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1 Corinthians 1:18 & 25
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God... For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
John 12:23-25
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.
As a relatively new farmer, I am still awestruck by the whole process of putting tiny seeds in the ground in November and the resulting yield 6 months later at harvest. For some of you, this is no longer novel. You’ve been farming a lot longer than I have, so please bear with me. But for the many in non-agricultural settings, let me explain a bit and then try to tie it to our lectionary texts for all of us today.
If wheat seed is planted at, let’s say, 125 pounds per acre, it’s not a stretch to have yields over 20 tons (40,000 lbs) per acre assuming healthy soil, proper irrigation, and fertilizer application. So in just 6 months time, one pound of wheat seed can become over 300 pounds of feed. It’s so ordinary, yet at the same time nothing short of amazing.
This past Palm Sunday we celebrated our Shepherd King’s entrance into Jerusalem. And in today’s text from chapter 12 of John’s account, immediately following the triumphal entry, I was struck by the down-to-earth metaphor Jesus uses as he speaks to the crowds about what is to come just 5 days later. “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
One kernel of wheat in the palm of your hand is very unimpressive. There’s not much you can do with it. It’s weak, puny, and insignificant on its own. It’s crazy, maybe even foolish to think it could be anything more remarkable in that state. But now I’ve got an idea. Let’s just bury it in some dirt, and then wait for a while. That will surely make it become something altogether different, beneficial, and impressive, right? It seems crazy that in order for that seed to achieve its full potential it must simply be left alone in the dark, cold dirt.
“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
As incredible as Jesus’ teachings and miracles were during his 3 years of ministry his real power and purpose weren’t fully revealed until he was buried in a tomb, surrounded by dirt. To the world, this seems utter foolishness. As Michael Kornelis said on Sunday, “Jesus loses.” He’s weak, and unimpressive in many ways. Like a single wheat seed trampled in the dirt. Arrested. Beaten. Stripped. Mocked. Crucified. Buried.
Isaiah 53:2-3
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind. A man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”
But as we know, this is not the end of the story. On the third day out of the ground, out of death, came life and life abundant! And today we get to experience how Jesus’ death and resurrection has indeed produced the bountiful yield he alluded to during his Passion week! It’s you and me. It’s his Church–the incredible harvest of the Lord. And what is God’s design for these seeds he has multiplied through Christ?
“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.”
Father God,
Thank you for saving us through Christ’s death and resurrection. Holy Spirit, help us to follow the path of Jesus. Strengthen and equip us to lay down our lives in love and service so that others may know You, and be gathered in at the Great Harvest that is to come.