“And the Word became Flesh, and dwelt among us and we saw His Glory, as one of the only Begotten from the Father, full of Grace and Truth  – John 1:14


THE TERM “GLORY”, IN GENERAL REFERS TO – The Visible Splendor or Moral Beauty of God’s Manifold Perfections…It attempts to describe His Unveiled Magnificence, Excellence, and Splendor of His Being. The highest duty of man is to Glorify God and Praise God in worship, word and act – Matt 5:16; 1 Cor 6:20; 1 Cor 10:31. One Greek word, “Doxa” speaks of – Radiance, Glory, Repute. The word “Doxazo“- speaks of “Praise, Glorify.” Above all, “DOXA,” represents GOD’S GLORY AND POWER.  To Glorify Him “Doxa” is to Give the Correct Opinion, the Correct Estimation.

In the Old Testament the general structure of their meaning…is at times used for APPEARANCE- for the MANIFESTATION of a person, With special STRESS ON THE IMPRESSION This Creates on Others…when it is used of God it is used of His Luminous Manifestation of His Person…HIS GLORIOUS REVELATION OF HIMSELF

It Expresses itself in CREATION
Psalm 19:1 “The Heavens declare the Glory of God…”

BUT ABOVE all it Expresses itself in SALVATION’S HISTORY…IN GODS GREAT ACTS
Ex 14:17-“I will get GLORY OVER PHARAOH AND ALL HIS HOSTS, his chariots His Horsemen, And the EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW THAT I, AM LORD,

In The Old Testament – THE ARK REPRESENTED THE DIVINE PRESENCE – with the loss of the Ark to the Philistines “THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL.” The event was reflected in the NAME – “ICHABOD” – which means,  “WHERE IS THE GLORY?” The Ark REPRESENTED the Divine Presence. God HAD REMOVED HIS MANIFESTED PRESENCE because of the peoples continual sin.

“DOXA” represented Gods Glory, Majesty and Power when spoken of in the Old Testament.
The Scripture speaks in 
Acts 7:2 – God is “the God of Glory”
Eph 1:17 -“The Father of Glory”
2 Pet 1:17 -“The Majestic Glory”

In the New Testament, the word, “DOXA”- is found 165 times, “DOXA”- GLORY is a quality belonging to God…and is recognized by man only in response to Him…IT suggests Something which radiates from the one Who has it, leaving An IMPRESSION behind. Just as the Moon Reflects the Sun, the Word “DOXA”- can Be rendered Glory or HONOR……TO HONOR GOD MUST RECOGNIZE GOD’S GLORY,

Glory manifests itself in the New Testament in the operations of Gods Power and salvation in salvation history…It appears above all IN Jesus Christ and His work of salvation
Glory is attributed to Gods Actions – and to His Being, in Romans 6:4 we read   -“Therefore we have been buried with HIM through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead THROUGH THE GLORY OF THE FATHER,so we too might walk in NEWNESS OF LIFE.” Jesus Christ was raised from the Dead, having satisfied Gods perfect Holiness and Justice and for those who have come to place their trust in Him- alone for salvation- God has for His glory Given us the power to walk in Newness of Life- for His Glory. It is through HIS ACTION of Raising His Son…that HE IS GLORIFIED. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Glorifies God the Father. 

THE GLORY OF GOD REVEALED IN JESUS CHRIST
John 1:14 – “And the Word became Flesh, and dwelt among us and we saw His Glory, as one of the only Begotten from the Father, full of Grace and truth.”
“DWELT among us”…The WORD means – “TABERNACLED” AMONG US and we have seen His Glory, Glory as of the only Son from the Father … FULL OF GLORY – the Person of His Son who was, Christ … full of Glory. – Jesus was FULL OF GLORY- John 1:14… It meant the PRESENCE OF SALVATION

THE GLORY OF GOD WAS REVEALED…

1.  IN HIS LIFE
John 17:4- ” I GLORIFIED YOU on the earth HAVING ACCOMPLISHED THE WORK which You have Given Me to do.”

2.  IN HIS MINISTRY
John 7:18– “He who speaks form himself seeks His own glory; But He who is SEEKING the Glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

3.  IN HIS MIRACLES
A.  At the Wedding in Cana…
John 2:11-  “This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and MANIFESTED HIS GLORY, and His disciples believed in Him.”

B.  At the Resurrection of Lazarus
Word had reached Jesus that Lazarus His friend WAS SICK…when Jesus was told this by His disciples He said in
John 11:4:  “This sickness is not to end in death, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, SO THAT THE SON OF God may be GLORIFIED by it.”  V 11– Jesus said “Our Friend Lazarus has fallen asleep...v 13 He had spoken of death…Jesus on coming to the tomb told them to remove the stone, Martha reminded the Lord Lazarus had been dead 4 DAYS and there would be a stench.

John 11:40 -“Jesus said to her , “Did I not say to you that if you believe, YOU WILL SEE THE GLORY OF GOD.“…Jesus cried out with a Loud voice “Lazarus come forth…and Lazarus came out of the tomb…ALIVE!

4.  IN HIS TRANSFORMATION
Matt 7:1-7- “Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves, And HE WAS TRANSFIGURED before them; And His FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN, and His GARMENTS BECAME AS WHITE AS LIGHT.”

5.  IN HIS DYING; His Betrayal and Crucifixion
John 12:23,28 – “The Hour has come for the Son of Man to BE GLORIFIED…”
John 12:27-28– “Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, “Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came this hour. Father, GLORIFY YOUR NAME.” “Then a voice came out of Heaven: “I have Glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

John 17:1-4 -“Jesus spoke these words and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; GLORIFY YOUR SON, THAT the Son May GLORIFY YOU.”

6.  IN HIS RESURRECTION
Rom 6:4- “…Christ was raised form the dead THROUGH the Glory of the Father, SO WE too might walk in newness of life.”

7.  On ACCOUNT OF HIS GIFT OF SALVATION
The Believers upon hearing of Paul’s conversion from being violently opposed to them, that he was now ONE of them…having being converted by the Lord Jesus on the Road to Damascus- Acts 9:5,15 …and word of Paul’s Salvation was spreading.
Gal 1: 23-“But only they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is NOW PREACHING THE FAITH WHICH HE ONCE TRIED TO DESTROY.”

Gal 1:24-“And THEY WERE GLORIFYING GOD because of me.” Notice GOD WAS RECEIVING THE GLORY. He was the Center of the Celebration, His FAME AND NAME was the MAIN Event! How often in our “testimony” times, “we” become the “celebrities”, what “we” have done etc. But considering Ephesians 2:1-3 our contribution was we were “DEAD in …trespasses and sins.” We were Spiritually Dead, Impotent, Incompetent, and with no desire for God, and it says in verse 4, “But GOD…” NOTE NOT “BUT ME” OR “BUT YOU…” BUT GOD… DID SOMETHING… HE INITIATED…what did HE DO? the verse tells us ” But GOD being rich in mercy because of HIS great love which He loved us, even when WE WERE DEAD in our Transgressions, Made US ALIVE together with Christ {by Grace you have been saved} and raised up with Him, and SEATED us With HIM in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come HE might show the surpassing Riches of HIS grace in kindness towards us In Christ Jesus.“

Take a good look, at the verse again…HE IS the STAR AND THE ONE WHO GIVES SPIRITUAL LIFE AND SEATED US And in the ages to come will SHOWER US FOR ALL ETERNITY WITH HIS KINDNESS. What will heaven be like? A PLACE OF ETERNAL KINDNESS- WOW! As we read this verse we can only say, What an AMAZING person I am or you are! “No, a thousand times ‘no”- the Emphasis and Focus is on HIM, “BUT GOD…” It is HIS Life imparting Power and HIS Grace, and HIS Mercy and HIS Love and HIS kindness to us who had sinned against HIM and violated HIS purpose for our lives namely to glorify HIM.

A Christians Testimony is to WHO GOD IS and WHAT GOD has Done. What do you or I bring to the Table? A CORPSE- A Spiritual Putrefying sin filled corpse. The Attention and FAME and FOCUS is not on me or you “BUT GOD…“

As a result of a CHANGED LIFE- Which is the evidence of Gods Salvation- others were GLORIFYING GOD FOR WHAT HE DID FOR PAUL. Next time you give your “testimony”- put the Spotlight on HIM. In 1 Chronicles 16:10 – “GIVE HIM THE GLORY DUE HIS NAME“-

DO NOT “Touch HIS Glory,”
DO NOT “Take HIS Glory” but Please,
by all means “TELL of HIS Glory.”

Remember if you have been declared right with God, and have a desire for Him and a Delight in His Word and Ways {Matt 6:33; 1 Peter 2:2; John 14:6} it is  because there was a “BUT GOD…” who has intervened in your life! HIS FAME and HIS Name {which speaks of His Character} is to be the Focus- and indeed HIS changing a life is Cause for us like those in Galatia for reason for us “GLORIFYING GOD” in the saving of a sinner!  As the Hymn writer so rightly puts it, -“To GOD BE THE GLORY great things HE has done, so loved HE the World HE gave us HIS Son…”

8.  HIS RETURN
2 Thess 1:91-0 -“These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the GLORY of His Power, when He comes TO BE GLORIFIED IN His saints on that day and to be marveled at among all who have believed…”


APPLICATION
THE GLORY OF GOD IS TO BE PRIORITY AND FOCUS OF HIS PEOPLE – HIS CHURCH
Eph 3:21-“To Him the glory in the church And in Christ Jesus to All Generations forever and ever. Amen.” What is to be our Purpose in coming or being part of this church? In Ephesians 3:21, we see the purpose of Gods people-   “To Him be the Glory in the Church…” The Church means = “CALLED OUT” ones…

We have been Called out of spiritual darkness, which speaks of dominated by sin,{Eph 2:1} ; dominated by satan {1John3:8} – Col 1:13-

We are Called into fellowship with His Son- 1 Cor 1:9.


THE CHURCH EXISTS FOR GODS GLORY AND HONOR”
1.  He purchased the church  – Acts 20:28 – “…Which He Purchased with His Own Blood.”
2.  He is the Head of His church – Ephesians 1:22- “…And He put ALL things in subjection under His feet, and Gave Him as HEAD over ALL things to the Church, which is His Body…”
3.  The church exists for His Glory – Ephesians 3:21 -” To Him be the Glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to All generations forever and ever. Amen.”
EPH 3 :21 –  “TO HIM BE THE GLORY…”
It is to be Personal – “To Him be the Glory
It is to be Public – “…in the church”
It is to be Perpetual – “..for all generations”

The purpose of the church or our belonging being part of a local church is “to Him be the Glory.” Gods FAME is to be the AIM of the Church…So we need to know what it is that will bring Him Glory in the family, work place, inter-relationships with brethren…with the Lost…

APPLICATION FOR YOU – TODAY

1.  THINK UPON HIM  – Think upon how He revealed His Glory
2.  THANK GOD  for Jesus Christ – Who was and is FULL OF GLORY
3.  TRUST HIM  to remind you today to behold Him and Glorify Him
4.  TAKE  these verse and commit to Memorization and Mediation
5.  TELL  others – How The Glory of God was Revealed in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
6.  TURN  these truths about the Lord Jesus into “FUEL” as you pray and worship Him.  For example, “Father I Praise you because your Son was full of Glory and he manifested That Glory though His Life…. His Miracles … His Death… etc” in doing so you are, ” Worshiping God in…TRUTH ” – John 4:23-24; and Remember worship is ascribing SUPREME – PREEMINENT WORTH Ship to God, and the Lord Jesus says in this verse, “For such people the Father SEEKS to Be HIS Worshippers. Take God’s Word – HIS truth and turn it into ascribing His Worth ship in your prayers.  

CHANGED BY BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF THE LORD
In Corinthians 3:16-18 says “…but whenever a man TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY. Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY. But we all, with unveiled face BEHOLDING as in a mirror the GLORY OF THE LORD, Are Being TRANSFORMED into the same image from Glory to Glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

After SALVATION by the SPIRIT – v16
There is LIBERATION by the Spirit – v17
There is TRANSFORMATION by the Spirit – v18

And as we are “BEHOLDING” Continually Looking upon The Lord, His Person, His Promises, His Provisions … we are BEING changed. Just as sitting in the sun has an effect on your skin, so beholding the Lord has an effect on your Character…TAKE TIME TO LINGER IN HIS WORD, LOOKING AT THE LORD JESUS.

WHAT BETTER WAY TO BEGIN “BEHOLDING”, THAN TO GAZE  CONTINUALLY ON THE PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS WHO WAS “FULL OF GLORY.” KEEP LOOKING AND BEHOLD HIM, AND MEDITATE ON  HIS GLORY

WHICH HE MANIFESTED through…
HIS Life
HIS Ministry
HIS Miracles
HIS Transfiguration
HIS Death; and burial
HIS Resurrection
HIS ABILITY to change Lives with the Gift of Salvation
HIS Return – will bring about another manifestation of THE GLORY OF GOD!

TO GLORIFY GOD …IS TO HONOR HIM…and JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS GOD, WHO WAS FULL OF GLORY, WHO CAME AND GAVE US THE CORRECT OPINION AND CORRECT ESTIMATE OF WHAT GOD IS LIKE… AND IN TURN the BIBLE tells us that We are to GLORIFY Him…to give the correct Opinion of Him. Just as the Moon reflects the Sun so we too are to reflect something of our Heavenly Father and- Glorify Him

Remember and remind yourself often

1.- You were – Created to Glorify God – Isaiah 43:7

2. – You were – Purchased to Glorify God – 1 Cor 6:20
“For you have been bought with a price; therefore GLORIFY GOD in your body.”

3. – Your – Priority in Living each moment, day after day is to- Glorify God- 1 Cor 10:31
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or WHATEVER you do, do all to the  GLORY OF GOD.”

4.-  Your Place and Purpose in your Local Congregation {Where He has placed you, in-His church} … is always and forever the same and to be maintained- Eph 3:21
“to Him, be the GLORY IN THE CHURCH and in Christ Jesus to ALL Generations forever and ever. Amen.”-

THE LORD JESUS CAME TO GLORIFY HIS FATHER
John 17:1 -” Father the hour has come, Glorify Your Son, that the Son may Glorify You,…”

THE LORD JESUS CAME TO  “MANIFEST” THE FATHER TO HIS OWN – AND IN DOING SO GLORIFY HIM
John 17:6- “I have MANIFESTED Your Name to the men whom You Gave Me out of the world…”,
and GLORIFY GOD THE FATHER HE DID

Meditate, Worship and BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD REVEALED IN and THROUGH the LORD JESUS CHRIST