May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ …
Summary: As Paul gives us an important pointer about boasting, he also points us to the deeper meanings of the words he used.
Continue reading “Galatians 6:14a – Did Paul Pun?”Galatians 6:4b – Glamor Job
Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else …
Summary: Taking pride in yourself can take many forms. One of them is good, the others, not so much.
Continue reading “Galatians 6:4b – Glamor Job”Ephesians 3:21 – Glory Church
… to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Summary: Understanding the word “glory” is important if we are to understand the Scriptures. Paul gives us a clue to what the Lord’s church looks like in this passage about glory.
Continue reading “Ephesians 3:21 – Glory Church”Ephesians 3:13 – The Glory of Suffering
I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Summary: There is a relationship between our suffering and our faith. As we look at Paul’s suffering and his attitude towards it, we can learn a lot about what it means to walk in faith.
Continue reading “Ephesians 3:13 – The Glory of Suffering”1 Peter 1:11 (c) — Glory
…and the glories that would follow.
Today’s passage rounds out the thought that Peter is sharing with us in this passage. The prophets of old were hungry to know about God’s plan of salvation. They understood that the Messiah would come. The question was, “When?” They understood he would suffer for our sins. The question was, “How?” They also understood something else: Glory would follow suffering.
When Jesus finally came, the whole world turned against him and cried, “Crucify him!” When the whole world seems to turn against one person, how is there any glory in that for that person? The answer depends on your point of view.
If you are standing with the devil the sight of God’s Son dying on the cross seems like a victory. The glory goes to the victor and Satan appears to have won. But Satan doesn’t win. The victory is fleeting. Like everything else about Satan, this victory is false.
The Author of Life has endured death on the cross for a very specific purpose. He is, as Isaiah prophesied, our redeemer. (Isaiah 47:4) From the perspective of God, the death of Jesus was not a loss, but a gain. Having endured the shame, accusations, torture, abuse, and crucifixion, Jesus rises above it all and draws us to him. Jesus has accomplished the will of his Father. (John 19:30) That is glory. Everyone redeemed by Jesus knows what he has done. That is glory. When Satan himself is thrown into the lake of fire, he, too, will know that Jesus is King. That is glory.
Each victory over Satan, no matter how small, brings glory to our King. The “glories that would follow” include your victory over sin and mine. Praise God!
Application: Think about how far you have come and where you would be if it were not for Jesus. Then give glory to our God.
Food for Thought: What other thoughts do you have about glory?
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Continue reading “1 Peter 1:11 (c) — Glory”Humble Glory – John 17: 10
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.
As Jesus began his prayer, he looked to heaven and prayed to the Father, “Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”
This idea of being glorified might seem simple to some, but to me, it seems like a very deep well. How does glory coexist with humility? The glory Jesus speaks of is not the glory of a star athlete or that of a rock star or a military hero. The glory Jesus speaks of is no more than the honor due to the one who is the source of all life, the Creator of everything. In a sense, it is simply recognizing God for who he is.
Jesus has just affirmed that the disciples know “with certainty” that he has come from the Father. (Verse 8b) They believe this absolutely. All doubt is gone. Because of this, they obey the Father’s word. (Verse 6b) This belief honors God. Obedience honors God. Honor is the kind of glory that God is looking for. This honor is not the flattery that comes from man’s lips. Rather, it is the respect that is made visible through man’s actions.
I have a very simple and somewhat embarrassing example of this principle.
Continue reading “Humble Glory – John 17: 10”Rock Star – John 13: 31
When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.
I have always thought that God’s idea of “glory” is different than mine. My idea of glory is more like being a rock star. You remember that time that I played in front of 80,000 people and they all loved me and were going nuts and screaming and yelling how cool I was? You don’t? Oh… well. That’s because it never happened. Very few people ever win that kind of human glory. If they do it never lasts long.
God’s kind of glory is more involved than my kind. It is also more long-lasting. The Greek word for “glorified” is doxazō. Strong’s Concordance defines it as “to render glorious” and to be full of glory and honor. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon ascribes the word with meanings like “praise, extol, magnify, celebrate.” These are more sober accolades than those typically given to a rock star.
So how does Jesus arrive at the conclusion that now the Son of Man is glorified? Sitting in an upper room with eleven of his disciples and the twelfth one on the way to betray him doesn’t sound very glorious. I think the answer, once again, is that Jesus doesn’t see things as men do.
Continue reading “Rock Star – John 13: 31”Obedience – John 12: 27-28a
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
How many people would willingly go to their death in order that others might live? There are a few brave and selfless souls in the world who have given their lives to save others.
More often than not, people who give their lives were hoping it wouldn’t be necessary. The fireman or policeman who loses their life in the line of duty was doing something incredibly brave. In most cases, they were not planning on dying. The person who jumps in to try and save a drowning person and dies in the process didn’t mean to die, they just wanted to help someone else.
Jesus knew he would have to die. He also knew why, and he knew who would get the glory.
Continue reading “Obedience – John 12: 27-28a”A Liar Like You
Not so long ago, when someone made a statement of questionable veracity, those listening might let it slide as a possible misstatement or simply a difference of opinion. Today, whenever someone disagrees with someone else it is common to hear (or read) the cry, “Liar!”
Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.’
John 8: 54-55
So who gets to decide who is a liar and who isn’t? To accurately tell if a person is lying one has to know two things. First, was the statement made actually false, and second, did the person making a false statement make it knowingly? To my knowledge, only two people can ever know with certitude if a person was making a false statement intentionally. That would be the person who made the statement themselves, and someone who knows their innermost thoughts. This second party to knowing the truth is God. No one else on the planet can truly know what was intended when the statement was made.
Continue reading “A Liar Like You”Seeking Glory
It is truly interesting how we as people can seek glory for ourselves in the name of serving our God. The allure of being the center of attention can be addictive. The Pharisees that argued with Jesus had fallen into that kind of trap. Being seen as important was more important to them than being seen serving God.
I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.
John 8: 50-51
Even Jesus, the one who deserves glory more than any other human being, does not seek it. There is no room in his heart for the desire of glory because He exists solely to serve his Father in heaven.
Continue reading “Seeking Glory”