Who Gets the Glory?

“And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.” – from Acts 3:11-21

This passage picks up the narrative of the healing of the lame man through Peter and John as they headed into the temple for prayer. The healing caused quite a commotion as the crowd, amazed and dumbfounded at what had just happened, gathered around Peter and John.

The lame man, whom the Scripture tells us was lame from birth, was a fixture at the temple for he was “laid daily at the gate” to ask for alms of those entering the temple.  His instantaneous, miraculous healing astonished the crowd. There was no period of rehabilitation, as one would expect of someone who had never walked in his life; there were no tentative first steps, as one would expect from a toddler.  His feet and ankles were “immediately…made strong.”  He entered the temple, “walking and leaping and praising God.”

It is in this passage that we see the ministry of the Holy Spirit, as those through whom the Spirit worked point to Christ. Note Peter’s response as the astonished crowd gathers around him and John:

“…why do you wonder at this…why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God…of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus…whom God raised from the dead…has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

Peter, in the power of the Holy Spirit, points to Christ and calls the crowd to repentance and faith in Christ.

Spirit-powered ministry clearly and immediately points away from us and clearly points to Christ.  Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:14)

Spirit-powered ministry includes he witness of the Scripture, which testifies to Christ.  Peter pointed to the fulfillment of that “which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

Spirit-powered ministry includes the proclamation of the Gospel and a call to repentance: “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.” (Acts 3:18-21)

So much of what we see in modern ministry directs attention to someone other than Christ; so much of modern ministry points to the messenger, describing them with accolades such as “amazing,” “awesome,” and “powerful.”  We point to a sermon or a worship performance (I use that term deliberately) and say that the leader “brought it” or “killed it.” We tell people that they need to come and experience the “anointing.”

Where is Christ in all this praise?  Who is getting the glory?

The question we must ask ourselves is this:  who gets the glory in our ministries?  Are we pointing to Christ and calling people to repentance and faith?

Yes, let us ask God for his Holy Spirit power that we may live for him and be his witnesses, but let us also say with the psalmist, “not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” (Psalm 115:1)

Who is getting the glory?

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What’s the point?

“…so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” – 1 John 1:3b

What is the point of sharing the gospel with others? As we read in John’s first letter, the point of sharing the gospel is that people would be brought into fellowship with God through faith Jesus Christ, as the apostle Paul also tells us: “so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).

I recently attended a service at a friend’s church where, from the pulpit, the pastor said that our purpose in sharing the gospel is not necessarily that others would become Christians; God uses other faiths as well. It is enough to share only the teachings of Christ. (The pastor went on to invite us all to to stay for an interfaith luncheon where a Muslim imam would speak to us about the prophets, Mary, Jesus and Muhammad).

Really?!?

Then what did Jesus mean when he said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)?

Why did Jesus tell us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:18-20)?

Why did Jesus proclaim, “the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe in the gospel,” (Mark 1:15) at the beginning of his ministry?

Why did the apostle John write in his gospel account, “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31)?

Why did the apostles endure hardship, beatings and martyrdom, if not to carry out Jesus’ command to make disciples?

Yes pastor, the point of sharing the gospel is to make disciples, for that is the command of our Lord. We follow Christ because he alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). We labor for the gospel because the work of God is to believe in him [Christ] whom he has sent (John 6:29).

Yes pastor, there is only “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5) – a fact made even more ironic as we were gathered to celebrate a baptism; “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Pastors, if you are not preaching this from your pulpit, then you are leading your flock astray; I call on you to repent and believe the gospel, for this is the work of God.