Two Faces Of Glory | Drench Series

Heavens. Two Intersecting Realms. Earth. We are the community that aligns these realms.

Your face is your public brain. Your face speaks to creation.
Your face affirms reality. Your face accepts and heals.
Your face is contagious. Your face empowers dominion.

“Facial communication is the emotional language of the brain. The father’s face teaches the child how to read others, and how to love.” Dr. Daniel Siegel (The Developing Mind)

2 Corinthians 4:6 “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion …”

His image brings life value worth.
Image (tselem) = reflection. Likeness (demuth) = resemblance.
The image is what we are by design. The likeness is what we grow into through relationship.

Genesis 5:3 “And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.”

Adam likeness brought out thorns and thistles. It was his look!
Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” 
The sin condition was passed on to all mankind.

You were created to mirror heaven’s realities on earth. What you behold you worship.
When you reflect God rightly, creation responds correctly.

Numbers 6:24–26 “The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Psalm 27:8 “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’”
Psalm 34:5 “They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.”

Christ, the true Image, came to restore and radiate that image through us.
“The glory of God is a living man, and the life of man consists in beholding God.” Irenaeus

Salvation is not behaviour modification, it’s image restoration.
Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

Deconstruction: Two Results
1. An immature wound licking club that judges the misuse, without compassionate dialogue that leads to disuse and apostasy.
2. A heartfelt examination led by a Spirit of grace that leads to the restoration and rebuilding of a wonderful and beautiful community.

Acts 6:13-15  “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.’  And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.”

Stephen showed them a God they had never met through his human face.
Stephen announced that two things would change:
1. The Location Of God. 2. How We Relate To God

Acts 7:48, 55-56, 59-60 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, … But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God,…
… and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ … And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying,
‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Stephen by the Spirit and wisdom is lifting a veil from 4,000 years of human misunderstanding. 
The misunderstanding that produced religious legalism and violence.

John 1:17-18 “For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.”

John 17:22-23 “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”.

NOT — glory one day in heaven. NOT — a measure of glory. NOT — a symbolic glory.
“I have given them the glory (Doxa) You gave Me.”
The same opinion and approval of your Heavenly Father.

Matthew 17:1-8 “…and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, ‘Arise, and do not be afraid.’  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”

2 Corinthians 3:9-11
“For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.  For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.  For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.”

“The glory on the face of Moses signified the glory of the old covenant, which produced fear in the hearts of sinners. They could not look upon Moses because the glory brought the ministry of death.”
  Augustine

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

The gospel delivers you into God's unfailing and unveiled approval. 
The same glory that the father has for the son, the son has of you.  
You were designed as His image bearer to be able to reflect His approval of you on your face to creation.

When your countenance mirrors His, everything around you aligns with heaven’s order.
Darkness yields to light. Chaos bows to peace. Brokenness bends to wholeness.
“By gazing on God, we take on God’s form.” Gregory of Nazianzus

Psalm 67:1-2 “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations.”

“When the soul’s eye is purified and turned toward the divine light, it becomes the means through which God’s energy is revealed to the world.” Maximus the Confessor (Ambigua 10)

Transformation happens by beholding, not striving.
His peace becomes your peace. His joy becomes your strength.
His authority becomes your dominion.

He became like us so we can be like Him. 
Colossians 1:15 “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible],”

2 Corinthians 3:18 “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image.”
Will you let His countenance lift yours?

Will you let His light restore your image?

Will you let your countenance change your world?

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.   
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.