June 23, 2010
-
An Effect of the Glory (an excerpt from my message, “Hosting His Glory”)
In 1Samuel 19 King Saul is trying to pursue David to kill him, but he runs into the prophet Samuel. The glory of God falls upon him, and something interesting happens…
1Samuel 19:23-24: And he (King Saul) went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’
Bizarre, right? The word “naked” in the text doesn’t necessarily mean he was completely stripped, but can also mean that he was only in his undergarments. Still, what is going on?
In 2Samuel 6 we have another story of a king removing his robes. It is the account of King David bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem amidst much celebration. King David is so overjoyed that he takes off his kingly robes and dances in a linen ephod, a priestly garment, before the people.
While Scripture is not clear in saying it, I believe the glory of God was present both times. And an effect of the glory of God is that it causes us to realize our true standing before God. God is glorious. He is to be revered. He is awesome and marvelous. Saul could not wear his kingly robes before God. Even though Saul was living in disobedience, being under the glory of God he had to humble himself and strip of his royal attire before the Lord. King David on the other hand already knew his identity in God and was not ashamed. During the glorious parade of bringing back the ark, David made sure that all glory was given to God rather than himself.
I believe as we prepare ourselves to be better hosts of His glory that we are going to experience the weight of His presence like never before. And I believe that as the weight of His presence falls in King Bar and around this area, that many who were once stubborn and hardhearted before the Lord will suddenly realize their true standing before Him. They will see both how lost they are and how worthy God is of our worship. The prostitutes, Muslims, homosexuals, and others in this area will begin removing their identities in this world and taking on their true identity in Christ. The glory of God will do this. Amen!
**If you’d like to all of the message, e-mail me at beckerjm@gmail.com. Also, open iTunes and do a search for “New Philadelphia Church.” Select “New Philadelphia Church 2010. You’ll see a ton of great sermons you can choose from.**
