Study 46 – THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST

Gleans from Monday Bible Study with Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

DLBC Old Gbagada, Lagos HQ

19th March 2018

Study 46 – THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST

John 13:31-38; Psalms 76:10

“Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31). As Judas Iscariot went out of the midst of the children of God, the disciples of Christ, and out of that assembly, Jesus said the Son of that God is glorified and God is glorified in Him as well. All that followed after this verse 31 and the following chapters took place without the presence of Judas Iscariot.

The following are the implications of Judas Iscariot going out:

1. He went out to spiritual darkness never to return to the gospel light. He had been called, converted, commissioned even went out with the disciples two by two. Obviously, he had repented, but now he had backslidden, saved but eventually lost, converted but he compromised his faith.
2. He went out with Satan never to be recovered from the snare of the devil – John 13:27; 2 Timothy 2:26. Filled, controlled, empowered and directed by Satan, he went out with him and couldn’t recover himself again from the snare of the devil. He had been taken captive by the devil, his heart, mind, life and destiny seized and he could never recover himself.
3. He went out from the congregation of the Righteous. He was in the midst the people of God and he could have pleaded and be restored but he wandered away to the congregation of the dead, never to return again – Proverbs 21:16.
4. He went out after the last warning, never to hear the voice of the pleading Shepherd again – John 13:21. You never know when the last warning will come to you. Somebody might be in the Lord, and some temptations are coming and he is not resisting, some trials are coming and he is not pushing them away because of his covetousness, love of money. Eventually he goes out, and you never can tell when a man goes out for the last time, and the warning of the voice of the Shepherd never comes to him again.
5. He went out to do quickly what Satan had put in his heart to do – John 13:2,27.  He was in a hurry to perish, to be damned and to go into perdition.
6. He went out far beyond the outstretched hand of grace and mercy. The opportunity came but he lost it; pray that you will not lose your opportunity. You can never tell when that last pleading and warning may come – Romans 10:21
7. He went beyond the point of ‘No-Return’, and went into damnation. The last warning and love had been shown, but he went out of the kingdom, out of the domain of grace. I pray that will not happen to you. The devil blindfolded him, made him deaf, dead and blind to warning; he was irredeemable. He went eventually to perdition and damnation – Matthew 26:24-25; 23:33; 27:5

After Judas had gone, with only believers, people who had come to listen to the voice of the Shepherd remaining, and with the Betrayal and Crucifixion now very near, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31). What did He mean by that? Crucifixion would bring glory because His sacrifice was for the whole world, in fulfilment of “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29b). Although Judas was going to betray the Son of Man, yet it would bring about the salvation of the people of the world.  “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (Psalms 76:10). This Betrayal by Judas Iscariot (though done out of coveteousness), leading to the Crucifixion, Death, Burial, the Resurrection of Christ, and Salvation of multitudes also brought glory to God – surely the wrath of man shall praise thee.

3 points:

POINT 1.  THE GLORY IN THE SAVIOUR’S CRUCIFIXION

John 13:31-33; Isaiah 53:10-12; John 12:23,24,28; Acts 3:13; Colossians 2:14,15; Philippians 2:8-11; Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 6:14

He said that the Glory is not something far away, coming immediately as He goes to the Cross to redeem humanity from their sin. That at this time, He is with them to reveal a lot to them before the betrayal comes in chapter 18.

The point is how will this crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ bring glory to the Father and to Him? “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10). This was talking of Jesus’ crucifixion. The pleasure of the Lord to save sinners, the nation and the whole world would prosper in His hands. Many were going to be forgiven, saved and justified, and that is for the glory of Christ. When those souls are saved, and brought into fellowship with the Heavenly Father, that is the glory. “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified” (John 12:23). Jesus did not see His Crucifixion as pain or suffering but as salvation and conversion of the world, and the pleasure of the Lord being fulfilled. He saw that when this Crucifixion had taken place, many would come into the Kingdom of God, and that is the glory. So Jesus looked at His Crucifixion in a positive, practical and purposeful manner, looking at what that Crucifixion would accomplish. “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go” (Acts 3:13). He died, was buried and rose again. As a result of that Resurrection, the Father glorified His Son. The evident effect of the Cross on humanity was what Jesus Christ was talking about. That is the glory, that the writing, condemnation, perdition and punishment against us have now been erased and blotted out. When you go through pain and suffering and something good and wonderful come out, that is the glory and joy. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth and things under the earth” (Philippians 2:8-11). When people look at that, they think of the humiliation, but He was thinking about honour. When people think of that, they think about suffering and sacrifice but He was thinking of our salvation and sanctification. If you suffer in a redemptive way, you will not think negatively but you will think of the glory that suffering brings to others – redemption, salvation and ticket to heaven, and you think of what God is doing through that suffering.  Hebrews 12:2.

The hour of crucifixion was very near, and our Lord Jesus Christ eagerly looked forward and saw the glory that will follow. Not just the Cross or Crucifixion, or the whipping on the Tree, or the jesting of the people; there is a Glory that will follow (1 Peter 1:11). That was what the Lord was looking forward to.

1. He saw our Salvation through His Suffering
2. He saw the Conversion of the world through His Crucifixion
3. He saw our Blessings in His Betrayal
4. He saw our Holiness and Eternal Happiness in His Humiliation
5. He saw our Sanctification through His Sacrifice
6. He saw our Deliverance through His Death
7. He saw our Paradise through His Pain

Paul the Apostle said that he gloried in the Cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14). Pray that this Crucifixion will bring glory into your life

POINT 2. THE GREATEST OF OUR SANCTIFIER’S COMMANDMENT

John 13:34,35; 15:12,13; 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13; 4:9,10

He gave us a New Commandment, and it is the greatest by our Sanctifier. When He sanctifies us, takes out the Adamic nature and cleanses us from the original sin, then He enables us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, and to love one another as He Himself has loved us. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). This commandment had been given in the Old Testament, but nobody could demonstrate that love like Jesus Christ demonstrated it, and now He has passed that love to you. This is new because the old man is going to be crushed, the Adamic nature is going to be removed, everything that will pull and set you back not to love as He wants us to love is going to be removed. It is going to be New because of Calvary, that nature of sin is going to be eradicated, and so now with a cleansed, purified, purged, sanctified heart and Christ-like mind, you can now love one another as He had loved us. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12,13). This is peculiar, and coming from the Master, Saviour, Sanctifier, King of kings and Lord of lord, our Redeemer Who has demonstrated that love. “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:10). You will do this more and more, and will not say that I have done enough.

As we talk about this love (John 13:34,35), there are two sides to this love we need to understand;

1. What this kind of love will never do to anyone – Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 4:6,7; Galatians 5:26; Colossians 3:9; James 4:11; 5:9; Ephesians 4:25,29-32

No judging of one another. Where there is judgment of one another, there is no freedom. When there is love, there will be no judging of one another. There will be no pride, not belittling your brother to lift yourself up, no puffing up or pride against one another. You are always looking for areas where others are better than you are. No provocation of one another to act or behave foolishly. No lying to one another as couples, a family or members of the church. When you lie to somebody you are deceiving that person, and you do not respect, honour nor love that person. No evil speaking. You will not speak evil of one another even in their absence or in their presence to hurt them. When you do something negative to your brother or sister, you don’t have the kind of love that Christ is talking about. No grudging. You will not bear grudge, animosity and bitterness in your heart against one another, if you do; you are not in the centre of the Will of God. You will speak, act and demonstrate the truth every time. No insulting and using derogating language against one another; you will avoid this if you have this love. Something that is not of love grieves the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).  You cannot hurt your brother or sister and still go to pray unto God. That grieves the Holy Spirit. No bitterness, no malice. There is the quiet and loud bitterness. Malice is when you don’t greet one another, because of bitterness and something unresolved in the hearts. If there is something to settle, settle it and let it go in the love of God. You will be kind to one another. I pray that God will give us the grace.

2. What this kind of love will always do – Mark 9:50; Romans 12:10,16; 14:19; 15:5,6; 1 Corinthians 12:25; Galatians 6:1,2; 1 Peter 3:8-12; Hebrews 10:25

Don’t carry any kind of sword in your mind, on your shoulder, or in your hands but we are to love one another and let there be peace among yourselves. The feeling of your heart should be of kind, affection; you cannot hurt somebody feeling good about it. And we are to prefer one another in honour. We don’t compete against one another, but we give one another the opportunity to shine and be their best for the Lord. I pray that this will happen through you, and that you will begin the practice of what this love will never do, and what it will always do. Have the same mind one toward another, to make one another happy, and make progress. You will always make for things that bring peace, tell the truth that brings peace, do things that make for peace, build up, encourage and edify one another, make somebody wants to do better than he did yesterday.  Be like-minded – One mind, ministry, motivation, direction and caring for one another. There should be same care one of another – no division and no schism in the body. That’s practical and that is what the Lord wants us to demonstrate. Restore one another in the spirit of meekness not with pride, boasting, oppression, nor in hardship; and bear the burdens of others. Be of the one mind; it takes salvation, sanctification, purifying of our hearts, cleansing of the hearts and the removal of the Adamic nature for this to happen, to be of the same mind. Not rendering evil for evil, we don’t retaliate when offended. We don’t plan nor plot evil against one another. We don’t forsake the assembly of ourselves, neither do we turn blind eyes to those forsaking the assembly of the saints, but we are to encourage, exhort and counsel one another. Love as expressed by Christ, demonstrated through Christ, manifested like Christ will be practical, positive, purposeful, purifying, helpful, encouraging, uplifting, edifying, sacrificial, sanctifying and sustaining; it is not seductive nor self seeking.

POINT 3.  THE GODLESSNESS OF SELF-CONFIDENCE

John 13:36-38,33; Luke 22:31-34; Matthew 26:69-75; Acts 4:31,33; 2 Corinthians 3:5

“Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou?” (John 13:36). This question came from verse 33 – “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you” (John 13:33).  Peter did not think of what the Lord said in verses 34 & 35 about the new commandment, he just focused on verse 33.  When the teaching of the word of God is ongoing, and your mind is wandering about on other things, you will not be able to practice what you didn’t really hear nor meditate upon it. The problem with Peter was, as the Lord was telling him about his limitation, weakness, powerlessness of his life and something missing on the inside, he was not really listening. Sometimes, we are fooled by the bragging of some people, yet strength and grace are not in them. They are not seeking for Christian experiences nor praying, and all is empty self-confidence (John 13:37-38). Self-ignorance breeds empty self-confidence. When you are ignorant of your limitation, lack of grace, limitation of your Christian experience, lack of sanctification, of the very depth of the nature that is inside you, that self-ignorance will breed empty self-confidence. The self-confident disciple Peter thought he was ready to lay down his life for the Master. He was sincere, not pretending or telling a lie, but sincerity is not necessarily strength. That you are sincere do not mean that you are strong. The Master warned him, that he will deny Him thrice, but Peter was not listening. We all know what happened. The Master was right and Peter was wrong. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). The last thing that came to the mind of Peter was that Satan had anything to do with him. And yet the Lord had warned him earlier (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33), when he said something he shouldn’t have said to the Lord, but that was instigated by Satan to say it. Peter had forgotten everything about this earlier warning. If you forget what you have been learning and teaching personally, danger is very near. Again the Lord warned him (Luke 22:32-34). Once again, he wasn’t paying attention to the warnings of Christ. Eventually, it happened to him (Matthew 26:69-72).  He said, I am ready to die, I’ll never forsake you, but he did not back up his consecration with prayer, and he ended up denying the Lord, even with an oath, cursing and swearing. Self-confidence is the forerunner of the fall. However, he realized his folly and when he fell, he cried bitterly and repented. Thank God for a man that can repent, and is not too proud to come back like Peter did (Matthew 26:72).  The Lord is telling us that we are not strong in ourselves; our strength is in Him. If you are going to do anything, carry out all the consecrations you are giving to the Lord, it will require the grace of God. “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

Thank God, a change came to Peter, and a change is coming to you as well. Eventually, he was baptised in the Holy Ghost and he did exploits for the Lord. There is power in the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8; 4:7-13,17-20; 5:27-32,40-42). Boldness and courage had come, and he was not going to deny the Lord anymore. Your own time of boldness and courage has come, when you will be saved, sanctified and baptised with the power of the Holy Ghost, and you are filled with the word of God to love and do good as Christ had said. “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). You can tell, the Holy Ghost had now come and filled him. I pray that the same courage will be in every one of you, that everywhere and anywhere you go, you will be courageous in Jesus Name. This Holy Ghost is available for every one, and when He fills, endues and saturates you, all that timidity and fear of man will vanish away from your heart in Jesus Name. And when you make that consecration to follow, serve and obey the Lord till the very end, lay down my life for the Lord, it will not be an empty boast of self-confidence, it will be that you are speaking from the energy of the Spirit of God inside you. As you pray, here and every time, the power that gives us the faith, confidence,  boldness, authority and the anointing will come, and then you will stand the way you ought to stand (Acts 4:31,33). There is no bragging, no boasting, no empty self-confidence but confidence in the Lord, because Christ and the Spirit is our sufficiency. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). Our Sufficiency is of God. His grace will be abundantly sufficient for you in Jesus Name.

Ponder on this! Love as expressed by Christ, demonstrated through Christ, manifested like Christ will be practical, positive, purposeful, purifying, helpful, encouraging, uplifting, edifying, sacrificially, sanctifying and sustaining: not seductive nor self seeking. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

Reflection – Self-ignorance breeds empty self-confidence. When you are ignorant of your limitation, lack of grace, limitation of your Christian experience, lack of sanctification, and of the very depth of the nature that is inside you; that self-ignorance will breed empty self-confidence. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

Word on the Marble – Self-confidence is the forerunner of the fall. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

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