Recently a group of us were reading through Brad Jersak’s book A More Christ-like God and we came upon a passage that incited an intense paradigm shift for many of us. The exact passage from the book fails me at the moment, however, the results from the dialogue still lingers in the air like sun-scorched earth welcoming the life of cool rains. So, if I might ask, according to your understanding, when do you believe Jesus was glorified: at the crucifixion; at the resurrection; or at the ascension? Think about it for a moment and maybe you might be as impacted as we were when the result is unveiled.
First, do you know what glorified means? I thought I did, after all, I can’t tally how many times in innumerable ways through countless worship services and sermons I have “glorified” the Father and/or Jesus. The concept permeates the entire corpus of the Psalms. But do you know what it means beyond lifting up an Amen or hallelujah?
Ponder this: According to dictionary.com, glorified comes from the verb glorify, which has all the common meanings of to praise, extol and worship. However, these are done because of its primary, most basic meaning: To cause to be or treat as being more splendid, excellent, ect., than would normally be considered.
So, let me ask you again, when do you believe Jesus was glorified: at the crucifixion; at the resurrection; or at the ascension? When do you believe Jesus was more splendid or excellent than he would normally be considered: at the crucifixion; at the resurrection; or at the ascension?
If you take flour, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, cocoa, plus a few other items and mix them together, place them in a pan which then endures the constant heat of the oven, have you made a chocolate cake or glorified” the ingredients which comprise the new creation called a cake?
Look at this verse from what most call Jesus’ high priestly prayer.
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: (Joh 17:1)
Knowing what the word “glorify” truly represents, try this interpretation on for size:
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; cause to be, or treat as being more splendid, excellent, ect., than would normally be considered thy Son, that thy Son also may cause to be, or treat as being more splendid, excellent, ect., than would normally be considered thee:
Do you see the significance to this viewpoint? Jesus never had any over-the-top impression of who he was in the big scheme of what the trinity was completing. He recognized that he was truly quite common, possibly even less than common. How ever low you go, how ever unlikely you might be, it appears the greater the ability to glorify you possess. Isaiah claims in the suffering servant passages that the servant was non-descript in appearance; we couldn’t be impressed by how handsome he was or how majestic he might present himself. How low would the servant go to glorify God?
Beaten to a bleeding mass of non-recognizable flesh; encrusted with the spit of men; stripped naked of any shred of clothing divulging the fullest depiction of vulnerability known to humanity, while your oppressors gamble over who retains your garments; erected ceremoniously between common thieves – one who mocks the very purpose of the quivering mass set before him; taunted, mocked and jeered to save himself from the ultimate torture device employed daily throughout the Roman empire; consigned to the despair all mankind experiences in horrific situations which produces the forsaken cry for deliverance from the malevolence swirling about us; and finally forsaken by those you thought were friends.
Describe the resurrection or the ascension with the lowest debased word pictures you can concoct and they will never match the simple gospel narrative of glorification. The crucifixion, not just the cross, is the glorification of Jesus, and as Jesus claimed, the glorification of God. Think about that last part for a moment.
God is great, right? We preach it, shout it from the rafters, sing it in the highest, right? But that beaten, bloodied, sullied, discolored mass of flesh hanging between heaven and earth for six-long arduous, mouth-searing hours made a common depiction of God far more splendid, more excellent than would have ever been considered, then as well as today.
Your life might be grand right now. Things going well, no complaints. You praise God for your good fortunes, which is the right thing to do. However, and I say this with great caution, don’t think for a moment that this glorifies God. Your heights are not as glorious as your lows. I know that makes absolutely no sense and is absent of any logic. God is glorified in a body which is broken, in a mind that is clouded, in a relationship that is crashing on the shoals of egocentric harping.
Here is the lynch-pin to it all. In His eyes, it’s all grace. Nothing you or I can do to fix up our state of affairs can match the grace offered to us in our worst – the worst which glorifies the common understanding of God. Grace says, “All of you, come as you are.” We’ve been told that we need to give God our best, in seed or deed, and we can be assured He will multiply it. Consider what might happen if you just give Him your worst seed or deed. The very act of giving it to him glorifies Him, the one who can make all things work to His glory.
Now I understand that a lot of what I’ve stated herein possibly goes counter to what you’ve been told or experienced in the past. I’m certainly not proclaiming that this is the Rosetta-stone for your faith walk. This is what my studies have unveiled and continue to unfold. It is clearly a viewpoint within the spectrum of God’s nature I have not heard much on. It offers, I believe, a fresh perspective on the nature of grace which heretofore hasn’t been explored. So here is to the next leg on the journey…
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