SON Glasses
Preached - Friday May 30, 2003 - The YPWW Crusade Night One
Free Deliverance Tabernacle Holiness Church - Prophet Henry Frye, Jr.
100 B Water Street - Camden, Alabama
Scripture: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. "
I Corinthians 13:12
Introduction
Tonight, I want to talk about, "Son Glasses". The New International Version says of this text: "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." "Son Glasses."
My brothers and sisters, saints and sinners, bond and free children of the Most High God, all of you that love the Lord, and to all of you in your respectable places. We do greet you in the name of the unparalleled, incomparable, and matchless name of Jesus, and do share with you his word of inspiration, wisdom, and hope. For his word is rich and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that we might be equipped for every good work.
Son Glasses
Have you ever worn a pair of sunglasses? Sunglasses come in all shapes and size. They are generally designed to protect the eyes from over exposure to light. In summer months sunglasses are common place as the bright sun and heat prompt extensive measures to protect the eyes. They are among a large array of items generally described as sunshades that include umbrellas, wide brimmed hats, awning and leafy trees. All have the same purpose, which is to protect one or more parts of the body from the sun.
Generally sunglasses are dark. Others are lighter. They have been made into fashion statements and they range from the conservative to those, which are radically absurd. The ultimate goal of all sunglasses is to protect from the rays if the sun. There are few that wear sunglasses to conceal identity. Others have found that they are useful to hide sleepy eyes. The world has a fascination with sunglasses.
Sunglasses work by reproducing the amount of light that the eye is able to see, producing a more picture of reality that is less intense. Thus, a brilliant sun-shiny day, some sunglasses reduce the light so much that it appears to be dark outside. Reality is altered, at least while the glasses are worn. When sunglasses are worn inside, it can even appear that all of the surroundings are dark.
Sunglasses effect the way we see the world but the world itself does not change. Even a good pair of glasses can’t help some people face life.
There are many that face the world every day with a distorted view of life. They are wearing SUNglasses that alters what they see. What they need is some SON glasses that help them see the whole scope of life from a new perspective.
As Christians we know that we see a very small part of God’s universal plan for mankind. We see with the carnal eye. However, when we look with our incarnate eye, aided by SON glasses, instead of being blinded by what we see, we view life with a spiritual eye. Sunglasses keep us in the dark. SON glasses help us to receive and appreciate God’s greatness and bring us to the marvelous light!
Exposition
When the Holy Spirit shines His light on this text, we find Paul writing to the Corinthians concerning maturity in the faith.
The 13th chapter of Corinthians is the second of three in which Paul examines the gifts of the spirit and compares them to spiritual graces. The Corinthian church had been divided into four parts over issue acquiring and use of gifts of the spirit.
In the 12th chapter, Paul listed nine categories of gifts that believers received each having the purpose of expanding the kingdom. Those who had one gift or another suggested to other members of the body of Christ that they had achieved or received something that made them spiritually superior to others.
This prompted Paul, under the direction of the Holy Ghost; to write chapters 12 - 14 nothing that all gifts come from the same spirit but have different functions. Since gifts will one day fade and diminish in use, acquiring the graces should be the goal of every believer, not gifts. Even the idea that some believers have something that others don’t have divides the body of Christ but the graces of God form the basis of real Christian living.
Paul discussed the full range of graces in Galatians 5:22 and 23. Here he notes that the "fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" Without these qualities commonly described as graces, the Christian life is empty.
Thus Paul, in the 13th chapter focuses on one of the graces ’love’ showing how it is superior to any of the gifts such as tongues, prophecy or knowledge. He noted that some gifts, like tongues, prophecies would all cease to exist, but time or condition would never diminish the real strength of the Christian life. He showed how the grace of love, for example is far more important to acquire than gifts. As he detailed how love operates he noted that if he had all of the gifts but didn’t have the grace of love, instead operating on a higher level, he would be empty. His words in verse two "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
Many in Paul’s time were unable to understand the differences. They were caught up and divided over the issue. Check out I Corinthians 1:10-13. They were blinded by false teachings and could not see otherwise, especially those who had received the gift of speaking in foreign languages.
Paul noted that a time would eventually come when every believer would be able to see clearly the truths of God’s word. Diminished perspective is common, but those who come to know God fully get a new perspective is common. The new perspective gives them a new appreciation of what is truly important, lasting and most effective in the service of God. He compared the new perspective to that of a mature person over a child. Perspective makes the difference.
The carnal man sees life as though looking through a dark glass. The perspective is not godly.
However, Paul reminds us that the time is coming when all will share the same perspective and see the same things. That day will come when all see Jesus face to face!
When Paul told the Corinthians "now we see through a glass darkly" he described the carnal man’s perspective. The carnal faces life with apprehension and misunderstanding. But a time is coming, child of God, when we will be able to see with spiritual eye. That will be the day when we approach life wearing SON glasses.
SON glasses give us a new perspective on life that puzzles those around us who wonder what is wrong with us.
Conclusion
His enemies were stoning Stephen to death, but he lifted his eyes to glory and asked God to forgive them. The people saw the tragedy of the moment. Stephen saw the triumph of the church!
It is only when we put our sunglasses on (put on sunglasses) that we find a reason to shout in the midst of trouble.
That’s why James reminds us that whatever the situation we should "count it all joy."
A Christian always wears their SON glasses but there are special times when we must be sure they are close by. They are called Son glass moments.
When hard times approach and it seems like we can’t make our way, that is a SON glass moment. Reach for your SON glasses and you’ll remember "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
When life seems to have reached its darkest point, that is another SON glass moment. That’s when you remember "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
When you are wearing SON glasses dark days look a little brighter.
- hard times feel a little easier
- heavy burdens get a little lighter
- failures become opportunities for success
- setbacks become setups
