The Excellent Glory
The sermon emphasizes the importance of being transformed by the Spirit of God, and the glory of redemption that surpasses the glory of creation.
Miles J. Stanford preaches about the transformation believers experience as they behold the glory of the Lord, transitioning from a focus on doing to a concern about their being. He emphasizes the importance of being simply devoted to Jesus, seeking Him above all else, and allowing His Spirit to transform them into heavenly beings on earth. Stanford highlights the contrast between the glory of creation and the surpassing glory of redemption, urging believers to press on towards the Promised Land of spiritual maturity and intimacy with God.
Text
"We all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. . . " (2 Corinthians 3:18a).
During the first half of your Christian life you are concerned about your doing; in the second half you will be burdened about your being.
"The more simply devoted you are to the Lord Jesus, who is worthy of all devotion, the more fragrance there will be in all your ways; for it will be manifested that you are not seeking yourself, not wincing because your rights are invaded, or that you are not as much cared for as you are entitled to be. Rather, there is only one governing thought of your life about everything, and that is, how you may distinguish Him who fills every need in your heart, and lights it up with unfading joy."-J.B.S.
"Nothing can be so divinely beautiful on earth as a believer so transformed by the Spirit of God, that he is in heavenly manners here on earth; so that he does not in any of his ways deny the Lord Jesus Christ; but in the most trying hour of his history upon earth the Lord can say of him, 'thou hast a little power, and hast kept My Word, and hast not denied My Name.'" -J.B.S.
"In creation God planted a man in the garden in innocence; in redemption He has planted a Man in heaven, in glory. There is a glory that excelleth. The glory in redemption leaves the glory that was once in creation as nothing." -J.G.B.
"For every believer who actually crosses over into the Promised Land there are far too many who stand for awhile and look longingly across the river, and then turn sadly back to the comparative safety of the sandy wastes of the self-life."
". . . are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord " (2 Corinthians 3:18b).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Two Halves of the Christian Life
- A. The first half: concerned with doing
- B. The second half: burdened with being
- II. The Beauty of a Transformed Life
- A. Devoted to the Lord Jesus
- B. Manifesting fragrance in all ways
- III. The Glory of Redemption
- A. A glory that excelleth
- B. Leaving creation's glory as nothing
Key Quotes
“Nothing can be so divinely beautiful on earth as a believer so transformed by the Spirit of God, that he is in heavenly manners here on earth;” — Miles J. Stanford
“For every believer who actually crosses over into the Promised Land there are far too many who stand for awhile and look longingly across the river, and then turn sadly back to the comparative safety of the sandy wastes of the self-life;” — Miles J. Stanford
“are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- As you walk with the Lord, you will become increasingly concerned with being, rather than just doing.
- A life devoted to the Lord Jesus will manifest fragrance in all your ways.
- Press on to the glory of redemption, rather than turning back to the self-life.