 So we're on, I think it's lesson, I found a copy, thank you. Lesson 21, if I counted correctly, on the glory of God. And this has been based on this book, I think it's been mentioned a few times, edited by Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson. The first many lessons in the series were a biblical theology. If you look at the beginning of the outline there, how do truths about God's glory shape our view and approach to pastoral ministry. So the first, I think 17 lessons were a biblical theology really, which seeks to understand the progressive unfolding of God's special revelation throughout history. And so we looked at, from the Old Testament through the Gospels and much of the New Testament, the topic of the glory of God. Then the last three lessons were Ryan putting together a systematic theology that seeks to present the entire scriptural teaching on certain specific truths or doctrines, and so he did that for three lessons. And now today we're going to look at how these truths about God's glory shape our view and approach to pastoral ministry. And so there were a number of different authors, writers who contributed to this book. This subject, this topic was addressed by Brian Chappell. And the heart of it really of the lesson is how a pastor fulfills the offices to the church of prophet, priest, and king as an ambassador of Christ. And so we'll get to that more specifically later, but there are a few more, I guess, I don't want to say practical, but a few other considerations before we get to that. And one of those is very basic to the gospel. And in much of Christendom today, there is a false gospel that's preached that promises personal well-being. It's generally understood to be the prosperity gospel, but in the context of the subject of glory, the focus really becomes, is this thing like, pull it away? Personal glory, personal blessing. And for those who are under that teaching and in whom those kinds of expectations are created when they're told that they need Jesus in their lives, there's inevitably disappointment. It certainly is not the case that if you become a follower of Christ, you are going to be healthy and wealthy and whatever else it is that they're promising. It doesn't exclude that possibility, but when that expectation is created, the gospel really becomes about the person's personal glory. And so there are disappointments. Why didn't I become wealthy? Well, you didn't give enough money. Your faith wasn't strong enough. I feel like I'm going to have to bend this thing out of the way or something. Sorry. And so rightly preaching the word of God is to emphasize not your personal glory, but the glory of God and that is sometimes a difficult experience for a believer. So you're wrestling with your own desires and your sin nature and you're grappling with the demands of the gospel, the requirements of the law, and you're not happy. Why am I not happy? You know? And so it becomes important as a foundational thing for a pastor to communicate clearly, as scripture does, the way in which our Christian experience can be joyful as we glorify God. What is it that, what are the things that have to get connected in our lives in order for our joy to be complete in glorifying God even when it comes at perhaps great discomfort, difficulty, trials, and may seem even burdensome at times. And so it gets to the heart of what is conversion? What is it, what's really happening in conversion? What is the change that's taking place in a person that's going to result in that kind of joyful life in Christ even when it's tough? And I think Samuel Bolton wrote a book, I don't have the exact year, a couple hundred years ago I think it was, True Bounds of Christian Freedom. How many of you are familiar with that? Well you can get it, it's a PDF, you can get it for free. And I first came across it when we were doing the Law and Gospel study a few months ago. I'm hoping I don't electrocute myself drinking coffee. Maybe I should have just used the mic. And I thought that the way that he explained this, this reality of conversion was one of the most helpful things I've come across. And so I'm going to read you an excerpt from that book. But before I do that I want to remind you of Ezekiel 36, 26, which says, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And so this description of the new covenant is central to this issue of joy in glorifying God in trials. Brian Chappell in the book discusses this in the context of helping people understand the demands and delights of the Christian life. Bolton speaks more of it in terms of delighting in duty. But it's the same subject, the same topic. And here's what Bolton said. All delight in duties arises from a suitability of spirit and the doing of them. If there is no grace within the heart to answer the call of duty from without, if there is no principle in the heart agreeable to the precept of the word, the heart will never delight in them. This then is the reason why a godly man conducts himself well in duty, not merely because it is commanded, but because he has the nature which truly and rightly responds to the command. The law of God, which is in the book, is transcribed into his heart. It is his nature, his new nature, so that he acts his own nature renewed as he acts obedience. The eye has no command to see nor the ear to hear. It is their nature to see and hear. The faculty of seeing is the command to see. As far as the heart is renewed, it is as natural for it to obey as for the eye to see or the ear to hear. As natural to live in obedience as for the fish to live in water or the bird in air. Thus it is that we do not obey merely because obedience is commanded. The mere command is for such as have no vital principle within them. But we obey from a principle which God has implanted in us suitable to the commands of God. We grant that the command is the rule, apart from our obedience, but grace is the principle within. The heart and the command answer to one another. As face answers face in the water or in a glass, so it is with the heart and the command. The command is transcribed in the heart. This is the reason why there is so much delight in the godly man's obedience for it is natural to obey so far as the heart is renewed. So when you're regenerated, when you're born again, when your heart has been transformed into one that has been made. To reflect more closely the image of God, the way that you were created and the way that man was originally created. When you've been restored to a point that's closer, it's not perfect, but it's closer. You have been regenerate. That law is written in your heart in a way that the command is received rightly. So it's not a burden. It becomes a natural obedience, duty. The demands of the gospel become a delight because your heart is new. On it are written the laws of God in a way that is new. So to the extent that the way Bolton puts it, it is natural to obey so far as the heart is renewed. So the extent to which you find the demands and duties of the Christian life difficult or disagreeable is, you could say, the extent to which your heart is not sufficiently renewed. And so we often say when there are demands that are clearly preached in terms of the duties of a Christian and they're not received well, there's pushback or there's rebellion, there's disagreement among the hearers. We'll say, well, it's a heart issue. And it is. So glorifying God should be the natural outworking of a renewed heart. And it's important for pastors to preach that clearly and to make the glory of God the central issue from reminding them even that the very reason they were created was for that purpose. So that's one aspect of a pastoral theology of the glory of God. As you've listened to the previous lessons and gone through the different terms in the Bible and the way that they're used, you've learned a lot about the specifics of how the Bible describes the glory of God. But one of the points that Brian Chapel makes is that in order for you to have a more complete understanding of the glory of God, you have to look at a couple of other things. One is the way that people respond to the glory of God. And often that looks like fear. And so he gives us a few examples. He says, and so the broader concern is not just the terminology but the narratives. He's saying you need to look at the narratives in the Bible to have a fuller understanding of the glory of God in addition to understanding the specific terms and the context of how they're used. But so with one aspect of these narratives, Chapel says, we gain some measure of understanding what God's glory is by narrations of the response seen in his people when they behold it. And often it's fear. And he gives some examples. Moses hides his face in the bush, hides his face before the burning bush. The people of Israel cower below a thundering Sinai. Isaiah wilts upon the site of the Seraphim around the throne of heaven. And the shepherd's tremble is the glory of the Lord shown around them on the fields of Bethlehem. So in each case the response to the glory of God is fear. But he says in each case the Lord dampens that emotion with some disclosure of the purpose of his appearing. And that purpose is always connected to his care and concern for his people. And so in the case of Moses, what he hears is that when he hides his face before the burning bush, Moses hears that he will deliver God's people. At Sinai, Israel learns that God will lead and protect. Isaiah receives the sweet burn of an atoning kiss. And the shepherds are calmed by an angel choir heralding the glory of peace on earth. And so even though there's often in response to the glory of God, fear, there is a purpose that God is accomplishing in that revelation of himself. That helps us understand what a right, a fuller understanding of the fear of God. What is it? And the chapel says in its right and mature expression, biblical fear is a humble and loving response to the character of God. Such fear rightly perceives the awesome and even terrifying power of God. But this perception is tempered with marveling that know that one so majestic is so concerned for his people. And he says God is infinite in power, but intimate in love. So the narratives go beyond the terminology that we've been looking at and help us understand more about the glory of God. But the central narrative, the one that is the clearest example for us is Christ. And chapel refers specifically to Isaiah's prophecies in chapter 11 verses 2 and 3 where he says that the coming Messiah, Isaiah prophesies the coming Messiah saying that quote, the fear of the Lord will quote rest on him and quote, he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He's quoting verses 2 and 3. And so the fear of the Lord rests on Christ. He delights in the fear of the Lord, God his Father. And that relationship between God the Father and God the Son ultimately exemplifies biblical fear. I'm just going to read you a little more about how chapel describes this. He says, Jesus' intimacy and humility with his heavenly Father reveals that his fear is proper regard for the full spectrum of divine attributes, including his wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, truth and love. Our clearest and most powerful revelation of the glory of God comes from the one who most experienced it. Jesus is quote, he's quoting Hebrews 1.3, the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being. And in Colossians 2.9, in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in body form. In 2nd Corinthians, he is the image of God made incarnate quote to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. And so in Christ we have the maximum revelation of God, the maximum example of the glory of God. Glory is defined by the Son. And so what aspects of the glory of God do we focus on as we hear the preaching of the word and we understand the work of Christ, what he's accomplished central to his mission of course is he came into the world to save sinners. And so glory is distinguished by redemption. And there's just so much that can be said about the work of Christ and his work in redemption. But two things to think about in particular are that God intends to shine his glory through Jesus, but also to share his glory through his Son. So we have the maximum revelation of God, we see the glory of God in Christ. We're to behold that in our understanding of the glory of God. But the other aspect that we're looking at here is the reality that he has come to share his glory with us. And this, you know, when I was thinking about this, I was thinking about last week's sermon, Union with Christ. The next series of Sunday school lessons will be about union with Christ, which is going to be awesome. It's if you weren't here or you didn't hear last week's sermon, I encourage you to go back and listen to it. But part of that reality of our union with Christ is that Christ shares his life with us. And so our life in Christ, our life in union with Christ is that we are walking in the Spirit, walking with Christ, Christ in dwelling us, Christ sharing our life, sharing his life with us. Peter speaks of this in 2 Peter 1.4 as being partakers of the divine nature. In 2 Thessalonians 2.14, we read that Paul writes to them and the purpose of the gospel is that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then in our life, in our experience in this present age, this union with Christ is him sharing his glory with us. Chappell speaks of this as glory shared in Christ likeness. And he says, we learn from the scope of biblical revelation that in the past we were created in Christ likeness. In the present we are restored and equipped for Christ likeness. And in the future we will have a perfected Christ likeness. And as I was reading this and thinking about this, I was reminded of a book that Pastor Rick initially told me about a few years ago, Thomas Boston's Human Nature and its Fourfold State. Have any of you read that? Okay, so now I've given you two books that you really need to read. It's just so good. And the people on the west side group have heard me talk about Thomas Boston, if not every week, it's close. But in this shared Christ likeness that Chappell is referring to, Boston really expounds that in a way that really helps me to understand the whole my life before Christ, my life with Christ, my future, and eternity with Christ. So in his book, Human Nature and its Fourfold State, Thomas Boston says there, and actually I think this one is also available on PDF. I think I saw it on monarchism.com. He says the Four States of Human Nature are, and the words he uses are primitive integrity as the first one, entire depravity, the second one, begun recovery, the third one, and consummate happiness or misery. Those are the Four States of Human Nature. They correspond to the Four States of Man in relation to sin as first enumerated by Augustine. And so these Four States, if you'll listen to this, in the first date, so Adam is created able to sin and able not to sin. So he's different from us. We're born with a sin nature, and so that's really the second state, not able not to sin, slaves to sin. The third state is able not to sin. So once we're born again, freed from our slavery to sin, indwelled by the spirit, we're able not to sin. And then the fourth state is unable to sin, really a better state than Adam, right? The fourth state corresponds to the state of man in innocence before the fall, the second, the state of the natural man after the fall, the third, the state of the regenerate man, and the fourth, the glorified man. And so it's human nature in its fourfold state connected with the glory of God in resurrecting us to new life and ultimately to glorifying him forever. And so as we preach Christ and try to grapple with an understanding of the glory of God and how that relates to our life as Christians, it's helpful to see the stages of Christ likeness in human nature in its fourfold states. So it's a process of restoration. God restores his glory in us through our union with Christ. And so now we get to, you know, with sort of that foundation of the glory of God and what is a right understanding of how a pastor should be communicating these things to the people. We look more specifically at how that works out in pastoral ministry. And if you, on your handout, if you look at, let's see, the catechism corner, you know, I pull that, those questions from there because that's really the focus of the rest of this lesson is, you know, the pastor's role and how they relate to the offices of Christ. And so the catechism, the Baptist catechism speaks to these things. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet? Christ executes the office of a prophet in revealing to us by his word and spirit the will of God for our salvation. So we will then, in a minute, look at what does that say about a pastor's role? Question 29, how does Christ execute the office of a priest? Christ executes the office of a priest and is once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy justice and reconcile us to God and in making continual intercession for us. And then the third, how does Christ execute the office of a king? Christ executes the office of a king in subduing us to himself and ruling and defending us and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Those offices inform how a pastor should undertake to glorify God and to lead the people in that direction of glorifying God. And so I want to look at this. This was the glory of God in the pastor's prophetic ministry. There's a part of me that knew and understood this, but it was also very helpful to be reminded of this. And Chapel puts it this way, by proclaiming the word, the pastor reflects Christ's prophetic office, both in speaking about the glories of Christ and in speaking with the glory of Christ's own voice. Now, I'm not obviously saying that, you know, pastors become little gods. That's not the point. But in Reformed Theology, I want to read you some. I found this on a church's website when you are under sound preaching, when the word of God is being rightly exposited and preached to you. It is the word of God, right? It is not the words of the pastor, not the words of men. It's the word of God and you're to receive it as if God himself were speaking to you. It's a daunting and it's a fearful thing, you know. For one of us to work to not get in the way of that. We don't do that perfectly. We labor to preach in a way that doesn't put the focus on ourselves and how we're doing it, but on what is God saying to you? So I want to just read you some of these and it goes back to before the Reformation. There's a few quotes that speak to this issue of, you know, the reality that the word rightly preached to you is God's voice speaking to you. Chrysostom. And this is really, if you look at the beginning of the handout, it's the verse at the very beginning. 1 Thessalonians 2.13. Most of the comments that I'm going to read to you are these men expositing or, you know, their commentaries on this verse where Paul says, for this reason we also thank God without ceasing because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which also effectively works in you who believe. So Chrysostom says, For in hearing us you gave such heed as if not hearing men, but as if God himself were exhorting you. Augustine said, Yes, it is I who admonish, I who order, I who command, it is the bishop who teaches, but it is Christ who commands through me. The preacher explains the text if he says what is true, it is Christ speaking. Martin Luther said, People generally think if I had an opportunity to hear God speak in person, I would run my feet bloody. But you now have the word of God in church, and this is God's word as surely as if God himself were speaking to you. Calvin said, As often therefore as we hear the gospel preached by men, we ought to consider that it is not so much they who speak as Christ who speaks by them. And this is a singular advantage that Christ lovingly allures us to himself by his own voice that we may not by any means doubt the majesty of his kingdom. And here's another from Calvin speaking of pastors Christ acts by them in such a manner that he wishes their mouth to be reckoned as his mouth and their lips as his lips. That is when they speak from his mouth and faithfully declare his word. Chapel quotes the second Helvetic confession of the Swiss reformers when he said, he quoted it as saying, The preaching of the word of God is the word of God. And so he says to the extent that our preaching is true to scripture, God's words yet echo in the church. His voice is available to his people even when it comes through our human mouths as pastors preach the truths of God's word. The Westminster larger catechism question 160. What is required of those who hear the word preached? It is required of those that hear the word preached that they attend upon it with diligence preparation and prayer. Examine what they hear by the scriptures receive the truth with faith, love, meekness and readiness of mind as the word of God. Jeremiah Burroughs said many times you will say, come let us go hear a man preach. Oh no, let us go hear Christ preach. For as it concerns the ministers of God that they preach not themselves, but that Christ should preach in them. So it concerns you that hear not to come to hear this man or that man, but to come to hear Jesus Christ. John Owen said, Let a man but consider that it is God, the great and holy one, that speaketh unto him in his word. And it cannot but excite in him faith, attention and readiness to obedience. As also work in him that all reverence and trembling which God delighteth in and which brings the mind into a profiting frame. And this concerns the word preached as well as read. There's another guy, I can't even pronounce his name is Danish I guess, Will Helmus Brockel. The minister must remind himself in a lively manner that God has sent him and that he ascends the pulpit as an ambassador of God. Speaks in the name of God and is as the mouth of the Lord unto the congregation. And just a couple more. Mark Beach said, According to the classical reformed tradition, the preaching of the word of God is the word of God. Or to state it more accurately, preaching when accompanied by the spirit's presence and power is Christ's living voice to the church and world today. Christ is really present in the preaching of the gospel. And finally Robert Spinney. Good preaching is not merely correct proclamation of the truth, it is God himself proclaiming his truth. So remind yourself of that when you come in here and try to forget the person and hear God. So that is the prophetic office. I knew I should have stapled these things. I'd get them all messed up. The glory of the pastor's prophetic image and then the glory of the pastor's priestly ministry. So look at, turn if you would to 2 Timothy 3. We're going to read verses 10 to 17. 2 Timothy 3, 10 to 17. But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch at Iconium and Lystra. What persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing from whom you have learned them. And that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. So chapel takes this passage and pulls from it the ways in which a pastor should fulfill a priestly office. So verses 10, 14 and 17 carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, 14, continuing the things which you have learned and been assured of and 17 that the man of God may be complete. One principle to be drawn from that is the pastor's life is part of his instruction. My example to you should be one that is godly because if it's not then whatever I say about living in a godly way is going to be useless. It's not going to be credible to you. But chapel builds on the idea that because it is God's word and it is as if God himself were speaking to you when you hear sound preaching. Chapel says since we are speaking as Jesus we should concern ourselves for his glory and how we conduct ourselves by preaching the imperatives of scripture and the provisions of the redeemer and administering the sacraments. Pastors verbally and symbolically teach God's people of the holiness he requires and provides. But no lesson is more important than the life of the pastor. He takes from verses 10 and 12 the principle that Christ's priestly care for his people is made glorious and present in the church as Christ's servants give of themselves for the sake of the present generation. And verse 11, persecutions, afflictions, and then all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. A pastor should expect and be prepared to respond to persecution, contention, difficulty in the way that Christ did. Responding to those things in a godly manner as part of being an example to the people, how do you deal with difficulties? Chapel says Jesus suffered for the sins of others. When the divine Son offered himself as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God, the glory of redemption shined brightly. When we who pastor endure the persecutions of the world for the sake of safeguarding the purity of the church or promoting the holiness of our people, then we are suffering for the good of others and also reflecting Christ's redemptive glory. And then finally from this aspect of the pastor's priestly role is intercession. Christ's priestly care for his people is made glorious and present in the church as Christ's servants give of themselves for the sake of the present generation. All pastors who are faithful in representing Christ should expect the challenges of his priestly office. As we endure for Jesus' sake, we more deeply understand and more brightly mirror the glory of his suffering on our behalf. That's true of a pastor but it's true certainly of any Christian when you are persecuted for your faith. And then the last of these, the pastor's kingly ministry. Look with me at, let me double check this, I think I've got a, yeah okay, it's 2 Timothy 4 verses 1 and 2. I charge you therefore before God and Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and teaching. So we're to be patient, long suffering, but to lead with authority. The way that Chapel speaks of this, he says, Since Christ is present, so also is the glory of his resurrection power. Though he once died, he speaks in his word and dwells us and will appear to judge the world. Christ's kingship is reflected in the authority the pastor possesses in preaching the word. And this was, here's the, here's the kicker. Eternity changes with the preaching of the word. Its power is that great and glorious. It's the word that's great and glorious but it's communicated by preaching. So in trying to think through the glory of God as it applies to pastoral ministry, these are things to think about. In what ways does the pastor reflect the offices of Christ? But ultimately the goal is that the church corporately will reflect the glory of Christ. That's what we're working toward. That is the direction that we're trying to lead in. And so it's not only the individuals that we're concerned about as pastors, but it's the witness of the church as a whole. What is the witness of Cornerstone Baptist Church? And there's a lot of things that come into that consideration. One of the things that I think about when I think about the way that I want the Cornerstone to be seen and what is the reputation? I never wanted to be said of Cornerstone what is said so much about so many churches that it's full of hypocrites. And that requires careful shepherding, faithful preaching, and leading by example. Chapel says this, let me see if I've got the right. As pastors lead bodies of believers in loving one another, helping and forgiving one another, praying for the work of Christ in their midst, supporting each other in joy and in sorrow, equipping disciples for united ministry, showing mercy to outsiders, serving together in harmony and praising the God who enables it all, then churches reflect Jesus' character and fulfill his calling. So I encourage you to actually get the book and read it to know more about these things. So that's three books you need to read before too long. So this was supposed to be a two week lesson, but I'm going to be away next week and we're shuffling things around a little bit. Pastor Mark is going to teach Sunday school next week and I'm not sure exactly what he's going to teach. Maybe he'll add more to the subject of pastoral theology, but after that I think we'll go on to the next section of the book. Okay, let's pray. Sorry to keep you too long. Father in Heaven, we just thank you for your wisdom in establishing the church and providing for us all this means of grace that we need to walk rightly, to walk in the Spirit, to understand all the things that you've obeyed, that you've commanded, how to obey them and Lord, how to delight in doing so. We thank you and praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.