Glorious Christ by Bob Kauflin, 2012.

Verse 1:

The radiance of the Father, before the dawn of time.
You spoke and all creation came to be.
The molecules and planets, reveal Your great design,
And every one was made so we could see, so we could see.

Observe: “Let there be…” The radiant, self-existent, Father spoke those words out of eternity, and time and space “came to be.” His creation of matchless beauty, order, and design have one purpose; every molecule and planet exists for us, as God’s imagers, to praise the One who spoke and nothing became a glorious something. 

Everything that is made points us to God. Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

John 1:1-3 explains (exegetes) Genesis 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1–3, ESV). Hebrews 1 provides further illumination. Jesus, is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Hebrews 1:3a).

The Bible makes it clear. God willed to create, for his eternal Son to fashion, and his Spirit to sustain all things that exist. As the exact imprint of his Father, Jesus willingly clothed in human flesh to show us God, to redeem us from sin, and to give us life through the Spirit so that we can see that every molecule and planet declares the glory of God for our eternal praise.

Verse 2 :

You left the air of heaven, to breathe the dust of earth.
And dwell among the outcast and the poor.
You came to be forsaken, and died to take our curse,
So You could be our joy forevermore, Forevermore.

Paul explains the obedience of Jesus in his letter to the church at Philippi in what is probably a stanza from a hymn of the early church, maybe as few as five years after the resurrection. Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. (Philippians 2:6–9).

When we put these truths together, we arrive at the chorus of this song.

You are the glorious Christ, the greatest of all delights.
Your power is unequaled, your love beyond all heights.
No greater sacrifice, than when You laid down Your life.
We join the song of angels, who praise You day and night,
Glorious Christ!

As we continue to wonder if our lives will ever return to ‘normal,’ one anchor we can hold onto is the bridge of the song.

You’re seated now in heaven, enthroned at God’s right hand.
You’ve shattered death and freed us from our fears.
And though we cannot see You, you’re coming back again,
And all will be made right when You appear.
And all will be made right when You appear!

Why will all be “made right” when Christ returns? Because he is the,

Glorious Christ, the greatest of all delights.
Your power is unequaled, your love beyond all heights.
No greater sacrifice, than when You laid down Your life.
We join the song of angels, who praise You day and night,
Glorious Christ!

There is no surer promise than this.

Blessings, Pastor Don.