Acts 25:23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
We do like a good show don’t we? If we cannot be the center of attention then we do our best to get really good seats. Celebrity gets courtside seating. It is built into us by nature and if we cannot have the best grapes, then they must be sour grapes.
Towering monuments to man’s achievements can be found all over the world. They are found in every culture regardless of faith or history. They are found even on desert islands thousands of miles from any other human contact. Rituals have been handed down thru generations and over time the original intentions have changed and forgotten. All that is left is the pomp and ceremony.
The wilderness tabernacle was designed by God to show the image and glory of the coming Christ. Everything from the materials to the colors and how it was laid out pointed to a man and in the heart of that man, the Holy of Holies, the mercy seat of God. Then a manmade temple has designed to honor God according to man’s desire, not God’s design.
Then God came down in the form of a man to show us how it is really done. He put on the show of shows, He showed us His Glory as He designed it. He humbled Himself and served all. He put the least before Himself. There was no pomp and little ceremony. One ceremony was baptism, the repentance of sin. The other was the communion of saints.
Not enough pomp and ceremony for some, so they put on a show of it. “This is the way it is done.” For some it has lost its humility. For some service isn’t even a part of the celebration. His Glory wasn’t spectacular enough for some.
Glory is the essence of who God is, not who we would like Him to be. A humble servant, humble unto death, to do the will of His Father.
John 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
What a heartwarming post this morning. “Whom having not seen you love, in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” 1 Peter 1:8. My heart bows in worship before this lowly “man of Galilee” who is ” king of kings and Lord of Lord’s” and will have His rightful place eventually.
You are not going to believe this: during my restless night, in the wee hours, The Lord brought the words to mind, “Whom having not seen, ye love…”. This AM I get up and read another brother’s posting speaking of fullness of joy. Then I find my verse, 1 Peter 1:8, which says, as Ronnie quoted, “joy unspeakable and full of glory…” – what can I say but “Hallelujah!”
Isn’t it amazing how the Spirit of God works? We are one body, members of the body of Christ and members one of another and all bound together at the Head by the Spirit of God. What an amazing Lord we have, and this is eternal. PRAISE THE LORD.