October 14

A Saviour for All

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself. — John 12:32 BSB

As we read the gospel story, it’s surprising to see how few people were truly drawn to Christ during His life. Crowds followed Him—many out of curiosity—but very few were drawn to Him with true devotion. In the end, only a small group of loyal friends stood by His cross.

It wasn’t until after His great sacrifice, when He was “lifted up” on the cross, that people began to be drawn to Him in large numbers. Why was the influence of the crucified Christ so much greater than that of the living, miracle-working Christ? One reason is that His death revealed the depth of God’s love. While His gentle, helpful life also reflected God’s love, it was His sacrifice on the cross that fully displayed the richness of that love. And love always draws people. Men and women long for love, and wherever they find it, they are drawn to it, seeking its warmth and comfort.

Another reason why Jesus drew more people after being “lifted up” was the presence of the Holy Spirit, who began to work in human hearts and lives. Without the Spirit’s drawing, no one would come to Christ. There’s an old legend that when Jesus was dying, a dove came and rested on His cross. Though it’s just a legend, it points to the truth that even after Christ poured out His blood, people would not come to Him unless drawn by the Holy Spirit. As Keble wrote:

Should’st thou not need some mighty charm
To win thee to thy Saviour’s side,
Though he had deigned with thee to bide?
The Spirit must stir the darkling deep,
The dove must settle on the cross,
Else we should all sin on or sleep
With Christ in sight, turning our gain to loss.