Well, greetings St Paul's family. The staff team, you're probably aware of this already, are away at the moment on a retreat out in Bathurst.
We are training, we are planning, we are praying for our life together here at St Paul's and we're praying for you this morning as you gather.
Although it is a little bit different today, I'm coming to you via the screen.
We are continuing our series in the Bible.
Our aim in this whole series is to build confidence in the Bible, in what the Bible is, what God says about it, so that we might grow in confidence and relationship with the God who gives us the Bible for our joy.
Now, last week in this series, we were in Psalm 19 and the topic was the necessity of the Bible.
The Bible is necessary in order to know God correctly, to know ourselves correctly, to know the way of salvation and to navigate life well in God's world.
Although God, we saw there in Psalm 19, although God communicates in a general way his glory and his majesty through his created order in such a way that all of humanity is without excuse,
he communicates specifically who he is, who we are and how we are to live through his perfect and powerful word.
He communicates specifically in that way to us.
So the truest and the most vivid glimpse we get of the majesty and the glory of God is in his word, the Bible.
Not by sitting on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and gazing into the abyss or even just staring at the glory of the French Alps, God's nature and created order.
So how can we get to this point where we are confident that this is in fact so, that God, all of his majesty and glory is revealed to us in his word in such a way that we find that it is sweet and our souls are refreshed.
Now to answer that question this morning, I want to intertwine, if you like, the Bible text we're looking at with the life and the work of John Calvin,
someone who was a phenomenal student of God's word.
Why would I want to do that?
Why am I bringing Calvin to you today?
Well, B.B. Warfield, who was the last principal of Princeton Theological Seminary, and in fact one of the great theologians of the 19th and 20th centuries,
said this of Calvin,
No man ever had a profounder sense of God than he.
That is a remarkable, remarkable commendation from someone as great as B.B. Warfield.
So who was Calvin?
And what happened to him that someone like Warfield would praise him so highly?
Well, Calvin was born in France in 1509.
When he was 14, his father sent him to study theology at the University of Paris.
When he was 19, his father had some issue with the Roman Catholic Church at that time, which Calvin himself was.
And he told his son to leave the studying of theology and to study law himself instead.
And so as a dutiful son, that's exactly what he did.
However, two years later, his father died and Calvin abandoned his studies of law and moved to the thing that he loved the most, and that was the classics.
He published his first book in 1532 at the age of 23.
And it's during this time, somewhere around this time, he came into contact with the teachings of the Reformed faith.
He came into the Reformed faith.
He came into contact with the Reformed faith.
He came to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time.
And so by 1533, at the age of 23, 24, something dramatic happened in Calvin's life and totally changed the whole course of his life.
This is how he describes it in his own words.
God, by a sudden conversion, subdued and brought my mind to a teachable frame.
Having thus received some taste and knowledge of true godliness, I was immediately inflamed with an intense desire to make progress.
To make progress in the things of the Christian faith.
In fact, 24 years later, he died when he was 54.
24 years later, unchanged in his passions and goals, and one month before he died, he wrote in his will,
That statement there describes Calvin's entire life.
In all things, he pursued the majesty and the glory of God.
So what happened to him?
He saw the supremacy and the majesty and the glory of God for the first time when he was 23.
He couldn't see it, and then he did see it.
And when he saw it, it captivated his life.
So let's jump into seeing God's glory in the Bible.
First of all, I've got four points there you'll notice in your outline.
Seeing God's glory in creation, in Jesus Christ, in the gospel, and in the scriptures.
Let's just quickly jump through those things.
So seeing God's glory in creation.
The Bible shows that God intends for us to have a well-grounded conviction that he is powerful,
that he is wise, that he is a merciful creator and sustainer of the world by means of sight of his glory in and through creation.
That's where we were last week in Psalm 19.
The heavens declare the glory of God.
They reveal the glory of God.
They communicate God's glory.
Notice, though, in Psalm 19, the heavens themselves are not the glory of God.
The heavens are not God.
They are pointing, they are a window to see the glory of God.
We need eyes to see through the glory of nature in order to see the glory of the God who created all nature.
But it is possible to see the glory of creation, but not the glory of the God behind creation.
We see that in Romans chapter 1.
But we also see God's glory in Jesus Christ.
That is God's self-authenticating glory shines in Jesus Christ.
That is, God expected people in Jesus' day, first century Palestine, to see the glory and the majesty of God in Jesus,
and therefore knowing that he is himself the Son of God, even though he was as human as we are and looked just as ordinary as we do.
John chapter 1 verse 14 says,
So many, many people in first century Palestine looked at God in human flesh, Jesus Christ himself, and they did not see God.
The glory of God in Christ was missed by a whole heap of people.
And yet, the Son of God was really there for those who had eyes to see the glory.
The problem was not that the glory of Jesus was not adequately revealing his divinity.
The problem, according to Matthew 13 verse 13, was that those seeing, they do not see.
Though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
So that's God's glory is revealed in creation.
It is revealed in Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, it's revealed in the gospel itself.
God's self-authenticating glory shines in the gospel.
And that brings us to the text for this morning, 2 Corinthians chapter 4.
And verse 4 says this,
The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The gospel, the word gospel is here.
It's a story of how God came to save sinners.
And the gospel shines a supernatural light to the eyes of the heart.
It's called there the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
The light of the gospel shatters our blindness in verse 6.
God says,
So in verse 4,
What Paul is saying there in those two verses is the way that we come to know that the Christian gospel,
as recorded in the Christian Bible,
is in fact God's word, that it is God's truth,
is by seeing the glory of God in it, in the face of Christ.
That's what he's saying there.
This glory of the gospel shines throughout all of the Bible because it all points to Jesus.
But most brightly in the gospel of the Son of God crucified for the sake of sinners.
And part of what makes the glory of God in the scriptures so unusual and yet so spectacular
is the way that God's glory is described.
It is the way God's majesty and his supremacy and his complete otherness is expressed through his total meekness,
through his mercy, through his grace.
God magnifies his glory.
We see a magnified, spectacular God as we see a God who descends to save us.
That is glory like our world does not know.
He magnifies his magnificence, his supremacy, his glory
by making himself the supreme treasure of our hearts,
even at great cost to himself.
God satisfies us.
God serves us in the gospel.
And in the very act of doing that,
he reveals and magnifies his magnificence.
This is the light of God's glory
that shines through the whole Bible
and it comes to its most beautiful radiance
in the person and the work of Jesus Christ,
dying and rising for his creatures,
the very ones who have rejected him.
Fourthly, we see the glory of God in the Bible.
God's self-authenticating glory
shines in the Bible itself.
God confirms that the world is his
by revealing his glory through it.
God confirms that Jesus Christ is the son of God
by revealing his glory through him.
And that the gospel is the gospel of God
by revealing his glory through it.
And so the whole Bible authenticates itself
by shining with the majestic and meek glory
of the God who inspired it.
That is the only way that we can know
that the Bible is the word of God
is because in their true meaning,
we see the self-authenticating glory of God.
But there's a problem here
and it's a massive problem.
It's an insurmountable roadblock.
It is something that we as human beings
cannot fix, we cannot get over,
we cannot see.
By nature, we are told here in 2 Corinthians 4
that we are blind to the glory of God.
We cannot see the glory of God
any more than a blind person
can see the heavens themselves.
Romans 1, in fact, says we're not just blind,
innocently walking around blind,
but Romans 1 says that we actually suppress
the glory of God.
We suppress the truth of God.
We are not just innocent people
stuck in blindness hoping to see.
John chapter 3 tells us
we love the darkness.
We want to be in the darkness.
We want to be blind.
Paul says,
in 1 Corinthians 2, verse 14,
the person without the spirit
doesn't accept the things
that come from the spirit of God,
but considers them foolishness
and cannot understand them
because they are discerned only
through the spirit.
The only hope
for any person
to see the glory of God
in the Bible
and have a well-grounded confidence
that it is, in fact,
God's word
is for God himself
to take away our blindness,
for God himself
to perform a miracle,
to take away the blindness
that we are born with,
the blindness that we delight in,
for himself to remove it.
And Paul says
that that's exactly what God does.
This is the miracle of new birth,
even though he doesn't use that language
specifically here in 2 Corinthians 4.
This is the miracle of new birth.
God comes to us
and he speaks a word
of new creation,
just like he did
at the beginning
with the created order
when he said,
let there be light.
And it was so.
No further actions required.
And it was so.
And so he does the same
in the human heart.
2 Corinthians 4 verse 6,
God, who said,
let light shine out of darkness,
made his light shine in our hearts
to give us the light
of the knowledge
of God's glory
displayed in the face of Christ.
And when God
flicks that switch
in our hearts
that moves us
from darkness
to light,
a moment that we're not
even looking for it,
we don't think we need it,
we're not asking for it,
and God chooses to do it,
in that moment
we know
that Christ is real.
You know
that the gospel
is real.
You know
that the scriptures
are true.
And it's because
God said,
let there be light
in that heart.
it's then
that we see
God's glory
and you know
that this is God.
You see lights
and it's the first time
you realise
that in fact
my whole life
has been plunged
into darkness.
What the Apostle Paul
declares here
that John Calvin
experienced
and later wrote about
and what you have
experienced
as a Christian
and where I started
in fact
my first message here
when I said
I was sitting
in a shed
in Katoomba
and all of a sudden
it's like
someone lit a candle
in my heart
to help me see.
That experience
is what theologians
call
the inward witness
of the Holy Spirit.
Why do Christians
believe
that the Bible
is the word of God
in which God
reveals
to us
the reality
of his presence
the reality
of his glory
the reality
of the universe
the reality
of our sin
the reality
of redemption
through the Lord
Jesus Christ
why do we believe
that that is true?
The answer is not
because we're smart
it's not because
of our
our cultural
environment
that we're brought
up in
it's not because
we can follow
a logical chain
of human reasoning
about the historical
reliability
of scriptures
that pushes me
over the line
and convince me
it's true
those things
might be helpful
the answer
is that God
himself
has confirmed
it through
the Holy Spirit
it is entirely
an act of grace
it is not
by our own
reasoning
but a pure
gift
from God
we do not
the Christian
does not
hold a position
of the Bible
stubbornly
and cling
to it
despite all
the assaults
on it
what we
discover is
that in fact
God is holding
us
through his
word
and at every
point confirming
to us
it is
his
word
so how do we
pursue God's
glory then
what does
it mean
for us
if it's
purely
an act
of God
what does
it mean
for us
to pursue
his glory
well in
his early
20s
John
Calvin
experienced
the miracle
of having
the blind
eyes of
his heart
opened by
the Spirit
of God
to use
his words
and I'm
not sure
if he pulled
this directly
out of
2 Corinthians
4 but
to use
his word
I at
length
perceived
as if
light
had broken
in on
me
and what
he saw
immediately
and without
any intervening
chain of
human reasoning
were two
things that
would determine
the entire
rest of his
life
number one
he saw
the glory
of God
and number
two
he saw
the glory
of God
in the
word of
God
through
the work
of God's
Spirit
the Bible
facilitated
seeing the
glory of
God
and the
glory of
God
once saw
seen
vindicated
the Bible
as God's
word
he said
that the
highest
proof
of Scripture
derives in
general from
the fact
that God
in person
speaks
through it
and
neither
the Holy
Spirit
nor the
Bible
by
themselves
allow
a person
to see
the glory
of God
the Holy
Spirit
can't do
it by
itself
and the
Bible
can't do
it by
itself
they have
to work
together
the Spirit
works through
God's
word
to bring
light
into the
darkness
of our
hearts
so that
we might
see the
glory of
God
that
realization
for Calvin
completely
changed his
life
geographically
and vocationally
in 1537
he took up
in Geneva
the role
of professor
of sacred
scripture
again still in
his 20s
in sacred
scripture
and within
four months
he was
appointed
as the
pastor
of St
Peter's
church
the city
council
was not
happy with
Calvin
at all
and so
they banished
him roughly
a year
or something
later
in April
1538
Calvin
thought in
that moment
that oh
this is
fantastic
God is
relieving
me from
the crush
of pastoral
duties
so that I
could get
back to
studies
you know
get back
into my
study
and just
write
stuff
instead
he ends
up in
Strasbourg
where for
three years
he served
as a
pastor
for 500
French
refugees
as well
as teaching
the New
Testament
in the
university
he also
wrote his
commentary
on Romans
in those
three years
and put
out his
second
enlarged
edition
of the
absolute
bedrock
foundational
theological
book
of the
institutes
of Christian
religion
back in
Geneva
however
is
making
the
city
council
think
that
maybe
they
were
a
bit
hasty
on
Calvin
things
were
better
when
Calvin
was
there
and so
three
years
after him
being
banished
the
city
council
of
Geneva
reversed
the ban
on
Calvin
and held
him up
for the
first time
to be
in fact
a godly
man
he
served
there
the
church
there
until
his
death
on
May
27
15
64
160
years
ago
last
Monday
he
wrote
tracts
the
institutes
he
wrote
commentaries
on all
of the
New Testament
books
except the
book of
Revelation
plus he
wrote
commentaries
on the
first five
books of
the
Bible
he
wrote
commentaries
on the
psalm
which I've
used
in
looking at
Psalm
19
last week
he wrote
commentaries
on Isaiah
and Joshua
he gave
biblical
lectures
throughout
the course
of the
week
in the
university
in Geneva
and he
preached
10 sermons
every two
weeks
plus the
leading of
multiple
Bible studies
everything in
his life
everything in
his life
in his
ministry
was the
exposition
of scripture
this was
the ministry
that was
unleashed
in him
having seen
the glory
of God
in scripture
Calvin
preached
steadily
through
book
after book
of the
Bible
he never
wavered
from this
approach
to preaching
for almost
25 years
of his
ministry
in the
pulpit
in Geneva
to give
you some
idea
of the
scope
of his
preaching
he began
his series
on the
book of
Acts
on the
25th
of August
1549
and ended
it in
March
1554
after
Acts
he went
on to
Thessalonians
46
sermons
Corinthians
186
sermons
pastoral
epistles
86
sermons
Galatians
43
sermons
Ephesians
48
sermons
until
1558
because he
was sick
in 1559
he began
what his
series called
the harmony
of the
gospels
and he
had not
yet finished
it when
he died
in May
1564
it's a
five year
sermon
series
he preached
139
sermons
on Job
200
on
Deuteronomy
353
on Isaiah
123
on Genesis
and so
on
and so
on
and so
on
and this
was a
specific
self
conscious
to work
in
truth
in fact
on
Easter
day
1538
after
preaching
he left
the pulpit
of St
Peter's
Church
in Geneva
because he
was banished
by the
city council
three years
later
in September
the 3rd
1541
he climbs
the stairs
into the
pulpit
on the
very next
Sunday
picks up
on the
very next
verse
that he
left
three years
earlier
Calvin
saw
the
majesty
of God
in his
word
he
believed
with all
of his
heart
that the
word
of God
was indeed
the word
of God
and that
all of it
was inspired
it was profitable
it was radiant
with the light
of the glory
of God
the very thing
that every
single human
being
is designed
to see
we were
created
to glory
to marvel
in God's
magnificence
and glory
for our
joy
and he
said
we see
it
unadulterated
clearly
in the
scriptures
through the
work of
the spirit
now through
this series
I've used
various
arguments
to build
confidence
in Bible
as God's
word
how can
we really
know the
Bible
is God's
word
and that
it is
right
that it
is good
that it
is sweet
for our
joy
God
is the
one
who
enables
us
to see
what is
really
there
divine
glory
is
really
shining
in
and
through
nature
divine
glory
really
is
in
and
shining
through
the
person
of
Jesus
Christ
divine
glory
really
is
in
and
shining
through
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
divine
glory
is
really
shining
in
and
through
the
God
intent
meaning
of
the
God
inspired
Bible
and what
this means
for us
here at
St. Paul's
is really
simple
really
simple
for
instance
don't
ever miss
the preaching
of God's
word
if you
want to
see
glory
it
means
that
we
will
bend
every
effort
to
find
that
meaning
and
to
see
that
glory
we
will
take
every
opportunity
make
every
effort
every
single
effort
we
can
to
find
the
meaning
and
to
see
the
glory
we
will
not
presume
to
see
the
glory
in
scripture
where
we
have
not
seen
the
meaning
of
scripture
and
we
will
not
be
satisfied
that
we
have
seen
the
meaning
of
scripture
as
we
ought
to
if
we
have
not
seen
the
glory
of
God
coming
through
it
if
we
labor
to
know
God
and
his
word
in
this
way
our
confidence
in
the
scriptures
will
be
well
grounded
and
our
joy
in
the
glory
of
God
will
be
great
and
will
be
able
to
live
a
life
of
Calvin
I
wish
I
had
more
time
to
express
to
you
the
adversity
he
went
through
in
life
and
how
steadfast
and
constant
he
was
as
he
gazed
on
God's
glory
and
endured
everything
so
my
challenge
to
you
this
morning
if
you
are
not
laboring
to
know
the
Bible
you
cannot
see
the
glory
of
the
God
who
has
created
you
and
therefore
you
cannot
know
the
deep
joy
in
life
that
he
offers
you
your
joy
is
at
stake
read
your
Bible
and
pray
for
the
miracle
God
help
me
see
help
me
see
your
majesty
and
your
glory
for
my
joy
Amen