Revealing God's Glory Through Jesus Christ
Summary
In this message, I explored the profound truth of God's glory revealed through Jesus Christ. The essence of the Gospel is that no one can see God directly, but through Jesus, the only begotten Son, God has manifested His glory to us. This is the heart of the Gospel, the revelation of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John and others beheld this glory, full of grace and truth, and it is through Jesus that we come to know the Father. Jesus Himself declared that seeing Him is seeing the Father, emphasizing the unity and revelation of God's nature through Christ.
The New Testament is filled with this theme of revelation. Jesus, though God, came in the form of a servant, concealing His divine glory to reveal it in a way humanity could comprehend. This paradox of concealing and revealing is seen throughout His life, from His humble birth to His transfiguration and ultimately His death on the cross. The cross is the ultimate expression of God's glory, where His justice and mercy meet. It is through the cross that we are protected from God's wrath and clothed in Christ's righteousness.
Revival, as I explained, is when these truths become the greatest reality to God's people, when the Holy Spirit makes the glory of Christ exceptionally clear. It is a time when the church is filled with thanksgiving and praise for the glory of the Lord, especially for His death on the cross. This is the need of the hour, to seek and experience the overwhelming sense of His glory and majesty, both individually and collectively.
Key Takeaways:
- The Revelation of God's Glory: Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God's glory. Through Him, we see the Father, and His life and work are the manifestation of God's grace and truth. This revelation is central to the Gospel, showing us the nature and character of God in a way we can understand and relate to. [19:41]
- The Paradox of Concealing and Revealing: Jesus, though fully God, came in the form of a servant, concealing His divine glory to reveal it in a manner accessible to humanity. This paradox is evident in His life, from His humble birth to His sacrificial death, where His divine nature was both hidden and revealed. [29:15]
- The Cross as the Ultimate Revelation: The cross is where God's justice and mercy meet, revealing His glory in the most profound way. It is through the cross that we are protected from God's wrath and clothed in Christ's righteousness, highlighting the depth of God's love and grace. [33:46]
- Revival and the Glory of God: Revival is a time when the truths of God's glory become the greatest reality to His people. It is when the Holy Spirit makes the glory of Christ exceptionally clear, filling the church with thanksgiving and praise for the Lord's work, especially His death on the cross. [44:24]
- Seeking the Glory of God: The need of the hour is to seek and experience the overwhelming sense of God's glory and majesty. This involves a personal and collective pursuit of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ, longing for a deeper understanding and experience of His presence. [46:28]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [19:41] - The Manifestation of God's Glory
- [20:29] - Jesus as the Way to the Father
- [21:17] - Seeing the Father in Jesus
- [22:21] - The Light of the Gospel
- [23:10] - The Gospel of Glory
- [23:58] - Jesus: The Express Image of God
- [25:08] - Eyewitnesses of His Majesty
- [26:55] - Concealing and Revealing
- [28:02] - The Humility of Christ
- [29:52] - The Concealing of Glory
- [31:31] - The Humanity of Jesus
- [32:27] - The Transfiguration
- [33:46] - The Glory of the Cross
- [35:03] - Protection from God's Glory
- [39:06] - The Revelation of Jesus
- [44:24] - Revival and God's Glory
- [46:28] - Seeking God's Glory
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 14:6-9
2. 2 Corinthians 4:6
3. Philippians 2:5-8
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Observation Questions:
1. In John 14:6-9, how does Jesus describe His relationship with the Father, and what does this imply about seeing God's glory through Jesus? [21:17]
2. According to 2 Corinthians 4:6, what is the significance of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God being revealed in the face of Jesus Christ? [22:21]
3. How does Philippians 2:5-8 illustrate the paradox of Jesus concealing and revealing His divine glory? [28:02]
4. What examples from the sermon highlight the ways Jesus' life demonstrated both the concealing and revealing of God's glory? [30:54]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the statement "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9) challenge or affirm the understanding of Jesus' role in revealing God's nature? [21:17]
2. In what ways does the paradox of Jesus' humility and divine nature, as described in Philippians 2:5-8, deepen our understanding of His mission on earth? [28:02]
3. How does the cross serve as the ultimate revelation of God's glory, and what does this mean for our understanding of justice and mercy? [33:46]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in making the glory of Christ exceptionally clear during times of revival, according to the sermon? [44:24]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt you saw God's glory in your life. How did that experience change your understanding of God? How can you seek more of these experiences? [46:28]
2. The sermon emphasizes the need for revival and experiencing God's glory. What steps can you take individually and as a group to seek this revival in your community? [44:24]
3. Consider the paradox of Jesus' life, where His divine nature was both concealed and revealed. How can this understanding influence the way you live out your faith in humility and service? [29:15]
4. How can the concept of being "clothed in Christ's righteousness" change the way you view your relationship with God and others? What practical steps can you take to live this out daily? [37:56]
5. The sermon discusses the need to be protected from God's wrath through the cross. How does this understanding affect your view of salvation and your gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice? [36:21]
6. In what ways can you actively seek to experience the overwhelming sense of God's glory and majesty in your daily life? What practices or habits might help you in this pursuit? [46:28]
7. How can you encourage others in your community to seek and experience the glory of God, both individually and collectively? What role can you play in fostering a culture of revival? [44:24]
Devotional
Day 1: Jesus Christ as the Visible Glory of God
The revelation of God's glory is most profoundly seen in Jesus Christ. Through Him, we are given a tangible expression of God's nature, character, and love. Jesus is the embodiment of grace and truth, and through His life, we gain insight into the heart of the Father. The Gospel centers on this revelation, inviting us to see and know God through the life and work of His Son. This understanding transforms our relationship with God, as we are drawn into a deeper knowledge of His love and purpose for us. [19:41]
Hebrews 1:3 (ESV): "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
Reflection: How does seeing Jesus as the visible glory of God change your understanding of who God is? How can you seek to know Him more deeply today?
Day 2: The Paradox of Concealing and Revealing
Jesus, though fully divine, chose to come in the form of a servant, concealing His glory to reveal it in a way that humanity could grasp. This paradox is evident throughout His life, from His humble birth to His sacrificial death. In His humility, Jesus made the divine accessible, showing us the depth of God's love and the lengths He would go to reach us. This paradox invites us to reflect on the mystery of God's ways and the beauty of His humility. [29:15]
Philippians 2:6-8 (ESV): "Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Reflection: In what ways can you embrace humility in your own life, following the example of Jesus? How might this reveal God's glory to those around you?
Day 3: The Cross as the Ultimate Revelation of Glory
The cross stands as the ultimate revelation of God's glory, where His justice and mercy meet. It is through the cross that we are shielded from God's wrath and clothed in Christ's righteousness. This profound act of love and grace reveals the depth of God's commitment to humanity and His desire for reconciliation. The cross is not just a symbol of suffering but a testament to the glory of God's redemptive plan. [33:46]
Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."
Reflection: How does the cross shape your understanding of God's justice and mercy? What does it mean for you to live in the light of this revelation today?
Day 4: Revival and the Clarity of Christ's Glory
Revival occurs when the truths of God's glory become the greatest reality to His people. It is a time when the Holy Spirit makes the glory of Christ exceptionally clear, filling the church with thanksgiving and praise. This clarity leads to a renewed passion for God's presence and a deeper appreciation for His work, especially His death on the cross. Revival is not just an event but a movement of the heart towards God's glory. [44:24]
Acts 3:19-20 (ESV): "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus."
Reflection: What steps can you take to prepare your heart for revival? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to make Christ's glory clear in your life today?
Day 5: Seeking the Overwhelming Glory of God
The call to seek and experience God's overwhelming glory is both personal and collective. It involves a pursuit of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ, longing for a deeper understanding and experience of His presence. This pursuit is marked by a desire to know God more fully and to be transformed by His majesty. As we seek His glory, we are invited into a journey of discovery and transformation. [46:28]
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to seek God's glory in your daily life? How can you encourage others in your community to join you in this pursuit?
Quotes
"No man can see God well are we hopeless no no the only begotten son he was in the bosom of the father he has declared him he's come to manifest him that's the gospel that is the whole of the Gospel that's the meaning of everything that he did this is God's way of revealing his glory so you see the Apostle John can also say this and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth." [00:19:41]
"Thomas you remember was in trouble because our Lord had said that he was going to leave them and he said Lord we know not whether thou goest and how can we know the way Jesus said unto him I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me if you had known me you should have known my father also and from henceforth you know him and have seen him." [00:20:29]
"Philip blured out saying Lord show us the father and it sufficeth us that's all I want says Philip show us the father you are saying whosoever hath seen me has hath seen the Father and Jesus answered and said unto him have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Phillip he that hath seen me hath seen the father and how sayest thou then show us the father." [00:21:17]
"God who commanded the light to shine out of Darkness hath shine into our hearts to give to reveal the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and so Paul has been able to say before that in 2 Corinthians 3:18 we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord." [00:22:21]
"Jesus Christ is the express image of God's person he is the effulgence the brightness of the glory of God show me thy Glory cries humanity and God says I will show you my glory but in my own way and this is the way in the face of Jesus Christ in this person who is the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person." [00:23:58]
"Peter writing a letter of farewell to various Christian people he knows that he's about to be put to death and he says to them as long as I'm in this Tabernacle I'm going to go on reminding you of these things you read in The Second Epistle chapter 1 beginning at verse 15 for he says we have not declared unto you fables when we declared unto you the coming and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ." [00:25:08]
"We were eyewitnesses of His Majesty we were with him he said on the mount in the excellent glory and the voice came from the excellent Glory saying and we heard it this is my beloved Son here him now says Peter after I've gone and after the rest of the Apostles have gone there will false teachers come in and they'll say this and that don't believe them here is the record he says this is the thing on which you bank and base your whole faith and all your position not cunningly devised fables we beheld his glory." [00:26:55]
"Have you ever noticed that in the New Testament have you ever dwelt upon it well go my dear friend immediately to Philippians 2 and there you've got it all stated so perfectly for you in Philippians to beginning to read at verse 5 let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with god well there he was in eternity he was in the form of God he was God he's the second person in the Blessed Holy Trinity and his form was the form of God the glory of God." [00:28:02]
"Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross there's the Clift in the Rock and the hand of God covering Moses he didn't come in the form of God no he came in the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men there's the concealing he is God he's the second person in the Blessed Holy Trinity but he came in the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men he was found in fashion as a man he came says Paul in the likeness of sinful flesh." [00:29:52]
"Revival is a period in the history of the church when the things of which I've just been reminding you become the greatest reality in the world to God's people we believe them now yes but do we feel their power do we thrill at them are we moved by them do we glory and exalt in them Revival is a time when these things are made so clear by the holy spirit that the whole church is filled with this glimpse of his glory the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." [00:44:24]
"Don't you long for it don't you long to see it and to feel it don't you long to know what it is to be almost overwhelmed by a sense of his glory his majesty and all the fullness of his goodness seek it my friend friends seek it personally seek it for the church in general not only in this country but everywhere throughout the world the need of the hour individually and collectively is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." [00:46:28]
"His only hope his only protection against the majesty and the judgment and the glory and the wrath of God is that Christ is the Rock of Ages and that he's covered by what he did upon the cross the hand of God is upon him and he is safe that's the meaning of the death upon the cross it is this protection without which we would be undone and so that is the meaning if you like positive of our being clothed with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the hand that comes upon us." [00:37:06]