SEE YOUR NAME in lights; get your fifteen minutes of fame? Famous, what does it look like?
MY TRUSTY MERRIAM-WEBSTER’S states to be “famous” implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known. The "sometimes briefly" is probably more often than not -- in other words, Rock Stars come and go. One of fame's synonyms carries a bit more weight. “Renowned” is defined as a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honored – having glory. And, just look at a few of the words that pop up when checking out the word glory in your Thesaurus: magnificence, splendor, beauty, wonder, grandeur, brilliance, praise, laurels, triumph, success – and on it goes.
THAT’S THE KIND OF FAME I’d like to enjoy, not for fifteen minutes, but for eternity. But, how does the ordinary soul experience lasting glory? The Apostle Paul sheds light on the subject as he unveils another of God’s mysteries in his letter to the Colossians. He reveals the divine truth that Christ in you (is) the hope of glory.* Indeed, he is your only hope of lasting fame.
GLORY, LIKE LIGHT, is one of those multifaceted concepts. Woven throughout Scripture like a golden thread it shines differently as you unfold the tapestry. Preeminently it appears in the form of “the weighty importance and shining majesty which accompany God's presence.” The verb means “to give honor.” The honor which people give to one another recognizes the position of the honored person in the human community. Scripture makes reference, for example, to the “glory” of King Solomon because of the abundance of his wisdom and wealth.
JESUS CHRIST encompasses the whole gamut of “glories.” Our finite minds can conceive of but a few.
THE CROSS WORK of Christ displays the magnificence of his glory. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus… who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”** In this single act, Christ accomplished our eternal redemption through his humiliation; and, his own glorification as evidenced by his resurrection and exaltation.
WHAT AMAZING GRACE that Christ shares his glory with those who believe in him. Shortly before his arrest we find him praying for us. Listen, “Father… I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.”***
“CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY” –your only hope of lasting fame! Any humiliation we may suffer in our present circumstances is far outweighed by the prospect of future glory, the subject of next week's Post.
*Colossians 1:27
**Hebrews 12:2
***John 17: 22
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