The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 12:23
As we begin Holy Week, all eyes are focused on the biblical events leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I am moved annually by the significance of this week, and the reminder of what true Christianity is all about. It is not about promoting one’s brand or achieving worldly greatness. It is about dying to sin and dying to self.
Jesus showed us how. Until now, he had faithfully executed the work that God sent him to do. He had preached good news to the poor, proclaimed freedom for the prisoners, offered the blind their sight, released the oppressed from captivity and proclaimed the year of God’s favor upon Israel (Luke 3:18-19) and even though these works were undoubtedly miraculous, Jesus often admitted in the course of his ministry on earth, that the hour had not yet come (John 7:30; 8:20).
The hour of his greatness, his power and his glory was tied to his “weakest” moment; his death on the Cross. His glory shone bright through the scars on his head, through his nail pierced hands, feet, and side, and through his shed blood. In dying he gave us victory over sin and death. In dying he gave us life eternal. At the appointed hour, Jesus did for humanity what no one else could do. He gave us everlasting love by reconciling us to God, once for all.
This week, let us pray for humility to walk like Jesus did, and let us ask God to help us decrease, so that he might increase in us. Let us, with help of the Holy Spirit, serve in such a manner that the world will see, not us, but him and praise our God in heaven.
Have a blessed week!