8.
The pre-existence of the Lord Jesus is revealed in the Word of the Lord. In His prayer, He looked forward to the time when He would once again be clothed, covered, enveloped with the glory of the Father. The majestic personality of His Father had been His for the eternity past. His anticipation is high as He looked beyond the cross and the grave into that moment of time when that glorious union would once again be complete. John 17:5 When He came into this world to become the savior of the world it was necessary that He assume an exceedingly inferior role. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the process of the life of mankind, born to die. Immortality was laid aside and He took upon Himself the nature of the mortal. He stepped out of life eternal into certain death. Phil. 2:8.
An act of betrayal brought an introduction to the glory of the crucified Lamb of God. Our emphasis should always be on the one who was crucified and not on the instrument of His crucifixion. The cross was but a tree and had no more value than its price as a source of wood for what ever purpose. The value of the One crucified cannot be evaluated, so tremendous is the price of His work of redemption. Judas stepped out into the night, into gross darkness, because of the plot he had made with the authorities of that day to deliver the Lord Jesus to them. John 13:30 But to Jesus, it was the beginning of the end of the plan of the Lord to redeem mankind. Jesus was about to be glorified by means of death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the throne of the Lord, where He would become the everlasting Mercy seat. In just a few days He would be exalted and glorified with the glory of His Father once again. John 13:31-32.
The hour had come where the Lord Jesus was to complete His mission on earth. He is earnestly seeking to be glorified of the Father. In so doing, He reminded the Father that in the glorification of Christ, the Father would also be glorified. John 17:1 In His ministry Jesus revealed the Father to those who would hear. In this manner He had glorified the Father by proclamation. Also, He had demonstrated the good works of the Father by healing the sick and even raising from the dead. He had likewise exalted the Father through His obedience and complete submission to the will of the Father. John 17:4 He was the perfect Son, faultless in His life. Living in absolute victory over every act of disobedience and sin. He established a prime example for all who would serve the Lord and walk according to His will. It can be done and it will be accomplished by a perfect church. Eph. 5:27.