On Sunday 11/20/2022 I shared a message about the Irresistible Glory of Jesus Christ.
This message is foundational to the gospel of the kingdom. Getting a sight of the glory of God transforms regular lost humans into children of God, followers of Jesus Christ hopelessly in love with and obsessed with Jesus Christ. I was able to share about 3/4 of my notes before my time ran out.
Watch the message here, my sharing begins 52 minutes in.
Look around in the world today and there are many reasons to despair. On many different levels in many different countries.
Minor despair of financial difficulties.
To the major despair of war coming to steal from and to murder entire towns of people.
When Jesus was betrayed, arrested, set up, tortured and killed slowly in public. What despair his followers and family must have felt. All seemed lost, all his teachings must have seemed in question. The entire religion of Judaism and belief he was the messiah dashed to pieces in their minds.
Life can very often tempt one to ask in despair:
“Who can live in such a world?”
“Why does everything have to be so hard?”
“Why are those people so cruel and selfish?”
“What are we going to do?”
“Are we even safe? Will we be able to buy food and stay in our homes?”
The resurrection of Jesus Christ turned this despair of humanity into joy unspeakable.
Unspeakable because it is inexplicable. For those in Christ it bubbles up from within, in the midst of terrible life situations.
Joy because our days of death and suffering are numbered. Precisely numbered and meticulously planned out. Not indefinite, not forever, not alone.
Our suffering and deaths are for a particular purpose and appointed at a particular time. (See Hebrew 9:27).
Furthermore Jesus himself promises to strengthen and be with us as we suffer. Even further we are actually partaking in the sufferings of Christ. They actually are his sufferings if we can understand spiritual reality. All our suffering in this world is a result of Satan’s lashing out against Jesus Christ. As Jesus expands and takes back his humanity and his earth it terrifies and likely infuriates Satan and his principalities and powers.
But their end is coming. New bodies, new hope, new future, new heavens, new earth, eternal growth, eternal expansion, eternal glorification, and more are all in store for Jesus Christ. And for us also, if we are in Him.
Therefore the Joy that is unspeakably wonderful cones bubbling up from within even at the prospect of suffering and death.
The glory of man is the greatness and the majesty of mans presence, his accomplishments and his power.
The glory of man in history was most evident and best on display in the glory of warfare. The glory of the warrior was and is still spoken by the masses. Accolades about the warrior in life and in death.
Striving to get into the history books is another example of man striving for glory, especially in war and in conquering of other nations. Alexander the Great was given glory for conquering many nations. Genghis Khan was and is given glory because of the extreme toughness of his conquering, and even for the spreading of his genetics all over Asia through the women he had gained by conquest.
Rome used to have as one of its major motivations “the glory of Rome.”
The Olympics gave glory to the greatest athletes with a wreath, today we do it with valuable medals around the neck.
The gods that were worshiped around the world had varying degrees of glory ascribed to them.
Today people strive for glory and greatness through many things, a summary of the concept of the glory of man, can be found in my April 2018 blog post.
Striving for glory creates turf wars among people. It causes us to compete with others. It causes us to abandon one another in competitive battling.
Roman emperors, warriors and even citizenry were greatly motivated by the glory of man. The glory of man is synonymous with the pride of life. Read the history books and it is on display.
“The glory of man is to rule over others, it is to have an empire of other men to obey. It is also to make our ways known and dominant (as in military conquest, or as in leadership vision for a nation or organization). And often it is to have others enrich us financially.“
Http:://AdamCollier.com/newtypeglory/
Words and phrases used today (in 2021) to describe the glory of man include, “living your best life now.” “Living a fulfilled life.” People “crushing it” in reference to their success in life. “Making the world a better place”, when we often are out to impose our will on others.
Watch the popular play called Hamilton about the American founding father, Alexander Hamilton.
“History has its eye on us”, is one motivation for the pursuit of the glory.
Pursuing the glory of man is a major factor in human government and in what I am calling the Gospel of the State. Which I am attempting to write about.
The glory of man can be seen in churches. By some leaders who use their skills at speaking and leading to accumulate glory to themselves. It causes competition with other leaders. It causes turf wars. Evidenced by gossiping from the pulpit about other leaders or even anyone who would dare oppose their leadership. Or even dare not follow it. And by the desire to feel dominant over others who would dare give them credit or the respect they feel they deserve. I’ve seen this personally on several occasions.
It also can be seen in church building projects, despite huge and glorious church buildings up the street which is empty of Christians.
Some of the most respected and gifted ministers from the past and present clearly struggle with this need for glory. And with the tendency to get caught up in turf wars with other Christian leaders.
Sometimes I wonder if it not better to not be gifted and talented for those that set out to serve the Lord Jesus. As it so often gives the servant of God a spiritual handicap. And speaking or leadership gifts can form a strong foundation for the pride of life. And an addiction to seeking and demanding glory from raving fans as they fulfill their “ministry vision”.
The glory of man will be destroyed one day by Jesus Christ. In places we call church, even among and within people we call Christian. It will be replaced with him and with his kingdom. And I look forward to that day.
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