MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY
SERMON STARTER
Personally, in my more than 60 years of knowing and serving Jesus, I have encountered His glory on occasion. Mostly, seeing Him and sensing His presence (glory), has come with deep emotion and tears of contrition. I have never been “amazed and awed” by His presence. I have felt an instinctive gut-level fear mingled with love and adoration.
I served more than three years on the ministerial training staff at Melodyland Christian Center in Anaheim, California. One of my duties was to answer altar calls at services for the 10,000 member congregation. One particular session stands out in my mind. When the people were escorted into a private open room where we “prayer counselors” were to pray with them one-on-one.
One man I approached was in his work clothes. From his appearance I guessed he was a plumber. His rough, calloused hands covered his eyes. He was sobbing from his gut as big tears splashed down on the carpet beneath him. It took him over 20 minutes to gain his breath and composure so he could speak.
I asked him,
“Why are you here?”
He gasped breathlessly, “He told me to come to the front!”
“Who is he?” I asked.
“You know. He was wearing sandals and a white robe. He stood in the aisle and told me to come.”
“Can you see Him now?” I asked.
“No, but He’s here!”
“How do you know?
“I can FEEL Him.”
I experienced the prickly feeling in the back of my neck. It radiated all over my body. Obviously, it took something unusual to “get to” this rough-cut guy who had lived his whole life believing in nothing but himself and the work of his hands. Something, or rather, someonecalled this man out of his pew. I led him into the confession of his sins before God, and
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY, intro., cont. p.2
acceptance of Jesus Christ into His heart. I told him that the one whom he had seen now wants residence in his heart. He readily accepted Christ and began the journey of salvation and a life-long walk with Jesus.
The real Glory of God is the incredible Presence of Christ to seek and to save that which is lost. Paul, the Apostle, said it best, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
Pastor Phil <><<
March 3, 2019 - Sheepfold Ministries
Pastor Phil Roland
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY
Matthew 17:1-14 - John 1:1-14
“We have trivialized the Name and Presence of God. God’s people do not have a sense of the Lord’s Presence in His manifested glory. If we ever did, we would fall on our faces in awe and adoration.” Pastor Phil <><<
Num. 14:21 “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.”
John 1:1414 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Greek Word for Glory - δόξα - dox'-ah - Honor, Respect, Worship
Eg. Doxology in the Call to Worship, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below. . ."
Shekhinah - Rabbinical Literature, "Dwelling" or "Setting"
The dwelling place of God in His Holy Temple. It was His Sacred Presence
An iridescent glow in the Holy of Holies seen only by the High Priest on Yom Kippur, once a year. It signified God's forgiveness of the sins of His people for that year.
Martin Luther King's Last Words:
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land! And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!
Julia Ward Howe's, "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
Battle Hymn of the Republic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIM2oBpQLsc
My Eyes have seen the Glory, cont. p. 2
John was an eyewitness to the Glory of Jesus Four Ways:
I. THE GLORY OF HIS PERSON - Verse 2
2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
A. His outward appearance was Transformed
1. Transfigured = μεταμορφόω = meta-mor-fo'-o
2. To Transform; To change appearance
B. That shining glory was on Moses when on Mt. Sinai- Ex. 34:19-20
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two
tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from
the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone
while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel
saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to
come near him.
1. Reflected Glory of Almighty God
2. Jesus shone with the pre-incarnated Glory of God Himself
John was an eyewitness to the Glory of Jesus a Second Way:
II. THE GLORY OF HIS KINGDOM - vs. 3-8, esp. v. 5
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
A. Kingdom of God mentioned over 100X in NT - John 18:36
36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of
this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to
the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."
1. The Kingdom of God is the Message Jesus preached
2. Paul said it is definitely NOT of this world, Romans 14:17
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
B. His Kingdom is not found on a geographical map
1. It does have a culture, language and national hymns
2. It's currency is not based on Gold but Faith
3. Gold is like asphalt in His Kingdom, you walk on it
C. The Glory of Jesus' Kingdom is Within You - Luke 17:20-21
20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
John was an eyewitness to the Glory of Jesus a Third Way:
III. THE GLORY OF HIS CROSS - Matthew 16:21
21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
My Eyes have seen the Glory, cont. p. 3
A. The Message of the Gospel of Jesus is His Cross - 1 Cor. 1:18
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1. He said His Cross would draw all men to Himself - Jn. 12:32
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
2. Look and Live was the cry of Moses in the Wilderness
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of Man be lifted up, John 3:14
B. The Message of the Gospel is the Glory of the Cross
1. Jesus became the Final and Last Blood Sacrifice for Sin
2. He said at His physical death on the Cross, It is Finished!
3. There is Glory and Irony at His Cross
4. Out of such an ignominious death, Salvation for all men
IV. THE GLORY OF HIS SUBMISSION - Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
A. Jesus left Heaven's Riches to die for your Sins - Psalm 40:8
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."
B. Our only response to His Love and Sacrifice is to bow at His Feet
1. Have you experienced His Glory?
2. He loves you, but do you love Him?
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY,
Matthew 17:1-13
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."
8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
11 Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.
12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands."
13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
John 5:30 (NKJV)
30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
John 5:30 (NKJV)
30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
Martin Luther King
Moses on the Mountaintop / Sinai
Exodus 34: 29-35
