John 14:28

 Good morning friends,

 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.  

Fear and sadness had effectively crept over the disciples. The past three years had become a blur and now their pictures of a coming triumphant kingdom were dissolving at the words of Christ. At this point they did not really understand how the kingdom of God would come, even after Christ’s resurrection, at his ascension, we see that they still were cloudy on the subject: “Is it now that you will restore the kingdom?”  It wasn’t that they did not love Jesus they just did not understand that upon His earthly death that He would return to His full display of glory and that was something that should cause great rejoicing.  This is what is meant when Jesus says “the Father is greater than I.” He was not speaking in reference to substance. He was speaking in relation to glory. Jesus had now spent 30 some years veiling His glory; He had “set aside” the independent use of some of His attributes. Christ took on all the limitations of human flesh and what people saw when they saw Jesus was a man. Not a man with a glow emanating from behind, nor a halo hovering above His head. This veiling of His glory was a part of his humility. I have crossed Hoover Dam a number of times, when I cross it I have to admit that my thoughts seem to slip into paranoia. (The road use to cross over top of the dam itself, there is a new bridge to protect the dam now.) All that water has been pushing against that concrete wall for quite a number of years – surely someday it is bound to burst through. Is that how Jesus glory was as it was veiled in flesh? Was it pushing against the “veil” threatening to burst forth? We must automatically remember that Jesus is called “meek”. We are told that meekness is defined as “power under control” and in Jesus we have the penultimate power of the universe veiled in mere human flesh. Jesus says if they loved Him they would understand this and would rejoice that He could lift the veil and let His glory come bursting forth into its proper place. O how I long to see my savior in all His glory. Yes the Scriptures provide us with picture – and though the Scriptures are faithful I still only see dimly as we read in 1^st Cor. 13. As the song goes “I can only imagine.” 

I can only imagine what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus,
Or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence,
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Halelluja,
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes
And I find myself standing in the Son
I can only imagine when all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory,
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus,
Or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence,
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Halelluja,
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine, yeah, yeah, yeah

I can only imagine, yeah, yeah
I can only imagine, Yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine, Ohh yeah
I can only imagine

I can only imagine when all I will do
is forever, forever worship you
I can only imagine

(Bart Millard)

Bill

Heidelberg Catechism

 Q. 29. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus”, that is a Saviour?

A. Because he saveth us, and delivereth us from our sins; (a) and likewise, because we ought not to seek, neither can find salvation in any other. (b) (a) Matt.1:21; Heb.7:24,25. (b) Acts 4:12; John 15:4,5; 1 Tim.2:5; Isa.43:11; 1 John 5:11.

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