June 18, 2025

Today's Reading: John 17:1-26

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 20:5-25; Proverbs 21:1-31; John 17:1-26

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.” The hour has finally come for the Son to be glorified. Apparently, that wasn’t when 5000 folks were willing to follow Him days out into the middle of nowhere just to listen to Him talk. Or in feeding all of them with five loaves of bread and two fish. Or in the water turned into wine that made Jesus the hero of the party. Or in walking on water. Or in the calming of the storm. Or in resisting the devil in the wilderness in a 40 day trial of wills. Jesus wasn’t glorified in making everything look easy. He wasn’t glorified in power. The hour where the Son of God was glorified was about the third hour, as He hung from the cross to be mocked by His enemies. Not in strength, but weakness. Not in being admired, but humiliated. Not in the things the world respects and we sinners covet, but as He was despised and we esteemed Him not. When He was stricken, smitten, and afflicted for you. There, He won for you eternal life. There, He reveals something of God we’d never otherwise see. Because that’s what glory really means.

Glory is a loaded word in the Bible. It doesn’t just mean cool stuff. When the Bible says glory, it’s a word for God’s presence. It means God is actually there. The glory of the Lord is the presence of the Lord. So when angel choirs sang “glory to God in the highest” to shepherds, it was because God was present on earth, lying in a manger. When the glory of the Lord dwelt on Sinai, and a cloud covered it, and Moses entered the cloud, it was to talk to God who was present there. Where God locates Himself, His glory shines. God can work everywhere and anywhere, but that His glory shines in certain places means these are where He works with purpose for you.

The Son was glorified on the cross, and the word glory takes a new shape. This is where God wants to be present, not just everywhere, but for you. Not just in power, but in mercy. This is where the fullness of His will is revealed. Look at the Son of God suffer for you. He bears your sins. He bears your weakness today. And He wins for you a victory that none of these things can rob from you.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Go to dark Gethsemane, All who feel the tempter's pow'r; Your Redeemer's conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away; Learn from Jesus Christ to pray. (LSB 436:1)

- Rev. Harrison Goodman, Higher Things Executive Director of Mission and Theology.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

In Clarifying the Great Commission, Rev. Daniel Christian Voth identifies common omissions from our collective understanding of Jesus’ farewell discourse—omissions that turn Christ’s promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation into a legalistic command. Come and discover a richer understanding of The Great Commission.