You can listen to the unabridged post here: Glory Upside Down
Today is Palm Sunday—our annual reminder that the Kingdom of God doesn’t break into the world through tanks, armies, or military might. It doesn’t arrive with a show of force. Instead, it shows up on the back of a donkey, carried by a King who knows He is going to die.
Palm Sunday is a day of deep irony. We call it “Palm Sunday” because the crowds waved branches and shouted “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered Jerusalem. They treated Him like a conquering hero, but He wasn’t the kind of hero they wanted. In just a few days, those same crowds would turn on Him because He didn’t overthrow Rome. He didn’t play their game.
Because that’s not how the Kingdom comes. The Kingdom of God comes through a crucified Savior who reconciles all things by giving Himself away.
When the “Hour” Finally Arrives
In John 12:20-36, we see a pivotal shift in Jesus’ ministry. Up until this point, Jesus has spent most of His time telling people, “My hour has not yet come.” But then, something specific happens: Some Greeks show up.
These were likely Gentiles—seekers who had traveled to worship at the festival. They approach Philip with a simple request: “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” When Philip and Andrew bring this request to Jesus, His response is startling. He doesn’t say, “Sure, send them in,” or “I’m too busy.” He says:
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
Why did these Greek travelers trigger that response? Because their arrival signaled that the Gospel was now moving beyond Israel to the whole world. This was the moment of redemption Jesus had been waiting for.
Redefining Glory
When we think of “glory,” we think of trophies, applause, and positions of power. We think of being on top. But for Jesus, glory looked like a Roman cross.
Jesus knew exactly what was coming. He wasn’t living in a “Pollyanna” fantasy; He explicitly says, “My soul is troubled.” He knew the arrest, the abuse, and the suffocation of the cross were imminent. Yet, He calls this His glory.
This flips everything we know upside down:
- The world’s glory is about self-promotion and influence.
- Christ’s glory is about self-sacrificial love.
If we claim to follow the Christ of the cross while chasing the glory of the world—bigger houses, more power, or political dominance—we have to ask ourselves: Which King are we actually following?
The Secret of the Seed
Jesus offers a paradox in verse 24: “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.”
Eugene Peterson’s The Message puts it beautifully:
“If you hold on to life just as it is, you destroy that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.”
We often try to “white-knuckle” our lives. We try to control every outcome, fix every problem, and protect ourselves at all costs. But like a cycle of addiction, the harder we grip, the more things fall apart. The “better way” is the way of reckless love. It’s the willingness to let go of self-protection and show up for others.
A Challenge for Holy Week
As we enter Holy Week and prepare our hearts for Easter, I want to challenge us to look for places where we can practice this reckless, self-sacrificial love.
- Look to the fringes: Who is being ignored or marginalized?
- Let go of “deserving”: We don’t deserve Christ’s love, yet He gave it freely. Who can you love this week who “doesn’t deserve it”?
- Follow Him where He is: Jesus isn’t found in the halls of power; He is found at the cross, on the edges, and with the broken.
We don’t have to be nailed to a cross—Jesus already did that. But we are called to take up our cross daily. This week, may we die to our self-centeredness so that our lives might produce fruit that points the world back to the Savior.
A Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that our lives this week would reflect the kernel of wheat that falls to the ground. May we die to ourselves so that we might produce life in others. Help us to love recklessly, just as our Savior loved us, so that the world might see Your glory. Amen.