What is your glory? What is your joy?

The word glory, in the context of our question, has the idea of praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent, it is your renown, it is something that secures praise.

So when I ask you what brings you personal glory, I am asking what is it in your life that secures for you personally- praise, honor, or distinction?

Let me illustrate: this year I was privileged enough to shoot the biggest buck of my life. But you all already know that don’t you? Why? Because, I never miss an opportunity to take out my phone, open up some pictures, and proudly display the wonderful buck that God allowed me to shoot. Why do I do that? Because, most of the time when I show the pictures to people they go, “Ooooh, and Ahhhh.” And in a sense this animal is bringing me glory- it is securing for me as least a small level of praise, honor, and distinction from other people. My renown as a bow hunter grows the more other people see my trophy.

Now there is a large pitfall to this scenario- there is a problem when my glory is bound up in how big of a buck I was able to take with my bow this year. What is it? There is always, always a bigger buck. Here I am with my phone, proudly showing my trophy, and someone else pulls out there phone and says, “Look at this one that my friend got, or my relative got.” And I look at there picture, and now all of a sudden my trophy doesn’t look so great anymore. And what happens to the glory that I had secured? It is diminished. And then by the time next year rolls around, any and all glory is gone because new year new deer.

The pitfall is this- most of the glory that we secure for ourselves is a shallow, hollow, temporary glory. It is empty because we seek after the wrong kind of glory.

And this leads us back to our question- what is your glory? And the second is like unto the first, what is your joy? I can almost guarantee you that when you find one you will also find the other. If you find the thing that brings you glory more than likely it will be that same thing that also brings you joy!

What is your glory? What is your joy? And now that you have started thinking about that, I want to ask an even more important question- What should be our glory and what should be our joy according to the Bible?

According to the Scriptures, what should be the believers glory and joy?

I believe we find the answer to that question in I Thessalonians 2:19-20.

This morning I want to make two observations from this text that will help us determine what God says about our glory and joy.

Observation #1- The glory and joy of the Apostle Paul and his ministry team was centered in the Thessalonian believers.

1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 KJV 1900

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy.

19 τίς γὰρ ἡμῶν ἐλπὶς ἢ χαρὰ ἢ στέφανος ⸀καυχήσεως

For who/what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting/exultation/rejoicing/glory?

— ἢ οὐχὶ καὶ ὑμεῖς —

Is it not even you,

ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ

in the presence of our Lord Jesus

ἐν τῇ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ*;

At his coming?

20 ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε ἡ δόξα ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ χαρά.

For you are (pres, act, ind) our glory and our joy.

τίς- pronoun / what; who

ἐλπὶς- hope, confident expectation about the future.

χαρὰ- joy, (source) anything that causes cheer and dispels gloom.

στέφανος- (crown of rejoicing)- prize / crown, understood as a laurel or crown signifying victory.

⸀καυχήσεως- crown of personal satisfaction- act of taking pride in something- it is the idea of boasting. A modern day Paul would not pull out his phone and show a picture of a big buck, instead there would be a picture of people like the Thessalonian believers that he was ministering to. They were Paul’s crown of boasting.

2 Corinthians 7:4 NASB95

4 Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.

2 Corinthians 8:24 NASB95

24 Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.

What was the source of Paul’s hope his joy his crown of boasting? “Are not even you?” (v. 19) & (v.20) For you are our glory and our joy.

The glory and joy of the Apostle Paul and his ministry team was centered in the Thessalonian believers.

Why? Why specifically the Thessalonian believers? Why does Paul call them his glory and joy? He leaves out a lot of people in this statement.

He does not include the rest of the unbelievers in Thessalonica.

He leaves out all of the rest of the believers that he has met in Macedonia and Achaia.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 KJV 1900

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

He specifically limits his statement to this, You (Thessalonian believers) are our glory and joy. Why?

The main difference between the Thessalonian believers and the rest of the people in Macedonia and Achaia is that Paul had person gospel centered ministry toward the Thessalonians, who also responded to that gospel ministry, where as the rest of the people did not.

1 Thessalonians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

They preached, the Thessalonians believed- and that formed an important relationship- so much so that Paul said I feel like your spiritual mother and father.

What is your glory and what is your joy? For Paul, his glory and joy was bound up in other people whom he had personally imparted not just the gospel, but his own soul- and people whom had positively responded to the preaching of the gospel. It was very specifically these kinds of people that became Paul’s glory and joy.

What is your glory and what is your joy? And tied to that question is this- what should be your glory and what should be your joy according to the Scripture? And do you need to change some of your priorities. Do you need to evaluate your life and contemplate what things do you really love, what things captivate your heart, what things extend to you praise, honor, and distinction? What is it in your life that causes cheer and dispels gloom? Is it what the Bible says should be your glory and your joy?

Now we have to move on the observation #2. If we stopped here I think we fundamentally miss what Paul is saying. There is so much more to this idea of glory and joy. And in order to flesh this idea out to its fullest capacity I want to present you with two Scriptural ideas that see to fly in the face of what Paul just said.

Paul just said- you Thessalonian believers are our glory and our joy.

Problem #1- Paul expressly stated back in v. 6 that he did NOT seek glory from men.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 KJV 1900

6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

How can Paul say, we do not seek glory from you (Thessalonians) in v. 6 and then in v. 20 say, you are our glory and joy?

Problem #2- Paul expressly credits the success of his gospel to ministry to the sufficiency of the Word of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV 1900

13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Why was Paul’s gospel ministry so successful? Because people received the Word of God, not as the word of men, but for what it really was in truth- they very word of God. And it was the WORD that effectually worked in people’s hearts that believed. In other words, Paul is admitting that his success was not because of his own efforts. Wait a minute, you might be thinking, sure it was the Word of God, but Paul was the one speaking the Word, therefore he gets the credit. You would be wrong in thinking this way. How do we know that? Who does Paul thank in the beginning of the verse? We thank God without ceasing! Why? Because it was all God. God is the one who took the Word of God and impressed it in the hearts of these people. God is the one- through His Spirit and through His Word effectually worked in them that believed. It is all a work of God.

We could say it this way, Paul planted seeds, and Paul watered seeds (but that is the easy part)- GOD brought the increase! And so we thank God for success in gospel ministry. And we are entirely dependent upon God to work in peoples hearts. So, if it is all a work of God- how can Paul say that theses Thessalonian believers are his glory and joy, when it was never Paul that accomplished anything?

If it was all God, how can Paul receive any of the glory?

Do you know what a Rumba is? It is an automated vacuum cleaner. You put it in your house, and you press a button and it goes around your house and vacuums your floor autonomously. So imagine I have a Rumba, and my wife asks me if I did any chores around the house, and I say- yes honey I vacuumed the whole house! What glory is that? What did I do? Push a button- the machine did the rest. So, is my wife going to be amazed at how hard I worked on the chores that day? NO! It wasn’t me, I didn’t do anything- not really.

So if Paul expressly credits the success of his gospel to ministry to the sufficiency of the Word of God, then how are the Thessalonian believers his glory and joy?

Observation #2- The glory and joy of Paul and his ministry team will not come to fruition until they are in the presence of Jesus Christ at His coming.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 KJV 1900

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

There is a future element to the glory and joy of Paul- The Thessalonian believers are his hope and joy and crown of boasting, but they are only so when they are standing in the very presence of the Savior at his coming.

What event is Paul talking about here? I think this is a reference to the rapture of the church saints.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 KJV 1900

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

So at that moment, at that blink of an eye, when we are translated up into the air with all other church age saints- note Scripture says we will be caught up together with them (who is the them?), and we will meet the Lord in the air. So there is coming a day when all of the church age believers will be raptured and glorified and raised from the dead unto everlasting life- and all of us at that moment will be together and we will meet the Lord in the air. Paul says it is at that moment the fruition of our glory will come to pass.

Remember our first problem- Paul does not seek the glory of men, so how are the Thessalonians Paul’s glory?

We have to ask another question to see this clearly. Remember our definition of glory? Personal glory is the idea of securing praise from something or someone. From whom is Paul attempting to secure praise? Is Paul trying to secure the praise of the Thessalonian believers? He said, You (Thessalonians) are my glory and joy right? But, the glory only comes about in the presence of Jesus at the rapture. Why? Because, Paul is not after the praise of men- he is not after the praise of the Thessalonians. When the rapture happens we meet together in the air, I’m sure I will be happy to see the faces of people that I labored side by side with for the gospel. But, guess whose face will drowned out all other faces? Guess whose eyes I will be seeking for most of all? I want to see the face of my Savior, the Lord Jesus! Every other face will pale in comparison. And the only praise worth securing will be the praise of Jesus! I want to hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!” Don’t you?

This is why Paul says, yes Thessalonians you are my glory and my joy- but only in the presence of my Lord at his coming!

The song writer said it this way: “Oh that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face- that will be glory, be glory for me!”

But- Don’t miss this! Paul receives glory from Jesus because BOTH Paul and the Thessalonian believers (the people Paul personally gave not just the gospel but his own life also, the people Paul loved so much that he became like a spiritual mother and father to them) BOTH groups of people were in the presence of Jesus at his coming and because BOTH were there- Paul received glory and joy!

What if the Thessalonians were absent from this equation? What if it was just Paul standing alone in the presence of Jesus? Would Paul have any glory and joy?

1 John 2:28 NASB95

28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 NASB95

12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Revelation 21:4 KJV 1900

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Folks, what is your glory and what is your joy? Even though the glory and joy of Paul and his ministry team will not come to fruition until they are in the presence of Jesus Christ at His coming, even though there is a future element to the idea of Paul’s glory- there is also a present tense element to his glory as well.

1 Thessalonians 2:20 NASB95

20 For you are our glory and joy.

20 ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε ἡ δόξα ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ χαρά.

For you are (pres, act, ind) our glory and our joy.

You (Thessalonians) right now, in the present, with continual effects, you are constantly our glory and joy. You see, whatever is your glory and joy now in the present- will effect your glory and joy in the future when you stand in the presence of Jesus at His coming.

So we must right now, be serious with ourselves, and ask ourselves what is my glory and what is my joy? And whose glory are you really living for? What will happen to your glory when you stand in the presence of Jesus at His coming? When you look into the face of Jesus one day- will joy burst through your soul and overwhelm your being? Or will you shrink away from Him in shame?

Remember our second problem- If Paul expressly credits the success of his gospel to ministry to the sufficiency of the Word of God, then how are the Thessalonian believers his glory and joy?

1 Corinthians 3:5–7 ESV

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

If we are involved in gospel ministry then all we really do is plant and water- and as Paul said we are not anything, BUT ONLY GOD who gives the growth. So then, why can Paul claim any amount of glory for the Thessalonians?

1 Corinthians 4:2 KJV 1900

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

It is not about the numbers- when we meet in the air together in the presence of Jesus at His coming- it won’t be a competition about numbers. I’m not going to be looking to the left and to the right and comparing myself with other people- and neither will Jesus. Because, it’s not about how many people will be with you on that day- why? Because only God gives the growth. I am not anything. God only requires of me that I faithfully make Him my glory and my joy and that I spend my life living for Him in faithfulness. And that is all that matters!

Illustration: Tim Smith- spiritually gifted evangelist. How many people will stand side by side with Tim in the presence of Jesus one day? Probably more than I could win in a 3 lifetimes. But, do you remember the story Tim told about the Muslim man who became a Christian and determined to win his village to Christ. What did the people in his village do to him? Broke down his door, tied him up with a rope, tied that rope to a horse, and dragged him down to the river. Then what? Then beat him within an inch of his life, repeatedly pushed his head under water- they thought he was dead and left him to rot in the water. Three days later he dragged himself back to the village. This happened over and over again. They broke his bones, they mocked him, they tried to drown him. And yet he would leave. Why? Last out to leave turns out the light. So he stayed for years and years without anyone coming to Christ. Eight years later 4 people in his village have trust Christ. When this man stands in the presence of Jesus one day with four people for His village do you think His glory will be any less than Tim’s? What kind of glory and what kind of joy await him? Why? Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

What is your glory and what is your joy?

According to the Scriptures, what should be the believers glory and joy?

Conclusions:

We must be certain that we are living for the glory of Jesus and not for our own glory.

What our glory and joy is right now, had eternal consequences.

If we desire to live for the glory of Jesus, then our glory and our joy ought to be the same things that delight Jesus, that bring joy to Jesus.

In other words if we really desire to love God will all our heart, then we must make the things that God loves the things that we love. And what does God love? What does Jesus love? People! How do we know that? Because 2,000 years ago God clothed Himself in human flesh, and shed his blood on a cross, and rose again from the dead.

God, in His infinite wisdom, has chosen to use us to reach people with the gospel. He doesn’t need us, but He delights to use us to accomplish His plan.

All we do is plant and water, God brings the increase. So all we need to do is trust God’s plan and be faithful. So that, when Jesus returns and we all stand in His presence- the glory and joy that God planned to lavish upon us will finally come to fruition.