The Joy of Glory

John 2:1-12 (click here)
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)

Reflection
Glory.

John’s chief concern in his Gospel is that we see the glory of Jesus! This is why he writes. He has beheld the glory of Jesus (John 1:14) and he wants us to do the same… to behold and believe (John 20:30-31)!

Why? What’s so great about glory?

This doesn’t seem very practical. I mean, honestly, isn’t Christianity just about how I should live? Where are the practical tips for how to be a moral person, have a good marriage, live as a faithful single, raise kids correctly, etc?

It’s true, the Bible does contain a lot of ethical instruction, but the question is what empowers us to fulfill those instructions? I believe it is seeing glory.

Think of it like this… when I was younger, I had various phases of life in which I used a lot of language my parents did not approve of. Yet, anytime I was around my parents, I somehow managed to clean all that up! Their presence had a sanctifying effect on my life! In reality, I just was afraid of punishment and didn’t want to disappoint them.

However…as I grew older something changed. I began to respect my parents (I am blessed with great parents). I began to see them role-models… people I wanted to imitate! You could say that I began to see the “glory” of the kind of people they were and it empowered me to pursue being the person they had taught me to be.

While this is not a perfect illustration, I think it somewhat helps us see why it is so important to John (and all the Biblical authors) that we see the glory of Jesus! We are not meant to follow ethical instruction just for the sake of being moral people… no! We behold the glory of Jesus…his beauty, his greatness, his goodness, and as we behold this glory changes us!

We are being transformed to look like that which we are beholding!

2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

This is how the Lord changes us and empowers us to be the people he created us to be! We behold his glory and are transformed!

Perhaps the reason I don’t experience much transformation is not because I don’t “try” hard enough, but because I don’t fix my eyes upon his glory.

Are you beholding the glory of Jesus?

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

2 Peter 1:16
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Reflection
Jesus lived, died, and rose again.

Why do you believe that? It sounds like a myth…like a clever story…doesn’t it? How do you know it wasn’t simply made up?

Sure, there is the fact that our faith was first proclaimed by eyewitnesses. People who were there, who saw Jesus, who knew him…they are the ones who gave their lives to testify to the truth of his death and resurrection. Surely that gives some credibility to the Gospel! Surely it at least makes people pause to consider its validity!

But what moves us from seeing something as plausible or credible to actually embracing it as the very foundation of reality? Why do we believe the Gospel?

Power and majesty!

What was made known to us through the eyewitnesses was not just a story, but the very power and majesty of Jesus Christ! We didn’t just hear facts…no…we saw something! We beheld glory!

When we hear the Gospel, the Holy Spirit of God works through that proclaimed Word to open eyes of faith so that we can know the very power and majesty of Jesus! The Gospel isn’t just a story to consider its credibility…no…we experience the Gospel as the very power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16)!

Jesus isn’t just a historical figure to consider…no…we see his majesty and glory and we want nothing else in life more than him!

Have you felt the power and seen the glory of Jesus when you hear the simple Gospel…

Jesus lived, died, and rose again.

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

James 5:7-8 (click here)
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Reflection
Patience.

Let’s be honest… not many of us have a lot of patience (if any). And, it’s not like our culture of immediate gratification helps us to develop such a virtue…not at all. Scripture tells us that patience is fruit from the Holy Spirit’s work in us (Galatians 5:22-23). Patience is supernatural!

But, how does the Holy Spirit bear the fruit of patience in our life? That’s the question… how does this work?

The Spirit works in us by wielding his sword of truth…the Word of God. He uses it to cut apart the lies of this world and reveal to us truth upon which we can stand. The lie of immediate gratification is that we deserve the best and we deserve it now! Life is incomplete without the things we think we need, and we will never have joy without ___!

In James 5, our author has just finished giving warnings about seeking satisfaction in all that worldly riches can bring because none of that lasts! These are the lies the Holy Spirit kills with his sword of truth.

James then tells us, therefore, to be patient for the coming of the Lord. This is the truth that the Holy Spirit holds up for us to believe in place of the world’s lies. It is the very truth the Holy Spirit uses to kill the lies of immediate gratification. What is that truth?

It is the reality of the coming kingdom! It is the reality that Christ will come again and then will our joy be made full forever! We are like farmers who are in the long season of planting and cultivating… we are not in harvest time yet. Knowing that the harvest is coming empowers us to have patience with the rains in this season.

Knowing that Christ is coming, and he will make all things right forever…this truth empowers us to live in the present with patience. It empowers us to endure this long season of waiting and yearning.

Patience… none of us actually have it… it is supernatural… it is fruit the Holy Spirit bears in our life! Is he bearing it in yours?

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