LookingtoJesus

April 26

Bible Reading: John 17:19-26

John 17:22-23, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

In June 1990, I was called to serve as pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, a church that had previously experienced more than its share of troubles.  A decade earlier, a 50-50 church split had worked to divide the congregation in a terribly divisive way. Many left to attend other churches.  A spirit of disunity remained and prevented the church from making any kind of progress.  In the aftermath of the church split, four pastors came and left, until finally there was talk of closing the doors.  But two men decided instead to pray, and God graciously worked to turn things around.  I was there for the next 27 and ½ years.  But it wasn’t easy, in those early years of ministry, to overcome the damage that had been done.  The church had earned a terrible reputation in the community, and there weren’t many in attendance.  I regularly came across folks who had previously been a part of our church, but then had left because of all the troubles.  It was not a simple task to regain what had been lost. 

God had blessed me with the wonderful examples of godly men leading healthy churches.  My Uncle, Pastor Frank, had offered this simple counsel to me soon after I was called: “preach the Word and love the people.”  An older lady in the church, who had been there through all the troubles, wrote a wonderful letter to the congregation, exhorting them to stop fighting with each other, and to love and care for their pastor and his family (see below).  The two men who had prayed for God’s intervention joined with me in prayer, week-after-week, for God to move and work and rebuild and establish.  As a pastor, I was ever mindful of the need to be diligent “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, NASB), by looking to the One who had worked unite us. And over the course of time, God blessed, such that we experienced a beautiful spirit of unity in a loving church family, the kind of unity Jesus Himself prayed for!  That kind of perfect kinship is only possible via a right relationship with God and as we walk together in the Spirit paying close attention to the Word (Galatians 5:25-26). 

If we are to experience unity in the horizontal sphere (in relationship to each other), it is first necessary that we are united in the vertical (in our relationship with God).  I love this quote from A. W. Tozer: “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”

A. W. Tozer

The devil is ever working to divide and destroy marriages, families, churches, and communities.  But God has a better plan!  Jesus prayed that we might experience the perfect harmony that exists in the Triune God.  We are doing our part to the extent that we walk in close fellowship with Him!

REMINDER FOR OUR CHURCH (Ethel Gustafson’s letter)

Ethel Gustafson was a wonderful woman of God who dearly loved our church.  Though wheelchair-bound for years, she found lots of ways to serve Jesus.  Dismayed by in-fighting that had caused so much trouble in the previous decade, she wrote a letter that she shared with the congregation at my installation service in August 1990.  Her letter was later published as an article in the November/December issue of the VOICE Magazine.  Here’s what she wrote:

1. We have a challenge to overcome how we are regarded by those in the area:
   • Bad attitudes.
   • We’re a church that gobbles up pastors.
2. We can change if we:
   • Examine our own hearts.
   • Resolve differences as soon as possible.
   • Do not quibble over trivial matters.
   • Work together as a team with pastor, deacons, trustees, and others.
   • Remember our pastor is human (he’ll make mistakes, get tired, and be overworked).
   • Remember no good pastor is good at everything.
   • Remember he has physical needs, financial problems, family needs just like we do.
   • Remember he needs a living wage.
   • Remember he needs time to be left alone for devotions and Bible study and prayer.
   • Remember his children are no better or worse than ours.
   • Remember his wife has as many needs as any wife and can’t be expected to be at every meeting much less be in charge of all of them.
   • Remember he is a special target of Satan and needs our daily prayers.
   • Remember each of us needs to be available to do something and make it known we are.
3. Remember to get things into perspective and ask ourselves, “Why do we exist?”
   • To improve our own spiritual lives.
   • To worship together.
   • To be a corporate witness of Lewis and Clark Bible Church to the area (one bad apple will spoil the whole box).
   • We are a support group each for all and all for each.

“Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it.” – Joni Eareckson Tada

OUR GOD HAS MADE US ONE
Our God has made us one
In Him our hearts unite
When we His children share His love
Our joy is His delight

Our God has made us one
His glory is displayed
For as we build each other up
Our love becomes His praise

Our God has made us one
In sorrow and in joy
We share the cross of Christ our Lord
In Him we now rejoice

Our God has made us one
One church to bear His name
One body and one Bride of Christ
And with Him we shall reign

April 25

Bible Reading: John 17:6-18

John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

I sometimes joke when I see how much a child has grown that all that is necessary for that to happen is to “just add food and water.” Things are not so simple with our spiritual growth.  But it matters immensely, even as Jesus prayed for the sanctification (spiritual growth) of those that belong to Him.  Elsewhere, Scripture reminds us that sanctification is, in fact, the will of God for the believer in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:3).  But what is the meaning of this term, sanctification?

The terms “saint” and “sanctification” are related.  If you are a believer, then you are a “saint!” This is how the Bible describes those who have trusted in Jesus (Ephesians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2).  What’s even more startling is that the term “saint” literally means “holy one.”  Vine’s Expository Dictionary explains the usage of the term: “a common NT designation for all believers is ‘saints,’ i.e. ‘sanctified’ or ‘holy ones.” Sainthood, or sanctification, is not something we attain by our own effort, but is the state into which God, by grace, calls sinful men, and in which they begin their course as Christians.   Though I’m not sure I’d recommend it, you’d be theologically correct if on your next visit to church you greeted a brother named John this way, “good morning saint John.”

The name and the position which underlies it have come through God’s gracious work through Jesus.  As Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Every believer has experienced this sin-cleansing work of Jesus at their new birth, and henceforth possesses it.  Sanctification (holiness) has to do with being set apart from the world and unto God.  In that respect, it represents a cleansing from sin, both positionally and practically.

Because God is holy, we are to be holy.  We are His children, and in His holiness, we inherit a beautiful attribute of our Father in which we are to grow.  In his book “the Knowledge of the Holy,” A. W. Tozer noted “we tend by a secret law of the soul to move towards our mental image of God.” That’s certainly true in this case!  As the Spirit of God works through the truth to unveil to us the holiness of God, we are drawn to the beauty of it and are called upon to pursue it.  Likewise, we are admonished in Hebrews 12:14 to “strive for…holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” 

Our very identity, as His “holy ones,” speaks to our destiny.  We are going to a beautiful place–a holy heaven where we will meet with a holy God and be joined to a holy company engaged in holy worship, in a place where sin will be no more.  The question is, if we had no appetite for holiness in the here and now, would we have any interest in such a place in eternity?  The chief tool the Spirit uses in the process of our sanctification is the truth of God’s Word.  You can only grow in Christ to the extent that you are being “washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26).  Are you daily in the Word?  Jesus’ prayer was that you would be sanctified through it!

There can be no growth in holiness apart from a steady diet of the truth.

TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

April 24

Bible Reading: John 17:1-5

John 17:4-5, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

Our passage describes the glorious work of Jesus, in which He left the glory of heaven, glorified the Father in His work on earth, and then, as a result, was glorified by and with the Father.

Jesus spoke of “the glory that (He) had with (the Father) before the world existed.”  His estate, from eternity, has been heaven’s glory.  He was the object of angelic worship (John 17:4).  As the self-existent creator of all things, He needed nothing and possessed everything.  Yet in love, He deliberately stepped down from heaven and exchanged His Kingly attire for that of a pauper (2 Corinthians 8:9).

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:11).  He made Himself poor.  There was no place for Him in the inn.  His crib was a feeding trough.  None of the religious elite or powerful came to acknowledge His birth.  His mother and father were but humble folks. His family was forced to flee to Egypt soon after His birth.  Jesus was poor in His life.  He associated with the lowly.  He had no earthly riches.  His disciples were ordinary men.  He once said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58).  “He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him” (Isaiah 53:2).  He had no bank account.  No elaborate wardrobe.  He traveled by foot.  Though impoverished, He gave.  He taught.  He healed.  He raised people from the dead.  He fed the multitudes.  He, who says, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” was always giving.   Though a King, He lived the life of a servant (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-20). 

Jesus had enemies.  They conspired against Him, then had Him arrested and put Him on trial.  There was no one to defend Him.  He had friends, yet they deserted Him. So, He made His way to the cross alone.  They stripped him of His clothing and crucified Him on the cross.  The religious leaders incited the crowd against Him.  “Crucify Him, Crucify Him” they scornfully cry out.  The soldiers made fun of Him.  The people passing by insulted Him.  Crucified between two common thieves; they mocked Jesus too. 

Jesus “accomplished the work” that the Father gave Him to do, submitting Himself to the Father’s will perfectly (John 17:4).  He loved the Father, and the Father loved Him.  For all eternity, they’ve existed in perfect fellowship.  Yet as He is dying there on the cross, and the sins of the world are put upon Him, he cries out “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Naked, on that cross, soon to die for crimes not His own, He is totally abandoned and utterly alone.  He is bereft in every way, but especially in that which mattered most to Him—His relationship to the Father.  He is the antithesis of a rags to riches story.  He went from riches to rags.  He gave and gave and when He had given everything, but His life, He gave that too.  He did it on purpose.  It was no accident.  The Father gave the Son (John 3:16).  The Son gave Himself (Galatians 2:20). He did it all in perfect obedience to the Father, to save lost sinners like you and me!

See Him there hanging on the cross!  The Scriptures declare, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Galatians 3:14).  Our Lord is cursed, impoverished, naked, all alone, devoid of righteousness in bearing sins not His own (2 Corinthians 5:21).  It is as Martin Luther once says, “The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.”  Indeed!

Jesus prayed, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence” (John 17:5).  And so it came to pass, that following the resurrection, Jesus was “exalted at the right hand of God” (Acts 2:33).  And there will come a day when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). 

As the hymn declares, “Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou My God shouldst die for me!”  That He would do what He did for you and me is a glorious thing, the most glorious work of all (Galatians 2:20)!  How we should then praise and thank Him for the gift He has given in rescuing us from our sins!

Jesus left the glory of heaven so that he might save us to the glory of heaven.

HE IS LORD
Emptied of His glory; God became a man,
To walk on earth in ridicule and shame.
A Ruler, yet a Servant; a Shepherd, Yet a Lamb;
A Man of Sorrows, agony and pain.

Humbled and rejected, beaten, and despised.
Upon the cross the Son of God was slain.
Just like a lamb to slaughter, a sinless sacrifice;
But, by His death His loss became our gain.

Chorus:
He is Lord, He is Lord!
He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!
Ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess That
Jesus Christ is Lord

Satan’s forces crumbled like a mighty wall.
The stone that held Him in was rolled aside.
The Prince of Life in glory was lifted over all,
Now earth and heaven echoes with the cry. (Chorus)

WORDS: Linda Lee Johnson, Claire Cloninger and Tom Fettke
MUSIC: Tom Fettke
Copyright 1986 by Word Music

April 23

Bible Reading: John 17:1-5

John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Throughout history, many explorers and adventurers looked for an elusive Fountain of Youth which allegedly held the power to restore the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters.  In fact, there is a park in St. Augustine, Florida—the “Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park”—which serves as a tribute to the spot where Ponce de León was supposed to have landed in his search for the fountain.  But a visit to the park will yield no life-imparting miracle.  Jesus alone can provision eternal life, and it’s about far more than life extended.

The essence of eternal life is a personal, intimate relationship with God.  It is something that is received as a gift from God because of placing one’s trust in Jesus.  Eternal life is not something you wait to possess after you die, it is something you even now possess if you are a believer in Jesus.  It is as John 5:24 declares: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life (not ‘will have’ but ‘has’), and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Jesus came for this purpose, to reconcile lost sinners to God, even as 1 Peter 3:18 makes clear: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.”

I love this quote by A. W. Tozer: “Why did Christ come? Why was He conceived? Why was He born? Why was He crucified? Why did He rise again? Why is He now at the right hand of the Father? The answer to all these questions is, in order that He might make worshipers out of rebels; in order that He might restore us again to the place of worship we knew when we were first created.”  Eternal life is the fruit of that restoration.

A. W. Tozer

If you are a believer in Christ, you even now possess eternal life.  Its value lies not in added days, but in knowing the God of eternity, in a personal and intimate way, in your now and in your always!

If you are believing in Jesus, then you possess eternal life, even now!

NOW I BELONG TO JESUS
Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow’r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Once I was lost in sin’s degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him; (Chorus)

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him; (Chorus)

April 22

Bible Reading: John 17:1-5

John 17:1, “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said…”

Too often, my prayers failed to ascend to the heights to which they should, and I’m reminded again of what it says in Romans 8:26, “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought.” Jesus’ prayer offers much encouragement and instruction regarding how and why we ought to pray.

In his devotional study on the Gospel of John, John G. Mitchell shares these thoughts regarding Jesus’ magnificent prayer, “Now He brings us right within the holiest of all, and we are permitted to sit down in the presence of God.  We are allowed to sit there and witness this fellowship, this communion, this bond, this oneness, this equality between the Father and the Son.  How much do we really know about coming within the veil of the holiest of all, and being perfectly at home in the presence of the Father and the Son?  From the depths of the very heart of Jesus, this prayer invites us to listen in to the loftiest of all prayers.  We are herein privileged to hear of God’s plan for the ages, whereby His glory is unveiled to all through His redemptive work.”

John G. Mitchell

So, what do we find Jesus praying about?  The prayer divides into three parts.  In the first five verses, Jesus prays for Himself.  Then in verses 6 through 19, Jesus prays for the apostles who were with Him.  In the remaining verses of the chapter, He prays for all His people throughout history.  There is a common theme running through the entire chapter.  In verse one, He prays, “glorify your Son that the Son may glorify You.”  In verse 10, He prays regarding His apostles, “I am glorified in them.”  And again, in verse 22, He prays over every believer throughout time, “The glory You have given me I have given to them.”

Jesus’ prayer serves not just as an example to us in how we should pray but also a reminder of our need to pray.  John MacArthur comments on this: “He gives us the most magnificent example of our need for prayer. If the Son of God who controls all things, who is the ruler over all things, who is sovereign over all things, if the Son of God who knows all things, who has all power depends upon God to fulfill all His words, how much more are we dependent on God?”

John MacArthur

What mattered to Jesus in His praying should matter to us in ours!

SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

April 19

Bible Reading: John 16:25-33

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

There is no place you can go in this world to avoid trouble.  Even if you were to travel to some far away to some deserted island, there’d still be troubles because you’d be there.  Troubles come our way for a variety of reasons.  At the root of them all is sin.  We face troubles of various kinds simply because we live in a sin-cursed world (Romans 8:20-21).  Some troubles come our way because of personal sin we’ve committed (Galatians 6:7).  Still, other troubles are unique to those who suffer persecution for Jesus’ sake (1 Peter 4:14).  That was the particular focus of Jesus here in verse 33.

In that context, Jesus promised to his disciples two things.  Peace amidst their troubles.  And triumph over them.  As long as you live on this planet, there is nothing you can do to avoid facing troubles.  But in Jesus we’ve a Savior who avails to us an inner peace that transcends our circumstances.  He bids us to bring our concerns to Him, that He might garrison our hearts against despair (1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7). And, since He has triumphed at the cross, there is no trouble on earth than can work to separate us from His love.  Indeed, because of Him, we are “more than conquerors” in spite of them all (Romans 8:35-39)!

I came across this quote from John MacArthur the other day: “Do not expect everything in life to be good.  It will not happen.  Do not expect everything in yourself to be good.  That will not happen either.  But what you can expect is this: God will weave everything together for His own beloved children to produce a good result both in time and for all eternity.”

John MacArthur

In this world, we have tribulation, but in Jesus, we find a true and lasting peace and an ultimate triumph over all our troubles.  And God will even use all the troubles we face to accomplish His good purpose in our lives (Romans 8:28)!

Troubles are an inevitable part of life, but in Jesus, we possess a present peace and future triumph!

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED
God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

Refrain:
But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

God has not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He has not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

God has not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

April 18

Bible Reading: John 16:16-24

John 16:19-20, “Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, “A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me”? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”

I’ve witnessed it many times.  First comes the hospice referral, when a physician has determined that there’s nothing to be done to remedy the patient’s condition.  Then it’s left for the family and patient to come to terms with that sad reality.  The hospice team then works to provide help, focusing primarily on alleviating pain, but also assisting the family in a variety of ways.  It’s a team effort, involving a nurse, nurse’s aide, social worker, volunteer coordinator, volunteers, and a chaplain (me).  Understandably, there’s a lot of sorrow associated with work we do.  Hearts are troubled.  Tears are shed.  There is grief in the anticipation of the inevitable.  Neither my coworkers nor I can change the prognosis, so we are tasked with providing compassionate comfort and care.  Until the moment comes when they are compelled to say their sad goodbye to those they love.

Sorrow filled the hearts of Jesus’ disciples as He spoke to them of His pending “goodbye” (John 16:6).  Alluding to the cross, Jesus foretold of how they would “weep and lament” (John 16:20).  Noteworthy, in juxtaposition, the world would rejoice.  But the sorrow of the disciples would be turned to joy because they would see Him again.  How and when was that to happen?

In verse 19, two different Greek words are translated as “see.”  Jesus told His disciples in “a little while you will not see me.”  The Greek term used here speaks of physical sight.  Then Jesus told them, “And again in a little while and you will see me.”  The Greek term here speaks of mental or spiritual perception.  What was Jesus saying?  He was soon to die on a cross and they would no longer see Him physically.  But then, risen from the dead, He would leave, paving the way for the Spirit to come (John 16:7).  They would thenceforth “see” Him through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:14).

Why does all this matter?  We can’t see Jesus with our eyes.  He is not here with us in that sense.  But we behold Him through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  And it is by the Spirit that we experience the joy of fellowship with Him, a joy that is ministered to our hearts and is independent of our circumstances. It is as the Apostle Peter declared in his first epistle to those persecuted believers: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).  Amidst our sorrows, however overwhelming they might be, the Spirit is ever working to impart true and lasting joy!  We experience that joy to the extent that we keep our focus on Him!

It is in beholding Jesus, through the ministry of the Spirit, that our sorrow is turned to Joy.

OUT OF MY BONDAGE
Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into thy freedom, gladness, and light,
Jesus, I come to thee.
Out of my sickness into thy health,
Out of my want and into thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into thyself,
Jesus, I come to thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of thy cross,
Jesus, I come to thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to thee.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to thee.
Out of my self to dwell in thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to thee.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the joy and light of thy home,
Jesus, I come to thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of thy sheltering fold,
Ever thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to thee.

April 17

Bible Reading: John 16:12-15

John 16:14, “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

“He shall glorify me.” These four words speak to the primary purpose and intent of the person of the Holy Spirit in this age.  His ministry is to glorify Jesus Christ.  Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “It is the chief office of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ.  He does many things, but this is what he aims at in all of them, to glorify Christ.”

The term translated “glorify,” means “to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged.”  His ministry, therefore, is to manifest the dignity and worth of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is what He is ever endeavoring to do. 

J. I. Packer used the analogy of a floodlight to describe this aspect of the Spirit’s work: “This perfectly illustrates the Spirit’s new covenant role.  He is, so to speak, the hidden floodlight shining on the Savior.  Or think of it this way.  It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder, on Jesus, who stands facing us.  The Spirit’s message to us is never, ‘Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me,’ but always, ‘Look at Him, and see His glory; listen to Him, and hear His Word; go to Him and Have His life; get to know Him, and taste of His gift of joy and peace’.”

J. I. Packer

The Spirit of God works in our lives to accomplish this purpose.  He is ever working to open our eyes to the glory of Christ.  It was He who first unveiled to us the truth regarding the glory of Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:3-6).  He has ever since been working to make Him better known to us.  It is He who opens our eyes to “the hope to which he has called (us), “the riches of his glorious inheritance,” and “the immeasurable greatness of his power” (Ephesians 1:18-19).  Only by His working can we “comprehend… what is the breadth and length and height and depth and… know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:15, 18-19).  It is He who causes us, “in the beholding the glory of the Lord,” to be “transformed into the same image” (2 Corinthians 3:18).  Glorious Christ-like virtues are borne in us by Him (Galatians 5:22-23).

Praise God for the Christ-revealing and Christ-exalting work of the person of the Holy Spirit!  If our endeavor is to behold the glory of Jesus, we find, in the Helper, one who is preeminently qualified and appointed to that very task!  We do well to look where He is pointing and to follow His lead if we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus!

“Spirit of God, my teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me” – Hymn “More About Jesus.”

MORE ABOUT JESUS
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

Refrain:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me. [Refrain]

More about Jesus in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in ev’ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine. [Refrain]

More about Jesus on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of peace. [Refrain]

April 16

Bible Reading: John 16:8-11

John 16:8-11, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

It was the summer of 2016 when my wife, Laura, began to experience back pain.  As is typical in such cases, the physician prescribed physical therapy.  Though she dutifully attended the recommended exercises, things got worse instead of better.  It wasn’t until January 2017 that imaging tests revealed that cancer was at the source of her troubles.  A correct and timely diagnosis would have availed a quicker response to the cancer and saved her from much unnecessary pain.

We are all born into this world as sinners (Romans 3:23).  Sin is at the root of our troubles.  Salvation is availed to through the finished work of Christ on the cross.  But for any of us to turn to Jesus, it is necessary that we first understand the depth of our need.  It is the Holy Spirit who works to bring that need to light through a correct diagnosis.

His essential ministry of convicting is necessary because we lack the ability to evaluate ourselves correctly (Jeremiah 17:9).  Likewise, we are incapable on our own to seek out the Savior, being blinded by Satan to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) and incapable of understanding spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14).

George Whitefield was a student at Oxford University and a member of the “Holy Club” together with the Wesley brothers.  Though very religious, he was not saved.  But the Spirit was at work.  George was so burdened for his soul that he could not work or attend school.  He experienced many sleepless nights and became ill and bedridden.  He reached an end of himself and had his eyes opened to Jesus through the working of the Spirit.  He was born again and went on to preach that gospel to thousands in revivals across England and America.

In a sermon entitled “The Holy Spirit Convincing the World of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment,” George Whitefield spoke of the Spirit’s convicting ministry: “We have seen how the Holy Ghost convinces the sinner of the sin of his nature, life, duties, and of the sin of unbelief; and what then must the poor creature do? He must, he must inevitably despair, if there be no hope but in himself… Now the sinner begins to see, that though he has destroyed himself, yet in Christ is his help; that, though he has no righteousness of his own to recommend him, there is a fullness of grace, a fullness of truth, a fullness of righteousness in the dear Lord Jesus, which, if once imputed to him, will make him happy forever and ever.”

George Whitefield

The Spirit alone can open our eyes both to the depth of our need and the glory of the Savior.

I KNOW WHOM I BELIEVED
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
to me is daily shown,
nor why, with mercy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.

Refrain:
But “I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I’ve committed
unto him against that day.”

I know not how this saving faith
to me he did impart,
nor how believing in his word
wrought peace within my heart. [Refrain]

I know not how the Spirit moves,
convincing us of sin,
revealing Jesus through the Word,
creating faith in him. [Refrain]

I know not when my Lord may come,
at night or noon-day fair,
nor if I’ll walk the vale with him,
or meet him in the air. [Refrain]

April 15

Bible Reading: John 16:1-7

John 16:7, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

Advantageous (adjective): “involving or creating favorable circumstances that increase the chances of success or effectiveness; beneficial.”

Imagine the shock of the disciples when they heard from Jesus that His departure would be advantageous for them!  How would His leaving be in any way beneficial?  They had been blessed by His presence and experienced many amazing things together.  Day after day, their hearts rejoiced in His teachings and marveled at His miracles.  They relied on Him and loved Him and couldn’t imagine life without Him.  The news of His pending departure had brought sorrow to their hearts.  But then He said they’d be better off without Him. How could that be?

Arno C. Gaebelein explained it this way: “The presence of the Holy Spirit is a greater comfort and advantage to us than the presence of Christ in the flesh.  Christ’s bodily presence was comfortable, but the Spirit is more intimately a Comforter than Christ in His fleshly presence; because the Spirit can comfort all believers at once in all places, while Christ’s bodily presence can comfort but a few, and that only in one place at once.  The benefit of Christ’s presence was great, but the advantage of the Spirit’s renovation and holy inspiration is much greater.”

Arno C. Gaebelein

As a believer, you now stand in this advantageous position.  Jesus is not physically present with you.  “Though you do not now see (Jesus)” (1 Peter 1:8), you are indwelt by the Spirit who is mediating His presence to you, in you, and through you (John 16:14)!  He is there no matter where you go and will be so always!  How blessed you are to have such a loving and patient helper!  His presence in you is most advantageous! Let Him lead in each step of the way!

“The Spirit of God indwells us because He wants to make Christ known to us” – John G. Mitchell

THE COMFORTER HAS COME
O spread the tidings ‘round
Wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!

Refrain:
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heaven, the Father’s promise given;
O spread the tidings ‘round wherever man is found:
The Comforter has come!

The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]

Lo, the great King of kings with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]

O boundless Love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wondering mortals tell the matchless grace divine:
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]