You Have a Place at Grace - 9/12/2025

“The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” John 12:23

The crucifixion is coming, as Jesus is like a grain of wheat falling into the ground to bear much grain. His death produces fruits. His blood will obtain a Church. That’s the glory of it all—His sacrificial death foretold by the prophets means life for many.

The “glory” of the crucifixion is easily missed. To the senses it’s the opposite of glory, but blood, gore, defeat and embarrassment. So much for a Kingdom, so much for victory. So much for conquering enemies when your Teacher hangs on the Roman cross before mockery and scorn. But such are the ways of God to make foolish the ways of men. Such is the work of God to humble the proud and shame the strong, working through that which is weak and despised to topple towers of pride and arrogance. What looks like abject defeat and despair is the glory of God to save in His only begotten Son.  

Luther writes “a theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it actually is.” The good crucifixion looks evil to the eye. The glory of works, fame, and prestige outweigh suffering, as Luther says regarding man “he prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, wisdom to folly, and, in general, good to evil…they hate the cross and suffering and love works and the glory of works.”

Baptized believers are summoned to the Word. Faith founded on this Word sees things through the lens of God. In other words, God calls the shots, defines what’s good, and points us to that goodness in Jesus. The glory of the crucifixion faith understands as God’s work to save. The Church praises and exalts the mercy of God in Christ crucified and risen from the dead. God’s glory shines at Calvary, whereby death salvation is secured in the One Who says from the cross “it is finished.”

We want and need to be theologians of the cross. Paul writes “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor.2:2). This saving knowledge is the nexus of our theology, the core of faith, the center of Christian doctrine, Who is always the Jesus of Scripture. When we call something “what it actually is” we’re living by the Word and interpreting things by the Word. We then see the crucifixion and in repentance and faith echo the good confession, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). It’s on the cross we see death, but also life and redemption in the Word made flesh dying to redeem for Himself a Church the devil can’t destroy. This is real glory the world can neither give nor take away.

-By Rev. Ryan J. Ogrodowicz, “You Have a Place at Grace,” September 12^th, 2025

Grace Lutheran Church - Brenham, Texas

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod