THE GLORY OF CHRIST
THE GLORY OF CHRIST
Sunday, March 15, 2015, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
To those to whom Christ in us is our “hope of glory” by His resurrection from the dead, he is also our life of present grace. This is that glory which the angels long to behold, the mystery they “desire to look into” (1 Pet. 1:12).
1 Peter 1: 3-4; 10-12: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled; and does not fade away; and is reserved in heaven for us…Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to us: searching what, or what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did reveal and testify beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow…which things the angels desire to look into.”
The angels beholding the glory of Christ are no small part of their eternal blessedness.
This past week, I was challenged again on Face Book that there is no God. There are still multitudes who are lost, and worse defiant of the knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is a mystery which can only be received by faith, the Holy Spirit, meditation on the Word and meditation on Christ Himself. This is a glory whose beams are so wonderful that the blind world cannot see their light and beauty and so deny the incarnation of God. Nevertheless, this is the glory of our faith, the glory of the church, the only rock on which it was built, the only source of present grace and future glory.
Jesus Christ is God and man in one person. In him are two distinct natures, the one, eternal, infinite, immense, almighty, the form and essence of God; the other having a beginning in time, finite, limited, confined to a certain place, which is our nature. This nature he took to himself when he was “made flesh, and dwelt among us”.
This glory is the ruin of Satan and his kingdom. Satan’s sin primarily consisted of two evils:
- His pride against the person of the Son of God by whom he was created.
Col. 1:16: “By Him (Christ) were all things created, that are in heaven, and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities or powers. All Things were created by Him and for Him.”
- Satan envied mankind made in the image of God, the Son of God, the first-
born. Nothing was now left for him to lift himself proudly up against, nor vent his malice on.
To Satan’s eternal confusion and ruin, God in his infinite wisdom united both the natures he had sinned against in the one person of the Son. By this his destruction is accompanied with everlasting shame. He was overthrown by the power of the two natures united in one person. Now the power of these two natures reside in all who have received the glory of the salvation of Christ by the preaching of the gospel through the Holy Ghost sent down for heaven. (1 Pet. 1:12)
This is the glory on which lies the foundation of the church. The foundation of the whole creation was laid in an act of absolute sovereign power, when God hung the earth on nothing. The foundation of the church is on this mysterious, immovable rock of the union of the divine and human natures in one person, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
In Exodus 3:2-6, we read how the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. This fire was a living representation of the presence (Parousia) of God in the person of the Son. Christ is called the Angel of the Lord, the Angel of the covenant. He is the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The fire represents his divine nature which is a “consuming fire”. The fire also picture his present work which is to deliver his church out of a fiery trial---“That the trial of your faith, being more precious than of gold that perishes though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise, honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
The eternal fire of the divine nature dwells in the bush of our frail nature, yet our frail nature is not destroyed. The fire was in a bush, where it burned, but the bush was not destroyed. In Deut. 33:16 ---Moses blessing to Joseph, he identified God as the one who dwells in the bush. “…for the precious things of the earth and fullness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph.”
Moses was amazed at the glory of this marvelous and wonderful visitation. If the sight of the burning bush was so wonderful, how much more wonderful is the reality in Christ Jesus. Moses was told to “take off his shoes”. By this we are taught to cast away all fleshly ideas and desires, so that we may behold this glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father.
This glory of Christ in his divine-human person, raised from the dead, seated at the right hand of God the Father with all power over heaven and earth is the best, the most noble and beneficial truth that we can think about or set our hearts on.
What are all other things in comparison to the “knowledge of Christ”? Phil 3: 8-10: “…I count all things but loss of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…”
What does the world think about and desire most? The psalmist tells us: “There are many who say, “You sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and seek falsehood?” (Ps. 4:2) “who will show us any good? Lord lift up the light of your countenance upon us.” (Ps. 4:6) the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is the only good which will satisfy me and which I desire.
Scripture takes to task the foolishness of men who labor for that which does profit. I have this past week been unpacking box after box of china, crystal, silver, and collectables. I repented all the time I was unpacking. However, I must admit that most of my things have been given to me by family or friends. I did aggressively purge some things. In truth through the 53 years I have had a home, if I am not using something, I will give it away.
The point is not our collection of perishable things, but setting our heart, time and money chasing perishing things and not beholding the glory of Christ. Some continually worry about the things of this world, seeking promotion and rewards for all they do. So they are transformed into the image of the world, becoming earthly, unspiritual and compromising.
The blindness, darkness and foolishness of those who love vanity and seek falsehood is they do not know they are rejecting the Lord of Glory.
Others of a nobler mind may spend their time meditating on the works of creation and providence. This is a work worthy of our nature. But in all this, there is no glory to be compared with the glory of Christ’s person, “You have set Your glory above the heavens…When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained;…O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (Ps. 8)
The Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation is a revelation of the person of Christ.
Luke 24: 27: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he (Jesus) expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
There were many visitations in the Old Testament which show forth his glory. Such was the vision which Isaiah had, “when he saw his glory, and spoke of him”. (Jn. 12:41) Isaiah saw a representation of the glory of the divine presence of Christ filling his human nature, the temple of his body, with a train of all glorious graces. What Isaiah saw was so glorious that even the seraphim could not bear to look at the sight. How much more glorious is Christ himself openly revealed in the gospel!
What about the glory which his three disciples saw on the Mount of Transfiguration of which Peters speaks: 2 Peter 1: 17-18: “He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory. “this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Let us make every effort to search for the revelations of the glory of Christ as did the prophets of old. I was in a Bible Study with a great teacher, June Ferrell. She preached on the glory. Through the fire she set in me, I began a quest to discover the glory of Christ. The glory of Christ is the ‘pearl of great price’ which we should make every effort to find. The Scripture is the ocean into which we dive to discover this pearl, or the mine in which we dig for its precious treasures (Prov. 2: 1-5).
Every sacred truth that reveals something of the glory of Christ to us is a pearl or precious stone which enriches us. When we discover this pearl of great price, our soul is catapulted with joy into the realm of the Spirit.
Let our thoughts of Christ be many, increasing more and more each day. He is never far from us. Ro. 10:8: “The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart; that is the word of faith, which we preach.”
By the light of the knowledge of Christ which we have by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, we can expect to have fellowship with him in beholding his glory.
Christ is always accompanied with the glorious train of his graces. Not only is His grace toward us and for us; but it is for others. I may boast of knowing Christ, but if there is no evidence of his grace in my heart and life, then my boasting is foolish.
To those to whom Christ in us is the hope of glory, he is also our life of present grace.
We must diligently seek him in prayer, meditation, worship, reading and hearing his Word in all ordinances of divine worship both in private and public. Let our conversation be in heaven. For then surely we are seated with Christ in heavenly places.
As Christians and through the Holy Spirit, we experience the power of Christ’s life in us as we continually delight in him. When he comes again, it will be to be admired in all who believe. As we behold the glory of Christ through His Parousia, His Word, and the Holy Spirit, we will continually go from faith to faith and from glory to glory.
Let Christ’s glory fill our hearts with love, admiration, adoration and praise to him. In so doing, our souls will be transformed into His Image.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of John Owen – The Glory of Christ. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Rev. Owen. (1616-`683)