The Hour Has Come – Jesus Turns Things Upside Down

“It was the third hour when they crucified him.” Mark 15:25 (NIV)

They crucified Jesus! In a real sense I crucified Jesus. We all did, for He went to the cross to pay the penalty for all of our sins. It was a horrible, agonizing death. Yet when Jesus talks of His pending death in John 12 He talks about His death as His glory. As John records it we read:

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, 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…. Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."…Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. John 12:23-33 (NIV)

Initially, it sounds site strange for Jesus to site His death as the hour of His glory. Easter Sunday seems much more fitting to be identified as the hour of His glory. But then think about it. Do we glorify Jesus primarily because of His or because of His love. Both are important but if it weren’t for His love would not be glorious, but frightening. It is on Good Friday in the crucifixion we get the greatest demonstration of Jesus’ love and it is for this love that we glorify Him. Easter Sunday shows us Jesus power. Not even death could contain Him, but it is the crucifixion we see the depth of His love.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11 (NIV)

In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

Jesus, thank You for Your love. I glorify Your name.