
The Overlooked King of Glory
“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” – Hebrews 1:3
Recently, this verse (along with the whole first chapter of Hebrews) was brought to my attention during a weekend conference I attended a couple of weeks ago. One particular speaker grabbed my attention. During his workshop I attended and during his keynote presentation, He spoke words that challenged me. I was challenged in the way I view Jesus and how I teach Him to my children. Richard Ross was speaking about how there is the Jesus we all know and are familiar with, but there is also the Jesus that most people seem to overlook and miss.
The Jesus we know: We often talk and read stories to our children that highlight the Son of God’s – birth, time on earth, and His death, burial and resurrection. We may even talk about the day when He comes back for His bride. But how often do we talk about the Jesus who ascended into heaven and is sitting at the right hand of God? That seems to be the Jesus we often are missing out on when we think about Him. It causes me to wonder how many of us are teaching our children about the King Jesus who is powerful and mighty – He who “radiates God’s own glory”.
There is a magnificence in Jesus that I feel many of us are not fully grasping. When I go through and read the verses of scripture that highlight just a glimpse of who He is, right now, I am certain that, as a whole, believers are missing out on the fullness of the King of Glory. This then would lead me to agree with Ross when he said, “We have a generation missing who God is through Jesus Christ”. We bask in the wonder of our God, but sometimes we fail to bask in the wonder of Christ – who is the clear and full revelation of God.
The gospel revelation is excellent above the former; in that it is a revelation which God has made by his Son. In beholding the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we behold the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Father, John 14:7; the fullness of the Godhead dwells, not typically, or in a figure, but really, in him. When, on the fall of man, the world was breaking to pieces under the wrath and curse of God, the Son of God, undertaking the work of redemption, sustained it by his almighty power and goodness. From the glory of the person and office of Christ, we proceed to the glory of his grace. {Matthew Henry}
My desire is to not only shift my perspective, but to teach my children about the magnificence found in Jesus Christ. I want them to be in awe as they enter the throne room of grace every time they pray, I want their view of God to be seen through the Son, and I want them to see God’s glory in the face of Christ. I want them to know and embrace the intimacy found in Christ and I also long for them to know and embrace the awe that is found in Christ. Ross says, “It is a double helix”. The intertwining of intimacy and awe so perfectly woven together is the double helix to which he is referring. Jesus Christ is all things intimate and He is all things magnificent.
Let us all seek to view Jesus as He is seen and known by His heavenly father. As we lift our own eyes to see the King, let us lift the little eyes of our children to Him, as well. Let our prayer life, our worship and everything we do reflect not only His goodness and grace, but also, His might and wonder. Let us remember that, “Who Jesus will be in His second coming, is who He is today.” (Ross)