Of Jesus' Glory

Continuing on in John 17 this morning:


(NIV)John 17:22-23
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."


Yesterday I was looking at the call to know the Father and Jesus, today that less me to this verse on unity in the Body of Christ. According to this verse, complete and true unity will come through Jesus' glory, and that glory is given to propel us towards unity. This glory driven unity will be that which allows the world to rightly discern the Father's love.


Lord, we pray for Your glory, for the unity this will bring, and for that witness to the world.


The word for Glory in the Greek is Doxa which has several meanings:


Definition
1. opinion, judgment, view
2. opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone
a. in the NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honour, and glory
3. splendour, brightness
    a. of the moon, sun, stars
    b. magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace
    c. majesty
       1. a thing belonging to God
           a. the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity
       2. a thing belonging to Christ
           a. the kingly majesty of the Messiah
           b. the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty
       3. of the angels
           a. as apparent in their exterior brightness
4. a most glorious condition, most exalted state
     a. of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after he had achieved his work on earth
     b. the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Saviour's return from heaven


Clearly this glory is significant and is heavenly in nature, for it speaks of the perfectness of Christ, the radiance of angels, the resurrected condition, or our heavenly condition after Jesus return. That is amazing! The Church (we) have been given this glory, to help us step into unity. This was spoken 2000 years ago, but it is a promise that we will see fulfilled and should see fulfilled presently as well as in completeness, and I pray it will be fulfilled in my lifetime.


I definitely agree with Bill Johnson who says he feels the next revival will be one of God's glory - from this verse its apparent it must be true, for we don't see His glory manifest in the church like this yet.