The Glory

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Scripture

“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
(John 5:43 NASB)
“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
(John 5:44 NASB)

 

Observation


Jesus reveals much about himself and his nature and close relationship with his Father in this chapter. There is nothing that Jesus does apart from the Father -- he is connected in a very real sense to the God of all creation and yet, the people of the day continued to reject him. Jesus was representing God and the people didn't want to hear what he had to say. Others showed up representing themselves and their personal charisma, and the people clamored with excitement. They loved the praise which they received from one another and they considered this "the glory." They were willing to put up with a false type of glory because they didn't want to seek what God really had to offer them.

 

Application


Why are we satisfied with the glory that comes from human praise and refuse to seek the face of God and his glory? Are we simply too uncomfortable with him on a personal level that we are almost afraid of experiencing his glory? Has it been so long that we have experienced his glory that we don't even know what it's like and therefore we create a facsimile which does make us comfortable? Whatever the excuse, the sad reality is that we are missing out on the glory of God's presence in our lives both individually and corporately.

Jesus was rejected over and over again by the people of his day. They wanted to depend upon themselves or the practices which had long been practiced. Earlier in this chapter he heals a man who has been lying beside a pool of water waiting to be healed for over thirty years. How often do we wait around for the ordinary when the extraordinary is available to us? To experience the glory of God is to get to know God and to seek him and his face with all that we have. We may have all kinds of fancy preachers around us and we may enjoy listening to them, watching them or following them around, but if they replace God in our lives, we have a problem. Jesus said that the people rejected him while receiving those who came in their own names. Why? Because all that they did was much more palatable to the people of the day. More than likely they wanted one of two things: 1) Their ears to be tickled -- they wanted something that made them feel good and comfortable or 2) They wanted a good show. Jesus was neither of these. He wasn't going to make them feel good or comfortable but he was going to push them from their comfort zones and into his realm. He wanted a people who would be willing to step into his future and be God's instruments in the world, being just as rejected as he was. Also, he didn't want people to be attracted to a "good show." Have you ever noticed how Jesus continually changed his method of healing? He did not develop a particular "style" or "methodology" so that no one could claim those were the manner in which he healed. Instead, Jesus constantly gave glory to God by allowing God to be revealed through him in the fact that healings and miracles constantly came in different ways. This was the way in which the glory of God was revealed.

We must seek the glory of God, and this only comes when we truly seek God and nothing else. I think we must ask ourselves whether we are seeking the glory of God in our own lives and in the life of the church, or are we allowing the temptation of human glory to get in the way? Let's put that aside and seek him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and invite the glory of God on high to come and visit us.

 

Prayer


Lord, may your glory be revealed today in and through all that is done in your name. Amen.

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