Christ in the Commons

I’m writing this AS Michael Phelps and the American swim team compete in the final event. And I can’t help but think about the “glory of man,” which is the heart of the Olympics. And, although I’m not a betting man, I’d like to place just one bet. I’d bet that Jesus could whip the tar out of Michael Phelps using any swim stroke you like.
No, Jesus wasn’t much to look at the first time He was walking about the earth in man-feet (Isa. 53:2). There was nothing in Him that we should desire Him. He probably wasn’t a good swimmer. Then again, who needs to swim when you can just walk? He may not have won any Olympic events… back then. But that was before the Resurrection.
Now, any glory that can be given to a man belongs, first, to THE Man. No man can have first place before Jesus, who is still a man. And I believe that part of the glory is that He is still growing in glory, as a man. As God, of course, He is perfect in glory. As a man, He is growing ever more glorious. When he was on earth, He was God and He was man. As God, He was omniscient. As man, He “grew” in wisdom. Still that way, but on the “other side” of His resurrection. Crazy, huh?
So, step aside, Michael Phelps. Jesus owns the topmost place at the podium, even though He’s one-thousand, nine-hundred and seventy-nine years old (i.e., since His “regeneration,” Cf. Mat. 19:28).

Posted on August 16th, 2008 under The Weight of Glory • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback