Christ taught his followers how to glorify God by His example.
John 17 is Christ’s prayer for his disciples before He goes to Gethsemene. From Christ’s words we find how He glorified His Father; we also find how we can glorify our Father.
John 17:1 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:
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth:
I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Christ was always obedient to the will of the Father.
Joh 17:6-7 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
Definition – Manifest – readily perceived by the senses and especially by the sense of sight: easily understood or recognized by the mind
Christ showed his followers plainly by words and actions how to glorify God
John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
Christ spoke differently than the people of the day.
His speech glorified God.
John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Definition – Declare – to make evident: show, to state emphatically: affirm, to avow one’s opinion or support
Christ showed openly that He was doing the will of the Father
Scripture text and most of the thoughts from December 29 evening lesson.
I added definitions.
God Watches Our Waiting
Psalm 27:7-9
Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice:
have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face;
my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Hide not thy face far from me;
put not thy servant away in anger:
thou hast been my help; leave me not,
neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Sometimes when I cry unto the Lord
uttering my burdens and petitions;
I remember God says ‘Call on me’.
I respond, I am calling, I am seeking, Don’t hide from me,
Don’t be angry with my human frailities,
God, you have been my help,
God, you said, you would never leave or forsake me,
then is the time of waiting.
Knowing my concerns
Recognizing God’s promises
Being willing to believe in and adhere to
and trust in and rely on God,
I wait.
Without that believing,
even if only the size of mustard seed, believing,
I would faint and grow weary.
Psalm 27:13
I had fainted,
unless I had believed to see
the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
God is still good to say again and again
Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD:
be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the LORD.
Wait on the Lord – All ye who are in distress, wait on the Lord. Take me for an example. (David says) I waited on him, and he strengthened my heart; wait ye on him, and he will strengthen your heart. You cannot be unsuccessful; fear not. Wait, I say, on the Lord; wait for his succor in doing his will.
Age viriliter (Act manfully or Act courageously), says the Vulgate;
act like a man, hope, believe, work, and fear not.
~~~Clarke’s Commentary
Faith takes a groweth spurt when I read:
1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,
and his ears are open unto their prayers:
but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
May God bless our waiting
Words in parenthesis are my addition.
Tags: 1 Peter 3:12, Clarke's Commentary, God Watches Our Waiting, Psalm 27:13-14, Psalm 27:7-9