The time was at hand in the hours before Palm Sunday. Then after His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem the Lord Jesus declared to His disciples, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified." One wonders if the disciples grasped the import of Jesus’ words. After all, had He not already been glorified by God? He had spoken the words of God. He had healed the sick and the infirmed in fulfillment of the Prophets. He had even raised the dead in a way more striking than the Prophets of the Old Testament. He had been transfigured before some of them, and the glory of God shone through His mortal countenance.
The hour had come that He should be glorified. He was glorified not by accomplishing something miraculous like healing the sick or raising the dead, but by being unjustly accused, spit upon, beaten, scourged and crucified. This doesn’t seem like glory in the eyes of men, at least not in the eyes of those who have been blinded by the old evil foe. This is the glory for which He came into this world-- not to make it temporarily better, but to deliver us from it.
The hour had come for Him to die and to be planted in the grave. The hour would also come in which He would arise from the gloomy portal of death to bring to humankind life and immortality. He arose and by the message of salvation proclaimed gives spiritual and eternal life to those who trust in Him. The message of His hour and His glorious cross still produces much fruit to the glory of God.
The hour has come for us to plant that seed and trust Him to bring forth fruit! |
