Go for Glory! ~ Levi Lusko

The life of Jesus is a life of going for glory. But never in the way that could be expected. Jesus never showed up in the way people expected Him to.

This talk “Go for Glory” by Levi Lusko really caught my attention. When I first listened to it, I knew that I would soon be returning to make notes… and those notes turned into another review to share. As I’ve said before, these reviews aren’t judgements! These reviews are a sharing of something that was so good I couldn’t keep it to myself!

The main Scripture refrence in this talk is John 12

There was one poignant time in Jesus life when He was in the position of being treated like a King. It was a place that He could’ve used for growth in His followers, He could’ve bought into the moment to grow in favour with the people, He could’ve used the moment to build an army… but rather He chose to preach the sermon that drove countless people away. The sermon about communion and the coming crucifixion.

When Jesus asked His disciples if they wanted to desert Him too, Peter confessed and said yes. The disciples didn’t understand the teachings, things looked different, life was unexpected and they couldn't ever determine what was coming next. But responding in the way that I hope all Christians will learn the deep truth of, Peter replied; “But where else are we going to go?” He knew that even when it didn't make sense now, there was nobody and nothing else that could offer salvation like Jesus. There was nobody who could make them feel the way Jesus did when He spoke.

There was nobody who could offer HOPE like Jesus did.

It’s the upside-down kingdom.

TIMING

Throughtout the Gospel of John, Jesus is found to be saying things like "not my time" or "not my hour" or "my time has not yet come" and then suddenly in chapter 12 we finally come across Jesus saying; “my time has now come”.

His sense of timing displays the importance of being aware of prophecies. Jesus knew the details that needed to be fulfilled and He knew the timing required for their fulfilment. He knew that even as He had prepared His followers for what was going to take place, they still misunderstood His talking of glorification as the celebration on Palm Sunday. Little did they actually realise that Jesus talking about glorification was Him talking about crucifixion.

Jesus is majesty through meekness, power expressed through weakness. The lion and the lamb.

Be encouraged that it’s also not down to you to be perfectly accurate and completely aware of the fulfilment of prophecies. The disciples didn’t know that their obedience in doing things like untying the donkey at Jesus’ command were the fulfilment of the prophecy. The obedience is the act… and it is no different to the small acts of faith and obedience in your life! You can be faithful in showing up for the little things He’s told you to. And you can TRUST him to shift the big scale cosmic things into place!

But even this being said, we need to learn to get better at timing... It’s deeply embedded into scripture that our time is running out, each day is one day closer….

"And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 
ROMANS 13vs11

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."
Ephesians 5vs15~17

MAGNETISM

It's hugely evident all throughout the Gospels, that people are wanting to meet with Jesus. They're drawn to Him from all over and we see over and over agin that this meeting of the real Jesus, a real man yet fully divine, He becomes the mightiest magnet in the universe, the mightiest magnet in your universe.

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
John 12vs32

Ask yourself this; have you never walked onto a job site and hear someone cry “oh budda” when they hammer their finger? Why is Christ on everybody’s tongue. For good or for evil, we are ALL so aware that there is no name more powerful than this name that is life, than this name that can save, this name that is above every other name.

Jesus never did any of the things we typically associate with greatness. Yet today He remains the central figure of the human race. There truly is NO OTHER POWER that has ever ruled that has affected the life of man on earth than that of Jesus.

But it was only by laying down that He would be lifted up, and in that lifting up - glorification- where we would see salvation for all. Salvation even for those who don't know it yet. It’s in these moments where we can realise that there are people that you have the UNIQUE opportunity to bring salvation to. Like Philip leading the Greek to Jesus, you too have been supernaturally placed and positioned in a cosmically designed position to be the Philip in someone's life. And what about the reputation of Andrew, could you also grow to be known as the one who was always bringing people to Jesus?

FOCUS

There is a prayer that God loves to answer. The prayer that He may be glorified in your life. So that His will be done.

EXAMPLE

Jesus embraced difficulty no matter what it cost Him. In these moments of His preparation for the cross, we have the opportunity to see Jesus physically taking on the weight of the darkness of our sins and knowing how terrible it would be as His Father turns away from Him.

Yet He doesn't shy away, He still goes for GLORY.

In a day and age where we see people turn away from hardship as if they're the representation of failure, we must stand firm in knowing that difficulty does not mean you’re in the wrong place. We must stand firm in knowing that we can suffer hardships and do so in the will of God!

"So that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them."
1 Thessalonians 3vs3

May we grow in knowing that we were born for this. Born for the battle and the adversity and know that as we embrace it, we grow closer to Him. And that is why we can count it ALL Joy.

METHOD

Jesus' method to greatness was death. And to this day, the symbol on the grave of a martyr still stands as a palm branch! Each day, Jesus calls us to die to sins. To rise out of the grave with Him and into a brand new life. And that life is what He unlocked for us.

A giving that leads to recieving. A loosing that leads to winning. A serving that leads to reigning. A yielding that leads to keeping.

A death that dies to comfort, control and celebrity.

Jesus came to expose all the "things" we look to for greatness, and He came to offer Himself instead.

Thanks be to the Lord who always offers our lives to Glory - and that glory meaning really is Him. And may we rest in knowing that our life is not about seeking our own greatness but seeking Him, and it’s in Him where we find God-determined greatness.

"It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep."
Proverbs 25vs27

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said once, "When Jesus calls a man, He bids him to come and die."

There's going to be pain, hardship and hurt and sickness. But Jesus offers every answer to every ache and hard time.

He is always the answer.

Thank you Levi Lusko for this eye-opening and mind-blowing transformational talk!

~ X ~

Watch the talk here