Beholding the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ
God’s Birth Announcement:
Luke 2:8-14 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the GLORY OF THE LORD shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“GLORY TO GOD in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!
John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, full of Grace and Truth.”
“Beholding the GLORY OF THE LORD is the unchanging activity of the Christian Life from beginning to end.” C.K. Barrett And I would add, for all Eternity!
2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all with unveild face, beholding as in a mirror THE GLORY OF THE LORD, are being transformed into the same IMAGE from GLORY TO GLORY, just as by the SPIRIT OF THE LORD.”
The Divine Method of Transformation from what we are to what we should be,–beholding the GLORY OF THE LORD!!!
Transformed into what? The same Image.
Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
John 14:7-9 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?”
What is this mirror?
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine on them.”
2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:25-27 I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the Glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.
1 Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious Gospel of the Blessed God which was committed to my trust.
There is no vanity in spending much time in front of this MIRROR, for it is God’s means of reversing the focus, impact, and behavior of sin that Paul speaks of in Romans 1:22-23. “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”
How does this Gospel Mirror, (the entire Word of God, by the way) change us into the Image of Christ? It is by the Spirit through the Word of God!!!
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh
2 Corinthians 3:3-18 Vs 3 Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. Vs 8-11 the ministry of the Spirit is more glorious. For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Vs 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
And what is our part?
John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Hebrews 3:17-4:3 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, [a]not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Unbelief is the ultimate evil!!!
Titus 2:11-15 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
I John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
God’s Birth Announcement:
Luke 2:8-14 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the GLORY OF THE LORD shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“GLORY TO GOD in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!
John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, full of Grace and Truth.”
“Beholding the GLORY OF THE LORD is the unchanging activity of the Christian Life from beginning to end.” C.K. Barrett And I would add, for all Eternity!
2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all with unveild face, beholding as in a mirror THE GLORY OF THE LORD, are being transformed into the same IMAGE from GLORY TO GLORY, just as by the SPIRIT OF THE LORD.”
The Divine Method of Transformation from what we are to what we should be,–beholding the GLORY OF THE LORD!!!
Transformed into what? The same Image.
Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
John 14:7-9 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?”
What is this mirror?
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine on them.”
2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:25-27 I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the Glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.
1 Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious Gospel of the Blessed God which was committed to my trust.
There is no vanity in spending much time in front of this MIRROR, for it is God’s means of reversing the focus, impact, and behavior of sin that Paul speaks of in Romans 1:22-23. “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”
How does this Gospel Mirror, (the entire Word of God, by the way) change us into the Image of Christ? It is by the Spirit through the Word of God!!!
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh
2 Corinthians 3:3-18 Vs 3 Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. Vs 8-11 the ministry of the Spirit is more glorious. For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Vs 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
And what is our part?
John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Hebrews 3:17-4:3 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, [a]not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Unbelief is the ultimate evil!!!
Titus 2:11-15 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
I John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.