The Joy of Glory

*This is the final Lent devotional for 2016. Thank you so much for journeying through the season with me and all of us at SVCC! You’re invited to our Easter celebration this morning at 10:30am… Christ is RISEN!!!

John 2:13-22 (click here)
In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.

And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

But he was speaking about the temple of his body. (John 2:14, 16, 19, and 21)

Reflection
The purpose of the temple was being destroyed.

It was a place for worship… for people to find joy in God. Jesus cleared it so that it might be used for that purpose again… but something deeper was happening.

This was a sign… a picture of things to come.

You see… the temple itself was simply a pointer to all that would actually be fulfilled in Jesus. Like the temple was the place of God’s presence on earth… Jesus was literally God on earth. Like the temple was the place of worship, Jesus was the one to be worshipped. He was and is the true temple!

And just like the temple… they would try to destroy Jesus.

THEY would tear down the temple of his body… but in three days… HE would rise up as our eternal temple… where we find joy in God forever!

His purpose could not be destroyed! He lives, he lives! Now and forevermore he lives!

Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

*SVCC Easter Service tomorrow at 10:30am.  You are invited to bring bread (no nuts) for our communion tables to overflow in celebration. You are also invited to bring flowers that we will use during the latter portion of our service to adorn the cross. Hope to see you on Easter!

Revelation 21:22-27 (click here)
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it… (Revelation 21:22-24)

Reflection
The temple was the place where heaven and earth met…where God and mankind met.

In the end…there will be no need for a temple…why? Because heaven and earth will literally meet…and so will God and mankind.

We will be present with the Lord! He will be the temple! He will be the meeting of heaven and earth! He will be the one to whom we go! And he will be the source of all we need in the new heavens and the new earth! Even as the sun currently makes life possible on this planet… he will sustain all life by the light of his glory!

All nations will come to this “temple” to worship! We will “walk” by its light… in other words we will live in the light of God’s glory.

Can you even imagine it? Think of the moments in life when it has felt most like heaven and earth were meeting. Think of the moments when you have felt closest to the Lord. Now amplify all of that to the extreme and make it permanent!

Christ is our temple! He is the meeting point of heaven and earth, and one day, through him, heaven and earth WILL MEET! PERMANENTLY!

We will meet God through Christ!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

*Good Friday service tonight at SVCC, 6:30-7:30pm

Revelation 21:1-8 (click here)
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:4-5)

Reflection
On Good Friday… death died in the death of Christ.

That’s not just a fun sentence to write…nor is it just a fun thought to think about…it’s rock solid reality!

So why do we still experience tears, pain, and death?

We live in the midst of what can be called the “already, not-yet.” There are ways in which we experience the kingdom of God already…but there are also many ways it is not yet here in full.

Already Christ has defeated our sin, but we have not yet been completely glorified.
Already Christ has defeated the devil, but he has not yet been banished to hell.
Already Christ has defeated death, but death has not yet been completely removed.

We live in the “already, not yet.”

But the good news of the Gospel is that the “not yet” will not always be the “not yet.” The day is coming when it will be transformed into the “right now.” Jesus’ death and resurrection are the beginning of God’s work of making all things new and they stand as the testimony that he will complete this work!

He will wipe away our tears, end our pain, and banish death itself!

He is making all things new…including me…and including you! He will bring this great work to completion and this is our great hope! It is a rock solid hope! A guaranteed hope! You know why? Because…

On Good Friday death died in the death of Christ!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.
*On Easter at SVCC everyone is invited to bring bread (no nuts) for our communion tables to overflow in celebration. You are also invited to bring flowers that we will use during the latter portion of our service to adorn the cross. Hope to see you on Easter!