生命若要發揮任何影響力,單是見見耶穌並不足夠,必須要跟隨他才可以。他們不能只是拍攝一張照片,然後把它存在雲端置諸不理。他們不能只來參加堅振禮,亮一下相,然後就隱形不知所終。要真真正正的見到耶穌,就要一直留在耶穌身邊,不論日子順逆,都要不離不棄,並且要知道,如此跟隨耶穌,是一件光榮的事。不是為名、不是為利,而是為了真正重要的榮耀,就是來自上帝的榮耀。第26節這樣說:若有人服事我,就當跟從我.我在那裡,服事我的人,也要在那裡.若有人服事我,我父必尊重他。 然後,耶穌將他的論述重點,由原則轉移到具體,由所有人轉移到他自己。我們將會見到的,不單是耶穌的外表,我們更加能夠看到他的內心世界。我們看到了甚麼呢?原來耶穌心裡憂愁,不知道自己能否承受得了,能否保持忠心,不論順逆都不會離開上帝。大家明白嗎?凡是耶穌要求我們去做的,沒有一樣不是他自己已經親身經歷過的,這就是道成肉身的意義。各位朋友,大家即將要委身跟隨耶穌,作出人生最好的決定。大家的心情可能戰戰兢兢,但這樣的委身也表明了莫大的勇氣。我想指出,大家要跟隨的這一位耶穌,已經向你以至向所有人,完全敞開自己。耶穌同凡人一樣會過節,就好似我們,假若能夠買到門票,都會希望參加節日盛會。然而,見到耶穌,原來就等同見到上帝,可以感受到上帝的心腸,不單歡迎猶太人,也歡迎希利尼人;對於敬虔人和邊緣人,同樣包容接納。更加重要的是,上帝的心腸,隨時預備為這個需要上帝的世界而破碎,落在地裡而死,結出許多子粒,為的是將羞辱化為榮耀,幫助我們真正看見,帶給我們愛的確據,讓我們知道,在上帝內心深處,對我們的愛是何等長闊高深。 原來,親眼見主,也包括親眼見證他的痛苦。不過,痛苦並不是結局。親眼見主,也包括親眼看見主的榮耀。不過,不是風和日麗在水上行走的那種榮耀,而是在風暴中飽受打擊的榮耀。忍受苦難本身就是一種榮耀;苦難的另外一面就是榮耀。今日的福音經課,以希利尼人求見耶穌作為開始,演變成一則關於榮耀的信息,既指向過去的榮耀,亦指向未來的榮耀。經文說:有聲音從天上來說,我已經榮耀了我的名,還要再榮耀。有人以為這是雷聲,也有人以為是天使說話。顯然,並非人人都能領略上帝的聲音。但耶穌卻肯定這是上帝的說話,既帶有審判,亦帶有歡迎世人的確據。他說:我若從地上被舉起來,就要吸引萬人來歸我。 這道理不是人人都能明白。即使是正在講道的我,亦不能完全明白。今日預備接受堅振的弟兄姊妹,就算不完全明白也沒有關係。但是我們應該緊記今日福音經課的教訓:人人都可以求見耶穌,沒有需要害怕。不論人生前路如何,我們若跟隨耶穌到底,最終見到的將會是榮耀。我在開始的時候說,這是你一生中的最佳決定,原因正在於此。 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly, I tell you, 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. 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.
‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ 30Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. I put it to you that the folks sitting on the front rows, those who’ve decided to take the step of confirmation today, are making the very best decision of their lives. The very best decision that anyone can ever make in any circumstances. To follow Jesus. They are those who we might picture jostling in the crowds in Jerusalem. Where a few people –surprisingly they are Greeks – take the step of finding Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples. Even though they’re outsiders at this Jewish festival of Passover, they take the initiative, and with immense courage ask if they might see Jesus. They’re not making the decision to follow – not yet – but they’re going public with their curiosity: they’re honest in their searching, and so they ask. And that sets off a sort-of chain reaction – they ask Philip, Philip asks Andrew, then Andrew and Philip ask Jesus. (Reminded of A.A.Milne poem where the king asks the queen, and the queen asks the dairymaid, ‘could we have some butter for the royal slice of bread?’… In that poem the king first gets offered marmalade instead and ends up having to persist like the original fuddy-duddy, ‘but I would like just a little bit of butter for my bread?’) I wonder, is it too much to ask to see Jesus? Is it possibly possible? I wonder, if you came here today in hope of seeing Jesus? (Whether you’re a brand new disciple or you’ve been hanging out in church for most of your life, or you’ve no idea what church is all about, I hope you came here today with an openness, a curiosity, even eagerness, to see Jesus. To discover more. That’s what worship is all about). Well it’s Jesus who replies for himself. No layers of protection from PAs or chaplains here. He takes the bull by the horns. And what is it we learn, who is it that we see from the reply? Those Greeks got more than they’d bargained for if they just wanted his autograph, the selfie for Instagram, the moment with celebrity. they just wanted to go home and tell friends that they got close to a celebrity. But this celebrity is different. Jesus speaks of glory, and being glorified. But in the next breath he links it to dying. Then he links dying to eternal life. And the necessity of not just seeing but following if their life is to have any impact. They can’t just take the snap and save it on iCloud. They can’t just show up for confirmation and then sail off into the sunset. Seeing Jesus – really seeing Jesus – means staying with Jesus. Sticking with him through thick and thin. And finding in that following true honour. Not fame, not fortune, but what really matters. Honour from God. 26’Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.’ And then Jesus moves from the general to the particular, from speaking about everyone – whoever – to speaking about himself. It’s like we get to see not only the outside of Jesus, but the inside of Jesus, his heart. And what do we discover? That his heart is close to breaking and he wonders about his capacity to cope, to be faithful, to hang in there through thick and thin with God. (Do you see, there’s nothing he asks of us that he doesn’t first go through himself? That’s the incarnation for you). Friends, the one to whom you are committing yourself to following, this ‘best decision’ you’re making today, perhaps in fear and trembling and tremendous courage, is with someone who opens himself up to you, to all of us, wholly and completely. And in seeing Jesus – the human being who went to festivals just as we all like to do if we can get a ticket – seeing Jesus turns out to be seeing God, the heart of God which is not only welcoming to Greeks as well as Jews, inclusive to outsiders as well as to religious types, but it’s a heart that is ready to break for a world in need, to fall into the earth and die, to bear much fruit. To turn shame into honour. To help us see. To assure us we are loved. Deeply loved, on the inside. It turns out that Seeing Jesus includes seeing something of his agony. But it doesn’t end there. Seeing Jesus is also about seeing glory. Not the kind of glory that walks on water on blue sky sunny days but the kind of glory that withstands the depths when the storm would seem to be overpowering. The glory that withstands suffering; the glory that shines on the other side of suffering. The revelation here that’s unleashed through a few people asking to see Jesus turns into a message about glory, glory in the past and glory in the future, a voice that clearly not everyone catches – ‘I have glorified it and will glorify it again’. Some think it’s just thunder, others think there’s some angel. But Jesus affirms it as God’s word, a word of judgement as well as the definitive word of welcome. ‘I when I am lifted up will draw all people to myself’. Not everyone gets it. Even as I preach about it I’m aware that I don’t fully get it. It’s ok if those of you being confirmed don’t fully get it. But hear this from today’s gospel: no one should be afraid to ask to see Jesus. And know that what you’ll see, whatever life serves up on the way, what you’ll see if you follow Jesus all the way, is glory. That’s why this is the very best decision of your life.
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