In Greek literature, Virgil wrote about the plight of humanity and how something new needed to be done to help man out of his predicament. In Greek thought, God was removed, a mere spectator, like someone observing a play in an amphitheater or a stadium– –sometimes intervening in a helpful way while at other times getting involved in ways that were harmful.
Many different perceptions about God have been expressed through literature. Shakespeare, for example in King Lear, expressed the idea of an angry vengeful god when he cried out, “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods. They kill us for their sport.”
The Bible reveals the truth about God in a very different way. God was not just an uninvolved spectator, nor was He a disenfranchised director who would maneuver good or evil within the lives of the actors. God became an actor on the stage in the person of the God-man Jesus, and then took center stage on a rugged hillside outside of Jerusalem. It was there that God provided the help mankind needed. It was there that the spotlight of God’s glory was displayed through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.
Over 2,000 years have come and gone since that deciding scene in human history. Countless other actors in the play of life have tried to steal the show seeking to stand in the spotlight, but all have failed. The spotlight of God’s glory remains fixed upon the cross of calvary. From there the light of God’s glory permeates the world as it is reflected in the lives of those who have trusted Christ as their Savior.
Who is in the spotlight? Do you see the glory of Christ, or are you blinded by the stage lights of the world being held captive by its illusion? Who is in the spotlight? The Bible brings Jesus clearly into view. Let’s look again at John 13 and discover why God’s glory is revealed in Him and how we can in turn reflect His glory to others.
John opens this thirteenth chapter saying, “having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of His love.” Jesus then took the place of the servant washing His disciple’s feet; the greatest among them became the least. Afterwards Jesus told them that they should follow his example; they too must humble themselves putting the needs of others first with a servant’s heart.
Within this intimate setting Jesus then informs the twelve that one of them will betray Him. Each of the disciples are bewildered and wonder who it might be. When Judas is identified as the one who had entered into a conspiracy, he leaves the group to betray Jesus into the hands of His enemies. Even though Jesus has told them plainly, the other disciples do not understand what is about to happen.
This is where we again pick up the story in verse 31.
+ John 13:31-38 31When he [Judas] was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 36Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." 37Peter asked, "Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (NIV)
This morning we want to take two lessons from this passage and apply them to our lives:
1. The Glory of God will be revealed in Jesus.
2. The Glory of God Will be Reflected by Jesus’ followers.
1. The Glory of God Will be Revealed in Jesus.
This is the moment that Jesus will be fully glorified as the Son of God. Jesus said, “NOW is the Son of Man glorified.” What does it mean for Jesus to be glorified? Put simply, Jesus is shown to be God.
Glory refers to the honor, and majesty together with the brightness and radiance of God united with God’s infinite perfections and moral attributes. Now that’s a mouthful!
• The radiance of perfect love, that’s God’s glory.
• The majesty of sovereign power and authority, that’s God’s glory.
• Holiness–dazzling purity without the darkness of sin, that’s God’s glory.
• Timeless faithfulness with compassionate provision, that’s God’s glory.
• Perfect justice together with absolute mercy, that’s God’s glory.
The Hebrew word for glory “kabad” carries with it the idea of heavy or weighty. No single word can fully describe God; when we sense His glory, a heavy awe and reverence settles in our hearts. The weightiness of God’s presence causes us to “Be still and know (beyond our intellect) that He is God.”
Jesus tells his disciples, “NOW glory will be seen IN ME.” God’s glory had been made know through Jesus in the past:
• Born of a virgin in one of Bethlehem’s stables, Jesus birth, foretold through prophecy, was then announced by angels. God’s glory was all around!
• Jesus’ teaching was with an authority that the priests and Pharisees did not have. Why? When Jesus taught the glory of God was being revealed.
• Jesus had healed the blind, the deaf and mute. Because of Jesus the lame could walk and the leper was cleansed. Those bound by demons had been set free; even the dead had been brought back to life! God’s glory was being revealed through what Jesus did.
• Peter, James and John were with Jesus when He was transfigured; He became radiant. The three watched in awe as Jesus talked with Moses and Elijah. God’s glory was all around them.
In the past the glory of God had been revealed around and through Jesus, but NOW God’s glory would be fully revealed IN JESUS. The glory of God displayed in Jesus at the cross and His resurrection proves that He is God of very God.
What is the NOW Jesus is talking about? NOW is the time of His crucifixion. The time was now at hand for Jesus to be turned over to evil men, falsely accused, mocked, condemned, beaten, and cruelly executed. Jesus lets His disciples know that in the midst of this most difficult moment in time, God is going to turn the spotlight on. The glory of God would be seen in Jesus as He endured the suffering before Him. How is that possible? The brightness of the light, the glory of God, can best be see in contrast to the darkness of evil and sin.
We believe that Jesus is the full and complete revelation of God to man; apart from Jesus it is impossible to know God. What is it about Jesus that makes God known to us?
• Is it the Old Testament prophecies which His life fulfilled?
• Is it His virgin birth?
• Is it the many miracles which He performed?
• Is it the way Jesus had authority over demons?
• Is it the things that Jesus taught us about God?
• Is it the fact that Jesus practiced what He preached that He led a pure and sinless life?
Yes, it is all of those things, but none of them could stand apart from the fact that Jesus died and rose from the dead. Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection validate everything He said and did. Jesus is the complete revelation of God to man because He is the God-man crucified, buried and risen again. Either Jesus Christ actually is God or He isn’t (and if He’s not, then it is impossible for man to know God).
Just as Jesus told His disciples, the time had come for God’s glory to be revealed in Him. We can know the glory of God in Christ because He willingly suffered and died. God’s glory wasn’t revealed in the way any of Jesus’ disciples or how any of us would have expected.
Now don’t miss this point; it has direct application to our lives. Glory does not always come as we expect it to. That’s worth repeating: God will make His glory know in unexpected ways.
+ Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (NIV)
+ 1 Peter 4:12-14 12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (NIV)
Notice how the Message translates verse 14: “If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others.” So you see God will bring good out of evil. When you are mistreated, then just like Jesus God’s glory can be seen in you.
This brings us to our second point:
2. The Glory of God Will be Reflected by Jesus’ followers.
None of us are a light in and of ourselves. Without the light of Christ being reflected through our lives there is only darkness. In the same way that the moon reflects the light of the sun bringing light to the night, so we reflect the light of Christ to a sin darkened world. Jesus calls His followers, “the light of the world” and encourages us to let our lights shine bringing praise to God (Matthew 5:14, 16).
So how is the glory of God and the light of Christ reflected in our lives? Good questions deserve a good answer. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”(John 13:34-35 NIV). Here’s how I would say that:
“This is what I require of you (nothing less): Love each other! I expect you to love each other exactly as I have loved you. Why should you do this? When your love is like mine, then the people in the world will see my glory in you; they will know that you belong to me because of how you love each other.” (Paraphrase D. Greg Ebie)
The world is looking for proof––is Jesus who He claims to be or not? The only way the world will ever know is by looking at us, by examining how those who claim to follow Jesus live their lives.
Jesus sets the standard or bench mark by which the world will know. Only as we love one another as Jesus has loved us will His light and glory be seen in us. When those within the church of Jesus Christ fail to live a life of love, then the world has reason to doubt. But when believers love one another as Jesus has loved, then the world is without excuse.
The disciples would soon be separated from Jesus by death. Although it was only for a short time, they couldn’t stand apart from Jesus. We, however have Christ’s promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Will we choose to acknowledge His presence in our lives?
Without Him we can do nothing. Peter could not stand for Christ in His own strength. In all we do we must receive God’s power to do it. Remember, it is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. We will not stand in our own strength or will power. We can’t move forward with our own ideas or plans. We must depend upon Jesus daily
> On Christmas Day 1968, the three astronauts of Apollo 8 circled the dark side of the moon and headed for home. Suddenly, over the horizon of the moon rose the blue and white Earth garlanded by the glistening light of the sun against the black void of space. Those sophisticated men, trained in science and technology, did not utter Einstein’s name. They did not even go to the poets, the lyricists, or the dramatists. Only one thing could capture the awe-inspiring thrill of this magnificent observation. Billions heard the voice from outer space as the astronaut read it: "In the beginning God"--the only concept worthy enough to describe that unspeakable awe, unutterable in any other way. "In the beginning God created"--the invasive, the inescapable sense of the infinite and the eternal.
Do our lives reveal the glory of Christ? Is the reality of His presence in our lives reflected to our world?
Are you striving to capture the attention of the world or to even make God take notice of you through your righteous achievements? The glory of man does not endure–it pales in comparison to the glory of Christ. Won’t you trust in Jesus today as your Savior and let the spotlight of His glory be reflected through your life?
