Tag Archives: glory

The Father of glory

We come now to what must be the clearest and dearest revelation of God as our Father. Jesus not only wants us to know his Father. He wants us to share in the joys of being in his family.[i]

What Jesus shows us here comes from the last week before his death, and particularly from two prayers he prays. Three themes recur: the glory of the Father; fellowship with the Father; and the Father’s home. All of these are important to Jesus, and he shows us why they are important for us too.

First, Jesus speaks about the glory of his Father.

In the first prayer,[ii] Jesus says his soul is greatly troubled. But he knows his calling—his great work. And he prays, ‘Father, glorify your name.’

The Father responds audibly—for the benefit of the apostles, and of us. Yes, he’s been glorifying his name already in what Jesus has been doing, and he will glorify his name again.

In various ways in the Old Testament, God has already shown Israel his glory. He is present, and powerful, and listening, and good, and he matters! Being delivered from slavery in Egypt is a classic example of God revealing his glory.

But now, a new revelation of glory will reveal the Father’s grace and truth.[iii]

If we’re content with ourselves, this will matter as much as a local circus! But if we know we are answerable to God for our life, we’ll really want to know that he is kind and forgiving!

Jesus explains what will happen. The world will be judged. The world—that’s all of us. Satan will be thrown down from his eminence as prince of this world. And, from now on, all authority will belong to Christ.

It will happen by Jesus being lifted up—on a cross, to die. But it’s fruit will be that people of all nations will become his willing subjects.

This is a whole story in itself, but here, we simply note that Jesus knows that if all this is going to happen, it will happen because the Father will be revealing his glory. Think of all that Jesus will endure. Think of his composure. Think of his cry—‘It is finished’, his resurrection, and the announcement of forgiveness of our sins! Where does all this come from? It’s nothing less that the Father glorifying his name—in Jesus.

A little later, Jesus prays again. And, once more, he asks the Father to glorify him so he can glorify his Father.[iv] How will this display of glory work out?

Jesus has just washed the feet of his apostles. He’s shown them that his Father’s glory works out by serving others. And he’s also talked about his disciples being clean—not just because their feet are washed but because they have received his word.

There’s no lowlier job than washing dirty feet. It’s not done by anyone important. But what the Father wants done is to wash away humanity’s filth. That’s what he’s sent his Son to do. It’s the dirtiest job ever. So, as we hear the story of Christ’s death, we are watching the greatest display of the Father’s glory—ever!

The world doesn’t need a dictator, a tactician, an influencer or benevolent provider. It doesn’t need something impressive to divert its attention from reality. It needs a God who becomes our servant—a display of who he really is. It needs a Son of God who bloodies himself to wash us clean.

Only this will reveal the Father’s patience with our self-interest, his intolerance of our pollution, and the love to bear a load we cannot carry.[v] And only such a deed will convey to us the glory of the Father!

Jesus is indifferent to the world’s glory. To him, it carries no weight. He wants the world to see God—being Father. And this display of glory will lead, not to judgement for us, but to eternal life.[vi] As he says, ‘the glory you have given me I have given to them….’[vii]

Second, Jesus reveals how we may havefellowship with the Father.

Intimacy is not easily gained! But Jesus has regularly reached into the lives of people—with love, and with great insight. He’s understood them, and they’ve understood that they have been received as persons.

And now, Jesus lets us see inside the astonishing relationship he has with his Father.[viii] He says that they are ‘in’ each other.

For us, the idea of another person being ‘in’ us may sound like an unwanted intrusion. But, for God, it’s love language.

Jesus hasn’t been doing his ‘own thing’. Neither has the Father. The Father is entrusting everything to his Son. And the Son is giving himself up to do his Father’s bidding. The disciples have been physically seeing the Son, but they’ve been watching the unseen Father—in action.

Another amazing disclosure follows. Jesus says his disciples already know the Holy Spirit. He’s been with them for three years—in Jesus. But he will ask the Father to send this same Spirit to be in the apostles.

The Father, Son and Spirit live in fellowship with each other, and Jesus is displaying this. But now, the apostles, and then, all of us, are going to be encompassed in this relationship.

Jesus will be in us. And we will be in him.[ix] Again, this is relationship language. We will love Christ and obey him. The Father will love us, and the Father and Son will make their home with us.

If we try to understand this conceptually, or emotionally, we will tie ourselves in knots—and miss the reality. The truth is that we tend to avoid the input of others into our lives. And we resist giving freely to others. Our relationships can be like billiard balls bouncing off each other.

But let’s ask ourselves this question. Do we long for more than this?

If the Father has given his Son to us, and his Spirit to be in us, are we going to remain ‘our own person’? Or rather, will we open ourselves to receive the grace and truth of the Father reflected in his Son? Will we allow this to be our new life?

Jesus wants this oneness—this ‘in-ness’ he has been talking about—to be shared by all who hear the gospel from the apostles. He wants us to be in the Father and himself—in the same way that he and the Father are in each other—by love that gives preference to the other.

It’s this very real personal relationship with the Father through Christ that will demonstrate to the watching world that Jesus really has been sent by the Father.[x] They will be looking at people who are secure in the Father’s love—in the same way that Jesus is.

Is this how we take the gospel to the world?[xi] It needs to be so, because it’s what Jesus asks his Father to make happen.[xii] We are to go to family, friends and neighbors, or even to people far away, full of the love we discover in the Father’s gift of Christ. Our coming is simple, and joyful. They encounter us and our words, but also, the presence of the unseen Father and Son who are loving us—and living in us.

Third,Jesus promises us a place in his Father’s home.

On several occasions, Jesus says he has come from the Father, and that he will return to the Father.[xiii] And, as with the Father’s glory and the Father’s fellowship, he wants us to be included in his return to the Father.

Just how important this is for us is illustrated by Peter.[xiv] Jesus is not impressed with his self-confident declaration of loyalty. In fact, he predicts his betrayal. But, in the next breath, Jesus says he should not be troubled! Rather, he should trust in God and in Jesus.

And Jesus tells him and all the apostles that the Father has a home large enough to accommodate all who follow him. Jesus will be the way to get there. And he will secure a place for each of his disciples. And he will come again to usher us into our new accommodation.

Peter’s very personhood will seem to collapse in the next few hours, and Jesus knows he will need a place to call home—just like the prodigal son in the story Jesus has already told. Here’s a truth larger than our uncertain attempts to be worthy of our Saviour. Just ask Peter!

The story of the Father’s home continues.

Jesus has not just been lifted up on a cross. He’s been lifted up in resurrection. And now, he’s lifted up to sit beside his Father in heaven[xv]—with all authority to finish what he began.

Jesus says we should be glad he’s going to the Father. It’s not just better for him. It’s better for us![xvi] And it’s better for persuading the unbelieving world of his victory.[xvii]

And, as we’ve seen, Jesus wants us to be with him where he is.[xviii] We must not cling to an earthly Jesus—as Mary Magdalene sought to do, but rejoice in his going to the Father.[xix]

We can’t afford to be content with the glory, or the intimacy, or the home we have in this world. The Father has sent his Son so that we may be filled full, as was his Son, with the glory of the Father. We’ll see more of this in the way the apostles follow up this revelation in a final article.

[i] John 17:26

[ii] John 12:27-30

[iii] John 1:17

[iv] John 17:1-26

[v] John 3:16

[vi] John 12:49-50; also 10:17-18; 12:27-28

[vii] John 17:22

[viii] John 14:15-23

[ix] John 15:4-16

[x] John 17:23

[xi] Throughout this prayer, Jesus has been very concerned with the world. He’s mentioned it 13 times in 26 verses.

[xii] John 17:23

[xiii] John 13:1, 3; 14:2-6; 14:28; 16:17, 28; 17:24; 20:17

[xiv] John 13:36—14:6. Note that this passage is all one narrative.

[xv] John 13:1, 3; 16:28; 17:5

[xvi] John 14:28

[xvii] John 16:10, 17

[xviii] John 17:24

[xix] John 20:17

[i] John 17:26

[ii] John 12:27-30

[iii] John 1:17

[iv] John 17:1-26

[v] John 3:16

[vi] John 12:49-50; also 10:17-18; 12:27-28

[vii] John 17:22

[viii] John 14:15-23

[ix] John 15:4-16

[x] John 17:23

[xi] Throughout this prayer, Jesus has been very concerned with the world. He’s mentioned it 13 times in 26 verses.

[xii] John 13:1, 3; 14:2-6; 14:28; 16:17, 28; 17:24; 20:17

[xiii] John 13:36—14:6. Note that this passage is all one narrative.

[xiv] John 13:1, 3; 16:28; 17:5

[xv] John 14:28

[xvi] John 16:10, 17

[xvii] John 17:24

[xviii] John 20:17

[xvii] John 17:24

[xviii] John 20:17

Living with sorrows, expecting glory (Rom. 8:18-39)

We’ve come to a climax in this letter to the Romans. And we’ve needed all that has been said so far to appreciate the strong confidence of this section.

Through the gospel of Christ, we’ve been released from condemnation and are no longer bound by sin. And we’re not dependent on a regime of law, or doomed merely to die.

But what’s all this freedom for? In part, this has been answered already. We’ve been freed to be what we are created to be—beloved and obedient children of God. But there’s more.

God made us in his image and is working to the end that we will share his glory. Nothing less!

This matter of glory hasn’t been prominent in what we’ve learned so far, but it’s been present.

Back in chapter two, Paul says everyone should be spending their lives living well, so as to share in God’s glory, honour and immortality. If we don’t want this, expect this and work towards this, we’re traitors. If we’re not expecting to see God reigning gloriously over all he has made, and, ourselves sharing in that glory, God is ashamed to be called our God.[i]

Rather, as Paul says in chapter 5, we are now rejoicing in hope of sharing God’s glory.[ii] The threat of condemnation and gloom of being compromised are lifted. We are even embracing the difficulties of our lives because they are God’s way to better equip us for this wonderful future.

This is what Paul now takes up. Pain and confusion are a part of our present life. Paul knows this very well, but refuses to give it centre-stage. He says it’s not worth comparing with the new situation God is bringing about.

So, first, the creation is framed in hope (vv. 18-30).

There’s no doubt that the natural world is groaning. God has given it up to futility. Nothing in this world can ever be ultimately meaningful of itself. But God has added a promise so that we can learn to live in hope. It’s the things we do because we trust his promise that are meaningful.

Creation’s groaning is not it’s objecting to the way we abuse it—as some suggest. It grieves because it can’t be the home for us that it was designed to be. And then, it’s moans are like a mother’s giving birth to a child. From God’s point of view, creation knows it will be reborn and share the freedom that’s coming to us. Its pain is not fear of a fate but anticipation of a destiny.

And there is no doubt that we Christians also are groaning.

How can we not? We have been given new life from God. We know we are meant for ‘the freedom of the glory of children of God!’ How come our life is so mundane when anticipation of such a future has been built into us?

This is illustrated wonderfully by a former pastor of mine who said as he battled a serious illness, ‘God didn’t just mean for us to live anyhow, but gloriously!’

The Holy Spirit, living in us, is evidence that he will also renew our tired and tainted bodies. And he will give the strength we need to continue to live by faith and hope and love when our familiar and trusted framework begins to crumble.

But yet, we groan. How can we not? But we’re learning, through our pain, to see things that are unseen—because they are the things that are going to last. And we’re learning to wait. Our troubles are preparing us for a substantial and eternal glory.[iii]

In fact, this precious gift of the Holy Spirit groans too—from within us. More deeply than we can know. It’s what Isaiah tells us: ‘In all their affliction he [God] was afflicted… he lifted them and carried them’.[iv] The Spirit knows the Father’s mind—for our present and our future. And his prayers are answered. When our suffering renders us unable to pray, our communion with the Father remains in full action.

And then, look at the way God has been working with us. He has known us from eternity past—meaning he determined from the beginning to set his love on us. He chose our destiny—to be his sons and daughters. Then, he called us—meaning we heard the gospel and recognised he was speaking to us. And he glorified us—meaning that if God decides to do something, it’s as good as done. Notice, on this agenda of God’s dealing with us, we are four fifths of the way through his list—nearly there!

Given this agenda, can we imagine anything that won’t work in such a way as to be for our benefit? His purpose is nothing less than to make us like his Son—full of powerful grace and love.

And now, love will hold us—the love of God in Christ (vv. 31-39).

We’ve needed all the previous chapters of Romans to be able to hear this truth. Love may seem to be a simple thing, but it’s the deepest thing of all. And we’re talking about the love of God. And, we’re talking about ourselves as people who’ve flirted with many other ways to live than living in the love of God!

We need to meditate on what this means for us.

God has ‘given up’ his Son for us. He does this in the same way that he gives sinners up to their own evil deeds.[v] He doesn’t grant his Son’s wish to be spared this awful cup. He pours out his wrath on his own Son—for us. And we belong to that Son—now raised from the dead. With love like that, God’s not going to give us up!

So, what about all the accusations made against us? That’s the question that must be settled if we’re going to know the love of God. It’s no good relying on feelings here. We need to think.

Where does Jesus Christ fit in all that’s happening to us? He’s died for us. He’s been raised for us. He’s now speaking to the Father for us.

In other words, he not only loved us as he died.[vi] He loves us now.[vii] And this is what is going on between the Father and the Son.[viii] We’re caught up in a Godhead love story. And we are the subject of their conversation!

It’s so important to have this in mind when trouble comes. Our old self-sufficient consciences may have been reckoning that we were the reason for the delights we’d received. And then, when this is reversed, we tip into thinking that we are the reason for that too.

Wrong, both times! We need to be reckoning from what is going on in heaven! The accusations die with a look from our Saviour.[ix] Only this can help us to travel through our trials.

So, people who try to get our attention with their anger can’t win. Pain can’t have the last word. Danger isn’t all there is. We know the love of God to us in Jesus Christ. And he is Lord over all things. And as we continue to walk in faith, hope and love, we are more than conquerors.

[i] Heb. 11:16

[ii] Rom. 5:2

[iii] 2 Cor. 4:17-18

[iv] Isa. 63:9

[v] Rom. 1:24, 26, 28

[vi] Gal. 2:20

[vii] Rev. 1:5

[viii] John 17:22-23

[ix] Luke 22:61. If Peter remembered Jesus saying he would fail, he must also have recalled that Jesus prayed that his faith would not fail. And it didn’t. He finished as ‘more than conqueror’.