The darkness of the hour was approaching, as Christ walked toward the Garden of Gethsemane where he would in His heart and soul confront the reality of what was about to take place. He had come to earth for this very moment; yet, the agonizing thought still lay before Him of the moment when the sin of the world would be laid upon His shoulders and He must endure the full wrath of sin’s penalty being poured out upon Him from His Father. He knew that He was about to endure the cruel mockings of all who would accuse Him. He knew that He would be beaten to nearly beyond recognition with the agonizing physical pain. He would be rejected and denied by those He had come to save with a brokenness of heart-the sorrow of that rejection mingled with the sorrowful compassion desiring to save them. Then, He must have the nails driven through His hands and feet as He was hung upon the cross. He, who was seated on His throne at His Father’s right hand, co-creator of the Universe now naked, shunned by those whom He came to save. He could have called down legions of angels and said, "I am done…Forget this plan and cast them all into eternal damnation." Yet, His love for you and me held Him to that cross. He knew that greatest agony that would come would be when He would feel His very heart ripped to shreds as the Father’s love was torn from Him. When mankind’s sin would be laid upon Christ, the Father’s perfect righteousness would force His immediate separation from Christ as He turned His back upon His son for perfect righteousness cannot look upon sin. The price that perfect Justice demanded so that God’s Holiness and Righteousness were not compromised poured forth upon His Beloved Son. Christ had never before been separated from the love of His Father; yet, even in that horrific moment–Christ cried out to the Father to forgive them. As Christ Jesus approached the Garden, He was praying and we see that prayer in John 17 (which I encourage you to read that whole chapter). Within that prayer He has demonstrated His heart as He asks the protection of all of us who are chosen to be adopted into His family. He asks that we be protected from evil, that our joy be fulfilled, that we experience the depth of the love imparted to us from the overflowing fountain of God’s love for Christ, and that we might become partakers of the Glory of God. What greater display of the Glory, the Beauty, the magnificence of Christ could be presented than this demonstrated in His sacrificial love for me and for you?
John 17: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.….13 that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves….
15 thou shouldest keep them from the evil….
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth….
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Is there any greater beauty or Glory displayed in the face of Christ than that demonstrated on the cross? Yet, the power of salvation became reality as He came forth from the grave victorious to be seated once more on His throne at the Father’s right hand to make intercession for you and me. Do you seek His face? Do you desire to have Him as your greatest treasure?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuIyrwSqHY&list=TLihc44QtgkhxuuuOZxCBOdDeLwna5OFFa