The Joy of Glory

James 1:9-10
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

Reflection
Are you poor? Are you wealthy? Perhaps you’re in the middle?

What are advantages and disadvantages of your financial situation? They might actually be different than you’d think at first.

No matter our economic situation, finances always tempt us to focus on the things of this world…whether in want or in excess. Temporary riches (or the lack thereof) weigh upon our thoughts as if they are all that matters.

James wants us to lift our gaze from temporary to eternal treasures and judge our current situation in light of our kingdom situation. The poor can boast in their exaltation in Christ! No matter there lack of wealth in this life, they have wealth that will never fade for all eternity. They are rich in the only way that matters and can boast in eternal security!

The rich can boast in their humiliation…anything that shows the folly of trusting in riches. The wealthy believer knows that all earthly wealth is temporary and will eventually all pass away. Their true hope is in Christ. Thus, whenever they encounter a situation of financial loss…they can still boast/glory in Christ for they have not lost any of their true wealth! Such boasting in humiliation reveals to the world where true riches lie…in Jesus.

No matter if you are rich or poor (or anywhere in between), the things you glory in reveal to the world that which you believe to be truly valuable… is it Jesus?

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

John 1:43-51 (click here)
And [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

Reflection
In Genesis 28, Jacob dreamed of a ladder that connected heaven and earth upon which angels were ascending and descending.

Jesus picks up that image in John one, but he replaces the ladder with himself!

All who follow Jesus will see heaven and earth connected by Jesus…not in a dream, but in reality! How? When? Where?

The Gospel of John makes the answer plain… the cross.

John 8:28, “…When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he…” This is a reference to the cross. When Jesus is lifted up on the cross, then his followers will know he truly is the Messiah, for there he will be connecting heaven and earth by his own blood.

Upon the cross, Jesus will reconcile us to God…he will be God’s way to us and our way to God…like a ladder connecting heaven and earth! What wondrous glory is this…that a cross meant to bring death would be used to bring me life!

The cross is the very place we see the glory of Jesus! And the cross is the glorious place to which we follow Jesus!

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Following Jesus does not bring glory to oneself according to the world’s standard of glory…quite the opposite! His glory looks like a cross! Following Jesus will take you to a cross, but it will also take you through that cross to resurrection life!

We may “share his sufferings” even “becoming like him in his death,” but it’s so “that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

In Christ’s sufferings we see his glory, and with our sufferings we show his glory to the world so that they may see him as the one who connects heaven and earth! We long for all to see the greatest thing… eternal joy in God through Jesus!

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

Galatians 4:4-5 (click here)
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Reflection
For a lifeguard to rescue someone who is drowning they must dive into the dangerous waters.

For a firefighter to save a family from a burning building they must enter the flames.

For us to be saved from being under the curse of the law, one must come under the law and bear its curse for us.

Jesus Christ was born of woman…God in the flesh. In this way, he came under the same law that each of us were born under, and he did so that he might take the curse of the law we had incurred through our sin.

This curse had marked us as children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). We were children of the flesh who could not please God (Romans 8:7-8). We not only needed to be saved from the curse of the law, but we needed to be adopted as children into a new family!

Jesus’ death in our place paid the price of the curse and the cost of our adoption! Through faith, we are not just freed from sin and death, but freed to salvation and life as the adopted sons and daughters of God! We’ve been made right with God, but not just “right”…no…we’ve been made his!

This is why we call this message “good news!”

This is why we call it “Gospel!”

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