What is the relationship between the image of Christ in me and Christ’s Glory?

1 Corinthians 2“If they had known … they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (v.2) “I have resolved to know nothing while with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (v.9) No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (v.10) but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 3:18 “ And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory , which comes from the Lord.”

What is God’s glory?

• His Presence
• Himself
• His holiness
• His radiance

How is God’s glory revealed?

• in His attributes? - he is the definition, commitment to reconcile and restore, judge, Papa, grace through love, justice through love, discerner, inspiration, potter, master craftsman
• in creation? - detail, inter-dependence, complexity, humor, order, power, beauty, wonder, splendor, healing, re-growth, intricacy, symbiotic
• in people? - free will, creativity, service, joy, fruit of the Spirit, community, motherhood, a nursing child,

What is the relationship between God’s glory and my being conformed to the image of Christ?

• a reflection, a mirror, a holy virus - a carrier,
• a willingness to cease striving, letting go, surrender, a willing death
• not something I can produce, not something I can demand, not something I can counterfeit
• His glory is more clearly seen in bringing blessing from my failures

What is your role in being conformed to Christ’s image?

Philippians 2 (v.12b) “… continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, (v.13) for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (v.14) do everything without complaining or arguing, …(v.2-11) … being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit…not in vain conceit, but in humility consider others as better than yourself. Don’t look out only for your own interests but also the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as Christ’s: a servant, humble, obedient, exalted by God to receive praise to the glory of God.”

How do I work out God working in me?

• Let him do it.
• Default to genuine concern for others as the first screening of your motives

2 Timothy 4 (v.2)“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.” (v.3-4) There is coming a time with people will pursue what they want to hear. They will gather those around them who say what they want said…. (3:16-17) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• I am to share with others what I discover from the Word of God. The emphasis is on learning from the Word so that I will know what to say in each circumstance that follows. It enables me to correct, rebuke, encourage and mentor. Anything other than that can also become a “tickling” of my own ears as people begin to value the messenger more than the message.

John 15:1-17 (vs.4-5) “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

• How much can I produce without drawing from the vine? And if I am drawing from the vine, am I producing anything or is it a by-product of nourishment from the vine? And if I actually am not producing fruit myself, why do I seek praise and affirmation from others? Do I seek their praise more than I strive to abide?

What is God’s role in your being conformed to Christ’s image?

Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, (v21) to him be glory in the church…”

• The implication is that the immeasurably more piece is still done through us. Is it possible that I have failed to see what God is doing because I am not looking at the right place? It is possible that the great work that he is doing in my own transformation; while I am busy looking to see how I am influencing others?

What aspect of God’s image does He most want reflected in us?

Philippians 2:5-8 The attitude of Christ: humility, the nature of a servant (not just the actions of a servant), a posture of humility, and a progressive death to self.

Matthew 20:28 “- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Romans 15:8-9 “Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles my glorify God for his mercy…”

• the service posture can become a point of striving rather than a place of surrender. Am I truly more desirous of the posture of surrender than the occasional acts of service?

What is the relationship between service and love?

1 John 3:13-16 “…the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in dearth…(v.16) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

• Is there a difference between a willingness to love and actually loving; between grudgingly serving and having a nature of service? Is God glorified more when I force myself to serve than when it is part of my natural posture? John implies that if I do love Christ, his love will become increasingly more evident in my life decisions.

How could I alter my priorities so that my life more accurately reflects the glory of God?

• Abide more, serve self less
• invite his posture of service into my soul rather than simply putting on the servant role
• cherish the power of the Word of God - learn it, eat it, digest it - pursue knowing it more than play.

What one specific thing (what, for whom, when, where) will you do this week to better reflect the image of Christ?

List one to three specific things you can and will attempt to do differently in these coming months to alter the way you live so that God’s glory will be increasingly reflected in the way you live.

1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________

Two preliminary ideas to better equip those I shepherd to reflect the glory of God.

1. Challenge the “reflection” reality. We reflect something. What is it?
2. Investigate the desire piece? What are you currently longing for in life? How far down your immediate list, today, is Jesus?

Write a letter to yourself summarizing your key reflections as well as the final specific things you sense the Lord would have you do differently in the next year.