“Glory Comes in Humility"
John 12:27-50
“’And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’ This
He said, signifying by what death He would die.” [John 12:32-33]
In these red-lettered words of Scripture we see that the Cross is at the heart of our mission and message that draws all people to Jesus. To get to heaven one must go through the Cross because it is the work of Jesus on the Cross that redeems sinners from their sin.
Surely our Lord will come again in all His glory to rule and reign, but in His first coming He was glorified through the Cross.
“Jesus redefined His impending death. The sufferings of Jesus, and particularly His death, were the Father’s profoundest occasion to glorify Him. From the perspective of John, Jesus was not glorified in His resurrection and ascension as much as already in His sacrificial death on the cross.” [Hayford]
The glory of the Cross encompassed drawing all peoples to Myself. Without the Cross there is no draw, only perpetual separation. But that is what they missed.
They hailed Him as king just hours prior as He rode into Jerusalem “sitting on a donkey’s colt.” [v.15] But they rejected Him as the Suffering Servant. The two, however, are One. The order is key. You must receive the Suffering Servant for the forgiveness of sin before you can rule and reign with Him when He returns. The glory of the Cross precedes the glory of His Return, an important progression to note.
It also underscores a principle in Scripture that in God’s economy the way up is down. God’s glory comes in humility. “’And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’ This He said, signifying by what death He would die.” [vv.32-33]
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” [James 4:10]
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” [Matthew 5:5]
Indeed, the way up is down in the Kingdom, and this will be the premise for the Upper Room Discourse that is coming, our Lord’s final instruction before the Cross.
