“Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, 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. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. “Now my soul 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.” John 12:23-28 NIV
What words of comfort and encouragement. I have and I will. Jesus was days away from the most important event of His earthly life, yet His only request at that moment was that His Father’s Name be glorified. He asked a rhetorical question. “Now my soul 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!”
Let’s all pause and think about Jesus’ words for a moment. When opportunity collides with purpose, selfishness dies and selflessness emerges. And O how sweet it is. Jesus acknowledges His purpose, and in doing so elevates His Father and asks that His Father’s Name be glorified. Since the Father’s response was; “I have glorified it before and I will do it again,” then it’s obvious that this wasn’t the first time. He glorified it at Lazarus’ tomb, He glorified it on the Mount of transfiguration, He glorified it at Jesus’ baptism and He was about to do so at Jesus’ resurrection. Can we shout Hallelujah!! Shout Hallelujah again!!
If it mattered to Jesus that the Father’s Name be glorified in what He was about to suffer for us, in obedience to His Father’s will, how much more should it matter to us who have been redeemed at such a cost? When was the last time, before we stepped out to do or say something, that we prayed “Father, glorify Your Name? Are we even that conscious or aware that we are not our own, but are ever on assignment, His assignment? The Bible says these words: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:17 NIV
To “give thanks to,” is to acknowledge and give glory. Jesus was always mindful, no matter where He was, who He was with, or what He was doing, about bringing glory to His Father. The Father was so pleased with Him that it was impossible to restrain Himself, He would just shout from the heavens His pleasure. No wonder it sounded like thunder whenever He spoke. Jesus had to translate lol. Whenever we care more about His glory and His Name, He will shout His pleasure for all the world to hear. Jesus said: “I Am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” John 15:5-8 NIV
There are those very poignant words again; My Father’s glory. That’s what our new birth is all about. It’s more than just a one-way ticket to heaven. It’s about us bringing glory to God through Jesus by how we choose to live this new life. Ask yourself this question. What is the purpose of my life in Christ? Do a self assessment and evaluation. How much of your time is given to what matters most to Him? How and on what are most of your life decisions based? Is His glory and Name paramount in your plans? Can He shout His approval, give His signature to what you’re about to do? Jesus was about to die, it was terrifying the prospect of what He was about to endure. Yet all that mattered was that His Father’s Name be glorified. Wow, wow, WOW!
Are we catching this? Doesn’t it make your complaining, worrying, fretting, anxiety, stressing and murmuring about “whatever” seem small? Jesus’ victory was won over sin, hell, death and the grave because He placed the Name of the Father being glorified higher than what He was facing. Haha I’m having a Holy Ghost laugh at the revelation of a simple truth the devil has blinded us to in God’s Word. When faced with life’s challenges, the right response is “Father glorify Your Name in this situation” as followers of Jesus Christ that’s our only response. Especially if you’re living according to His will. He is only glorified in what pleases Him. OBEDIENCE to His will. How do you know what His will is? You’re holding it, I hope, in your hands. It’s His Word.
His Name was glorified in Jesus, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar, Naaman, Darius, Elisha, Elijah, Jeremiah, Stephen, Paul, I can keep going, but I want my name added to the list of Hebrews 11 don’t you? You may be scratching your heads about king Nebby, Naaman and Darius but go read how God’s Name was glorified through them, when they had to acknowledge there was no other but Jehovah! Hallelujah! Daniel and his friends glorified God’s Name so much so these kings worshipped and demanded that all the people worship no other God except the God of the Hebrews. When we live authentic Christian lives, the ungodly will glorify our God’s Name. God will be pleased to say “I Have and I will!” God is waiting for a reason to glorify His Name. Won’t we give Him one? Jesus did, the hall of faithers did-why? Because His Name is to be glorified above every name! If it mattered to Jesus then it should matter to us. Let us endeavor to live so He can glorify His Name through us.
Father, Jesus prayed that we would be one with you through Him. I/we desire that Your Name will be glorified through our obedience to Your Word. Help us set aside our agendas and embrace Yours as Jesus willingly did, submitting to death on a cruel cross. He laid His life down, teaching us true submission and humility. Help us to be mindful of our actions and decisions. May you be pleased to shout your pleasure over us in Jesus Name. Amen
“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.”
John 17:1-5 NIV
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
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