Rev. Aaron Fenker
John 12:20–33
Well, it’s pretty much over, isn’t it? The appointed end has come. The week is winding down. People from all over the nation and even the known world gathered together. The time is run short. Perhaps new friendships were made during that time. Maybe old friends saw each other again. There’s fun and games. Small groups enjoying the Word and fellowship, and, when it’s all over, there’s the long trip back home. It’s all come down to this. Nothing is left undone. Everything’s been packed up nicely. Well, everything except one thing: It was His time. It was high time for Him to be glorified. He had been waiting for it, but now “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.” It’s the reason He’s come from the Father. It’s the reason He’s at the Passover Feast – Holy Week. He’s come to be seen in His glory. Jesus reveals Himself. He wants you to see Him this way: There! – behold Him! Crucified! He wages the glorious battle there for you. A crown becomes the Victor’s brow. There He enters His glory, He sits upon His throne, suffering, sighing, bleeding, dying, crucified for you. That’s His glory. It’s His only glory. That’s the only glory that saves you, and JESUS WANTS YOU TO SEE HIS GLORY, THAT IS, HIS BEING CRUCIFIED AND RAISED FOR YOU.
(I. It’s a glory that was seen at Calvary.)
Calvary, Golgotha, the place of the skull, is the place where this glory was seen. It had to be this way. “What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.” This was His only purpose for coming. It’s why He was born. He came to manifest His glory. This was finally the time for Jesus to be glorified. Yes, “the hour has come,” for thus the Father willed it, who fashioned us with clay. It was willed from the foundation of the world, and that purpose is now being fulfilled as the Son obeyed His Father’s will, and so He says, “I have come to this hour.” His glory is come, shining forth in the sky, transfixed amidst the firmament for all to see, and it’s this glory that saves you. There we are drawn: all our sins, our curse, our death, our sickness, our pain, crucified in Him. The curse of it all!: God crucified (crowned, enthroned, dead). The glory of it all! “And I, when I am exalted, will draw all people to myself.” God crowned, enthroned, dead: so glorious that it’s too holy for even the blessed angels to behold.
He is glorified there, but glorified even yet again by the Father, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” We hear the name of glory: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” And it was a name glorified again – resurrection glory on top of crucified glory. You need this glory because no other glory can save you except Golgotha glory, crucified glory – Jesus’ glory. The glory of our last minute victories, our good grades, our high marks, our reputation among our friends can’t save us. It’s only false glory. The glory we lord over others, with whatever measure we use to judge others and put them down so that we can be king or queen of the hill. Repent! Jesus’ glory saves you “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” The judgment of the world and devil, the judgment over our sin, which is the forgiveness of that sin, our victory over devil and world, the glory of this judgement is seen in Jesus crucified for you.
(II. It’s a glory seen in our day.)
Jesus crucified, His true glory, is seen even in our day. It was seen for the Greeks BEFORE He was crucified. They asked Philipp, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’…Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’ ” Jesus speaks of His being crucified. From Jesus’ own mouth, “Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” It’s even seen today. And it doesn’t matter where you are! Look to the preaching. You see Him crucified with your ears, just like the Greeks did that day! Jesus is portrayed there, held there for you as crucified for your sins. See your baptism: “I will draw all people to Myself.” Jesus has dragged you to His death on the cross for you. You’ve been baptized into that death and also His resurrection. See the fruit of Jesus’ cross! His death “bears much fruit.” It wasn’t just water that blossomed forth from that tree, but blood too. You not only see but receive the glory of Jesus’ body and blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. You’ve seen and received it here in Gainesville, and it’s a glory you see and receive from your altar at home. Jesus’ glory of cross, death, and empty tomb is seen and heard from every single Pulpit, Font, and Altar, and it’s in those places for you.
(III. It’s a glory seen on the Last Day.)
Jesus’ glory is seen in His death on the cross. His glory is seen in His resurrection. Jesus’ glory is that He has been crucified for your sins. It’s the glory He came to reveal, it’s the glory He reveals to you today and every Lord’s day, because it’s the glory that saves you! And it’s a glory we’ll see face to face in the life to come. For on that day we’ll all see that
Those dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exaltation
To His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture,
Gaze we on those glorious scars!
INI + AMEN.
