December 11, 2020 -- John 17:2-3 -- Glimpses of Glory

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

John 17:3-4 English Standard Version

Filling in Christmas cards this year I have been writing at the top of many of them: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among the people with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). The moment of Jesus’ arrival on earth gave glory to the Father in heaven—it is what the angels declared. The life and work of Jesus on earth glorified God—Jesus’ work and words, life and rest, every moment He walked the earth He was conscience of living whole-heartedly for His Father in heaven. He perfectly proclaimed the coming Kingdom of God. He displayed the Father’s radiancy in His miracles of healing and feeding. Those who perceived Who Jesus was as He preached and offered the miraculous signs saw the glory of God the Father.

Now, in this section of John, called the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus is praying, asking His Father to give to Him the glory had with the Father before the world existed. Note, when the God of Splendour and Power is even fleetingly revealed, even a small glimpse of this glory is given, hearts melt, kingdoms fall, lives are converted, and sinners are judged.

When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “I AM He” the soldiers caught a glimpse of His glory and they fell to the ground stunned in His presence (John 18:6). In fact, Jesus had to take charge of the situation so that they could regroup and arrest Him. When Jesus was being crucified one man crucified on a cross beside Him, glimpsed the saving power and glory of God and said “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). When Jesus gave up His Spirit and died, the Roman soldier at the foot of the cross declared “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). Through out history efforts have been made generation after generation to suppress the word of God and defeat the glory of Jesus—these all failed.

Voltaire, the French philosopher and author of the early 1800’s, noted “we are living in the twilight of Christianity”. In a beautiful twist of fate that declares the glory of Jesus Christ, the home where Voltaire once lived, in Ferney, France, is now the location of a branch of the French Bible Society! The glory of Jesus Christ is being declared in the written word preserved and blessed by the Spirit so that all who believe on Jesus know the Father in heaven. One man remarked, what Voltaire saw as twilight was in fact the dawn of Christ’s day. So, with the angels and the shepherds, and saints and wise men throughout the ages we declare with greatest joy: “Glory to God in the highest!”

Prayer today is the praise found in Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. ESV

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