“I do always those things that please Him (the Father)” John 8:29 KJV
“I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” John 8:29 NASB
We are indebted to Sir Winston Churchill for the expression, “their finest Hour.” On June 18th, 1940, two weeks after the near-miraculous escape of the allies from Dunkirk, facing the expected onslaught and invasion across the channel from the German army, he rose to give his famous speech in the House of Commons. Rousing the spirits of the British nation living under the cloud of the impending invasion, he detailed the fighting which would occur when the invasion came. “Let us brace ourselves … that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth should last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour’.”
As a result, this expression has come down to us, used many times to describe a heroic act or remarkable achievement in the sport’s world, political arena, war, or the events in everyday life.
As your mind ranges through Scripture, you can think of David‘s finest hour. Perhaps it was when he showed such magnanimous grace over the death of Saul and Jonathan. His lamentation over them was devoid of any bitterness or vengeful spite. For Joseph was it the refusal of the seductress or the forgiving of his brothers? Both place him high in our esteem. For Moses, it would likely be the occasion on the mount when he offered to die for the nation (Ex 32). On that mount, we are given a preview of Calvary. For Abraham, it was the hour on the mountain in Moriah when he gave back to God what God had given him. In the life of virtually every significant Bible character, there are moments that we can deservedly label as “a finest hour.”
But what about the Lord Jesus Christ. Did He have “a finest hour?” Some may immediately think of Calvary. And there is a sense in which, it displays to us as no other day in His life did so eloquently, all He is in Himself. But was there any measure of devotion displayed there that was not displayed from the moment of His incarnation?
Was anything displayed at Calvary that the discerning piercing eye of the Father had not been enjoying already day by day? Was there greater love for His Father when upon the tree than when working at the Carpenter’s bench in Nazareth? Was there more grace and truth on display when hanging, thorn-crowned on the cross than when he sat among the doctors of the law at the age of 12?
The only thing which was different at Calvary was the cost for His obedience. The only change from all the other days was the darkness of the background. We, fallen humanity, were the same. He was the same. God in heaven was the same.
There is a sense in which He knew no “special” days. Every day was marked by the same measure of obedience, devotion, consecration, love, along with every other virtue and quality which thrilled the heart of God. He did “always” what brought infinite pleasure to the Father. Contained in each moment of His life was an infinite source of joy and pleasure to His Father’s heart.
Consider:
Think of reasons why you might argue that the cross was His finest hour and then reasons why it was not.