INTRODUCTION
He is Risen! Glory to God! The glory of God is revealed in Jesus Christ, by his power to raise Jesus from the dead, that he may restore man’s life from sin and death. This message showcases the glory of God in the resurrection. It should inspire faith and confidence in the “finished works” of Christ, done for our salvation, to the glory of God.
1. GOD’S GLORY IN LIFE
God created man (male and female), in “his own image” and “likeness”. He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”. God’s ‘glory’ on earth is His Life (i.e. the “Spirit of God”), that was in man. Man was of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created. And God gave man dominion over all the earth. “It was very good”! (Genesis 1:2, 26-27, 31; 2:4, 7).
But owing to disobedience, man’s life was polluted by sin and death, and he fell under the captive of Satan. And “…death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression…”. But God promised that his glory shall be seen upon men. (Genesis 2:17; 3:1-19; Isaiah 60:1-2; Romans 5:14).
2. THE GLORY OF GOD OVER DEATH
Moses asked God saying: “Shew me thy glory”. God said: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious … and will shew mercy on whom I will …”. (Exodus 33:18-19; Romans 9:15; 2 Corinthians 12:5). God’s ‘glory’, is in his character and his power namely: ‘all his goodness’, that shall be done in ‘his name’, and by his ‘grace’ and his ‘mercy’ – The resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In his ‘goodness’, God sent His son Jesus, “in the name of the LORD”, as “the light of the world”. His sacrificial death for the sins of the world, reveals God’s graciousness and mercy. And by raising him from the dead, God overcomes death. Note that, the laws of Moses, could not overcome sin and death on the earth, because, mortal strength would then take the praise of God. (Psalm 118:26; John 8:12; Colossians 1:15).
So, by raising Christ from the grave, God demonstrated his ‘glory’ over death, and reclaims his ‘glory’ in man – i.e., the “light of life” on the earth. Hallelujah! And as he promised: that he will do it for his own name’s sake; and that he will not allow his name to be polluted or give his glory unto another, so it was. (Isaiah 42:8; 48:11; John 1:16-17; 8:12).
3. GOD’S GLORY RECLAIMED
Brethren, by the power of the Holy Spirit, God raised Jesus from the dead, and redeemed his people from the power of darkness, into the kingdom of his son Jesus Christ. Believers obtain redemption in Christ, through his blood, for the forgiveness of sins; and thereby, God reconciled “all things” unto himself. (Psalm 29:1-2; Colossians 1:13-14, 20).
3.1. GOD’S GLORY IN THE ‘SON OF MAN’
By the resurrection, God also reclaimed his glory in Jesus, “the son of Man”. Jesus was fully man (human or living being); and he was also the “son of God”, (fully God – a living Spirit). He is “Christ, the son of the living God” and a “life -given spirit. Though human, yet Jesus says:” it is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak…are spirit, and they are life”. (Mark 13:26; John 6: 63, 69; Matthew 3:17; 1 Corinthians 15:45).
Jesus attests to his lineage with the “Father saying: “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father …the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” Elsewhere, he declared: “I and my father are one”. And also, that: “…no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven”. (John 14:9-11; 10:30; 3:13).
Brethren, the glory of the son of man, is that, by the “works” of God, in the resurrection, life and light restores for all mankind. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”. Also, as by the offence of one, many be dead, so by one man Jesus, the “grace of God” and the “gift of grace”, is made available to many unto eternal life. (1 Corinthians 15:22; Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:15,21).
4. THE RESURRECTION: GOD’S GLORIOUS WORKS
In the resurrection is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. Jesus says: if God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify the son in himself, and will glorify him straightaway. (John 13:32). The glory of the resurrection shall reveal to those who believe in God’s works.
Let us now examine the works of Glory in the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
4.1. TO FULFILL THE FATHER-SON COVENANT
The resurrection of Christ was a ‘covenant of life’, between Father and son, from the foundation of the world, which was fulfilled. Jesus explains the covenant saying: “For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself”. Also, God gave him power to lay down his life and to take it again. And that God loves him because he lay his life, that he might take it again. “This commandment have I received of my Father”, he added. (John 10:17-18; 5:26).
Thus, on the faith of the Father-Son covenant, Jesus asked the Father to glorify his name; and a voice from heaven, said, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again”. Before his death, Jesus invoked the covenant of glory again, saying: “Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee… O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was”. (John 12:28-29; 17:1, 5).
Brethren, for the purpose of the resurrection, God had made the “son of man… a little lower than angels, [and] crowned him with glory and honour.” Therefore, God would not leave his soul in hell, neither cause his “Holy one” to see corruption. And Apostle Peter attests to this saying: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses”. (Psalm 8:4-5; 16:10; Hebrews 2:9-10; Acts 2: 24, 30-32; Isaiah 32:1).
4.2. TO REVEAL GOD’S LOVE FOR MANKIND
Christ’s death and resurrection, should reveal to believers the Love of God for mankind. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. Brethren, the love of God for us, is revealed in that, God sent his son, that the world through him might be saved; and he died for us while we were yet sinners. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”! (John 3:16-17; 15:13; Romans 5:8).
And because of his “great love”, God has given to Jesus, “power over all flesh” that he should give believers “eternal life”- i.e., to know Him, the only true God, and Jesus whom he sent. They are also raised up, and sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, “that [they] may behold his glory which God has given him”. (John 17:2-4 &24; Ephesians 2:4-6).
4.3. TO INSPIRE FAITH IN GOD
The key purpose of the ‘works of God in the resurrection, is to inspire in mankind, faith: that by Christ, people may believe in God, and our faith and hope may rest in God. (1 Peter 1:21; John 11:42). The story of the bronze serpent symbolises how the resurrection might inspire faith. God told Moses to make the serpent and mount it on a pole; that, if anyone was bitten and look at it, they will live. Likewise, if anyone looks at the “Son of man” who is lifted up, and believe in him, he will obtain eternal life. (Numbers 21:8; John 3:14).
The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, also impresses the need for faith in God. Jesus declared: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” And he also said, if Martha would “believe”, she would “see the glory of God” in her brother’s miracle. Brethren, let our faith rest in God and Christ, for all our needs. We have Jesus’ assurance, that he will draw all men unto him, when he is “lifted up from the earth”. (John 11:25 & 40, 13:32).
4.4. TO SUBJECT POWERS UNTO CHRIST
At the resurrection, God glorified Christ by subjecting powers unto him. God ascended Jesus into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God; and angels, authorities and powers are made subject to him. “All power is given unto [him] in heaven and in earth”, to rule in the midst of the enemies, as they are made his “footstool”. God has put all things under his feet. Hallelujah! (1 Peter 3:22; Psalm 110:1-3, 8:6-8; Matthew 28:18).
Having ascended on high, Jesus has “led captivity captive” He has given spiritual gifts unto men, that the LORD God might dwell among them; and the power of God may work through them. (Psalm 68:18; Ephesians 4:8; 1 Corinthians 15:27). Brethren, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world [Satan] be cast out”. Hallelujah! For, through the name of Jesus Christ, Satan and his devils are subject to believers. Christ has “spoiled principalities and powers” and made mockery of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Luke 10:17-18; Colossians 2:15).
4.5. TO EFFECT GOD’S SALVATION FOR MANKIND
Brethren, “He that is our God is the God of salvation; And unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death”. (Psalm 68:20). By the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God accomplished his purpose for salvation which he foretold: “…to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: [to be] a light to the Gentiles, [and to be God’s] salvation unto the end of the earth”. (Isaiah 49:6).
To this end, all are called to believe by faith, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ – the ‘finished works of God: and to believe in from the heart and confess JESUS IS LORD, and be saved; that God’s name be glorified. (Romans 10:9-10). Also, believers, will receive the “Holy Spirit of promise”, the forgiveness of sins, and will be renewed in Christ. They are turned from death unto life, darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God. (John 14:17,26; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:13).
My people of God, by his mighty power, God has highly exalted Christ, above “all principality, and power, and might, and dominion”, and every name both in this world and the next. And because Christ was sent in the world IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, God glorified him by given him “a name which is above every name”. Thus, whatever believers would ask IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, he will do, “that the Father may be glorified in the Son”. (Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9; John 14:13-14).
5. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Brethren, we are assured of God’s promises of our inheritance in Jesus Christ: for “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth…; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. (Ephesians 1: 11; Philippians 2:10-11).
Therefore, let us consider God’s ‘“finished works” done in the resurrected Jesus Christ; and let us receive and celebrate His offering of grace, truth and mercy through Jesus Christ. Let us LOVE THE LORD OUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, AND WITH ALL OUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL OUR MIND, AND WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH. And Let us Love our neighbour as ourselves. (Deuteronomy 6.5;10:12; Mark 12:30-31).
PRAYER
Almighty Father, I thank you for your word.
THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY, FOR EVER AMEN.
We give unto you the glory and strength due unto your name; For thine own arm has prevailed over evil, sin and death.
GLORY BE UNTO THE SON OF GOD, THE RESURRECTED CHRIST, OUR, REDEEMER!
Thank you, Lord, for revealing unto us, THE ONLY TRUE GOD in Spirit.
Dear LORD, as You have obtained “power over all flesh”, help us to sow to your spirit to overcome our flesh; and to live more like you.
GRACIOUS HOLY SPIRIT, POWER OF GOD, convict us of sin, and cause us to discern your Truth: teach us, lead us and guide us in our walk with our Father God.
I make this prayer in JESUS NAME.
A blessed Easter holiday to your families and loved ones.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 31 March 2024.
