John 17:22 - The Church as the Glory of God

John 17:22 - The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;

Message: The Church as the Glory of God

Time: Throughout church history, Christians have consistently attributed this gospel to Jesus' disciple John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee. John was one of the inner circle of Jesus' most trusted companions. It's most likely that John wrote his gospel while he was in Ephesus, and that he wrote it for an audience that lived outside Palestine, perhaps in Asia Minor. John appears to have had in mind members of a Jewish community who had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but who had continued to worship in the synagogue. John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing he was to confirm the belief that Jesus was both the Christ and the Son of God.

What the Lord is Saying: As I continue to look at the Human Angle of God's Glory or rather How God's glory is visible outside of Himself, but in relation to Him, I have studied His Glory as Creator, in salvation, in judgment, through Christ, and today also through the Church. 

As I looked at yesterday, Jesus Himself is the radiance of God's glory and today, I find out that the glory Jesus receives the Father, He gives also to us. Jesus is speaking to us about unity. He has a unity with God and He desires us to have this same unity with God the Father and Jesus. It is clear that unity is very important and this unity happens through receiving the glory of God. And yet the glory that is shared is not divine glory because that is a glory that no man can be in the presence of and live (currently as sinners before God). And so the glory that has been passed onto us must be a different type of glory. It is a glory that is marred, and yet over time seems to be a glory that will grow. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. - So the glory of God can be seen in us and yet over time we are being transformed into the same image (Genesis 1:26). 

This glory is a derived glory. It comes to us and so is not a part of us until Jesus gives it to us. The church can then be referred to as the Glory of God and as we are seen to those in the world, it could be that the Light which Jesus describes as us, is this Light from the Glory of God. 

Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

I have never thought about this light being a manifestation of the bright light of the glory of God and so a light that the World can see. Scripture also speaks of the church as a lampstand (Revelation 1).  Our light glorifies the Father. 

Summary: We receive a derived glory from Jesus and we the Church are to be a light to our world, all in unity. 

Promise: As we love one another and enjoy God’s presence in our midst, our light shines before others, and they are directed to the Lord in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, you have illuminated me in the reading of Your word as you daily do. Thank you for the glory that I have received from You. And for showing me that I am a light to our world because you are the light. Thank you for giving me Your Glory as a light and I pray that we, the church, would shine bright You and we would rightly glorify You. Show us how we need to be united for the purpose of giving Glory to God and testifying before mankind of Your love. The unity that we need to have is for the purpose of showing people the Gospel of Jesus and how You change lives.