BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD

Text: Isa. 40:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

INTRO. A man’s handiwork and his possessions reflect his glory. As we behold the glory of God, we are awed by His handiwork and the riches of His possessions.
A story is told of two men on a hunting trip. One a devout Christian and the other an agnostic. Around the evening campfire they discussed the subject of God., The agnostic stated emphatically that since he couldn’t see, hear nor touch God, he couldn’t believe.
The next morning at the breakfast campfire the agnostic said,"There was a mountain lion outside the tent last night," He was asked,"Did you see it?" "No". " did you touch it?" "No" "Then how do you know it was there?’ "I saw its footprints outside the tent, this morning." Waving his hand toward the sun rising over a distant snow capped mountain and the panoramic view of nature spread out before them, the Christian said,"Behold! The footprints of God!"

I. Behold His Glory
A. In the heavens:
Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.
There is more accuracy in the timing of the sun, moon and stars in their orbits, than in man’s finest instrument.

B. In His word;
1. It has stood the test of time and critics down through the ages. Yet, it has never been (legitimately) found in error, ever! It agrees with proven science in every instance, even being ahead of it for centuries. Every prophecy has come true, or we can believe the ones yet to come, because of the ones which have come to pass.
2. Martyrs were willing to die in the ‘dark ages’ to preserve the truths of His word.
This is the Glory of God!

C. Behold the lilies of the field.
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

D. In the tiny seed that breaks through the pavement to reach upward.
E. Behold his glory in the sinner turned from sin to the will of God!
F. In a church willing to pay any price to preach the gospel in its purity. People from all walks of life, and with nothing in common by nature, yet all working in one spirit toward one common goal, through the church. This is the glory of God.

G. In the dedicated child of God

II Behold His glory in His Son as in no other way!
Heb.1:3 Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.

A. In His Birth - Glory to God in the highest.

B. In His Life - Even His enemies could find no fault in Him.

C. Death - Laying aside divine power, he faces sin and all its terrors, as a man. The enemy of the human race goes down in defeat, as Christ charges into its lair which is death.
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
II Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

D. The glory of the empty tomb.

E. The glory of His coming again. At a time when the world has given up hope, His glory will be revealed!

F. Behold His glory and be changed.
II Cor. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Moses was never the same after seeing God’s glory. See Exo. 34:29-35

G. His glory revealed in saving and keeping.
John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. .

BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD

Behold the glory of God!
In field, in wood, and sky;
Behold it when the storm clouds
Bring lightning flashing by!

Behold His glory when leaves unfold,
And blossoms scent the air;
Behold it when by grace He comes
And takes our every care!

Behold His glory in sun-warmed earth,
In mountain and in sky!
Behold it in the one who died
For such a worm as I.

His glory is told by all He made;
It bears the print of His mighty hand.
His glory, His love, His wonderful grace,
He offers it ALL to man!

His glory He gave to my saviour;
His love was made known on the cross.
By grace, He saved me and promised
I’d never suffer loss.

His glory is shown in the mountain,
In field, and forest, and sea.
But His glory and love and wonderful grace
Are best seen at Calvary!

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