His Glory
Notes
Transcript
If you remember where we began in this series two weeks ago...we were resonating with the fact that the Word was God and With God...and Jesus was, is, and will be the Word/God/Godman.
What was the intention of the Father in sending Jesus? This is the question that must be understood...
As a matter of fact, how we answer this question will speak much of how we interact with the Good News...and understand what God’s purpose was and is in Jesus taking on flesh...
Let’s not tarry but dive into the Word...
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
He Laid His Glory Aside
He Laid His Glory Aside
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
So what exactly did it mean for jesus to leave heaven?
What was he laying aside?
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
His “Glory” and privileges...but not his nature...
Notice specifically vs. 7…
“but emptied himself...”
These are not empty words, but they are Words of Truth...Words of hope...Words...of life...Words of love...
But they are also Words of humility and obedience...
look at vs. 8
“he humbled himself becoming obedient...”
notice...obedient to death, death on a cross
So if we understand clearly...He came, He lived, He died...all with intentional and ordained purpose of the Father. And then He was restored...
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
This was His high priestly prayer...
But let’s look post resurrection:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Look back at vs. 9 of Phil. 2...
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
So we reiterate...
He Laid His Glory Aside
Secondly,
His Submission Provides
His Submission Provides
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
We must first acknowledge that we purposefully jumped over vs. 15 to keep on task of speak to what the Glory of Christ provides
vs. 15 is an aside...sort of like the narrator given commentary in a theatrical play
Back to Jesus...
Notice John records “from his fullness we have all received...”
From the Glorious fullness of the person and work of Jesus.
Meaning we have been provided for...
The Law which came via Moses revealed Sin and death...
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
But in Christ we are provided for...
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe...
Notice: it is righteousness through faith...not of the law...not of works...not meritorious...never deserved...freely bestowed.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Don’t miss out on the comparison of grace given here. Law came as a grace to know how to live, but the grace of Christ came as an increasing and overwhelming abundant grace that lasts eternally.
But notice we say He laid aside His glory and His submission provides… but to what degree.
Notice the fact that verse 14 and verse 17 repeat a statement...grace and truth...
His Grace is Truth as God is Truth...Jesus would go on to say it this way… “I am the Way, I am the Truth, I am the Life...
He Reveals The Father
He Reveals The Father
18 No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Here we have a rare Greek word “made known”.… used only 6 times in Scripture… but it gives the connotation to tell the full story.
Let me sort of give a modern connection...
men have fewer words than the fairer sex, at least sometimes...
as such women can ask us to explain and we give a condensed or an abridged version of the story...the cliff note version
a lady will often ask for the remainder of the details and the man will say I just told you...she heard the story but did not get the whole message....
In this we are hearing that Jesus has made the full story known… it is the idea of that in the story of Jesus the grace of God has been fully and completely rendered.
He Laid His Glory Aside
His Submission Provided
He Revealed the Father
So these three works of God should demand/deserve several responses from us...
So our Walking Away, But In...
Walking Away, But In...
Walking Away, But In...
Gratitude
Surrender
Awe
