Exalting Jesus in John

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” (Jn. 17:1, ESV).

“If Jesus’s number one priority is to bring glory to the Father, what does that mean for his followers? It can mean nothing less than that the glory of God must be the priority in your life…. Every single detail of your life is intended to reveal and celebrate the goodness of God…Our goal in sharing the gospel is not to enlist converts but to make worshipers” (Carter and Wredberg, Christ-Centered Exposition Series: Exalting Jesus in John, 336).

Reveal.

Celebrate.

Worship.

Indeed, worship is woven throughout the gospel of John, in hidden layers. The beginning hymn—revealing the Light, hidden to those in darkness.

The woman at the well—through her story, the Lord Jesus reveals himself as the Living Water. In turn, in response to Jesus’ self-revelation, she reveals. She celebrates, worships, shares and reveals the goodness of God to her townspeople.

Mary of Bethany—her tears, loosened hair, her jar of nard reveal Jesus’s upcoming death. Her grief—a celebration with tears. His worthiness of worship.

 

Mary of Magdalene—in the garden, after the resurrection, the intimate worship in a garden surrounded by spices. Revealed and celebrated, the Resurrected King.

Nor does the Gospel of John end—he writes “I have written this so that YOU may believe” (Jn. 20:31 paraphrase). You. Me. Today. How does your story reveal God uniquely? Uniquely glorify him? How are his works and fingerprints uniquely imprinted in the shape of your story?

In pain the continued cry out: “God is good.”

The random act of kindness no one sees says: “God is good.”

The psalms of lament move to a final proclamation: “God is good.”

A healing: “God is good.”

A thankful heart despite the circumstances: “God is good.”

Saying no to the temptation even though it is oh-so-strong: “God is good.”

An empty pantry and a pile of bills: “God is good.”

My story and your story may not be glamorous, but reveals the Glorious One. Worship is more than song, but fixing our eye, mind, body, soul on him. Every single moment, we can choose to worship self by complaining, yielding to temptation to gratify self, apathetic pleasure. Every single moment we can choose to glorify, no matter how hidden, what the circumstances or pain. Every single moment we still say, “God is good” and choose to trust him, we glorify him. No one else may hear or see, no one else may see the heart struggle to gasp “He is good,” but he is glorified.

He is revealed, in us. The crucified,

glorified King,

                                                              in our

blessings and

                                        our sorrows.

Thank you to Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg’s commentary: Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in John for providing fodder for my reflection. An excellent read for individual or group study, readmy full review here.

"I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review."