The Glory of Jesus Christ

Jesus prayed for his disciples, “That that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us… And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and you in me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me” (John 17:21-23, NKJV).

Jesus said, in essence, “The glory that you gave me, Father, I have given to them.” What is this glory that was given to Christ, and how do our lives reveal that glory? It is not some aura or emotion; it is unimpeded access to the heavenly Father. What an amazing thought!

Jesus made it easy for us to access through the cross to the Father. “He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:17-18). By faith, we’ve come into a place of unimpeded access to God. We’re not like Esther in the Old Testament. She had to wait for a sign from the king before she could approach the throne. Only after he held out his scepter was Esther approved to come forward.

By contrast, you and I are already in the throne room. We have the right and privilege of speaking to the King at any time. Indeed, we’re invited to make any request of him. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Christ said, “I can do nothing on my own. I do only what the Father tells me and shows me” (see John 5:19). Today we have been given the same degree of access to the Father that Christ had. You may say, “Wait a minute. I have the same access to the Father that Jesus did?”

Make no mistake. Like Jesus, we’re to pray often and fervently, waiting on the Lord. In response, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the mind and will of the Father.