Looking for Jesus
When you come from the light, the darkness is blinding.
Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very 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. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate 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. "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. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. - John 12:20-36
Jesus uses light and darkness as metaphors.
While you have the light, he tells them, use it and walk in it.
He knows the darkness will return and unless his followers become the light for themselves and others, they will become blind.
We can carry this metaphor forward into the darkness and talk about how we can become accustomed to it. When our eyes adjust, we can see more in the darkness than we could initially.
What we are seeing is the little light that is left, reflecting off objects.
So, we will have to adjust when Jesus is gone.
We will need to strain our eyes to see what little we can in the darkness until we learn how to become light. Then we will see clearly.
The Greeks came looking for Jesus. He had not come for them, but they came seeking him.
There is a message in that for us.
The example we set as Christians is seen by others, and they will see our light. We may not think we are doing much, but when we walk in the light of Jesus, people take notice.
When they come up to you and ask to see Jesus, you will need to show them by your words and actions.
More to come...