O that will be glory, be glory for me

“The ultimate hope of our heart is not simply forgiveness, or simply justification or even heaven, but it’s really the glory of God. You and I, in Christ, are meant to savor and to experience God’s glory," says Richard Jordan.

“That’s the ultimate thing that will wipe away every tear, rectify every wrong. That’s the ultimate thing that in the end will let you sing that song, ‘It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.’

“Because it’s the glory of God that makes that possible. I can look out there and say, ‘My ace in the hole is in the end it’s just glory!’

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“Paul writes in Galatians 1: [21] Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
[22] And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
[23] But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
[24] And they glorified God in me.

“Paul went out among the Gentiles where he’d lived and was ‘unknown by face,’ meaning they didn’t have enough contact with Paul to really know what was going on with him to know what he was preaching. They just had heard, ‘Well, he used to be persecuting the followers of Christ and now he’s out preaching that Jesus is the Christ.’

“What does Paul say they did? ‘And they glorified God in me.’ Paul’s saying, ‘They saw God’s Word working in me and they said, ‘Woo-hoo! Praise the Lord! This is good!’ and they glorified God. They saw that God had changed things and they honored and praised the Lord.

“For God to be glorified in him, that is other people seeing God’s word working in Paul (and that glorifies, or honors, the Lord), is what’s going on in II Thessalonian 1:10: [10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

“The Word of God working in people that believe produces the life of Christ, and the purpose and plan of God working out through them, and when He comes, He’s going to be glorified by being admired in the saints.

“By the way, you notice the parenthesis in verse 10? If you read the verse without the parenthesis, it helps you get the timing of this. It’s not that you believed in that day, it’s that He’s going to be admired IN you in that day.

“In other words, we’re talking about the future exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. When he says ‘because our testimony among you was believed,’ you’re going to get to participate in the exaltation and the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ in the ages to come BECAUSE the testimony of Paul includes us and we believe what Christ through Paul has shown to us.

“Ephesians 2:7: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. That’s how He’s going to be glorified in us and admired in us. We’re going to be set out (one preacher said, ‘We’ll be trophies of His grace’) and people will be able to look at the Body of Christ and be instructed.

“By the way, not just people, but the angelic host. Look at Ephesians 3: [9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
[10] To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

“We have a testimony about the wisdom of God and the angelic host is going to be able to admire Him and glorify Him when they see the outworking of His wisdom through us! Now that’s a fantastic . . . that’s the issue of glorifying Him in that day.

“Ephesians 3:20: [20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
[21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

“You see, that’s not just be glorified now but to be glorified in the Body of Christ through all ages, world without end.

"Not just that it happens now, but that it happens forever. And that’s brought to fruition when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back, sweeps away His enemies and establishes His reign in the universe.

“Ephesians 1: [15] Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
[16] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
[17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

“When He’s going to be glorified in us, the glory that He gets is the glory that God the Father determined. There’s this plan that the Father has developed to honor and exalt His Son. When He’s exalted in us, it will be the outworking of the Father of Glory’s plan.

“It’s fascinating to see the titles of God as you go through these things. The God, the Creator, the Head, and the Father may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

“You see, learning what God’s doing is not an issue of just learning a
bunch of doctrine. Somebody told me just the other day, ‘Well, were in this predicament and we’re just glad to have the doctrine work.’ Now that’s true, but it’s not just the doctrine working.

“In the Scripture, it’s really the Word working effectually in you, and when that happens, you know what’s really working in you? Christ is working in you. So when you talk about, ‘Well, it’s the doctrine working,’ remember it’s really the life of Jesus Christ working.

“There’s that personal intimate understanding, and when you come to Ephesians, you’ve come to the place where God says, ‘Come in and let me have access with you; let me bring you into access to understand.’ What’s going on here is the Triune God.”