1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,160 Well, we have been looking over these weeks at the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ that 2 00:00:05,160 –> 00:00:11,440 take us to the very center of what Christian faith is really all about. 3 00:00:11,440 –> 00:00:15,600 And we have been learning together that Christian faith is more than a way of life, it’s more 4 00:00:15,600 –> 00:00:21,660 than an ethic, it’s more than a set of beliefs, it’s more than adopting a creed. 5 00:00:21,660 –> 00:00:28,100 Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and his power and his presence is promised to all 6 00:00:28,219 –> 00:00:31,379 of his people by the Holy Spirit. 7 00:00:31,379 –> 00:00:34,599 And so we’ve been looking at these great promises of Jesus in John’s Gospel. 8 00:00:34,599 –> 00:00:40,759 He says to us, I will not leave you as orphans. 9 00:00:40,759 –> 00:00:47,820 He says, the Holy Spirit will come and he will live with you and he will be in you. 10 00:00:47,820 –> 00:00:52,439 And Jesus explained the purpose of his own death and of his own resurrection when he 11 00:00:52,439 –> 00:00:56,820 said, I am going to prepare a place for you. 12 00:00:56,820 –> 00:00:59,060 That’s why he went to the cross, we saw last week. 13 00:00:59,060 –> 00:01:01,000 That is why he went to the grave. 14 00:01:01,000 –> 00:01:03,299 That is why he rose on the third day. 15 00:01:03,299 –> 00:01:04,379 Why did he do these things? 16 00:01:04,379 –> 00:01:07,120 To open heaven for us. 17 00:01:07,120 –> 00:01:12,300 He did these things to remove all the barriers that would keep you and me out of the presence 18 00:01:12,300 –> 00:01:17,720 of God in heaven, anything that would stand in the way of us entering into this everlasting 19 00:01:17,720 –> 00:01:18,720 joy. 20 00:01:18,720 –> 00:01:20,660 Jesus goes to prepare a place for us. 21 00:01:20,660 –> 00:01:26,199 He dies and he rises, in order that we may arrive there. 22 00:01:26,220 –> 00:01:28,440 And then we saw this marvelous promise of Jesus. 23 00:01:28,440 –> 00:01:36,320 He says, if I go and prepare a place for you I will come back and I will take you to be 24 00:01:36,320 –> 00:01:37,320 with me. 25 00:01:37,320 –> 00:01:43,400 I was thinking about this, you know, suppose you buy a new car and you want a particular 26 00:01:43,400 –> 00:01:51,720 model so you go to the garage and the dealer says to you, well we don’t have that particular 27 00:01:51,720 –> 00:01:54,900 model here, but I can certainly get it for you. 28 00:01:54,900 –> 00:01:57,739 And you say, well I very much want that model so will you get it for me? 29 00:01:57,739 –> 00:02:01,879 And he says yes I’ll get it for you but you have to pay in full up front. 30 00:02:01,879 –> 00:02:04,699 So you pay all the money for the car. 31 00:02:04,699 –> 00:02:10,559 Here’s one thing that can be guaranteed, you will go back to that garage to pick up what 32 00:02:10,559 –> 00:02:12,300 you paid for, won’t you? 33 00:02:12,300 –> 00:02:17,779 You will be back there to take home what you have already purchased. 34 00:02:17,779 –> 00:02:19,779 And this is the logic of what Jesus is saying. 35 00:02:19,779 –> 00:02:23,179 He’s saying look, if I make the purchase. 36 00:02:23,220 –> 00:02:29,339 If I go to death, if I go into the grave in order to redeem you, you can be absolutely 37 00:02:29,339 –> 00:02:33,360 certain that I’m not going to leave you out there as it were on the forecourt of this 38 00:02:33,360 –> 00:02:34,360 world. 39 00:02:34,360 –> 00:02:40,020 I am going to come back to claim what is my own and to bring you into my own immediate 40 00:02:40,020 –> 00:02:41,600 presence. 41 00:02:41,600 –> 00:02:47,020 This is the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is where we ended last weekend. 42 00:02:47,259 –> 00:02:54,000 Today, I want us to take one more marvelous step. 43 00:02:54,000 –> 00:02:55,720 I want to ask this question. 44 00:02:55,720 –> 00:03:03,259 Jesus is coming back, he’s going to take us to be with himself, what will that be like? 45 00:03:03,259 –> 00:03:06,580 What will it be like when we get there? 46 00:03:06,580 –> 00:03:12,220 What should we expect, what lies ahead of us as Christian believers? 47 00:03:12,220 –> 00:03:14,179 It’s a marvelous subject. 48 00:03:14,399 –> 00:03:19,720 I hope you will eagerly open your Bible today at John chapter 17. 49 00:03:19,720 –> 00:03:22,220 Particularly we are looking at verse 24. 50 00:03:22,220 –> 00:03:27,179 If you have one of the church Bibles, you’ll see looking at this chapter, John 17, that 51 00:03:27,179 –> 00:03:29,380 this is the prayer of Jesus. 52 00:03:29,380 –> 00:03:34,820 A prayer immediately before he is arrested, immediately before he goes to the cross. 53 00:03:34,820 –> 00:03:36,399 You’ll see it comes in 3 parts. 54 00:03:36,399 –> 00:03:41,080 If you have the church Bible, the first part there at the beginning of chapter 17, Jesus 55 00:03:41,080 –> 00:03:43,199 prays for himself. 56 00:03:43,199 –> 00:03:47,399 Then from verse 6, Jesus prays for the disciples. 57 00:03:47,399 –> 00:03:53,000 Then if you look at verse 20 in the NIV, it says there that, in this last part, Jesus 58 00:03:53,000 –> 00:03:55,440 is praying for all believers. 59 00:03:55,440 –> 00:04:00,880 Now, our verse today comes from that last part of the prayer of the Lord Jesus. 60 00:04:00,880 –> 00:04:07,720 In other words, what we’re looking at is Jesus’ prayer for us. 61 00:04:07,720 –> 00:04:10,119 This is intensely personal. 62 00:04:10,360 –> 00:04:12,839 Here is something absolutely amazing. 63 00:04:12,839 –> 00:04:15,279 Jesus prays for all believers. 64 00:04:15,279 –> 00:04:16,600 That’s us! 65 00:04:17,799 –> 00:04:22,859 The son of God is on his knees, and he is praying for you. 66 00:04:22,859 –> 00:04:24,980 Now, look at this in verse 20, if you would. 67 00:04:24,980 –> 00:04:29,959 Jesus says there, my prayer is not for them alone. 68 00:04:29,959 –> 00:04:34,359 In other words, Jesus is not praying only for the initial disciples, those who left 69 00:04:34,359 –> 00:04:38,239 everything and followed him for the three years of his life on earth, and then for the 70 00:04:38,239 –> 00:04:39,839 rest of their lives. 71 00:04:39,839 –> 00:04:43,200 He says verse 20, my prayer is not for them alone. 72 00:04:43,200 –> 00:04:49,859 I pray for those who will believe in me through their message. 73 00:04:49,859 –> 00:04:55,320 In other words, in verse 20, Jesus is praying for everyone who will believe the message 74 00:04:55,320 –> 00:04:57,320 of the apostles. 75 00:04:57,320 –> 00:05:01,760 So if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, if you have trusted your life to Jesus Christ 76 00:05:01,760 –> 00:05:05,160 today, then this prayer really is for you. 77 00:05:05,880 –> 00:05:12,880 Now I want you to notice that Jesus describes believers in another way here in verse 24. 78 00:05:12,880 –> 00:05:19,839 He says father, I want those you have given me to be with me. 79 00:05:19,839 –> 00:05:23,320 Now if you were here earlier in the series when we were looking at John chapter six in 80 00:05:23,320 –> 00:05:31,200 verse 37, you will remember that Jesus uses this as a way of referring to his own people. 81 00:05:31,779 –> 00:05:37,100 He refers to Christians as those who the father has given to me. 82 00:05:37,100 –> 00:05:42,679 Remember he said all who the father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me 83 00:05:42,679 –> 00:05:46,279 I will never drive them away. 84 00:05:46,279 –> 00:05:51,559 So those who are given to Christ by the father and those who believe in the lord Jesus Christ 85 00:05:51,559 –> 00:05:53,399 are the same group of people. 86 00:05:53,399 –> 00:05:58,940 If you have come to Christ, if you have believed in the lord Jesus Christ, then Jesus says 87 00:05:59,859 –> 00:06:05,260 that you have been given by the father to him. 88 00:06:05,260 –> 00:06:09,920 And he is praying for you. 89 00:06:09,920 –> 00:06:11,260 He’s praying for you. 90 00:06:11,260 –> 00:06:15,799 Now, what is it that Jesus Christ is praying for his people? 91 00:06:15,799 –> 00:06:16,899 What does he pray for us? 92 00:06:16,899 –> 00:06:19,220 I want you to see two things. 93 00:06:19,220 –> 00:06:25,420 Number one, Christ wants you to be with him. 94 00:06:25,920 –> 00:06:27,899 And here’s what he says, 95 00:06:27,899 –> 00:06:36,700 I want those you have given me to be with me where I am. 96 00:06:36,700 –> 00:06:42,500 Now, this is the son of God, and he is speaking to the father. 97 00:06:42,500 –> 00:06:45,339 And he says, I want these believers, 98 00:06:45,339 –> 00:06:48,760 I want those you have given to me, father, 99 00:06:48,760 –> 00:06:51,760 to be with me in heaven. 100 00:06:51,760 –> 00:06:54,200 This is what Jesus is praying about you. 101 00:06:54,820 –> 00:06:55,320 You. 102 00:06:55,320 –> 00:06:56,899 I want them. 103 00:06:56,899 –> 00:07:00,779 I want you to be with me in heaven. 104 00:07:00,779 –> 00:07:03,920 Now Jesus is about to go to the cross. 105 00:07:03,920 –> 00:07:07,399 He is going to wear the crown of thorns. 106 00:07:07,399 –> 00:07:13,980 He is going to have nails driven into his hands and into his feet. 107 00:07:13,980 –> 00:07:16,779 He’s going to be plunged into a darkness that 108 00:07:16,779 –> 00:07:20,239 will come over the whole Earth. 109 00:07:20,500 –> 00:07:24,920 And if you ask him, Jesus, why are you doing this? 110 00:07:24,920 –> 00:07:29,380 What do you want to get out of what you are doing on the cross? 111 00:07:29,380 –> 00:07:31,239 The Lord Jesus would say this. 112 00:07:31,239 –> 00:07:36,299 I want those that the father has given me to be with me. 113 00:07:37,480 –> 00:07:42,059 If you are a believer today, I want you to say this with me. 114 00:07:42,059 –> 00:07:48,579 I’m going to say, I want Colin to be with me where I am. 115 00:07:48,579 –> 00:07:52,459 I want Colin to be with me where I am. 116 00:07:52,459 –> 00:07:54,720 You put your name in there and let’s all say it together. 117 00:07:54,720 –> 00:07:56,220 You’re going to do this, all right? 118 00:07:56,220 –> 00:07:58,079 Because Jesus is praying for you. 119 00:07:58,079 –> 00:07:59,440 It’s this personal. 120 00:07:59,440 –> 00:08:03,660 He goes to the cross for you, and he says, here’s why. 121 00:08:03,660 –> 00:08:09,660 I want Colin to be with me where I am. 122 00:08:09,660 –> 00:08:11,500 That’s his desire. 123 00:08:11,500 –> 00:08:13,920 And think about the intensity of this, folks. 124 00:08:13,959 –> 00:08:18,000 The son of God is on his knees pleading 125 00:08:18,000 –> 00:08:23,760 for the outcome of his own death and resurrection on the cross. 126 00:08:23,760 –> 00:08:26,480 And he’s saying, it’s not just about the immediate group 127 00:08:26,480 –> 00:08:27,440 of disciples. 128 00:08:27,440 –> 00:08:30,279 I’m praying for all those who will believe in me 129 00:08:30,279 –> 00:08:34,320 through the apostolic message. 130 00:08:34,320 –> 00:08:39,119 Now being with Christ is the greatest joy of heaven. 131 00:08:39,119 –> 00:08:42,080 There’ll be so many things for us to do. 132 00:08:42,080 –> 00:08:47,219 I mean, a new heaven and a new earth. 133 00:08:47,219 –> 00:08:51,039 There will be an eternity to explore its joys. 134 00:08:51,039 –> 00:08:53,059 The book of Revelation tells us that it 135 00:08:53,059 –> 00:08:58,419 is the lamb of God who is the shepherd who will lead us 136 00:08:58,419 –> 00:09:00,880 into springs of living water. 137 00:09:00,880 –> 00:09:02,520 That’s Revelation 7. 138 00:09:02,520 –> 00:09:04,239 That’s a beautiful picture, isn’t it? 139 00:09:04,239 –> 00:09:06,119 That all the joys of heaven you will 140 00:09:06,119 –> 00:09:11,239 discover as Christ himself leads you into them. 141 00:09:11,239 –> 00:09:16,159 Because the lamb at the center of the throne 142 00:09:16,159 –> 00:09:22,080 is the glory and the joy of heaven itself. 143 00:09:22,080 –> 00:09:24,719 Now, the Bible uses different pictures, 144 00:09:24,719 –> 00:09:27,359 analogies to try and bring this home to us 145 00:09:27,359 –> 00:09:29,840 in a way that is clear. 146 00:09:29,840 –> 00:09:32,960 And one of them is the picture of the church 147 00:09:32,960 –> 00:09:35,919 as the bride of Christ. 148 00:09:35,919 –> 00:09:39,239 Now, everyone who has ever been a bride 149 00:09:39,239 –> 00:09:43,400 is going to understand this picture really well. 150 00:09:43,400 –> 00:09:45,960 And everyone who has ever been a bridegroom 151 00:09:45,960 –> 00:09:49,640 is going to understand it too. 152 00:09:49,640 –> 00:09:54,200 Think about the bride as she arrives for the wedding. 153 00:09:54,200 –> 00:10:01,440 She is beautiful, but she is not taken up with her own beauty. 154 00:10:01,440 –> 00:10:07,440 She is taken up with the bridegroom. 155 00:10:07,520 –> 00:10:11,419 Everyone who has ever been a bridegroom knows about this. 156 00:10:11,419 –> 00:10:14,119 She walks down the aisle and there you are. 157 00:10:14,119 –> 00:10:17,880 You stand and she looks amazing. 158 00:10:17,880 –> 00:10:20,520 And there is a light in her eye. 159 00:10:20,520 –> 00:10:23,440 And here’s the most amazing thing of all 160 00:10:23,440 –> 00:10:28,400 that the light in her eye is for you. 161 00:10:28,400 –> 00:10:31,559 It’s the joy of the wedding. 162 00:10:31,559 –> 00:10:37,159 There is a woman by the name of Ann Ross Cousins. 163 00:10:37,159 –> 00:10:41,460 I expect she was a married lady because she seems to have a good handle on this. 164 00:10:41,460 –> 00:10:47,479 And she wrote about how the Bride of Christ has eyes only for the bridegroom, and she 165 00:10:47,479 –> 00:10:48,479 put it this way. 166 00:10:48,479 –> 00:10:56,619 She said, “‘The bride eyes not her garment but her dear bridegroom’s face. 167 00:10:56,619 –> 00:11:06,599 I will not gaze on glory but on my king of grace, not at the crown he giveth but at his 168 00:11:06,739 –> 00:11:13,580 pierced hand, for the Lamb is all the glory in Emmanuel’s land.’” 169 00:11:13,580 –> 00:11:15,659 You see what she is grasping? 170 00:11:15,659 –> 00:11:20,700 She’s saying just as the bride in the wedding is not taken up with her own beauty but all 171 00:11:20,700 –> 00:11:27,780 her eyes are on her husband to be, she’s saying this, when you stand in the presence of Christ 172 00:11:27,780 –> 00:11:32,500 you won’t be taken up with your own perfect righteousness in him. 173 00:11:32,500 –> 00:11:36,340 You’ll be taken up with him, who is the source of your righteousness. 174 00:11:36,340 –> 00:11:41,380 You will not be taken up with the glory of your own resurrection body, you will be taken 175 00:11:41,380 –> 00:11:46,739 up with the glory of him who is the resurrection and the life. 176 00:11:46,739 –> 00:11:54,059 The greatest joy of heaven is that you get to be with Christ. 177 00:11:54,059 –> 00:11:58,700 And that is why Paul, on one occasion in his life, he was imprisoned many times of course, 178 00:11:58,700 –> 00:12:03,539 but on one occasion when he was in prison he did not know what was going to happen next, 179 00:12:03,539 –> 00:12:08,419 he thought it was quite possible that he may be executed, and he wrote to the Philippians 180 00:12:08,419 –> 00:12:14,260 from prison and this is what he said, I am torn between the two, because I desire to 181 00:12:14,260 –> 00:12:18,820 depart and be with Christ because that is far better. 182 00:12:18,820 –> 00:12:23,840 But then there was so much still to be done in this life, and Paul says if I die I will 183 00:12:23,840 –> 00:12:28,099 be with Christ, but if I live there is work for me still to do here. 184 00:12:28,359 –> 00:12:33,719 Listen, death for a Christian is not slipping into some kind of unconsciousness. 185 00:12:33,739 –> 00:12:37,719 It is an entrance into the presence of Jesus. 186 00:12:37,719 –> 00:12:41,340 That is why Paul says writing from prison in Philippians, not knowing when death is 187 00:12:41,340 –> 00:12:44,260 going to come for him, as none of us knows when it will come for us. 188 00:12:44,260 –> 00:12:50,380 He says, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 189 00:12:50,380 –> 00:12:51,380 It is gain. 190 00:12:51,380 –> 00:12:57,859 See, if you live for this world then to die is a loss, and absolute loss, because every 191 00:12:57,979 –> 00:13:01,460 thing you live for gets left behind. 192 00:13:01,460 –> 00:13:05,000 But if you live for Christ, to die is gain… 193 00:13:05,000 –> 00:13:06,000 why? 194 00:13:06,000 –> 00:13:08,760 Because you get more of Christ who is your life. 195 00:13:08,760 –> 00:13:13,760 And that’s why Paul says to be with Christ, it is far better. 196 00:13:13,760 –> 00:13:17,140 Now, this is the first thing that the Lord Jesus prays for us. 197 00:13:17,140 –> 00:13:22,380 If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God has made this intercession 198 00:13:22,380 –> 00:13:23,739 for you. 199 00:13:23,739 –> 00:13:28,679 I want, Father, those you have given to me 200 00:13:28,679 –> 00:13:31,380 to be with me, 201 00:13:31,380 –> 00:13:34,000 to be with me. 202 00:13:34,000 –> 00:13:40,479 Here’s the second thing that Christ prays, and then we’re going to come to some applications. 203 00:13:40,479 –> 00:13:45,640 Christ not only wants you to be with him, but specifically, do you see it here, 204 00:13:45,640 –> 00:13:48,400 Christ wants you to see His glory. 205 00:13:49,099 –> 00:13:56,619 I want those you have given me to see my glory, 206 00:13:56,619 –> 00:13:58,039 to see my glory. 207 00:13:59,140 –> 00:14:03,679 Now, Jesus tells us, do you notice in this verse that this glory he’s speaking about 208 00:14:03,679 –> 00:14:08,799 is given to the Son by the Father? 209 00:14:09,979 –> 00:14:15,659 Now that tells us that Jesus is not speaking here about his own eternal glory, 210 00:14:15,900 –> 00:14:20,520 the glory that has been inherent to him as the second person of the Trinity 211 00:14:20,520 –> 00:14:24,119 since from all eternity past. 212 00:14:24,119 –> 00:14:28,419 That glory was not given to him, it is his by right. 213 00:14:28,419 –> 00:14:32,400 So what is this glory that is given by the Father to the Son? 214 00:14:32,400 –> 00:14:36,780 The glory that is given by the Father to the Son is the glory that he received 215 00:14:36,780 –> 00:14:42,539 when as the God-man, he ascends in the resurrection body 216 00:14:42,539 –> 00:14:45,500 to the right hand of the Father in Heaven, 217 00:14:45,659 –> 00:14:49,679 it’s the glory that Paul talks about in Philippians chapter 2. 218 00:14:49,679 –> 00:14:53,200 Do you remember there where he was describing the work of Christ? 219 00:14:53,200 –> 00:15:02,000 He says that the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God was in very nature God. 220 00:15:02,000 –> 00:15:07,479 But he didn’t grasp on to his equality with God which is his by right, 221 00:15:07,479 –> 00:15:12,679 but here’s his glory, he made himself, he took the very nature of a servant. 222 00:15:12,679 –> 00:15:17,039 And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself, he became obedient to 223 00:15:17,039 –> 00:15:21,700 death, he went all the way down Paul says even to death on a cross, the worst kind 224 00:15:21,700 –> 00:15:24,460 of death imaginable. 225 00:15:24,460 –> 00:15:29,640 And therefore Paul says God has exalted him, God has lifted him to the highest 226 00:15:29,640 –> 00:15:33,340 place and given him the name that is above every name that at the name of 227 00:15:33,340 –> 00:15:38,419 Jesus every knee shall bow, God has exalted him so that every tongue in 228 00:15:39,280 –> 00:15:43,760 earth and under the earth will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory 229 00:15:43,760 –> 00:15:51,159 of God the Father. Now Jesus is this glory that is going to be given to the 230 00:15:51,159 –> 00:15:56,719 ascended Lord as he returns to the right hand of the Father, the God-Man, the 231 00:15:56,719 –> 00:16:02,500 redeemer, our glorified Savior at the right hand of the Father. He says to the 232 00:16:02,500 –> 00:16:08,080 Father I don’t only want to enter into it but I want all those who you have 233 00:16:08,080 –> 00:16:18,840 given to me to see it. To see it. Now what does it mean to see Christ’s glory? 234 00:16:18,840 –> 00:16:28,700 Will this mean seeing with your eyes or will it be understanding with your mind? 235 00:16:28,700 –> 00:16:37,179 One of the great Puritan writers, Thomas Manton, says it will be both. He says this 236 00:16:37,340 –> 00:16:46,119 there is a glorified eye as well as a glorified mind. You remember that Job said 237 00:16:46,119 –> 00:16:56,359 the worms destroy this body yet in my flesh I will see God. He’s talking about 238 00:16:56,359 –> 00:17:01,659 seeing with eyes. Glorified eyes. The resurrection body. That’s what he’s 239 00:17:01,700 –> 00:17:07,660 talking about. You will see the glory of the Son of God as the disciples saw 240 00:17:07,660 –> 00:17:16,119 their risen Lord at Easter. You will see it… But Manton says there’s more to it 241 00:17:16,119 –> 00:17:25,479 than this because the angels do not have bodies they are spirits so they don’t 242 00:17:26,160 –> 00:17:32,319 have eyes and yet the Bible makes it very clear that the angels always look on the 243 00:17:32,319 –> 00:17:38,219 face of the father who is in heaven. That’s Matthew 18 in verse 10. So says 244 00:17:38,219 –> 00:17:43,880 Manton we will not only see the glory of Christ in the resurrection body with our 245 00:17:43,880 –> 00:17:48,540 eyes but in the same way as the angels who do not have bodies for they are 246 00:17:48,540 –> 00:17:55,300 spirits we will perceive we will know we will grasp the glory of Christ in 247 00:17:55,760 –> 00:18:02,660 its fullness with our minds. FF Bruce I think has a very wonderful 248 00:18:02,660 –> 00:18:08,540 comment on this he says you know the disciples remember had seen something at 249 00:18:08,540 –> 00:18:12,959 least of the glory of the incarnate word of God we have seen his glory the one 250 00:18:12,959 –> 00:18:19,719 who dwelt among us full of grace and truth John 114 and he says this that the 251 00:18:19,819 –> 00:18:25,540 the disciples and that includes us will see Christ’s glory more fully when we 252 00:18:25,540 –> 00:18:32,160 live in the presence of the glorified Lord not perhaps because he will then be 253 00:18:32,160 –> 00:18:39,500 endowed with more of that glory but because they will be better able to 254 00:18:39,500 –> 00:18:45,900 behold it in other words the full revelation of the glory of Christ is not 255 00:18:45,939 –> 00:18:54,000 or glory is being added to him the full revelation of the glory of Christ is 256 00:18:54,000 –> 00:18:59,359 because with clear view and with clear eyes we are able to comprehend it and 257 00:18:59,359 –> 00:19:03,239 you see is that not what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 one of 258 00:19:03,239 –> 00:19:07,119 the most famous verses in all of the Bible have you ever thought about this 259 00:19:07,119 –> 00:19:14,780 he says now we see but a poor reflection in a mirror 260 00:19:14,800 –> 00:19:22,599 but then we will see face to face see it’s not that Christ is somehow waiting 261 00:19:22,599 –> 00:19:27,239 to be glorified on the last day no he is crowned with glory and honor now and all 262 00:19:27,239 –> 00:19:33,839 the angels know it Christ’s glory is already seen in heaven and even as 263 00:19:33,839 –> 00:19:37,339 Christians we have seen something of the glory of Christ we’ve seen that in 264 00:19:37,339 –> 00:19:41,180 second Corinthians for that we have the light of the knowledge of the glory of 265 00:19:41,180 –> 00:19:48,900 God in the face of Jesus Christ but we only have this by faith and what we see 266 00:19:48,900 –> 00:19:56,660 is like a reflection in a rather old and tatty mirror the mirror is the problem 267 00:19:56,660 –> 00:20:05,020 not the glory and faith is a poor mirror that’s why we long for faith to be turned 268 00:20:05,020 –> 00:20:12,380 to sight for then you will see Christ’s glory and you will know him and know 269 00:20:12,380 –> 00:20:18,380 his glory even as you are fully known 270 00:20:20,079 –> 00:20:26,739 probably the greatest writing there’s ever been penned outside of the Bible 271 00:20:26,760 –> 00:20:35,119 on this subject of the glory of Christ was by a man called John Owen you may 272 00:20:35,119 –> 00:20:38,300 have heard that name we could John Owen from time to time one of the great 273 00:20:38,300 –> 00:20:46,599 Puritan writers and Owens’ work the glory of Christ, here’s a copy it’s still 274 00:20:46,599 –> 00:20:51,400 in print. It was published in 1696 still in print that’s the the quality of it 275 00:20:51,400 –> 00:20:55,680 it’s guys who go to seminary has the best thing you can read on the glory of 276 00:20:55,939 –> 00:21:05,239 Christ it was published very soon after Owen’s death and there’s a fascinating 277 00:21:05,239 –> 00:21:08,060 little story that as Owen was lying dying 278 00:21:08,060 –> 00:21:14,760 his publisher a guy by the name of Mr. Paine came to visit him as he was lying 279 00:21:14,760 –> 00:21:21,979 there in his last days in his own bedroom and Paine comes in and he says 280 00:21:22,859 –> 00:21:31,140 Dr. Owen I want you to know that I have been putting your book on the glory of 281 00:21:31,140 –> 00:21:37,219 Christ to the press I’m trying to cheer him up here’s a nice thing for you to 282 00:21:37,219 –> 00:21:41,020 know your book on the glory of Christ just about to be published 283 00:21:41,020 –> 00:21:50,900 and Owen said I am glad to hear it but old brother pain the long-looked-for day 284 00:21:50,979 –> 00:21:56,420 has come at last in which I shall see that glory in another manner than I have 285 00:21:56,420 –> 00:22:09,020 ever done yet or was capable of doing in this world my friend one day you will 286 00:22:09,020 –> 00:22:15,920 see and know and grasp more of the glory of Christ than I or any other pastor 287 00:22:15,920 –> 00:22:20,880 teacher or theologian could teach you in your lifetime in this world you will 288 00:22:20,900 –> 00:22:28,780 see it you will grasp you’ll say oh it’s so much more than he ever began to 289 00:22:28,780 –> 00:22:37,560 explain and I’ll be right there saying the same with you Christ wants you to 290 00:22:37,560 –> 00:22:44,359 be with him Christ wants you to see His glory and because he prays for it 291 00:22:44,359 –> 00:22:47,760 Christian believer you will you’ll see it with your eyes 292 00:22:47,760 –> 00:22:56,760 you’ll grasp it and it will be your everlasting joy now this is the prayer 293 00:22:56,760 –> 00:23:02,280 of the Lord Jesus Christ it is absolutely vast in its scope let me give 294 00:23:02,280 –> 00:23:06,739 to you in the time that remains here five ways in which you can use this 295 00:23:06,739 –> 00:23:13,680 truth we’ve been talking about magnificent glorious truth how are you 296 00:23:13,680 –> 00:23:19,760 going to use it how are you going to apply what the Lord Jesus Christ prays 297 00:23:19,760 –> 00:23:24,819 for us and what therefore is yours in him 298 00:23:24,819 –> 00:23:34,640 let me suggest to you first use this truth to release loved ones who are 299 00:23:34,640 –> 00:23:41,800 already with Jesus Christ on any given weekend there are among us some who are 300 00:23:41,939 –> 00:23:47,439 right in the middle of grieving the loss of a loved one you are working your way 301 00:23:47,439 –> 00:23:54,420 perhaps even now through the sorrow of an irreplaceable loss someone you love 302 00:23:54,420 –> 00:24:00,719 has been taken from you and if the one that you love is a Christian I want to 303 00:24:00,719 –> 00:24:06,280 encourage you today use this truth to help you in your sorrow remind yourself 304 00:24:06,800 –> 00:24:15,699 often they are with Christ he’s with Christ she’s with Christ and one day if 305 00:24:15,699 –> 00:24:22,979 you’re a believer say to yourself I will be there too he she can’t come back to 306 00:24:22,979 –> 00:24:29,540 me but I can go to be with her and him in God’s time and there is only a short 307 00:24:30,000 –> 00:24:35,500 interval between they’re going and you’re arriving 308 00:24:35,500 –> 00:24:42,319 so use this truth to release those who are already with Christ you can’t 309 00:24:42,319 –> 00:24:48,660 meditate on it too much in times of sorrow and loss second use this truth to 310 00:24:48,660 –> 00:24:53,459 anticipate your own future happiness see here’s the marvelous thing for us Jesus 311 00:24:53,459 –> 00:25:00,479 says I want those you have given me to see my glory to see my glory and when 312 00:25:00,479 –> 00:25:06,760 you see Christ’s glory you will not only be an observer of it because those who 313 00:25:06,760 –> 00:25:11,520 see Christ’s glory those who are in Christ and those who have the Spirit of 314 00:25:11,520 –> 00:25:17,680 Christ in them come to have a reflection of that glory that is seen in us as 315 00:25:17,680 –> 00:25:22,719 someone has put it not only will you be in Christ’s glory but Christ’s glory 316 00:25:22,719 –> 00:25:34,079 will be reflected in you third use this use this truth to deepen your love for 317 00:25:34,079 –> 00:25:39,599 other believers see when Jesus says father I want those you have given me to 318 00:25:39,599 –> 00:25:46,219 be with me where I am he’s praying for us but not only individually he’s 319 00:25:46,219 –> 00:25:50,359 praying for the whole church he’s praying for the whole company of God’s 320 00:25:50,880 –> 00:25:58,339 people want the whole church I want everyone who has ever put their trust in 321 00:25:58,339 –> 00:26:03,660 me to be gathered in our presence father and to see my glory that’s the prayer of 322 00:26:03,660 –> 00:26:09,819 Christ and so when John sees at the end of the Bible the vision in the book of 323 00:26:09,819 –> 00:26:15,680 Revelation of what it is like you remember he sees a fast multitude of 324 00:26:16,560 –> 00:26:20,859 so great he says that no one could number this crowd 325 00:26:20,859 –> 00:26:26,400 Christ is not only praying for you he’s praying for us and in verse 21 if you 326 00:26:26,400 –> 00:26:30,319 look back there for a moment he says this he’s praying that all of them 327 00:26:30,319 –> 00:26:36,199 that’s us who believe in him may be one in other words he wants us to be one on 328 00:26:36,199 –> 00:26:43,400 earth as we will be one in heaven and it is Christ who draws us together in 329 00:26:43,439 –> 00:26:50,500 heaven it is Christ therefore who draws us together on the earth that is why by 330 00:26:50,500 –> 00:26:56,119 the way always remember this the unity of the Body of Christ can never be 331 00:26:56,119 –> 00:27:04,880 around a personality and it can never be around a program actually it’s extremely 332 00:27:04,880 –> 00:27:08,359 difficult even to accomplish the unity of the Body of Christ around a task 333 00:27:08,359 –> 00:27:12,520 because as soon as you’re focusing on the work there are all kinds of 334 00:27:12,579 –> 00:27:18,199 different ways in which you can do the task. The unity of Christian 335 00:27:18,199 –> 00:27:25,839 believers lies in Jesus Christ alone and that is why keeping Christ at the 336 00:27:25,839 –> 00:27:33,979 center of the church is essential to the unity of brothers and sisters in him so 337 00:27:33,979 –> 00:27:38,280 wonderful truth is that the Church of God will be brought together that every 338 00:27:39,119 –> 00:27:44,760 brought into the presence of Christ if you’re not a believer in Jesus why would 339 00:27:44,760 –> 00:27:50,239 you not come with us why would you not put your trust in this Jesus that we’re 340 00:27:50,239 –> 00:27:56,099 looking to who’s been praying this for all who put their faith in him why would 341 00:28:01,099 –> 00:28:06,939 Christ crucified and risen and coming the Jesus who died on the cross to open 342 00:28:06,959 –> 00:28:13,459 the way into everlasting life why would you not want to be part of this trust 343 00:28:13,459 –> 00:28:22,000 in today then here’s a fourth way to use this truth use this truth to heighten 344 00:28:22,000 –> 00:28:30,280 your worship and your devotion to Jesus Christ now you remember there’s a great 345 00:28:30,280 –> 00:28:36,040 story in the Old Testament about how Moses goes up and receives the 346 00:28:36,119 –> 00:28:43,199 commandments of God and because the immediate presence of God comes near to 347 00:28:43,199 –> 00:28:51,000 him when he comes down the mountain his face is glowing it’s shining almost as 348 00:28:51,000 –> 00:28:56,739 if something of the glory of the Lord rubbed off on him as a result of him 349 00:28:56,739 –> 00:29:02,880 being in the presence of the Lord now if you look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 350 00:29:03,359 –> 00:29:07,439 3 it’s a marvelous passage to study sometime you will see that Paul uses 351 00:29:07,439 –> 00:29:14,020 this story to explain how we grow in the Christian life very important to 352 00:29:14,020 –> 00:29:17,280 understand this how do you grow stronger as a Christian how does your faith 353 00:29:17,280 –> 00:29:23,020 increase well that’s what 2 Corinthians 3 is all about and Paul says this having 354 00:29:23,020 –> 00:29:29,540 told the story of Moses he says 2 Corinthians 3 18 we who behold or 355 00:29:29,880 –> 00:29:36,160 reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever 356 00:29:36,160 –> 00:29:42,420 increasing glory see what he says we who behold his glory we who by the spirit 357 00:29:42,420 –> 00:29:47,619 have even in a mirror even by faith some glimpse of the glory of the Lord Jesus 358 00:29:47,959 –> 00:29:52,060 Christ we’ve come to trust him with our life our death and our eternity we put 359 00:29:52,319 –> 00:30:00,680 lives into his hands we who behold his glory we’re being transformed into his 360 00:30:00,680 –> 00:30:04,300 likeness with an ever-increasing glory in other words there’s a process that’s 361 00:30:04,300 –> 00:30:10,439 going on here you see what he’s saying in simple terms beholding is transforming 362 00:30:10,439 –> 00:30:15,680 the more you see of the glory of Christ by faith the more you are changed 363 00:30:15,680 –> 00:30:21,900 increasingly into his likeness in other words you never come out of the presence 364 00:30:21,939 –> 00:30:27,739 of God in exactly the same way as you went in that is the power of prayer that 365 00:30:27,739 –> 00:30:33,280 is the value of worship you never leave the presence of Christ exactly the same 366 00:30:33,280 –> 00:30:37,319 as when you came into the presence of Christ and the more you see of the 367 00:30:37,319 –> 00:30:44,180 Lord’s glory the more you will become like him now think of what that means if 368 00:30:44,459 –> 00:30:53,339 you see a little of Christ’s glory you’ll be a little like him if you see 369 00:30:53,339 –> 00:30:58,520 more of Christ’s glory as we worship and as we open our minds and hearts to the 370 00:30:58,520 –> 00:31:03,819 word you know what’s gonna happen you’re gonna become more like him if you see a 371 00:31:03,819 –> 00:31:13,099 lot of Christ’s glory you will become a lot like him and when you see the 372 00:31:13,219 –> 00:31:19,219 fullness of Christ’s glory you will become fully like him which is exactly 373 00:31:19,219 –> 00:31:26,160 what John says in a verse that many of us know well when he appears we will be 374 00:31:26,160 –> 00:31:32,239 like him why why when he appears we will be like him 375 00:31:32,239 –> 00:31:38,660 John says far we shall see him as years because to behold the fulness of his 376 00:31:39,579 –> 00:31:44,739 to enter at that point into the fullness of a reflection of his likeness folks 377 00:31:44,739 –> 00:31:49,359 this is how Christian growth happens this is why worship and prayer and the 378 00:31:49,359 –> 00:31:54,939 our time in the word is strategic to all Christian growth and to your progress 379 00:31:54,939 –> 00:32:01,180 in the Christian life beholding is transforming and the more that you see 380 00:32:01,180 –> 00:32:07,939 of the glory of Christ the more you will become like him until you see him as he 381 00:32:08,040 –> 00:32:17,500 is and on that day we will be like him for we shall see him as he is not 382 00:32:17,500 –> 00:32:28,339 through a mirror not by faith shall see him as he is and here’s the last 383 00:32:28,339 –> 00:32:36,020 application in the remaining time I want to encourage you to use this 384 00:32:36,060 –> 00:32:45,739 marvelous truth to strengthen your assurance that is your confidence of 385 00:32:45,739 –> 00:32:56,000 your own ultimate final eternal salvation in Jesus Christ now I talk to 386 00:32:56,000 –> 00:33:00,900 a lot of folks and I say now do you do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you 387 00:33:00,900 –> 00:33:06,579 trusted your life to Christ yes you think you’ll be in heaven I hope so I 388 00:33:06,579 –> 00:33:11,459 hope so doesn’t exactly inspire a life of joyful anticipation does it it’s 389 00:33:11,459 –> 00:33:18,000 actually a life of a great deal of fear so how are you going to come to settle 390 00:33:18,000 –> 00:33:23,420 in your own mind that the Christ you trust is able to bring you to glory and 391 00:33:23,420 –> 00:33:29,339 find rest in relation to that there’s a huge question and the answer is right 392 00:33:29,380 –> 00:33:37,280 here today the Bible says you know this verse a cord of three strands is not 393 00:33:37,280 –> 00:33:44,280 easily broken that one gets read all the time at weddings well your assurance of 394 00:33:44,280 –> 00:33:49,680 eternal salvation in Jesus Christ think of it this way it is a cord of three 395 00:33:49,680 –> 00:33:56,319 strands that is so strong that no power on earth or in heaven or in hell itself 396 00:33:56,479 –> 00:34:01,459 will ever be able to break it what are the three strands they’re right here 397 00:34:01,459 –> 00:34:09,860 strand one the will of the Lord Jesus Christ listen the Son of God says Father 398 00:34:09,860 –> 00:34:18,100 I want those you have given to me to be with me where I am and that they will 399 00:34:18,300 –> 00:34:28,199 my glory feel the weight of this the Son of God is going to the cross and he says 400 00:34:28,199 –> 00:34:34,159 to the father this is what I want this is it 401 00:34:34,219 –> 00:34:39,000 Spurgeon says this it’s a marvelous picture he says as Christ says I will 402 00:34:39,000 –> 00:34:47,439 this it is as if Christ is writing his last will and Testament and he says this 403 00:34:47,600 –> 00:34:54,300 by dying he makes the will valid you know will isn’t valid until the guy dies 404 00:34:54,300 –> 00:35:01,600 by dying he makes the will valid by arising again he becomes his own 405 00:35:01,600 –> 00:35:06,580 executor I love that the executor is the one who puts the will into effect so he 406 00:35:06,580 –> 00:35:12,080 dies to make it valid he rises and lives to put it into effect the will of Jesus 407 00:35:12,080 –> 00:35:16,280 Christ is unbreakable that’s what’s being said to you that is the first 408 00:35:16,379 –> 00:35:20,399 assurance that yu have of heaven the Lord Jesus Christ wants you there as 409 00:35:20,399 –> 00:35:25,000 someone who has put your trust in him here’s the second strength not only does 410 00:35:25,000 –> 00:35:30,919 he pray that you will be brought there not but he goes and he dies and he rises 411 00:35:30,919 –> 00:35:34,760 and so the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ or the means by 412 00:35:34,760 –> 00:35:40,360 which this will is accomplished I want you just to notice this marvelous thing 413 00:35:40,899 –> 00:35:49,340 of it already that on the very day that Jesus prayed this prayer about 414 00:35:49,340 –> 00:35:58,060 something that he willed father I will the word that is fellow I say that for a 415 00:35:58,060 –> 00:36:05,280 reason I will that those who you have given to me will be with me on that same 416 00:36:05,800 –> 00:36:11,899 day he prayed another prayer using exactly the same word you remember what 417 00:36:11,899 –> 00:36:20,760 that was in the garden of Gethsemane same day father if it be possible let 418 00:36:20,760 –> 00:36:30,239 this cup pass from me yet father not as I fellow not as I will 419 00:36:30,280 –> 00:36:41,879 but your will be done in other words Christ accomplishes his will for you by 420 00:36:41,879 –> 00:36:48,600 submitting his own will to the will of the father so here is your assurance of 421 00:36:48,600 –> 00:36:54,139 heaven the Son of God wants you there the Son of God has gone into death and 422 00:36:54,139 –> 00:37:00,040 into resurrection to bring you there and here’s the very last thing and I want 423 00:37:00,060 –> 00:37:03,580 you to see it it is wonderful though you may spend the rest of your life trying 424 00:37:03,580 –> 00:37:11,959 to stagger at its dimension the third strand that God has woven together that 425 00:37:11,959 –> 00:37:18,239 gives absolute assurance of your ultimate salvation is the love 426 00:37:18,239 –> 00:37:26,120 of God the Father for his own beloved son now I just want you to notice in 427 00:37:26,120 –> 00:37:30,020 this last moment how that comes right at the end of the verse Father I want 428 00:37:30,020 –> 00:37:34,580 those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory the glory 429 00:37:34,580 –> 00:37:41,820 you have given me because why did the father give this glory to the Son how is 430 00:37:41,820 –> 00:37:45,899 it that he has been placed in the highest position in all of the universe 431 00:37:45,899 –> 00:37:55,379 that every need should bow to him why because you loved me before the 432 00:37:55,459 –> 00:38:04,699 creation of the world the father exalts the sun to the highest place as the 433 00:38:04,699 –> 00:38:12,860 God-man redeemer because since before the creation for all eternity 434 00:38:12,860 –> 00:38:19,500 the Father’s love has been poured out towards the Sun even as the Sun’s love 435 00:38:19,500 –> 00:38:25,139 is poured out towards the father and I just want you to think about this in 436 00:38:25,139 –> 00:38:32,239 this last moment when you read the book of Revelation and you see all the glory 437 00:38:32,239 –> 00:38:40,100 and all the joy that is there the angels and then there’s multitude of redeemed 438 00:38:40,100 –> 00:38:44,800 people who are washed and forgiven and brought into everlasting life in the 439 00:38:44,800 –> 00:38:49,020 presence of the lamb of God and then there’s a new heaven and there’s a new 440 00:38:49,300 –> 00:39:01,899 earth, a whole new creation. What’s it all for? Why is it there? Why will you be there? 441 00:39:01,899 –> 00:39:11,659 What is the point of you being in heaven? There’s only one answer, for the glory of 442 00:39:11,979 –> 00:39:20,879 the Son of God. The Father loves the Son, and out of His love for the Son, glorifies 443 00:39:20,879 –> 00:39:27,879 the Son as the God-Man for all eternity. The world was created so that the Son’s glory 444 00:39:28,260 –> 00:39:35,260 could radiate in it. What’s the fall all about? God permitted the catastrophe of sin. Why? 445 00:39:36,260 –> 00:39:43,260 Because a redeemed creation can reflect the glory of Christ and will reflect the glory 446 00:39:43,780 –> 00:39:49,580 of Christ in a way that an innocent creation never could. That is why angels long to look 447 00:39:49,580 –> 00:39:55,639 into our experience of being redeemed from sin and death and hell, because there is a 448 00:39:55,639 –> 00:40:01,060 glimpse of Christ’s glory that is seen in this redemption that is unparalleled. This 449 00:40:01,100 –> 00:40:07,199 is why in heaven the center of worship. It is not the creation of the new heaven and 450 00:40:07,199 –> 00:40:14,199 the new earth, but it is worthy is the Lamb who was slain because here in the redeeming 451 00:40:15,219 –> 00:40:21,100 work of Jesus Christ the full glory of the Son of God is revealed in a way that that 452 00:40:21,100 –> 00:40:28,100 will rebound for all eternity to our and his eternal joy. That is why you will be in heaven. 453 00:40:31,060 –> 00:40:38,060 For the glory of the Son who redeemed you, and for the pleasure of the Son who loves 454 00:40:40,780 –> 00:40:47,780 you. How strong is your assurance of salvation? You see if you get that you will see how strong 455 00:40:47,860 –> 00:40:54,860 it is. It is as strong as the will of Jesus. It is as strong as the death and the resurrection 456 00:40:55,260 –> 00:41:02,260 of Jesus. It is as strong as the love of the Father for the Son that goes back before the 457 00:41:07,139 –> 00:41:14,139 creation of the world. Father how we long, how I long right now, for faith to be turned 458 00:41:14,500 –> 00:41:21,500 to sight. For the day when we shall enter into your presence and be with you, and see 459 00:41:29,760 –> 00:41:36,760 your glory. Dear Lord thank you that until that day your spirit is at home with us until 460 00:41:37,659 –> 00:41:44,659 we are at home with you. Thank you that until that day, though it is through the rusty mirror 461 00:41:50,179 –> 00:41:56,679 of faith, yet we see something of your glory that is an anticipation and a foretaste of 462 00:41:56,679 –> 00:42:02,120 what one day we will see when faith is turned to sight. Thank you for the savior, who with 463 00:42:02,739 –> 00:42:12,459 strong crying and tears intercedes for us. Thank you for his prayer. Thank you for his 464 00:42:12,459 –> 00:42:17,280 death. Thank you for his resurrection. Thank you that the son of God says, 465 00:42:17,379 –> 00:42:23,479 I want You with me. I want You to see my glory. 466 00:42:23,979 –> 00:42:29,179 Father, strengthen us in all our ways in the knowledge of the commitment of the 467 00:42:29,179 –> 00:42:34,639 Son of God to us and let us find more joy than this world could ever begin to 468 00:42:34,639 –> 00:42:39,419 imagine. And living for Him and for his praise and his glory and his honor for 469 00:42:39,419 –> 00:42:45,199 these things we pray in the Savior’s name, amen.