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A Time for Everything
Jesus’ life was very different from our life.
We do not really know what time it is. Jesus knew exactly what time it was.
Ecclesiastes teaches us this wisdom.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-5)
We do not know what time it is. And we don’t care actually what time it is.
We do not know whether it is the time to tear or the time to sew, the time to keep silence or the time to speak.
Up to this point, Jesus kept saying to people:
“My hour has not yet come.”
But in the passage we read today, finally, Jesus said:
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (John 12:23)
In other words, Jesus knew exactly what time it was.
Up to this point, Jesus performed 7 miracles in John. That’s why chapters 1-12 are called the Book of Signs. And the last miracle was to raise Lazarus from the dead.
But after today’s story, Jesus didn’t perform any miracles.
He knew that it was not the time for him to do miracles. It was the time to quietly accept what was about to happen.
He knew it was not the time for him to hold onto his life but the time to let go.
Why did he stop doing miracles and just accept what was about to happen to him?
Because he knew what was happening was beyond his control. He knew that time came.
Jesus Knew the Time
When he decided to raise the dead Lazarus, which was his last miracle, he knew that this wouldn’t be good. It wasn’t good politically for him.
Already, the religious leaders did not like that so many people followed Jesus. And raising Lazarus from the dead would make more people follow him.
That did not sit well with the religious leaders.
Jesus knew that. He saw it right.
Right after raising Lazarus, this was what the religious leaders said.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, ‘What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.’… So from that day on they planned to put him to death. (John 11:47, 48, 53)
Not only they tried to kill Jesus but also even Lazarus.
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11)
Today’s passage comes right after this. So Jesus knew that by raising Lazarus, he would get into trouble and his situation would be out of his control.
So he chose to let go. In his mind, he had this determination like Esther.
If I perish, I perish.
Choosing to Let Go
Letting go is accepting what is happening right now and leaving it in God’s hands, instead of worrying about it.
To let go, you have to have trust. You have to have faith.
Letting go is not easy. Even for Jesus, it was not easy.
This was what Jesus said.
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. (John 12:27, 28)
Jesus wanted to raise Lazarus even though this would brought him a lot of troubles.
It would create a situation where he had no control. But he did it because it was the right thing to do.
So Jesus did it and left the situation in God’s hands. That is letting go.
Do your best to live out God’s calling and after that, leave your life in God’s hands. Do what is right and after that, leave your future in God’s hands. That is what it is to let go.
My friends, you have to learn to let go. Letting go is the secret of living a happy life.
People suffer so much agony because they cannot let go.
They cannot let go of those who hurt them. They cannot let go of their painful past. They cannot let go of fear they have. They cannot let go of worries and anxieties.
They hold onto all these things within them. These things torment them.
This was what St. Paul taught us to to.
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Don’t worry about anything but let your requests be made known to God. That is letting go.
Then what happens?
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
Why do you hold unto garbages within you. You have to let go. Don’t try to control what you cannot control. Don’t carry all the burdens within you.
Let go of your burdens.
Live Your Eternal Life
Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
If you don’t let go and hold unto them, then you will be rotten away. Your life energy will be drained from you. You will live your life with dark clouds over you constantly.
If you cannot let go, you will die. If you let go, you will live.
This was what Jesus said.
Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25)
Here, “love”and “hate” are not literally love and hate. Jesus meant it as attachment and detachment.
If you attach to things in your life, not being able to let go, you will lose your life.
But if you are able to let go by detaching yourself from things that you cannot control, you will live. Keep it for eternal life.
Letting go is releasing all the negative things such as doubt, worry, fear, anger, disappointment, and so on. You can do that only with faith in God.
When you let go, you are creating space in your heart to embrace new challenges and new opportunities. You can move on with your life.
My friends, let go. One by one, let go. Christian journey is the journey of letting go.
What we need to practice every day is the practice of letting go. That is what discipleship is all about.
Let go of your small world. Let go of the walls you created to protect yourself. Let God. And see what happens in your life.
Even though the earthly Jesus performed many miracles, the real power came on the cross when he let go of himself.
When he let go of his life to the cross, the real power of resurrection was released.
That is the power of letting go.
When you let go of your greed, when you let go of your worries and anxieties, when you let go of your fear and anger, when you let go of trying to control yourself, when you let go of wanting to be in charge of your life, you will experience the power that comes from above, not from you.
That is the power of life. That power will make you alive.
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