Tuesday, February 17, 2015

By faith we see God's glory in Jesus






2.17.2015 Tuesday                      2 Corinthians 3:12-13; 4:1-6 We see the glory of God in Jesus

The Jews of the old covenant cannot see the glory of God in Jesus because they wear a veil. Paul says that Christians with the Spirit see God’s glory in Jesus because the veil is removed. There is nothing neither hidden nor mysterious about God. The glory of God is revealed and made known by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To this day, many women in Arab countries wear a veil. It prevents the woman from seeing clearly and others cannot plainly see who is behind the veil. Paul speaks of a spiritual veil. When he came out of his meeting tent. Moses wore a veil because the radiance of his face was too bright for his people. (Remember the statue of Moses the stands on our old altar) Paul claims that people who know only Moses and the old covenant have a veil that hides the face of God in Jesus. Christ removes the veil. Thus, Christians have freedom from the veil of Moses. With the veil removed, Christians can directly see the face of God in Jesus, and likewise the radiance of Christ can be seen on the unveiled faces of Christians. There is an openness, frankness, and honesty to the Christian religion. Or, at least it should be.[2]

A part of our Lenten discipline is evangelism. Sharing Christ with others. You don’t have to know everything. All you need to do is be like Phillip who invited his brother Nathaniel to come and meet  Jesus.  “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also in the prophets, wrote - Jesus of Nazareth.” John 1:45-51 The church continues to grow one person at a time. As the knowledge of Christ has come to you, by grace, through faith, live your life as a redeemed child of God and invite other to come and see.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our search is in vain. Invigorate our study of Your holy Word that, by due diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your holy faith; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. [3]


[1] Image by Ed Rioja © Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B John Brokhoff pp.89-90 © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima OH
[3] Collect before the study of God’s Word, Lutheran Service Book © Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

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