Introduction

There was a major heading in The West Australian newspaper recently, “What is your suburb worth?”, in material terms this meant money, but in spiritual terms worth is comes from sharing in the glory of God. Alcohol, drugs, promiscuity, gluttony, materialism and hedonism are simply attempts to make life less painful and more worthwhile. If the people of Belmont had a revelation of what they are worth in the eyes of God[1], then the social problems of our suburbs would be healed.

Many Christians are praying for revival, but revival is not the same as community transformation. In the 1904 Welsh revival crime rates and abortions plummeted, taverns went bankrupt, judges had no cases to try and stood down from office, police had so little to do they attended the meetings as crowd controllers while still on duty. Things like this have happened in our time. Nullagine in the North West of WA was technically the “arrest capital” of Australia, but when revival broke out amongst aboriginal people in the late 90’s the pub went broke[2]. Sadly, most “revivals” do not last more than a couple of years. The underlying reasons for this I will address when I come to the third topic Patrick has asked me to share, “Apostolic Architecture”.

At this point however it is enough to say that the fundamental problem holding back long term spiritual transformation in our communities is that the people of God have lost sight of the glory of God [3]. Only a mature manifestation of the glory of God[4] in our midst can renew the church and remake the degenerated and corrupted culture which surrounds us.

A Glory to be Shared[5]

God created the world for his own glory[6]. His deepest purpose was to fill humanity with his own sense of worth, splendour and value[7]. In being fashioned by the Word[8] and the Spirit in a cloud of glory[9] Adam[10] was “the image and glory of God” (1 Cor 11:7)[11]. He and Eve were to transmit God’s glory to the whole earth through exercising the dominion over all things[12].

The Glory of the Victory

Adam and Eve beheld God’s “eternal power and divine nature” (Rom 1:20) in everything he made and over everything to which they had been given rule (Ps 8:6). There was however one thing over which they were not allowed to rule, ““of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”” (Gen 2:17). This command was a mystery that must have puzzled them deeply, all of God’s commands however are good.

In Proverbs we read, “It is the glory of God to conceal things[13], but the glory of kings is to search things out.” (Prov 25:2). Whilst God’s power (Rom 1:21) is directly revealed in the created order (Ps 19:1-4), the insight that God is all wise only comes through a process of deeply searching God’s Word from the heart.

The temptation of Adam and Eve was their opportunity to willingly set themselves apart to God[14] and so to mature spiritually. If they had stood firm against Satan by faithfully depending on God’s spoken Word they would have received insight into what the psalmists call “the splendour of holiness” (1 Chron 16:29; Pss 29:2; 96:9)[15]. The true “knowledge of good and evil” would have been illuminated to them, in loving good as God does and hating evil like him they would have entered into oneness with his holiness and the fullness of his moral supremacy over evil[16]. The key to the manifestation of glory is holiness; holiness always reveals and releases glory, and where glory is released value, worth and dignity are experienced[17]. If Adam and Eve had in holiness resisted evil, they would have seen in one another a greater measure of the glory of God[18]. Instead, the very opposite transpired.

Lost Glory

Mankind’s original and greatest sin was to seek glory from a creature in place of the Creator[19]. When Eve sought wisdom and glory from the snake, and Adam sought glory from Eve the divine order of creation[20] was reversed[21]. In reaching out for the fruit, the first humans “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images” (Rom 1:23) of created things. They began to worship an image of being “like God” that was the product of their own imaginations[22] (I am constantly trying to help folk who have a distorted image of God.) . Rejecting their share in the glory of their blessed Creator (Rom 1:25) and seeking their own glory, they “fell short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Immediately Adam and Eve forsook the blessing of God[23] they experienced an inner sensation totally unlike anything they had ever felt before, it was a sense of the absence of the glory of God[24], it is what we call shame.

Suddenly it flashed into their minds that they were naked and they immediately “covered up”[25]. This has nothing to do with social customs, before they sinned they were radiant with the glory of God, now they presented each other with mere mortal flesh. As a consequence God’s warning, “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen 2:17) reverberated in their hearts and they stood condemned before his tribunal. The next thing that entered their minds was a self-condemning question, “What is my wife thinking of me?” “What is my husband thinking of me.” Tragically, this is the shame based question that stops most marriages maturing and time and again is the reason why so many Christian couples struggle to pray together. Embarrassed in one another’s sight Adam and Eve sought cover up their state of shame with fig leaves, and their descendants have been covering up for their lost glory ever since.

The cosmetics industry in Australia alone is worth $1.2 billion dollars[26], the explosion of social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and My Space[27] and popular TV programmes such as “Australia’s Biggest Loser” tells it all – image in king. Signs of shame are equally as manifest amongst the people of God. I remember attending the opening of a splendid new church auditorium and within two minutes the guest speaker had to tell us how many people he had in “his congregation”. A wise down to earth Aussie friend says that if you go to pastors conferences the first thing you will almost always be asked by fellow ministers is, “How big is yours.”[28] Size is an idol in every way. What moved about 600 ordinary believers to attend a breakfast in Perth a few months ago and pay $100 a head, was it, that the speaker had a reputation for being a holy man, or that he was known as Australia’s richest man[29]?

If a human being was created as a reflector of the glory of God[30], a fallen human being is still a reflector, but now what is overwhelmingly communicated is a state of shame[31]. By their inability to love perfectly and by their injustice and constant blame shifting people now communicate to one another a sense of a loss of glory. Modern Western culture is riddled with shame. Christina Aguilera is trying to convince herself[32] when she sings, “Every day is so wonderful/ And suddenly, i saw debris/ Now and then, I get insecure/ From all the pain, I’m so ashamed/ I am beautiful no matter what they say/ Words can’t bring me down I am beautiful in every single way/ Yes, words can’t bring me down/ So don’t you bring me down today”

No matter how much people spend on the gym, on self-help, on holidays, on financial planning, on cars, boats, houses or trying to deaden the inner emptiness with sex or other pleasures, the attempt to extinguish shame is futile. In judging God as unworthy of our obedience[33] humanity has fallen under his judgement. Trying to be “like God” (Gen 3:6) without God we have violated the divine majesty of God and he stripped us of the covering of his glory. Handed over by God (Rom 1:24, 26, 28) to a mind full of darkness and folly, men and women are totally unable to see God as he truly is[34]. God however has a plan not simply to restore but to intensify his glory in us.

[Israel and the Glory

This plan breaks into open view with a miraculous manifestation, “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham” (Acts 7:2). This decisive turning point in the history of salvation[35] commences a long journey of grace that will culminate in the coming of Christ[36].

When we see the LORD redeeming Israel from Egypt (Ex 14:4; 17-18), giving them the Ten Commandments (Ex 24:12, 16-17), accompanying them with cloud and fire in the wilderness (Ex 40:34, 38), leading then into the “glorious land” (Ezek 20:6, 15; Dan 8:9; 11:16, 41) and consecrating the temple (2 Chron 7:1cf. Isa 64:11) we witness a visible manifestation of God’s glorious grace. Repeatedly however the people turned to idols, and stirred up the holy judgement of the God who swore, “my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (Isa 42:8). Finally the glory of the LORD departed from his people (Ezek 10) and he sent them into exile. This was a crisis of momentous proportions and all seemed lost. The prophets however spoke of a coming time when the glory of God would return to people, land and temple[37]. The crucial figure for this transformation is the Messiah[38]. The promised Saviour is identifiable solely by his manifestations of the glory of God.]

Jesus the Man of Glory

The Gospel of John proclaims the Good News, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)[39]. Most Christians are very confused about who Jesus really is. We forget that in becoming one of us Jesus emptied himself of the manifestation of his eternal splendour[40] so that he might reveal the glory of God[41] through his mortal flesh[42]. Jesus is the perfect image of God for us (2 Cor 4:4) because he is a human being whose sole motivation is the greater glory of God[43]. The Bible calls this “the great mystery of our religion” (1 Tim 3:16).

As a weak flesh and blood person like us[44], Jesus needed to be baptised in the cloud of the Spirit and in the Word of the Father[45] to fulfil his calling. From then on however, Christ exercises dominion over the earth[46] through words and works that communicate the divine splendour. The Gospels record how the crowds “glorified God” as “they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing.” (Matt 15:31 cf. Mark 9:6-8). Their response however had little impact on Jesus, for he always looked on the human heart (1 Sam 16:7; John 7:24).

This is why John explains, “Now … many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:23-25). This pattern comes to a climax in John’s Gospel immediately after the greatest of Jesus’ signs, the resurrection of Lazarus.

“Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.”(John 12:37-41) The multitudes were intoxicated by the outward display of miraculous power, but had no interest in Jesus’ inner identity as the holy Son of God (Luke 1:35)[47]. As such, the Father hid Christ’s true glory from them.

The passage goes on to explain another and more fearful situation. “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him[48], but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” (John 12:37-43). The desire for human approval stifled a deeper heart revelation of the true magnificence of Jesus; these people were “believers” unwilling to suffer for the sake of Christ.

Jesus however knew that the only way back to the eternal glory he had with the Father (John 17:5) was to suffer, die and rise again. His mortal flesh must be destroyed by crucifixion and glorified by resurrection. This is why he cries out in both anguish and expectation on the way to the cross, ““Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”” (John 12:27-28).

There are acts of power in many religions[49] but the true revelation of God is found only in the holy cross. The death of Christ contains a glory masked from those who seek their own honour[50]. Paul calls the cross, “a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor 2:7-8). The cross is the climactic demonstration of God’s true worth, for here the Son of God clothed in flesh and blood[51] triumphed over all the forces of evil, blame, shame and death by living supremely for his Father. The shame that had flowed down the generations from Adam and Eve’s selfish ambition grounded is made powerless by Christ’s pure unselfish love[52]. In dying Jesus seeks only one thing, that God might be glorified in us.

In Jesus the fallen image of God has died, risen and ascended into glory. Infinitely honoured by the Father[53] the “man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5) sits on his “glorious throne” (Jer 14:21; 17:12; Matt 19:28; 25:31) high above[54] ruling over all things in heaven and earth (Matt 28:18).

The Final Glory

Jesus, “the radiance of the glory of God” (Heb 1:3), will come again soon[55] and “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab 2:14)[56]. God’s work of salvation will soon be brought to its glorious victory over all that opposes it.

The inspirational power of the soon return of Christ has been largely lost to the affluent church, not because we have changed doctrine, but because lost touch with his glory, and we have lost touch with his glory because we have failed to understand how the power of Christ’s eternal victory is to be applied to transform our lives and our cities NOW.

The end of Revelation however presents us with two great keys for community transformation. The first is that “the holy city…coming down out of heaven …11 having the glory of God” (Rev 21:10-11) is identified with “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”” (21:9). In eternity the glory of God will be his presence in the Church[57] as a holy city. The second key has to do with the inner dynamics of the holy city. The apostle John explains, “the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it (the holy city)” (Revelation 21:24). Throughout Revelation the language of kingship is applied to the followers of Jesus[58] in their overcoming of evil powers; Christians are the ones who will bring glory into the holy city. These insights have tremendous significance for the present life of the church. This brings me to the final topic Patrick asked me to address, “apostolic architecture.”

Glory in the Church: Apostolic Architecture

Just as the final transformation of the universe will come through the glory of Christ radiating out of the church, the transformation of cities NOW must happen in the same way. When Paul speaks of the church as Christ’s “body, the fullness of him who fills all things in every way” (Eph 1:23), he sees the people of God bringing the glorious presence of Christ into every sphere of society: politics, education, business, art, law, sport, family, medicine, justice etc. These are the fields of life where the glory of God should extend. (JY’s “visionary experience” of this.) As “the salt of the earth ….and the light of the world” (Matt 5:13-14) Christians are called to transform every social sphere.

Paul prayed earnestly, “[Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21), and he had a clear vision of how his prayer would be answered[59]. As “a wise master builder”[60] Paul built with “gold, silver, precious stones” and proclaimed to the Corinthians “Do you not know that you [the Greek in these verses is plural] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:10, 16). In every city there can be only one church[61], one true temple of God, and it is the call and responsibility of the church, to be filled with the one divine glory[62].

Let me give an illustration of what I mean. Three architects were commanded by an ancient king to present models for a temple of the sun he longed to build. The first model was of stone, finely chiselled and richly polished, and as the king beheld it he could only admire and praise the splendid work. The second was of gold, and the polished walls reflected the image of the sun itself in every angel and facet with excellence. But the third presented a temple of glass so transparent that at first it was invisible. As the sunlight poured unhindered through the transparent walls, it was clear that this was the true temple of the sun, reflecting not its own glory, but receiving and revealing in every part the glorious object to whose honour it was dedicated. This is the true nature of the church, not fancy buildings, titles, positions and self –esteem, but to be a window onto God.

It is the vocation of “the five-fold ministry”[63] to live in such intimacy with the heavenly head of his Body[64] that they might impart to the church, God’s earthly temple, the same wisdom and the glory that has built his heavenly temple[65]. Such ministries see in each believer “treasures in earthen vessels” (2 Cor 4:7), hidden under the flesh and blood of every saint they discern the “inexhaustible riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8). “In the Spirit”[66] true apostles and prophets see that all the people of God are exalted NOW to the heavenlies and seated with Christ (Eph 2:6) sharing his “glorious throne” (Matt 19:28; 25:31 cf. Jer 14:21; 17:12). Such supreme splendour is given to the church, not for its own enjoyment, but to bring the righteousness of God’s kingdom to earth through “the work of the ministry” (Eph 4:12) [67] in all the spheres of life: government, business, education, law, science, health, sport, media, family…, wherever God has placed us. We are to bring the presence of God in the holy city into the midst of a secular city bringing transformation to it for the glory of God.

As this happens God is seen in a new way by the community[68]. Practical holiness (e.g. the areas of involvement in the introduction) brings a manifestation of God’s glory in everyday life, as Peter puts it, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us[69].” (1 Pet 2:12).

Why We Do Not See This Glory

The absence of the sense of the presence of the glory of God in the daily life of our city and our nation reflects a deep and foundational[70] corruption in our corporate humanity[71]. Since both God’s love and human nature outside of Christ are constants, the crucial issue determining the spiritual climate of Belmont must be the church.

Colossians, Paul’s great letter concerning the cosmic implications of Christ’s coming, points us to the problem, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4). Those who set their mind on heavenly things are keenly aware that the glory of God is their destiny and they make it their daily desire. The absence of the presence of the glory of God in Australia is due to the fact that the average Christian has their mind set on earthly things.

Jesus spoke decisively about this, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another[72] and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:43-44)[73]. Jesus had zero interest in self-promotion, he was totally clear that the only way he could re-enter the heavenly glory of God was through personal rejection, ““Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”” (Luke 24:46). The hard truth that most affluent believers can never bring themselves to embrace is that suffering is the way to glory and the means by which we are immersed into the Spirit of God[74].

Spiritually, every Christian is surrounded two clouds of glory. The first is the approval and honour that they seek from mortal men. This glory is temporary, perishable and controlled by fear and shame. The second and true glory cloud is the presence of the approval and honour that comes from the immortal God. The glory that comes from God is eternal, imperishable and imparts a fearlessness that embraces rejection, despises shame and is willing to face death for the sake of Christ[75].

In preparing this sermon I was reminded of the story of the 4^th century believer, John Chrysostom. Beginning as a monk he was exalted to be archbishop of the capital of the eastern Roman Empire but never changed his lifestyle. He was loved by the poor and hated by the rich and powerful. More than once during his life, there was controversy over his selling of the church’s golden utensils to raise money for the needy. Deposed by his enemies in the church driven into exile his famous last words before departing this world were “Glory to God for all things!”

In practice most of the church is a mixture of seeking glory from man and from God. This produces a terrible state of affairs. Even though the glorious Son of Man walks in the midst of his church in every city[76] we are mostly blind to his presence. God however has ways of breaking through.

I was in a small meeting recently with a prophet who called out a pastor he had never met; before he spoke over this man’s life he said repeatedly, “No fear, no fear.” What he did not know was that here was a man supernaturally saved from a boating tragedy which claimed the lives of his brother and brother—in-law through drowning before his eyes, and who has subsequently been delivered from a fatal illness.[77] Once you’ve seen the face of death and trusted Jesus, what can man do either to you or for you[78]? That suffering is not the cost of glory but the means to glory is the unavoidable truth[79] we MUST embrace by faith for the sake of those who are perishing. Suffering at the hands of unbelievers is a hard thing to face, but not the hardest.

Who stoned the prophets? Who rejected Jesus[80] and cast out of their midst every reformer from Luther, to Wesley, to William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army ) to the early Pentecostals –each one who saw the glory of God in their generation? The answer is always the same in each case, the people of God reject the new move of God. The greatest fear holding the church back from immersion in God’s cloud of glory is fear of rejection by one’s own spiritual family. Until you have faced this in your own life, you cannot abide in the cloud of glory[81]. Satan can never be cast out of the church[82], until the fear of man is cast out of our lives[83]!

Transformation will only ever come to our cities when the people of God are transformed, when church-consciousness is replaced by Christ –consciousness and church-centredness for the centrality of the kingdom of God[84]. Without a doubt, the greatest idol in the church is its own self-importance[85].

Conclusion

God’s eternal plan to fill all things with Christ (Eph 1:11) has one single goal, “the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph 1:6, 12, 14). The aim of our faith is not ourselves, our church, our ministry, our even our city, it is, “to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Rev 1:6)[86].

Years ago students at schools run by the Jesuits were required to write the letters A.M.D.G. on the top of every notebook page. These letters correspond to the Latin motto, “To the greater glory of God.” Is A.M.D.G. written on every page your life? Until it is, God will never really be God in the way he so desires, your life will be dominated by a longing for human acceptance and respect, and the fear of man will be your daily portion. The people around you, like the people of Belmont, will continue to be alive to sin and dead to God, instead of being dead to sin and alive to God (Rom 6:11).

Suffering, rejection, death are we willing to pay whatever price it takes to see the glory of God visit us, and transform our city? If we are so willing, then “The Holy Spirit will come upon us, and the power of the Most High will overshadow us; and as holy Sons of God his glory will be revealed amongst.”[87] Nothing is more certain.

When Jesus revealed himself from heaven some years ago concerning his plan for the restoration of all things[88], he pointed me, I believe, to the central way in which he will bring his “weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17) into our midst. The key is, as always in the cross. When Jesus was on the cross he did no signs, he preached no sermon, he did but one thing –pray. God’s means to bring glory everywhere is prayer. I see small groups of Christians praying everywhere, husbands and wives interceding together, families at prayer, believers praying together for their places of work, prayer with believing neighbours, parents groups praying for their children’s schools, men praying for their families, pastors interceding as one for their communities. If this city is to become a city for God, this singularly unspectacular activity, prayer, is the way it will be achieved.

Appendices

Getting Involved

In kindly asking me to speak today, Patrick requested that I say something about possible areas for Christian involvement in the City of Belmont. These have multiplied in recent years. The Fuel Up Cafe just down Kooyong Rd is an outreach into the wider community, and a few days ago the manager said they desperately need volunteer shop assistants, even for a few hours a week. The local committee for Youth Care, who oversee the chaplains in Belmont public schools, are looking for more people on their managing committee. LINC (Love In The Name of Christ) are a team of volunteers helpers who go and do odd jobs for needy persons. There are mentoring programmes in several schools and at least one of the local churches has seen a number of folk converted in their own homes via free food distribution. We give God praise for all these initiatives, however my focus this morning is a little different, and brings me to the second feature about which Patrick has asked me to comment, the spiritual climate in Belmont.

The Spiritual Climate of the City of Belmont

Residents of this city are much like other Australians – the hub of the community is the shopping centre, consumerism is rife, sport is an integral part of our identity and family is most important. There are clear evidences of substance abuse, particularly amongst indigenous people e.g. I commonly see young men walking around the streets with bottles of beer in their hands, and in this part of the city (Rivervale) there is quite a large sex industry. These however are all symptoms of a deeper spiritual problem.

As I was standing out in front out of the Belmont Civic Centre last week waiting for the guest speaker at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast I struck up a conversation with Joe, one of the rangers. He was quite animated as we chatted about work and the weather, but when we arrived at the God topic, there was simply no connection. Like most residents of Belmont, Joe believes that there is a God[89] but divine things have no vitality to him. If we are praying for a major move of God in this city we are asking for a transformation of cultural consciousness, something needs to break through the dullness of head and heart that fogs up the spiritual atmosphere of everyday life. In biblical thinking the only thing that can bring such change is a manifestation of the glory of God.