EXPERIENCING GLORY:
Already.... But Not Yet


A Sermon On:
Heidelberg Catechism Q/A45
1 Corinthians 15.12-24, 51-58


PREPARED BY
KEN GEHRELS
PASTOR
CALVIN CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
NEPEAN, ONTARIO


It stands as THE pivotal point in history, the beacon shining light through what otherwise is often a very foggy existence, guiding us, beckoning us, giving us hope.
It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his suffering and death on the cross. The resurrection to eternal life. Victory over death. As our bible passage of this evening points out, faith and going to church and making a sermon and praying and singing to Jesus are nothing but hot air and noise, a fistful of wind, a pocket of nothing if Jesus did not rise from the grave.
The scar of death had tarred every corner of creation. Everything, and everyone fell victim to this final, pervasive black plague. There could be no hope, no possible release unless someone could conquer death.
This Jesus came to do. Everything, the restoration of creation to its original perfect beauty, the ability of humanity to enjoy God's company, our eternal existence - everything depended on it.
And though everything depended on this one event we can stand firm and cheerful, without hesitation or concern.For Christ has risen. Our labour in the Lord is not in vain. We have a glorious eternal future ahead of us. New life has been won for us!
Sin and Satan have tried to rip humanity and creation out of the hands of our Heavenly Father. They have stomped through creation like twisted vandals on a smash and burn mission. Sowing seeds of death far and wide - death not only of body, but of soul - death in the sense of separation, eternal separation from God.
But Jesus has won. The payment for human sin and rebellion has been made, made for all who will reach up with empty hands and surrender to Him. Hands that are gripped by His powerful, living hand and placed in the very hand of Almighty God.

Death is not the hysterical, absolute end to our existence. Through Jesus we have the certain hope and expectation of reunion before the throne of God with our Saviour and loved ones who have gone before in faith.
A future immune from pain, sorrow, tears and frustration is ours.
We can look forward to this as our eternal inheritance. It awaits us -- just over the horizon. A done deal. Certain. Secure!
As the bible says in 1 John 5.13:"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
The guesswork is gone.... That you may know!
Already now you can say with certainty, "Jesus has given me new standing and eternal life with my Father in Heaven. I have been forgiven. I am His child. A home in glory does.... now belong to me."

But - as the events of this past week proved - it is still not something that is ours in full present measure. Experiencing glory with God in Jesus Christ is.... well... not yet. Still waiting.
Right now? Right now we shake our heads in bewilderment, wondering how on earth 2 young children can be so twisted and damaged as to build a weapons arsenal, and deliberately kill 5 people.
Right now we wonder how things could degenerate so far that a mother and son end up dead after an exchange of gunfire amid the squalor of an Alberta Reserve.
Right now we have, perhaps, spent some time quietly weeping this week because we miss someone who is no longer with us -- we grieve them.
Right now we've, perhaps, punched a wall in frustration after catching ourselves engaged in sinful activity that we personally despise, and which we know grieves our Lord tremendously.
Right now we're wondering where all that new family bliss is as we cart a screaming kid around at 3am.
Right now our minds grow dull as bodies ache with illness and the pains of ageing.
Right now we drive along the Queensway mentally wondering what it would be like to veer to the side into the next pole, as wave after wave of depression washes over us.
Indeed -- experiencing glory with God? Not yet.
Leaving us to pray -
"Lord Jesus, come back.
Come back and make everything new.
Come back with your glory and bring perfection to earth.
Come back and get rid of all this junk; restore us.
Come back.... quickly."In these kinds of moments when the experience of glory is a "not yet" kind of experience we look at the resurrection, and long for the day when we'll be there by that moment in our lives - like sailors out in a fog-shrouded, stormy sea, the little blink of a far-off harbour light, and holding the helm, nursing the engine, and longing for the moment when they'll finally, finally, finally arrive at the harbour with safety and a mooring and a warm place on solid land.
The resurrection keeps us from sinking into despair and giving up.
And yet there is still a little more. Not only does the resurrection serve as a guarantee of our own glorious resurrection one day to heavenly peace and splendour
but
as the catechism reminds us, we can look to the power which rose Jesus from the dead to already now raise to life a new form of life within us.
Already now pushing death back.Already now overcoming that sense of distance between God and us.
Already now giving us a very real divine presence in our lives.
In some sense, then, the resurrection gives us the experience of glory..... already.
Sin is the cause of destruction and death in life.
It was, ultimately, the power of sin that Jesus overcame with His resurrection.
And it is the power of sin that Jesus overcomes in our lives today.
Already.
Now.

Which is why the apostle Paul is able to write:"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, fellow believers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain."
We can stand firm. We don't have to listen to that little nagging voice inside telling us that we're not good enough, we're making God angry, that He will not accept what we do, so why bother anyway -- the little voice trying to heap guilt on us.
No. That's the voice of defeat.
Not God's voice.

God's voice is the voice of victory.
Hear the bible clearly -- "He gives us the victory."
That's a present tense statement. He gives us -- right now -- the victory.
Satan comes along with his destructive power and tries to kill our lives.Jesus comes with His greater power, resurrecting power, life-giving power and knocks Satan aside.
He gives -- now -- the victory to us.
How so?
He gives victory over selfishness and pride, over racial division, and personal interests when hundreds of people from many different backgrounds come together as a church community and declare that they are one;when they truly care about each other; support and help each other; spend time with each other. That's divine-empowered victory.
The resurrection, life-reordering power of Jesus gives victory now when a husband and wife on the brink of walking out, give their marriage another shot and find new hope through a Christian therapist.

It is resurrection power of Jesus that gives victory to the life of someone addicted to their work, someone destroying themselves with overwork because of their despairing search for worth and identity. Victory is found in identity as a child of God and the worth He gives -- and a new ability to control the urges and properly organize one's time.

Victory over sin -- experiencing the Glory of God already now.
It is that victory which allows the bible to declare in 1 Jn 3.6:"No one who lives in Jesus keeps on sinning."
It doesn't mean that we never blow it; never falter; never stumble or fall flat on our spiritual face. Those moments will continue for everyone. The Bible is clear about that with illustration after illustration from the lives of spiritual giant after spiritual giant who sin royally -- huge spiritual bellyflops. In fact, on that note the bible tells us, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 Jn 1.8)
What changes is the chain-like bondage, the vicegrip-like hold that sin has on us. No longer can these sins of the moment leave us drowning in guilt. Hear these words of freedom and resurrection:"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 Jn 1.9)purified -- wiped clean, restored, made whole.
No longer can we be sucked into sinful patterns and lifestyles without ever a hope of coming free from them. History is lined with person after person who has been caught in the grip of sin and yet through the living, resurrection power of Jesus been able to break free.people consumed with bitterness at the evil act someone has committed against them, have prayed and with time found the miracle of release from this poison, and being able to forgive.
People stuck in addictive behaviour patterns, have sought the Higher Power help of Christ and found new order and wholeness coming back. People dragged down by selfishness, finding that Christ's love for them is causing them now to look up and break out into the joy of serving others, and spreading wealth around.
Resurrected already now. Finding moments of already now peace and new order in life:- the first taste of the banquet feast which we will one day enjoy with Jesus in the splendour of eternal heavenly glory - the first glimmerings of what a pure life will be like
Sometimes the glimmerings are more clearly focused than at other times.
Sometimes the tastes are a little more prolonged and vivid than at other times - but they are there.
For them we give thanks. For them we strive, and pray, and work.

The resurrection of Jesus.
In marvellous ways becoming -- already now -- a shaping, guiding higher power in our lives. Directing, healing, inspiring, releasing, renewing, creating.

And, in those moments when we experience the opposite pole -- the not yet moments -- the resurrection becomes a lifeline that keeps us from sinking.

Already..... but not yet.
In that tension of partially fulfilled reality we move on.
Already.... but not yet -- I think of the old hymn:When peace like a river attendeth my way -- there's already.
When sorrow like sea billows role -- not yet
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."
Well -- for Jesus lives. Resurrected.
And because He lives, holding me -- because of that -- I, too, live.
Join me, and let's sing this song of hope and confession -
- PH# 489, "When Peace Like A River"