TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
God . . . made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. - 2 Corinthians 4:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Several years ago, fishing in the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois, Tim Pruitt landed a 124-pound blue catfish. It took Pruitt more than half an hour to land the giant fish, which measured 58 inches long and 44 inches around. About as large as a sixth-grader, it broke the world record by two-and-a-half pounds and the state record by nearly twenty pounds. The huge catfish was kept alive, put on display at a Cabela's Outfitter store in Kansas City, and later returned to the river.

Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:19). As we also see in today's reading, God is glorified when we share the light of the gospel with those living in darkness. When Paul wrote, “we have this ministry,” he meant all believers (v. 1; see 3:18) and the new covenant (see 3:6). That means we are all responsible for spreading the good news.

The basis for our calling is not our own abilities or effectiveness but God's mercy. Our evangelistic “method” is simple—“setting forth the truth plainly” (v. 2). We do not need deceptions, distortions, or marketing tricks.

In fact, we cannot “convert” anyone. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, with the ultimate choice between the individual and God. Because unbelievers are spiritually blind, the gospel is veiled or concealed from their understanding (vv. 3-4). In addition, Satan takes an active role in further blinding their hearts and minds to the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

God's hand is needed for any evangelism to be successful. This is why our goal in witnessing can only be to “commend ourselves to every man's conscience” (v. 2). Therefore, while we're passionate about sharing the good news, we need not fret about unbelievers' unresponsiveness. It's not about us (v. 5). God is the source of spiritual light and power in our witness, and He is the One who gives life (v. 6).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Have you caught any fish lately? Have you been baiting your hook well? Do the fish even know you're there? These questions aren't really about fishing, of course, but about evangelism. While God is the only One who can awaken belief in spiritually dead hearts, we have been commanded to be part of this process by sharing the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). God is pleased to use us as His children to tell others of the good news of salvation in Christ. What a privilege!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 15:14-22
Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. - Romans 15:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
NightLight is a ministry in Bangkok, Thailand, that helps prostitutes escape sexual slavery. The vision is “to share the Light of the world in both word and deed to those who live in darkness.” NightLight helps women and children in the Bangkok sex industry get off the streets, learn English and skills such as jewelry-making, and recover physically, emotionally, and spiritually from their ordeals. Many of these women were young girls who came to the big city looking for jobs so they could send money back to their poverty-stricken families. But they were tricked or coerced into prostitution and trapped there until NightLight opened a door to freedom. Service and witness like this glorify our Lord.

In today's reading Paul wanted to encourage the Roman believers, even though he had written boldly on some points, for their own good and on the basis of his apostolic authority. He said they were “full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (v. 14).

The purpose of his ministry to them and other Gentiles was not just conversion—the journey is one of discipleship, toward becoming pleasing offerings and trophies of sanctification (vv. 15-16). That's why Paul assumed that belief and obedience go hand in hand (v. 18).

About his own service and witness, Paul said, “I glory” (v. 17). He boasted of his accomplishments only insofar as they had been done in, through, and for Christ. To revel in God's work in us is another way to bring Him glory. Though Paul's ministry had involved signs, miracles, and other evidence of the Spirit's power (v. 19), to him these were merely supports, not the main event. The main event was clearly the work God does in people's lives.

This work brings glory to God. It caused Paul to rejoice and framed his future ambitions. His goal was to bring God glory by proclaiming Christ to those who had never heard about Him (vv. 20-22).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Most readers of Today in the Word live in North America, very far from Bangkok. But thanks to modern technology, it's possible to learn more about the service and witness of the NightLight ministry highlighted in today's illustration. It takes about $250 per worker per month to keep NightLight going. The ministry has a Web site, www.nightlightbangkok.com, which accepts donations and sells jewelry and jewelry kits made by the women. A DVD about NightLight is included with each kit.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 15:5-13
So that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 15:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1968, a Boston firefighter doing his job made headlines. Crawling through a burning apartment, he found a diaper-clad baby unconscious in her crib. She had no pulse. He picked her up and breathed into her mouth as he ran outside. A photographer captured the moment—the image of a white firefighter with his face pressed against that of a black child. News filled with race riots was for a moment transcended by this picture that touched the heart of the nation and made racial reconciliation seem more possible.

Unity in Christ by the Holy Spirit is a spiritual reality that bridges differences and brings God glory. Today's reading is phrased to remind us that unity is also a blessing (vv. 5-6, 13). What is unity? It involves at least three dimensions—God as source, Christ as leader, and us as worshipers. God is the architect and engine of spiritual unity in the church. Christ is the head of the church—we obey His commands and follow His example. And we are His people, “with one heart and mouth” praising and glorifying God for who He is and what He has done.

How is unity manifested in action in the body of Christ (vv. 7-12)? It sounds kind of abstract—what are we to do? “Accept one another” doesn't sound like much, but “just as Christ accepted you” puts matters into perspective. He loved us and sacrificed Himself for us when we were still His enemies, then welcomed us into His family as a free gift of faith. Another way of looking at it is to recognize that Christ the Jewish Messiah accepted the Gentiles, too, just as He had long promised, even though they (we) were “outsiders.”

Imagine what the church would be like if we lived out the truth of spiritual unity (see John 17:20-23)! Acting toward one another as Christ did toward us would unite brothers and sisters across barriers of ethnicity, culture, race, gender, and socioeconomic status.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The words of Psalm 133 celebrate the spiritual unity of God's people. To close today's devotion, reflect on the words of this beautiful poem: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 2:9-17
Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. - 1 Peter 2:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Schindler's list was recently found at a library in Australia. Viewers of the Oscar-winning movie, Schindler's List, know that in the waning days of World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler typed a list of 801 Jewish names, people he then saved from the Nazi gas chambers. The actual list was rediscovered this April among the research notes of Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's Ark, the book that was the basis for the movie. “It's an incredibly moving piece of history,” said a librarian about the 13-page document. As one of the characters in the movie said, “The list is life.”

God keeps an even more important list, the Lamb's Book of Life, and His list means eternal life (Rev. 21:27). Those who receive eternal life as His gift are empowered to live righteously. And as today's reading reminds us, righteous lives bring glory to God because He is absolutely righteous and holy. This is our identity in Christ—“a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (vv. 9-10). For what purpose do we belong to Him? To declare His praises. What did He do for us? He called us out darkness into light and gave us mercy. These spiritual facts constitute our identity as believers.

The main implication of this identity, as we've said, is to be righteous, which is here described as abstaining from sinful desires and living good lives (vv. 11-12). Such life makes us “aliens and strangers in the world,” which is not characterized by holiness. We benefit because, while sin wars against our souls, righteousness spiritually nourishes them. Unbelievers benefit, because our good deeds are a witness. And God benefits, because through our good lives He receives glory from both believers and unbelievers. Specific examples of righteous living include submission to authority, respect for people, reverence for God, and love for the church (vv. 13-17).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Part of how our righteousness brings glory to God is our freedom in Christ. But Peter warned: “Do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” (v. 16). Sometimes we tend to think of freedom as the license to do whatever we like. Genuine freedom, however, might be defined as the freedom to do whatever God likes. Freedom can be found in obedience and service, because God created us for a purpose and knows best how this purpose is to be fulfilled.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Future Grace, John Piper wrote: “[T]he greatest grace in world history is now past. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come into the world. In a sense we could say that God's grace has come in person and done such a decisive work of grace that all other experiences of grace depend on it . . . He came for the sake of future grace. From the time of Christ onwards, every look back should include a look to Jesus. Without him there would be no future grace.”

We live our spiritual lives within the abundant grace of which Piper spoke. God's grace in our lives is best shown, in a humbling way, through our weaknesses, for it is through our weaknesses that God is glorified.

This point sounds counterintuitive. Wouldn't God be more glorified by our accomplishments and achievements, by giving us the ability to do great things for Him? Perhaps, if power were the only issue at stake. But God is so much more than all-powerful—He's also all-loving, all-wise, perfectly faithful, and more. So when we are weak, He continues to use us to fulfill His purposes and proves all of these things. One would think the King could afford to use vessels made exclusively of gold and silver, but it is to His greater glory to work with “jars of clay” filled with the “treasure” of the gospel (v. 7).

For a clay pot to contain the truth and power of redemption, it means that we carry Christ's death in our own bodies, in the sense that we, too, experience trials and troubles (vv. 8-12). Just as death was not the end for Him, so also are we hard pressed but not crushed, struck down but not destroyed. Jesus' death preceded the victory of the Resurrection, and in the same way our present sufferings reveal the life of Jesus. This is the foundation for sharing the gospel (vv. 13-15).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The divine irony that God is glorified in our weakness reminds us that an eternal perspective transcends all. Eternal or spiritual things are far more important and valuable than temporal or earthly things. As an old song says, “Only one life, t'will soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.” Thus, we are encouraged to choose the things of God: “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (v. 17).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed. - 2 Timothy 4:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
A recent study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life revealed that when Americans give up religious faith, it's more often a gradual process than the result of sharp conflict or disillusionment. The study surveyed former Catholics and Protestants who are not now affiliated with any religion. Nearly three-quarters said they had “just gradually drifted away” from the church. Half of the former Protestants said their belief in Christian teaching or doctrine had simply eroded or disappeared over time.

In other words, many American believers drift spiritually instead of running the race of the Christian life in such a way as to win. Discipleship, like a race, requires all-out effort.

As Paul assessed himself in today's reading, he identified at least six features that characterized his life as a follower of Christ: (1) Righteousness, for which he knew he'd receive a crown of righteousness from our perfect Judge. (2) A longing for Christ to return (v. 8). (3) Steadfastness, including perseverance and courage to stand for faith even when standing alone. (4) A spirit of forgiveness. He held no grudges against those who should have stood with him (v. 16). (5) Total dependence on God as his source of strength and rescue. (6) A heart for evangelism and a dedication to his calling to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles (vv. 17-18).

In this self-assessment, Paul used several word-pictures. One is of his life as a drink offering, a sacrifice poured out in worship to God. Another is of death as a departure, not an ending. He would be leaving for his true home, Christ's “heavenly kingdom.” A third image is of his life as a fight or battle. He knew well that doing God's work involves spiritual warfare. A fourth metaphor is of his life as a race, in which the prize of victory is Christ Himself (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24-27). The glory for all of this belongs to the Lord (v. 18)!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
“Running the race” is a biblical image of perseverance and sacrifice—living in this way brings glory to God. He has a different way than the world of evaluating achievements. He measures success in different terms. In other words, the world encourages us to run one kind of race; God demands another. It takes courage and strength that only God can give to run a race the world doesn't recognize, for a prize it doesn't value, but this is what it means to be a disciple of Christ!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 4:7-11
So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Educational researchers have long investigated what motivates learners in the classroom. Some students are spurred on by extrinsic rewards, such as grades or gold stars. Others are more motivated by personal interest or curiosity. Some look to the past and a particular person or event that inspired them in certain directions. Others look to the future and their desire to enter a certain profession. Collectively, studies on motivation tell us that one key factor is a teacher's moral character. That is, does a teacher show respect and care for all the learners in his or her classroom? If students know the answer is yes, their motivation and success in learning are greater.

For the believer, God's glory is our total and complete motivation. The opening premise in today's reading is that the “end of all things is near” (v. 7). The New Testament teaches that the “last days” began after Christ's first coming, and we are to be vigilantly watching for His imminent Second Coming. “Therefore,” Peter argued, “be clear minded and self-controlled.” One study Bible explains: “Christians are to be characterized by reason; are to make wise, mature decisions; and are to have a clearly defined, decisive purpose in life.”

One of the results of this spiritual mindset is prayer. Another is love, a deep and sincere love for our fellow believers (v. 8; John 13:34-35). To say “love covers over a multitude of sins” is an exhortation for us to forgive one another as Christ forgave us (Col. 3:13). A third result is hospitality (v. 9), an important spiritual practice. True hospitality is characterized by a spirit of generosity and open-heartedness. A fourth result is the use of spiritual gifts for service (v. 10). Spiritual gifts are a means of grace and an expression of faithfulness. In summary, our words and actions are to be full of God, empowered by God, and to the praise and glory of God (v. 11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Prayer as a result of a clear mind and self-control doesn't sound very dramatic. What about life-changing decisions and actions? If prayer somehow doesn't sound like “enough,” it's only because we don't properly value prayer in the Christian life. It's not just about grace over meals or a laundry list of petitions. Prayer is a state of mind in which we are walking with God at all times. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (1 Peter 3:12).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 8:48-59
My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. - John 8:54
TODAY IN THE WORD
Donating blood can get you tax deductions in Poland. Blood banks issue a receipt for every donation, and donors can then write off about $50 per receipt from their tax bills. Said one man: “I learned about it from an accountant friend and started to give blood last year. I have only done it three times, but already it has been worth it.”

Paying part of one's taxes with a blood donation might sound impressive, but it's nothing compared to what Christ did. He paid for the sins of the whole world with His blood, shed on the cross.

The final main section in this month's study on glorifying God is lessons from the Gospel of John. Focusing on the life of Christ highlights key themes, as we might expect, since Christ's life brought more glory to God more perfectly than any person before or since. In today's reading, Jesus told a group of hostile Jews that He was not seeking glory for Himself (v. 50), as they apparently expected would be the case for a popular, miracle-working new rabbi. Jesus did, though, expect to receive glory from God for completing His mission of redemption (v. 54). This is a beautiful insight into the Trinity. Jesus submitted to and obeyed His Father, seeking His glory, who in response would exalt and glorify His Son for His perfect obedience and atonement for sin.

Jesus calls all who hear to believe in Him. Even in this conversation, He gave His enemies a chance to believe. Though they had started with racial (“Samaritan”) and spiritual (“demon-possessed”) insults, He tried to explain who He was and what He was doing. They couldn't grasp the Father-Son relationship, so He framed belief in terms of eternal life (v. 51). They seized on this, which gave Jesus one more opportunity to try to shake them out of their pride and complacency and to reveal Himself as the great “I am” (v. 58).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
For Jesus, the key to bringing God glory was His relationship with the Father. We would do well to follow His example. Bringing glory to God is not first and foremost a matter of deeds or actions, though these will follow. Glorifying God is first and foremost a matter of our relationship with Him. Do we love Him? Enough to trust Him? To surrender all control and lay aside our pride? To begin here is to lay the foundations of a life that brings great glory to the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 11:1-6, 25-44
This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it. - John 11:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Motivated by the knowledge that about two billion people in the world have no access to electricity, Florida State University researcher Anjaneyulu Krothapalli and his colleagues have been working to develop simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly new technologies for generating electricity. “The principles are really very simple,” he said. “We are exploring ways to combine existing technologies to convert solar radiation to heat; to use that heat to produce steam to run a low-cost, highly efficient turbine; and then to use the power generated by that turbine to run a small electric generator. Individual homes could be equipped with these technologies.”

Energy and power are perennial human concerns. God's power, on the other hand, never runs out. When we bear witness to His power, we bring Him glory. Today's reading narrates the start and finish of one of Jesus' most eye-opening and powerful miracles, the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The key truth is that the entire situation happened for God's glory (vv. 4, 40). We know from this that God's glory is worth suffering and death; that events that bring Him glory may be beyond human comprehension; that miracles and acts of power glorify God; that God's glory is about life, not death; and that God redeems all things for His own glory.

Significantly, this miracle didn't take place out among the crowds following Him, but in the context of a close friendship between Jesus and the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. It is certain Jesus loved them, but it is even more certain He loved God and His glory more. In responding to the request to heal Lazarus, He marched not to the drum of human urgency but followed the beat of God's timetable. In the end, the miracle created a tremendous opportunity to reveal and proclaim Jesus' identity as “the resurrection and the life” (v. 25). It's not just that Christ brought life—He is life! It's not just that He can resurrect a dead man—He is the resurrection!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jesus offers eternal life to those who believe in Him: “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Martha, despite the fact that she didn't see her brother's resurrection coming, responded with a heartfelt affirmation of faith: “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (vv. 25-27; cf. John 1:12). Have you trusted Him as Savior?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 12:20-33
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. - John 12:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
In an ancient battle between Burma (now Myanmar) and Thailand, the kings, princes, and top generals from both armies rode out on elephants for personal combat. The military principle stated that by defeating the leader, his nation would be defeated and the war would be over. The Thai king and the Burmese general charged head-on at one another, with the general gaining the advantage. When Queen Srisuriyothai of Thailand, who was present in disguise, saw what was happening, she drove her elephant between the two men and received the fatal blow meant for the king. She sacrificed her life for her husband, king, and country, and to this day she is honored as a national heroine in Thailand.

In the same way, though on a far greater scale, Christ willingly sacrificed His life within the Father's plan of redemption (vv. 27-28; cf. Acts 2:23-24). Jesus' obedience unto death brought glory to God, who in turn glorified and exalted the One who won so great a salvation (cf. John 13:31-32).

By God's grace, we are not merely spectators in this incredible drama, but participants. Jesus' word-picture of a kernel of wheat falling into the ground applies to Himself and to us (v. 24). The death of a seed results in the life of a plant; the death of the only perfect human being who has ever lived resulted in eternal and abundant life for all who believe (vv. 31-32). The death-to-self of His followers results in the work of the gospel going forward in and through our lives.

The metaphors of seed and sacrifice capture many of the paradoxes of the Christian life (vv. 25-26). To die is to live. To lose is to gain. To be last is to be first. To love the wrong thing is to lose all. To hate the temporal is to gain the eternal. To serve is to be honored. To die to self is to gain the world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What does it mean to die to self? Does it mean we should pay no attention to our own needs and desires? Does it mean we should always speak self-deprecatingly of our abilities and accomplishments? Does it mean all pleasures are suspect? According to Scripture, it means that self ceases to occupy the central place in our universe. Pride no longer rules us. To be a child of God means that Christ occupies the central place. We are to be ruled by His love and His glory.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 14:5-14
I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. - John 14:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Alvin J. Vander Griend wrote about the power of prayer: “God gave us intercessory prayer so we could partner with Him in transforming society, saving the lost, and establishing His kingdom . . . n His sovereign good pleasure, He has chosen to involve us, through our prayers, in accomplishing His will. Our intercessory prayers are important to God; they should also be important to us . . . Prayer can move mountains. It can change human hearts, families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations. It's the ultimate source of power because it is, in reality, the power of Almighty God.”

Answered prayer brings glory to God. In today's reading, Jesus taught this truth while trying to overcome the confusion of His disciples. In response to Jesus' prediction of His death, Thomas had asked where Jesus was going and how to get there. We might be tempted to label him a “slow learner” and say with exasperation, “I'm returning to heaven!” But Jesus took pity on the disciples and put things in terms of their relationship with Him (vv. 6-7). Whatever they lacked in understanding, Jesus is their all-in-all. He is the way, the truth, and the life. To know Him is to know the Father. Following another clueless interjection, this time by Philip, Jesus further explained, “It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work” (v. 10).

The critical point is that the same divine power that was at work in Christ's life and miracles is available to us by faith (v. 12). This is where prayer comes in. Jesus exhorted His followers to ask for anything—anything! Dream big, pray boldly! “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (vv. 13-14). This is not an invitation to treat Jesus like a genie who grants our every wish, but rather an invitation to participate in the Son's glorifying of the Father.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Prayer is a powerful resource in the Christian life. Jesus said to ask for anything in His name, but what does that mean? To pray in His name means to pray in line with His will. And what does that mean? It means to pray in line with His redemptive purposes. We might ask ourselves, “Does my prayer contribute to the spread of the gospel and the glory of God?” When we truly understand that prayer is for God's glory, we won't ask for frivolous and selfish things.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 16:5-15
He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. - John 16:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Scientists at a Scottish university are working on a new means for preserving old books. They've revived a technique called TVA used in polymer research in the 1960s and are applying it in a new way. For 24 to 48 hours, books are placed in a special chamber, and during that time the TVA system chemically “sniffs” the books for signs of aging and decay. TVA can actually identify the chemical components of that musty smell one sometimes notices around old books. Problems such as dampness, mold, and poor storage conditions might be detected and addressed in this way.

Preserving a decaying book is not a problem when it comes to the Bible, for the Holy Spirit has supernaturally inspired and preserved God's Word. In today's reading, Jesus again spoke of His impending departure for heaven, this time focusing on the ministry of the Holy Spirit (vv. 5-7). When He left, Jesus would send His Spirit, who would reveal truth and remind the disciples of what they had seen and heard (vv. 12-15). This process would bring God glory and give us the New Testament. The Spirit is no freelancer. He would speak only what He heard and what belonged to the Father and the Son. God would be glorified because His truth would be made known.

At the heart of God's truth is the gospel, the full sweep and scope of the history of God's plan of redemption. To put it simply, the gospel is about moving from death to life, a rebirth that cannot take place without God. This is another aspect of the ministry of the Holy Spirit—He convicts people of guilt and sin (vv. 8-11). Without knowing we're sinners, we don't know we need righteousness. Without knowing we're dead, we don't know we need life. The Spirit tells us the victory has been won! The gospel is not a cold process or doctrinal fact, but a breathtaking and glorious testimony to the love and faithfulness of God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since the Holy Spirit brings glory to God by making known God's truth, it stands to reason that we can also bring glory to God by receiving, honoring, studying, and making known God's truth. The inspired writing process is complete, and we're blessed to have the entire Bible available to us in multiple translations. Are we spending time daily reading and studying it? Do we honor it by obeying how it teaches us to live? Are we spreading its good news through our words and actions?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 17:1-5
Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. - John 17:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Puritan pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards argued that discipleship is all about our "religious affections": "[E]veryone that has the power of godliness in his heart, has his inclinations and heart exercised towards God and divine things, with such strength and vigor, that these holy exercises do prevail in him above all carnal or natural affections, and are effectual to overcome them: for every true disciple of Christ, loves him above father or mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, houses and lands; yea, than his own life." He called these inclinations or exercises of the heart and will "the affections of the soul."

Discipleship and obedience bring glory to God. Yesterday, we saw that the Spirit glorifies God by revealing truth, so it makes sense that obedience to truth would have the same result. We've also seen on previous days that Christ's perfect obedience brought glory to God, so it makes sense that our obedience would have the same result. Today's reading demonstrates this idea in the context of Jesus' “high priestly prayer.” Since He was standing on the brink of Golgotha, it was a bold and faith-filled prayer! Christ knew that by completing the work God had given Him, He was about to glorify God (v. 4). Because of His mission of redemption, the gift of eternal life is available to all whom God has given Him (v. 2). Christ knew further that when He completed this work, God would glorify Him. Following the Son's death and resurrection, the Father would welcome Him home in triumph (vv. 1, 5).

This mutuality of the Trinity is part of God's glory, shared from eternity past. The Father glorifies the Son, and the Son glorifies the Father. The Father gave the Son authority; the Son used that authority to give life. The Father sent the Son to redeem, and the Son obeyed and sacrificed His life to save us. Once again, we see the gospel as the glory of God extended to humanity (v. 3).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
How can we follow in the footsteps of Jesus? We can ask God what work He has for us to do, and then do it. We can give thanks for the gift of eternal life and live as people who have Christ in us. We can yearn for the day of His return, when every knee will bow and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:10-11). We can train the “affections of the soul” in the direction of passionate discipleship and the glory of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 21:15-19
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” - John 21:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
A funeral sermon by the Puritan pastor Thomas Brooks reminds us: “Death is a change of our imperfect and incomplete enjoyments of God, for a more complete and perfect enjoyment of him . . . Death is another Moses: it delivers believers out of bondage, and from making bricks in Egypt. It is a day or year of jubilee to a gracious spirit—the year wherein he goes out free from all those cruel taskmasters which it had long groaned under . . . [Y]our dying-day shall be to you as the day of harvest to the farmer, as the day of deliverance to the prisoner, as the day of coronation to the king, and as the day of marriage to the bride. Your dying-day shall be a day of triumph and exaltation, a day of freedom and consolation, a day of rest and satisfaction!”

Today's reading teaches that death by martyrdom glorifies God. Believers of old used to long and pray for this kind of death. They didn't manipulate circumstances or act with foolhardy bravado and jump into death, but the fact is that Scripture says the world will respond to us as it did to Christ—with hostility, persecution, and sometimes murder (Luke 21:12-19; 1 Peter 4:12-19). The Beatitudes include a blessing on those who are persecuted for His sake (Matt. 5:11-12). Paul counted suffering for Him to be a privilege (Phil. 1:29). And Peter knew from the beginning of his apostolic ministry that he would die a martyr.

The scene was the conversation between Jesus and Peter over breakfast. Jesus reinstated Peter, the impetuous disciple who had disgraced himself by denying his Lord three times on the eve of the Crucifixion. As part of the dialogue, Jesus told Peter three things. First, “Feed my sheep,” which was his calling to ministry (v. 17). Second, that he would die a martyr, which tradition tells us happened through an upside-down crucifixion (v. 18). Third, “Follow me,” a command that encompassed Peter's overall identity as a believer (v. 19).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We've mentioned several times this month that Jesus' obedience unto death brought glory to God. In our Western society, where it's easy to get attached to modern comforts and conveniences, we might loose sight of the reality of Christ's death. His death was not a metaphor. It was a real and agonizingly painful event—He was led as the Lamb of God to an actual slaughter (Isa. 53:7). Even now, there are believers around the world suffering and dying for the name of Jesus. Their steadfastness glorifies the Lord!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 1:46-55
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. - Luke 1:46-47
TODAY IN THE WORD
Whom does the world deem worthy of honor? Clearly it's the rich, the powerful, and the famous. If Bill Gates gives his opinion about a social issue, it's newsworthy because he's a rich, successful businessman. If Michael Jackson dies, it's newsworthy because he was a famous musician and entertainer. If President Obama visits Russia, it's newsworthy because he's one of the most powerful political leaders in the world. People want to know more and more and still more about such people, and the media readily obliges.

Yet God sees things differently, and in today's reading a young bride-to-be named Mary responded to the great honor God had given her of being the mother of the Messiah. His glory is one of the main themes of her praise poem: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (vv. 46-47). Whereas the niv says “glorifies,” the NAS uses “exalts” and the ESV “magnifies.” These three translation choices together capture the meanings of “to declare to be great” and “to celebrate.”

So what was it about God that Mary wanted to glorify, exalt, and magnify? Her personal theme was thankfulness for God's blessings to her, a young woman in an unbelievable situation (vv. 47-49). She was mindful of her place in the larger story and of how future generations would see her.

Another main theme was God's greatness (vv. 50-55). His mercy, faithfulness, power, and holiness are far above our understanding and make Him worthy of praise. He keeps His promises, humbles the proud, and satisfies the hungry—all perfectly, as only a perfect God can do. A third theme was God's championing of the powerless (vv. 51-53). He scatters the proud, brings down rulers, sends the rich away empty, and in general overturns worldly expectations. God does not give honor to the rich, powerful, and famous, but acts as His plans, standards, and character require.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As with Mary in today's reading, bringing glory to God often involves trusting Him in the face of situations and events we're not equipped to understand. She probably understood the social and personal difficulties her pregnancy would create, but who can fully grasp a virgin birth, the Holy Spirit as an agent of conception, and God becoming flesh? The Lord's ways are often beyond our understanding, but they are still the right way for us: “The righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hos. 14:9).