Glory: Glory in Christ’s Cross

Overview

Glory in Christ's Cross

Every time we speak about God, we are doing theology—there is no neutral ground that simply "sticks to the Bible" without interpreting it. So the question is not whether we will have a theology of glory, but whether ours will be a true one. Martin Luther coined two phrases that still help us today: a theology of glory and a theology of the cross. The false theology of glory looks for God in signs, wonders, displays of power, and worldly success. It assumes God comes to us chiefly in health, wealth, and prosperity, and that suffering must therefore be a sign of inadequate faith. This thinking is rampant in our day, and its appeal is obvious—everyone would prefer health over sickness, wealth over poverty. But underneath, it is a system of works righteousness that treats grace as a supplement to human will and turns God into a means to our preferred ends.

A true theology of glory, by contrast, is rooted in the theology of the cross. As Luther put it, "The cross alone is our theology." We do not validate God by miracles or measure His favor by our circumstances; we look to Calvary, where God reveals who He truly is. To the world, the cross is shameful and defeated—a slow, public, torturous execution. But Paul writes, "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God" 1 Corinthians 1:18. Only the eyes of faith see its glory. There Christ "redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" Galatians 3:13, and "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame" Hebrews 12:1–2. Good Friday had to precede Easter; the resurrection is God's declaration that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted.

Believers are then called to live in the glory of the cross. Paul writes, "May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" Galatians 6:14. Like John the Baptist, we point away from ourselves toward Jesus. We refuse to let the world's patterns shape us: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" Romans 12:2. The works of the flesh are set aside as we walk by the Spirit, for "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" Galatians 5:19–24. As "a chosen race, a royal priesthood" 1 Peter 2:9, we are called to be holy as He is holy 1 Peter 1:15–16 and to "shine as lights in the world" Philippians 2:14–15.

The pastoral application is searching but freeing. We are read every day—by neighbors, coworkers, children, grandchildren, the cashier at the grocery store. There should be no gap between how we speak on Sunday morning and how we speak at home, at work, or online. When the gossip is repeated, when the harsh word tumbles out, when the social-media post would be unworthy of Christ, the watching world concludes there is no real difference between Christian and non-Christian. We will fall short—we are not yet perfect this side of heaven—but our confidence does not rest in our performance. It rests in the cross, where forgiveness is secured and from which we are raised anew each day to newness of life. So we repent, receive grace, and go out not to blend into the darkness but to be light, glorying in nothing except Christ crucified.

Transcript

Good morning. 2s

Let's pray. 4s

Help us, dear Jesus, to glory in your cross. 6s

Lift our eyes to see your great and final victory on Calvary. 12s

Move us by your patient love to glorify your cross in all our work. 18s

May our lives be a willing worship of your enduring sacrifice. 24s

Empower us to live in confidence of your forgiveness and our eternal home. 30s

Amen. 37s

Well, welcome to this six-week class that I have entitled simply a glory. 39s

And we're going to take a look at several different topics in our weeks together. 45s

We're going to take a look at glory in our union with God, glory in humility, 49s

glory in tribulation, glory in witness, glory in our rule with Christ. 57s

And today the topic is glory in Christ's cross. 64s

If I had to summarize what we're going to do in these six weeks together, 70s

is what I would like to offer you is a true theology of glory, a true theology of glory. 74s

Theos is the Greek word for God. 86s

Allogy is study, so theology is the study of. 88s

Every time we speak about God, we are offering a theology. 93s

If you've ever heard the phrase, we'll just stick with the Bible, we won't get into theology. 99s

There's a problem with that phrase. 106s

Because one can't speak without offering an understanding of an interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. 109s

So every time we speak about God, we are sharing a theology. 117s

So what I want to focus on in these six weeks together is a theology of glory, a true theology of glory. 124s

Now what do I mean by that? 136s

Luther termed or coined the terms theology of the cross and theology of glory. 139s

So when you hear those terms, Brother Martin was the one that came up with those terms. 147s

Theology of the cross and the theology of glory. 153s

And what Luther did is he dismantled the theology of the glory of the day. 157s

And it's a very pertinent word for us because the theology of the glory continues to this day. 164s

In fact, it is rampant in the day that we live. 171s

And so Luther said there's a theology of the cross and then there's this theology of glory. 176s

What I want to do is I want to first examine what's the difference between the two. 183s

What's the bad theology of glory so we can lay some pavement for what we're going to start doing today and in the weeks ahead, 188s

which is saying what is a true theology of glory? 196s

So let's define some terms. 202s

Well Luther criticized the theology of glory in his day and that continues to today. 206s

The theology of glory emphasizes and places an emphasis on science, on science. 215s

So it is an attempt to validate God's presence, God's activity by saying where are science? 223s

So there's an emphasis on miracles. 234s

There's an emphasis on wonders. 238s

There's saying, we know that God exists because God has done this miracle or this sign. 241s

So there's an emphasis and a great deal of weight upon science. 250s

In the theology of glory, as a corollary to what I just said, there's an emphasis on God's power, God manifesting his omnipotence. 256s

Third, there's the belief that God comes to us not in our suffering, but in our success. 269s

So the belief in the theology of glory that God comes to us not amidst times of suffering, but God comes to us when there is this manifestation of success. 281s

There's focus on health and wealth, prosperity. 296s

So the theologian of glory will say when God is active, when God is manifesting himself, why you're going to grow in your wealth. 305s

So how, therefore do you grow in your wealth? 319s

What do you need to do to grow in your wealth? 322s

Or you will always be in good health. 325s

There's an emphasis on our prosperity. 330s

So the belief then is that in the theology of glory that if you suffer, you have an inadequate amount of faith. 334s

Because why? What's being emphasized? Success, right? 346s

If you suffer then, the problem belongs to you and the problem is your inadequate amount of faith. 351s

Because according to the theologian of glory, what God wants for everyone is He wants health and wealth and prosperity. 362s

So if that hasn't happening, then who's the one at fault? 373s

Well, it's certainly not God. 379s

It must be you. 382s

First time I ever was exposed to this was on my internship. 385s

I had a tremendous supervising pastor. 390s

I was like intern number 12 or 14 or something in the congregation. 394s

And Pastor Gravrock, just a tremendous friend to this day. 400s

He's just a tremendous pastor. 405s

In fact, just a little aside, he's now a member of a church in California that's in his retirement. 409s

He was with the choir and he turned. 417s

This was a couple of years ago. 422s

And the person next to him said, oh, we were traveling and we were in Texas. 426s

And we worshiped in this congregation. 430s

Really liked the congregation. 432s

And Pastor Gravrock said, oh, we're in Texas. 435s

And he said, oh, in grapevine. 439s

He said, really, grapevine. 442s

He said, pastor there, David Ibel, was he there? 443s

Well, yeah. 448s

And so talk about a small world. 450s

Great guy. 455s

Anyway, what you do on internship is you shadow the pastor. 456s

And so when his phone rings at two in the morning, your phone rings at two in the morning. 463s

When you're headed to the hospital, you know, where he's had that, you're headed to the hospital. 471s

It's just kind of this shadow that you're with the pastor. 477s

We went over to visit a lady. 484s

She was in the last stages of cancer. 487s

It seemed as if God was not going to heal this side of heaven. 490s

But that God was going to heal on the other side in heaven itself. 495s

As we went over there, he said, I want you to listen to very carefully to how she talks. 503s

I said, why is that? 512s

He said, because she hasn't told yet her family that she has accepted the possibility of her death. 515s

Because she believes that if she verbalizes that, if she says, God may not in God's omniscience choose to heal me, 526s

this side of heaven, he might choose me to heal me on the other side here of Easter. 538s

She believed that if she admitted that, then God would never heal her because it was showing a lack of faith. 544s

So the family wanted to talk with her about if God doesn't heal you on the other side of heaven. 557s

On this side of heaven, she would have none of that. 564s

None of that. 570s

What did she bought into? 572s

It was the theology of glory. 575s

That the reason why she wasn't receiving her healing was because she didn't have enough faith. 578s

Because if you have enough faith in the theology of glory, you'll always be healed. 588s

You'll always be healed. 596s

And there was bondage upon her and bondage upon the family. 598s

So in the interchange, that Pastor Gravrock, it's exactly what he was broaching, that subject of the difference between the theology of the cross and the Holy Spirit. 606s

And the theology of glory. 617s

In the theology of glory, there is a focus on human glory in order to earn God's favor. 620s

It's really a system of works righteousness as a theme that goes underneath it. 631s

That if I do all of these things right, if I put into place all of these principles, if I have enough faith, then God will make me the wealthiest person on the block. 637s

Then I will be the healthiest person among my friends. 655s

And that I will live in success and prosperity. 661s

Professor of mine, back in seminary, and I said this. 667s

A theology of glory operates on the assumption that what we need is optimistic encouragement, some flattery, some positive thinking, some support to build our self-esteem. 673s

Theologically speaking, it operates on the assumption that we're not addicted to sin and that our improvement is both necessary and possible. 691s

We need a little boost in our desire to do good works. 705s

But the hallmark of a theology of glory is that it will always consider grace as something of a supplement to whatever is left of human will and power. 712s

Jean Vyth writes this about bookstores, Christian bookstores. 729s

Today, their shelves, too, are stocked with ways of using God for one's own health, happiness, and prosperity. 736s

Their covers make vast and excited claims. 747s

As if by following certain steps, family problems will disappear. 752s

Our bodies will do what we want. 758s

Our financial problems will evaporate. 761s

We will solve our nation's problems, grow the church, and live happily ever after. 764s

The theology of glory is rampant. 773s

If you want to see the theology of glory put on display, listen to Joel Olstein, textbook case. 783s

And now that I've said that, don't listen to Joel's. 794s

Right? 799s

Okay. 800s

If you want to see theology of glory put on display, tune into Trinity Broadcasting Network or Daystar. 802s

It's one program after another. 813s

And now that I've said that, don't find either one of those channels. 816s

Don't. 820s

You can see why the theology of glory is so popular. 823s

Because who doesn't want to be healthy? 829s

If given a choice between health and unhealth, what do we choose if we could? 833s

Rather be healthy, huh? 840s

If given a choice between being wealthy or poor, well, what will we choose? 843s

We choose to be wealthy. 850s

Given a choice between being wise and unwise, well, we would choose being wise, right? 853s

And so if the ability to achieve those things is by putting into practice certain methods that are then taken out of Scripture, 864s

and that if we just get the right methods and have enough faith, we can then live in continual success. 878s

That's really appealing, isn't it? It's really appealing. 894s

And the theology of glory attracts a crowd. 899s

If you want a crowd, preach and teach that because that is a market to hit. 910s

Because it's a desire. 927s

And if you're taught then that that's God's will. 930s

And that it's just about what you do, then we're in the driver's seat in terms of being able to achieve what it is we want. 935s

You see why Luther went after this? 950s

And he said, there's a difference between theology of glory and theology of the cross. 954s

Well, what's the theology of the cross? 961s

Luther said, the cross alone is our theology. 964s

The only place to know God is in the Scripture. 972s

I like how one author puts it. 981s

We see God by our ears. 984s

If we want to know who God is, we listen to His Word. 990s

We find in the theology of the cross our confidence, not in our success, not in our prosperity, but in the cross. 997s

We don't earn the blessings of God. 1006s

We look to the cross to understand God. 1012s

It is there that we truly understand Him. 1016s

We don't try and find Him in the signs, in the miraculous, in the power. 1021s

We say, how is it that God describes Himself? 1028s

And that is in holy Scripture. 1035s

What I hope then these classes will offer is a true theology of glory. 1041s

That's rooted in the theology of the cross. 1049s

There's the class. 1054s

A true theology of glory that's rooted in the theology of the cross. 1056s

When we use the term glory, it can have many meanings. 1065s

The term glory can mean fame and praise and honor given to someone because they've achieved something. 1069s

For example, this sentence. 1077s

She wanted to enjoy her moment of glory. 1078s

We can use glory in the sense of praise and worship to God. 1085s

What do the angels think? 1090s

Glory to God in the highest. 1091s

That's an expression of praise, expression of worship. 1094s

It can also mean a great beauty. 1097s

The house has now been restored to its former glory. 1102s

It can be a special cause for pride, for respect, for pleasure. 1107s

We glory in the cross. 1115s

The outcome was a special source of glory. 1120s

That's what I want to particularly focus on in our times together. 1125s

It's glory in the sense of this respect, this pride. 1130s

We can be spiritually proud of what God has accomplished through the cross. 1139s

So you're going to hear themes in these weeks here about glory as a form of worship. 1147s

But you're also going to hear themes of glory in the sense of respect. 1151s

Great respect for what God has accomplished on the cross. 1157s

The cross was absolutely shameful means of execution. 1163s

It was slow and it was torturous. 1170s

And you would have the flogging before the cross. 1176s

And so quite often people never even survived the flogging before you got to the cross. 1181s

So Jesus was scourged before He even got to the cross. 1188s

Many people never even survived the scourging. 1195s

It was very public in nature and intentionally so. 1200s

When someone was crucified for their crimes, it was very public. 1205s

It was out in front so that people then could see you better not do this because you see what will happen to you. 1210s

To the unbeliever, the cross is a symbol of defeat. 1222s

The unbeliever looks at the cross and says, well, we're going to look at what the cross is. 1229s

It's really a method of torture. 1236s

It's a method of putting someone to death. 1239s

And so for the unbeliever, it's a symbol of defeat. 1243s

Let's go to 1 Corinthians, please, chapter 1. 1247s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. 1251s

1 Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 18. 1255s

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 1271s

Only the eyes of faith see the glory of the cross. 1283s

Only the eyes of faith see this respect that is generated because of what God has done for us on the cross. 1288s

Let's go to Galatians, chapter 3, verses 2 Corinthians, and then Galatians, Galatians, chapter 3, verse 13. 1298s

Christ redeemed us, remember that word redeemed means to buy back. 1316s

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written. 1320s

Curse it is everyone who hangs on a tree. 1328s

Unbelievers see then the short term defeat of the cross. 1336s

Believers see the cross in terms of the long-range view that good Friday had to proceed Easter. 1341s

That when Jesus goes to the cross, he is bearing the sin of the world. That when he is raised out of the tomb, it is God declaring that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted. 1348s

Let's go to Hebrews, the 12th chapter. 1361s

Keep turning toward revelation. 1364s

Hebrews, the 12th chapter, if you've hit first Peter, you've gone too far. 1368s

Hebrews, the 12th chapter, verse 1. 1374s

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely. 1387s

And let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. 1401s

Looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding its shame and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 1406s

What was the joy that was set before Him? 1426s

It wasn't dying on the cross in and of itself, but it was the accomplishment of that which would occur with Him dying for the sins of the world, of redeeming humanity. 1431s

And so, He proceeds ahead for the joy that was before Him. 1444s

I think of the great Him in the cross of Christ, I glory, towering or the wrecks of time. 1450s

All the light of sacred story gathers round its head sublime. 1460s

All the light of sacred story, the main point of the Bible is Jesus, and everything drives to Jesus in the cross of Christ, I glory. 1468s

So point one, only the eyes of faith see the glory of the cross, here's point two, and in faith believers live in the glory of the cross. 1487s

In faith believers live in the glory of the cross. 1502s

Let's go back to Galatians, please. 1508s

Chapter six. 1510s

Galatians six, verse 14. 1514s

Here Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, writes this, 1523s

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. 1528s

We are called then by God's grace to live lives that point away from ourselves. 1545s

John the Baptist is a perfect example. 1554s

John the Baptist was constantly pointing away from himself. 1557s

We don't want people to be enamored with us. 1564s

We want people to be enamored with Jesus, right? 1567s

And so to point away from ourselves, to be crucified then, as it says here, the world has been crucified to me. 1572s

It means that the world doesn't influence our actions, our lives are to stand in contrast to the world. 1583s

Let's go to Romans, the 12th chapter. 1596s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. 1600s

Romans chapter 12, verse 2. 1604s

Romans 12, verse 2. 1616s

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may discern what's the will of God, what's good, and acceptable, and perfect. 1623s

You see, as believers, we live in light of the glory of the cross. 1641s

We, our lives, show then the respect that we have for what God has accomplished for us in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1646s

And we are called to point away from ourselves, to be crucified to the world so that the world's ways are not that which influence us. 1658s

Let's go to Galatians, the 5th chapter. 1671s

First and second Corinthians, then Galatians. 1674s

Galatians 5, 19. 1686s

Now the works of the flesh are obvious. 1692s

Fornication and purity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, ascensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, corousing, and things like these, you see, a possible way of saying, this isn't a limited list here. 1695s

I could go on, he's saying. 1715s

I'm warning you, as I warned you before, those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1718s

The emphasis here that you see is if one continues in that where there is no repentance, there is no inheritance of the kingdom of God. 1724s

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 1735s

There's no law against such things. 1745s

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 1748s

Let's keep turning toward revelation and go to 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9, 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9. 1757s

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people. 1779s

In order that, you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1788s

Jump back to verse, or chapter 1, verse 15. 1802s

Instead, as he who called you as holy, beholdy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written, you shall be holy for I am holy. 1810s

Let's go to Philippians, the second chapter, move towards Matthew to the left if you hit Ephesians, you've gone too far. 1832s

Philippians, chapter 2, verse 14. 1843s

Philippians 2, verse 14. 1850s

Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and perverse judgment. 1860s

And you may be a great generation in which you shine like stars in the world. 1872s

You see, because of the Lord Jesus Christ, because of what He has done on the cross, our lives then we live in the glory of the cross. 1882s

And as we live in the glory of the cross, that shows itself in lives, that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we respect His great sacrifice of what He has done for us on the cross. 1895s

We look at our human activity as ways to say, we glory in Christ. 1914s

That means everything that we say, everything that we don't say, everything that we do. 1926s

Everything that we don't do. 1941s

Everything that is said and not said done and left undone. 1947s

All of life is to bring glory to God Almighty. 1953s

All of it, because we are continually being read as books by the world. 1960s

And so if there is the juicy bit of gossip that is passed from one neighbor to the other, and now it is being passed to you, 1970s

if it is received, the person who gives that juicy bit of gossip doesn't see any difference between the Christian and the non-Christian. 1984s

Right? When the words tumble out of one's mouth and they are not thought through or prayed over, or one's tone is not that which is loving, even when difficult things are being shared, 1999s

the non-Christian looks at the Christian and says, I got it, I got it. 2020s

That is what the Christian is about. That is what Christian and his mouth. 2027s

I got it. And there is no difference between the Christian and the non-Christian. 2036s

When one reads the post on one's Facebook, and it is not a post that the Lord Jesus Christ would post, everyone that reads that says, I got it. 2047s

I got it. There is no difference between the non-Christian and the Christian. 2066s

To live in light of the glory of the cross, to live with the expression here of respect for the cross means that we understand that every day we are being read every day. 2080s

We are read by our children, by our grandchildren, by our neighbors, by our fellow congregants. We are read by the person who checks us out at the grocery store. 2107s

We are read by the person as we run into the gas station to get some gum. We are read by everyone. And will we fall short? Absolutely. 2120s

Absolutely. Will we say those things that we shouldn't have said, yep, we will. 2131s

Would we say upon further review, as the NFL refs say, would we say, we are going to change that if we could? 2139s

Yep, we will. Will we be perfect this side of heaven? Absolutely not. 2147s

But by God's grace, may we become more and more like Jesus Christ every day. 2156s

May we be raised anew through the forgiveness of sins each and every day to newness of life, because we are His ambassadors in the world. 2164s

There should be no difference between how one acts on Sunday morning in conversation here and how one acts when they get home with their neighbor or coworkers. 2185s

There should be that consistency, because it's a way to give glory to God. 2206s

Theology of glory that is so prevalent, oh they're saying, no, no, no, no, no, and dismantled it, vividly. 2219s

We can do the same scripturally. But a true theology of glory is rooted in the understanding of the cross. 2231s

And as followers of the One of the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ, we bring Him glory and we glory in the cross by how we are each and every day. 2241s

And so let us repent for how we're going to fall short today. Be raised anew and be sent forward not to blend into the darkness of the world, but to be light in the world. 2260s

Next week, we're going to talk about glory in our union with God. 2284s

Blessings. 2292s