Resurrection Gives Jesus Glory

Introduction

Object Lesson: Sunglasses

There’s a lot of church words that we use a lot but don’t often think about what the word actually means. Not that we don’t know what it means, but that we sort of take the meaning for granted and don’t reflect deeply on it. I think the word “glory” is one of those words. We use the word Glory to talk about God and how great He is and we sing it in different worship songs, yet we don’t always think about what that word “glory” actually means.

Today we’re continuing in our Eastertide series, where we take a look at what the Bible says most frequently about the resurrection and ask ourselves what we can learn about that today. Last week we saw that the most frequent implication of the resurrection was that it gives us hope, especially in our future resurrection. Today we’re talking about the second most common thing the Bible says about the resurrection. It gives Jesus glory. But what does that word glory mean? The Bible uses that word to describe the indescribable essence of God’s greatness. Something so overpowering that for sinners the presence of God’s glory is fatal. This is the quality that the resurrection says is given to Jesus. But wait, you may be askingm, if Jesus is God how can He be given glory, didn’t He already have it before? In answer to that question let’s turn to our key passage for this morning, Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5–11 CSB

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Now the way that this is written in the Greek leads scholars to believe that Paul is quoting some kind of older Christian Hymn or Creed, meaning that this idea goes back to the very very early days of the Christian Church. It’s foundational to understanding the birth of Jesus as a man along with His death and resurrection. In it we see this movement from above in the heavens, down to the earth and even the grave, and then exaltation into glory in the heavens again.

So what can we learn from this passage about the resurrection and the glory it gives Jesus? We see that Jesus was glorious from eternity past because He is God the Son. So He deserves the glory and did not need to earn it. We see that Jesus emptied Himself so that He could live among us and so that He could die for us. This was the ultimate example to us of humility. Finally we see that this all prepares us for Jesus’ new found glory on the other side of the cross, that He is exalted to an even higher place because He is now not only our God but our saviour and King.

His Glory Before

Illustration: In modern society there’s a lot less authority given out just for the circumstances of your birth, but it wasn’t so long ago historically speaking that you could be born into nobility or even royalty. A prince for example was in a position of authority just by virtue of being the son of the king. It’s not as if he had no authority until he inherited.

Of course the authority of a prince is nothing but a shadow of the authority that the son of God has, right? By virtue of His not only being God’s son but also being God Himself, I think it’s pretty safe to say that Jesus has always been full of glory. Remember, Jesus is the one through whom God created all things, and in whose nature life itself is found.

John 1:3–4 CSB

All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

That sounds pretty glorious, doesn’t it? Well consider what Jesus says Himself in John 17:5

John 17:5 CSB

Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.

When Jesus is praying in preperation for the crucifixion and resurrection, this is His prayer. So He is acknowledging to God in front of the disciples that He had glory with the Father before the world existed. You might be wondering why this matters, or if it’s even very important. It is important because of how many groups have tried to deny Jesus’ previous glory over the years since the resurrection. Many tried to claim that references in the New Testament to Jesus being glorified meant that He had no former glory, and that He earned godhood or at least leadership through His death and resurrection.This is not the picture that the Bible gives us of what happens. No the Bible is clear that Jesus already has glory from the very beginning. Before the beginning even.

This also matters because it means that Jesus didn’t have to die for us and be raised again in order to be glorified. If He had simply remained in heaven He would be glorious. It’s not as if Jesus has an ulterior motive in saving us so that He could be glorified. He did it purely for our interest. He did it out of great love for us.

Yet the question naturally arises here, well if He was already glorious before the resurrection, why does the Bible make such a big deal about the glory that Jesus gained in the resurrection? Because before He was glorified, He was first brought low.

His Self-Emptying

Illustration: I used to work for a summer camp called Circle Square Ranch. In fact I worked there for about six summers. It was a great job. Sometimes as a part of being a camp counselor, you participated in games with the kids. Whether it’s because they didn’t have even numbers for floor hockey, or as a part of getting them excited for evening games. The thing is though, as a teenager and young adult I was naturally a lot better at a lot of those games then the young kids. Yes, even though I wasn’t in particularly good shape. So that means I had to hold myself back a little to make things feel fair.

Of course I wasn’t capable of actually becoming a child, which would have really put us on an even playing field. Imagine a world where I could do that. I would need to become less. I would need to shrink a little. My muscles would need to shrink, my coordination decrease. Of course I’d probably get a lot of energy for exchange.

Yet as drastic as that would be, it would be nothing compared to God “becoming flesh.” John 1:14

John 1:14 CSB

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Yet consider what Jesus must give up in order to become flesh. God is all present, but in Jesus He became present in one particular location. God knows all, but there is evidence in the gospels that Jesus limited His own knowledge. God is above physical pain and suffering, but Jesus made Himself subject to the same pains and sorrows that we feel every day. This is what the fancy theologians call the “Kenosis” which comes from the Greek word for emptying. The key Bible verse for this is found in Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–8 CSB

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.

I cannot imagine a greater act of humility than this. For the God who created the universe, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to become like a servant for our sakes is beyond what I can even wrap my head around. This self-emptying of Jesus is what makes it possible for Him to be crucified, dead, and buried. Otherwise how could God Himself die on a cross?

In emptying Himself and taking on flesh Jesus became ‘humiliated’ in the old sense of being made humble, and his glory was in at least some sense diminished. Hebrews 2:9

Hebrews 2:9 CSB

But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

This verse gets into what we’re going to talk about in our next point, but it also illustrates that Jesus was made low. He was by His very nature above all things and filled with glory, but for our sakes condescended to being “lower than the angels.”

Now the main reason we’re talking about Jesus’ self-emptying this morning is in preparation for talking about His glorification, but it also has a very real application for our lives as believers. The Bible tells us that we are to imitate Christ. And if you go back to that passage in Philippians the whole reason Paul is bringing up Jesus’ self-emptying is to inspire us to humble ourselves like Jesus did. Jumping back a few verses we read in Philippians 2:3-5

Philippians 2:3–5 CSB

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

This is essentially the same message that Jesus conveyed with His washing of the disciples feet in John’s gospel. The student is not greater than the master. So if Jesus had the humility to lower Himself for our sake, how much more should we be willing to lower ourselves for the sake of other people?

Maybe that means going to some humbling places to spread the gospel. Sitting with the poor and drug addicted and sharing fellowship with them. Maybe that means sacrificing of ourselves to give to others. Maybe that means truly listening to people before we speak. Whatever it means for each of us, we do it because Jesus did it first.

But Jesus did not stay in a meek and humble state. So let’s get to the climactic point of today’s sermon. Jesus’ glorification.

His Glorification

Illustration: Now you may or may not know that I’m a big “Lord of the Rings” fan. Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films are still the greatest book adaptations I’ve ever seen. One scene that really warms my heart in that trilogy comes near the very end of “The Return of the King.” You see Aragorn was the heir to a long lost line of Kings, but had lived his entire life in exile. He lived as an obscure “ranger,” knowing that he was born to be a king. Then after the fellowship finally defeats Sauron and saves the day he comes into his inheritance. He returns to Gondor and is crowned as King. It’s a really triumphant moment after being invested in those characters through the whole trilogy.

After a lifetime of humilty Aragorn finally comes into his moment of glory. Now there are some pretty significant differences between Aragorn and Jesus. Tolkien very explicitly avoided parallels to his Christian beliefs in Lord of the Rings. Yet we can see something of what it means for Jesus to be glorified in that scene.

We know that Jesus is God, and that He has always deserved glory. Yet He lived without His glory for 33 years after being born as a man, taking the form of a servant. He lived in obscurity, rejected and despised by His own people. Yet if we continue with that Philippians passage from before, what does it say happens after Jesus takes on the form of a servant? Let’s pick it up in verse 9. This is Philippians 2:9-11

Philippians 2:9–11 CSB

For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

How is that for glory? If we watch closely the trajectory of Jesus’ glory throughout Scriptures it’s kind of “u” shaped. He shares in the Father’s glory in heaven from eternity past, but condescends to the earth when He’s born as a man. Then on the other side of the cross and the empty tomb He returns to His former glory, and in fact arguably greater glory than before. Before He was born as a man the Trinity was not yet revealed, so Jesus the Son though God was not worshipped as Jesus, and His name was not the name at which every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

Paul explains that this glory is a result of the resurrection in Romans 1:4

Romans 1:4 CSB

and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.

Not that He was at any point no longer the Son of God, but His power was limited when He was on earth. Yet by the resurrection He was appointed even moreso the powerful Son of God. Now all things are given over to Him, including the right to judge all people at the end of time. Paul says in Acts 17:30-31

Acts 17:30–31 CSB

“Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Jesus is of course this “man [God] has appointed.”

Why does the resurrection result so powerfully in the glorification of Jesus Christ? For one it proves that He is who He says He is, and that the Scriptures are all written about Him. We’ll talk more about that next week. More importantly through the resurrection Jesus won the victory over death and sin and released us all from their bondage. So Jesus is restored to His natural Godly glory, but has added to it the glory of being our redeemer, our saviour, and bringing us all into glory with Him.

So my dear friends, the Bible is clear that one day we will all bow and declare the truth that Jesus is Lord. The question is will we do it out of reverance and love, or out of fear and regret? Will we make our confession full of joy because we are spending eternity with our king, or full of despair because we rejected Him all our lives?

As the song “Come Now is the Time to Worship” by Brian Doerksen says, “One day every tongue will confess you are God, one day every knee will bow. Still the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose you now.” Let’s be those who gladly choose Him now. If any are listening to my words who have not yet accepted Jesus’ gift of grace and eternal life, I challenge you to do so even today. He is standing with open arms ready to receive you.

Conclusion

So we can see that as we continue our study of the implications of the resurrection that Jesus’ glory is kind of a big deal. The second most mentioned implication of the resurrection in the whole New Testament. And what did we learn today about Jesus’ glorification? We learned that Jesus from eternity past shared in the glory of God, showing that He didn’t need to die for us in order to be glorified. Yet we also learned that Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a man and submitting to death on the cross. That He emptied Himself of His glory for our sake so that He could save us and bring us into relationship with Him and we should also be willing to put others before ourselves and sacrifice on their behalf. Finally we learned that through the resurrection Jesus was brought back into the glory He always deserved and all heaven and earth was made subject to Him as it rightly should be.

Understanding this from heaven to earth to heaven again trajectory of Jesus’ ministry helps us to understand a few things about Him that I think should inspire a deep gratitude and heart of worship in us. To understand His all surpassing worth from the beginning is to fully understand the sacrifice that He made just be becoming flesh, and magnifies the significance of His death on the cross for us. And it’s that feeling of amazement and gratitude that we feel that contributes to His currently glory seated in heaven with the Father. It’s the reason we sing these songs of worship to Jesus. It’s the reason we call ourselves Christians. It’s the reason that people from all over the world have given their lives to following Jesus. So then in understanding His glorification we realize the need for us to join in giving Him all the glory!

Let us pray.