The Glory of the Lord B

The message of Christmas is that God came into the world in all his glory, and what was only a whisper becomes a shout and someday in the future. As you read the book of Revelation when he comes back in second coming glory.

The Bible says the shout will be even louder so that every voice in the universe will try and shout and sing about other you have a kind word to say the broad shoulder to lean on. They are the ones who display the spirit of Christmas.

Well today on grace to you.

John MacArthur will show you that even the most generous person you know might still be missing the real meaning of Christmas. That's the title of John's current study, the real meaning of Christmas and in it John is helping you revisit the truths of Christmas helping you remember what's important in the upcoming holiday season. So follow along. Now here's John MacArthur. Hebrews chapter 1 Hebrews chapter 1 is another text that deals with the true Christmas story.

I want you to notice verse three who being the brightness of glory who is Jesus Christ. He is the glory of the Lord.

That is what he saying here he is the ineffable radiation of God. He is the brightness of God.

That's why it says in John 114 word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we be held his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the father.

The phrase being the brightness of his glory is very simple. The brightness is the word out about God's mom means radiance it means to send forth light or to send send forth brightness. It simply saying he is the shining forth of God just as the radiance of the sun reaches the earth to light has to warm us to give us life and growth.

So in Christ do we sense the warmth in the radiance of the glorious light of God touching the hearts of men. The brightness of the sun is of the same nature as the son is as old as the sun and never was the sun, without its brightness. The brightness of the sun cannot be separated from the sun and yet it is distinct and so Christ is God, and yet distinct. He is God. And yet he is the manifestation of God. He is the glory of the Lord who shouts the reality of God, which is only whispered and spoken in time past. He is the son of righteousness risen with healing in his being the most graphic illustration of this is found in a familiar text in Matthew 17 it says, and after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother brought them in a high mountain privately and was transformed or transfigured before them. His face did shine like the sun and his raiment was as white as the light, and there he is showing his glory.

There he is on that mountain that day, revealing his glory. He wanted them to know who he was and out of the cloud that surrounded them came a voice this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

Listen to him and standing there were Moses and Elijah, and I was a marvelous reality. Why was this going on to convince the disciples beyond a doubt who he was the voice of God. The ineffable brightness of Shekinah glory and in the presence of Moses and Elijah why Moses of the law Elijah of the prophets in Christ stood with them. The two greatest Old Testament spokesman for God. They were to understand that Jesus was ranked as the voice of God. Moses and Elijah good begotten. The two eras of miracles in the Old Testament, and now Christ to begin the third, Moses and Elijah, both of whom left this world shrouded in mystery. Moses death.

Very unique and strange one.

Elijah translated Christ who died a unique death and then rose to be translated parallels go on and on but when they saw the glory and heard the voice of God and saw the presence of Moses and Elijah. It was an affirmation beyond question of the fact that Jesus was not only the voice of God but that he was God himself. That's why later on in Peter's ministry. Is he right second Peter chapter 1 verses 16 to 19. He says we do not preach unto you cunningly devised fables, but we were eyewitnesses of his Majesty when we were with him in the holy mount we know whereof we speak we saw his glory became the point of their confidence.

So Jesus is the glory of God. Back to Hebrews 1 you look at the cradle and you don't see just a baby. You look at the cradle you don't see just a child but you see the glory of God the glory of the Lord in human flesh every time Jesus performed a miracle every time he healed a lame man to give sight to the blind, or hearing to the deaf or a voice to the dumb every time he for gave sin.

God was revealing his glory. Notice it says also in verse three that he was the express image of his person. The word is character which we get character. It basically is a classical word in Greek and it means an engraving tool, a die or a stamp or a mold or a mark that is made by a seal has the idea of a copy or image reproduction and he is saying Christ is the image of God he is the express image of God he is the character of God revealed he is the mark of God on human society is the stamp of God on human flesh Paul in second radiance for four and in Colossians 115 says Christ is the image of God and uses a different word. The word as I told which means an exact reproduction and exact image or a precise copy.

So whether it's character or whether it's cyclone Jesus is the stamp of God. The mark of God, the seal of God.

The image of God. The reproduction of God. The precise copy of God may ice new at those words even at their best.

Come short of the reality of the truth because it's impossible to express that he is in fact the very essence of God in any analogous way without losing something. I think it's best expressed in Colossians 29 where Paul says in him well in all the fullness of the Godhead bodily greatest statement of the deity of Christ and then in order to support that the writer gives us the excellencies of Christ number one his inheritance. Verse two, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, son ship demands, inheritance, Psalm two.

I will make his enemies his footstool. Psalm two.

I will set my king on the holy hill of Zion Psalm two is where the father affirms the right of the son Colossians 1 all things are made by him and for him. Everything ultimately comes back to belong to him for of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever.

Amen. Romans 1136 and Revelation 5. Remember the scene.

John looks at the throne of God. It's time to take back possession of the earth and they cry, who is worthy to take the scroll the title deed to the earth and open and they look all over heaven and everywhere. No one is found finally comes forth the Lamb. The line of the tribe of Judah Lord Jesus Christ and you can take the scroll. Why because he is the rightful heir to the earth, and he unrolls the scroll and beginning in chapter 6, the seals are broken as he re-possesses the years to establish his kingdom. He is the one who has the right to rule.

He is the one who is given the inheritance by God and the marvelous thing to realize that this one who came in humiliation and condescension will inherit all things, so we see first of all his inheritance. Secondly, his initiation the end of verse two, by whom also he made the world's Christ not only will receive it in the end, but here's the source of its origination in the beginning he initiated it all through the word bindings through DR through all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. John 136. You can create. You did create and only God can do that now point out one very interesting thing.

The word for world there worlds is not cosmos is not talking about the physical world's alone. It goes way beyond that, the word is I own a's and it means ages. It means ages listen is not that he just created the physical world and the physical things that exist in the universe is that he created the concepts in which physical things can exist takes you one step beyond the physical. He created time and space and force and energy and matter.

He created the stuff of which the physical creation is made made it all so we see his inheritance, his initiation 30 receives influence verse three it says this he upholds all things by the word of his power that is influence. He holds the whole thing together is his influence is is him that makes the atom move in its proper orbit. The building block of all things.

It is his power. By the way, the verb there is a do it. Supporting present continuous action. He continually holds all things together this universe would disintegrate and fly to pieces if it weren't for his upholding power. You know that if the Earth's rotation should slow down just a little bit.

We would alternately freeze and burn or did you know that the son is a surface temperature of 12,000°F and if it were any closer or further away we would freeze or burn. You know that our globe is tilted in exactly 23° and if it wasn't at that exact angle vapors from the ocean would move north and south of pilot massive continence of ice did you know that the moon did not remain at its exact distance from the earth. The ocean tides would inundate the land twice every day. You know that the ocean slipped just a couple of feet depth further than it is carbon dioxide and oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere would be completely absorbed and no vegetable life could exist. Did you know that if the atmosphere didn't remain constant in the earth, but it thinned out millions of meteors which are harmlessly burned up in space would pummel the earth in a barrage of bombardment that would devastate us all. Who holds a delicate balance keeps it all working the Sundance the glory of the Lord often think about that when he was walking through the world in his human body is going through all of the things that a man goes through at the same time he was upholding the whole universe, so we see his inheritance, his initiation is influence forcefully receives intervention verse three I love this when he had by himself say that again when he had by himself purged our sins, you know your Bible so you must know that there by himself by himself. She purged our sins, a beloved. That's power by himself a greater work in creation a greater work then Providence upholding was the work of purging. He made purification to cleanse our cities and that becomes the great ringing theme of the book of Hebrews as you move through.

He says in 727 the writer of Hebrews does who need if not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the peoples. For this he did once, when he offered up himself. He purges our sins. That was his intervention into the human disaster and for a brief moment the glory departed for a brief moment, the Shekinah went black for a brief moment the brightness became darkness in the very darkness Jesus had resisted the engulfed him. But he did it for us and didn't end there. See his inheritance, his initiation is influence his intervention.

Finally, is installation. When he was done he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Majesty on high is simply a name for God is the Majesty on high is right hand is the place of honor in the place of blessing the place of power. He said there what is it Downey was done one or something interesting in the temple in the tabernacle. There were no seats.

You read the description of the tabernacle you read the description of the temple. There were no seats. Nowhere.

What because a priest ever finished so we never sat down sacrifice. Sacrifice sacrifice by the millions. And they never sat down because it never ever was a finish work. Jesus made one sacrifice was finished, he sat down he sat down was over there was nothing more to do. He finished and sat down. Hebrews 1012 the great verse, but this man, that is, Christ, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. Beloved.

This is the message of Christmas God has come into the world and we focus on his deity. This is God. Why was he given the right hand for reasons. First of all, the right hand was a place of honor.

Philippians 2 says God is highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, the right hand is the place of honor. He seated there because he is to be honored. Secondly, it's the place of ruling first Peter 322 says that God lifted him to his right hand and made angels and authorities and powers subject to him is the place of honor is the place of rule. Thirdly, it's the place of rest.

He sat down because he was finished. Fourthly, it's the place of inter-session is at the right hand of God. Romans 834 tells us wonderfully making inter-session for us and so he took his place at the right hand. I want to my saying this, the prophet said the glory of the Lord to be revealed.

The writer of Hebrews says the son is the brightness of his glory, the message of Christmas is that God came into the world in all his glory, and what was only a whisper or in the word an audible voice becomes a shout and someday in the future. As you read the book of Revelation when he comes back in his blazing glory which I love.

Jesus calls great glory when he comes back in second coming glory. The Bible says the shout will be even louder so that every voice in the universe will cry and shout and sing his praise was to say to us. Let me have you look at second Corinthians 3 and will close.

Verse 10.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that Excel of Belus and what that verse means the Old Testament, the Shekinah appearances the text of the Old Testament. The old covenant was glorious. That's true even that which was made glorious refers to the Old Testament the old economy, the old covenant Shekinah appearances.

It was made glorious but it has no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels in other words, the new disclosure of glory and the incarnate Christ and the new covenant about him is so far more glorious that the old seems not glorious at all. It has no when compared with the glory that excels great so that revelation of the glory in the New Testament far exceeds anything in the past. That's why we say God shouts the person of Christ. What is it say to us.

Verse 18 but we all, with unveiled face, that is, the veil is taken away the things that were mysterious, troublesome, confusing, were not like Ezekiel anymore that's gone the veil as we now about holding a glass the glory of the Lord and who is it it's Christ and as we both hold him and look at him and gaze on him. We are changed into the same image from one level of glory to the next by the spirit of the Lord.

In other words, we literally become like him. As we gaze on him. All of us as believers are in this process were gazing at his glory being transformed into his image in the process.

Remember the story of the ugly duckling.

I'm sure you probably do let me refresh your memory, it was more awkward and less attractive than the ducks. He grew up beside so they ridiculed his differences, fleeing their abuse. He took shelter in a home whose pets were a chicken and a cat. He was rejected thereto because he couldn't lay eggs like a hen and he couldn't purr like a kitten, you just don't understand what you told them.

But he was treated only with scorn. Then one day he beheld the graceful and elegant swans the most beautiful birds you'd ever seen in a strange feeling came over him. He turned somersaults in the water. He stretched his neck trying to follow their flight and the other to cry so loud that it frightened when he finally lost sight of them. He died right down to the very bottom of the water and when he came up he was quite beside himself. He had no idea what the birds were called or where they were going. He only knew that he loved them as he had never loved anything before another winter came with all its struggles last spring, melted the ice of the ponds does the ugly duckling was swimming.

He saw again to have those beautiful birds. They swam straight toward the close of the day came, the more frightened he became and then when such beauty was right in front of them. He bowed his head in humility and covered his face with his wings.

However, when he bowed his head, he saw his own reflection in the water for the very first time, and in speechless amazement he saw that he too was a swan slowly, uncovering his wings from his face. He lifted his head from the pond. He didn't raise it proudly and high as an ostrich would, but humbly as a swan slightly bent over in an expression of gratitude. Then he swam off with his fellow swans. Maybe we can see in that an analogy, perhaps your experience is similar to that think with your first look at Christ in faith may be like the ugly duckling who first saw the swans you have an overwhelming sense of your own ugliness and yet there is an irresistibly in Christ that turns your heart inside out. We know why the ugly duckling was beside himself when he saw the swans he responded from his inmost being, because he was a swan and that's what he was made to be in. Similarly, we may respond Christ deep within ourselves, we really don't know why we respond that way. But it's because that's what we were meant to be. And then one day as we face humility in our ugliness as we gaze in the mirror we see we are becoming that very beautiful thing we long to be in with humility in our walk of gratitude in our hearts we live our lives before God was God wants to transform you into his own image from one level of glory to the next is staggering for me to perceive that the Lord Jesus Christ is the glory of the Lord revealed to us. It is more staggering to reveal that he is the glory of the Lord revealed for us. It is most staggering of all the really understand that he is the glory of God revealed in us, Christ in you the hope of glory. All my most people will miss Christmas bonus.

Miss Jesus Christ, they'll miss the glory of the Lord, hope you do. I hope you focus on him, so that you can become what you were created to be. You radiated that very same disease.

Grace to you with John MacArthur.

Thanks for being with us. John is Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary's current study is showing you the real meaning of Christmas. You know John, I've been listening to you for 40 years talking about Christmas and a true understanding of Christmas what it means with the birth of Christ means biblically and we put it on, grace to you many times over the years and at Christmas time this season of giving it still clear that many people by a large don't know much about the one gift that started it all.

I think that's true because for one thing, the culture has become much more secular right there is less and less and less biblical knowledge biblical understanding. There are there are caricatures of Jesus rather than real understanding even of the narrative of the true Christmas story so if he's mentioned it all. Where were dealing with the really seriously secular culture, especially the younger people coming up the millennial's and people behind them. So it it's it's almost as if we have to introduce this entire generation of people to the Christ of Christmas and that's exactly what we want to do so want to mention a book God's gift of Christmas. There is no more important thing to know than that, the son of God came into the world to die in our place to rise for our justification and to provide forgiveness and eternal life to all the believe in him and that is the point of his arrival at Christmas.

So the book God's gift of Christmas examines the most encouraging crews and realities about his coming that these things certainly get lost in the current culture and its secular celebration of this holiday is a kind of a book that could actually become a family tradition. You can read it in the days leading up to Christmas to help you focus on the things that you need to be looking at some people use Advent calendars we like using this little book also resource so you want to give to unbelievers.

Now in the days leading up to Christmas. Beautifully designed and will draw them in a promise you that the truth inside will make them think it's a compact hardcover book hundred 20 pages available from Grace to you and is always affordably priced just as for the book, God's gift of Christmas. Yes, again, this book is not just a good read on Christmas day.

You can review it in the weeks and even months before the holiday, and right now God's gift of Christmas and nearly all of our resources are 25% off the regular price to place your order. Contact us today. Call toll-free anytime 855 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org during our sale God's gift of Christmas costs nine dollars and shipping is still free to order this book for any of our resources, call 855 or go to Jide TY.and thanks for remembering that grace to you is listener supported. We often hear from people who tuned in for years and others who just recently found John's teaching are being spiritually nourished. You help get life-changing verse by verse teaching to all of those people. When you give to express your support and strengthen both new believers and old male your tax-deductible donation to grace to you.

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