If you were to score how easy it is to read a book on a scale of 1-10, with Spot’s Snowy Day at one, then you wouldn’t find any of John Owen’s works coming in at less than a nine. For evidence of this here’s his original title for this month’s book: Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ in his Person, Office, and Grace with the differences between faith and sight; applied unto the use of them that believe. Genuinely. If it’s such a difficult read, why bother with it? Because The Glory of Christ, as it’s more simply known, is staggeringly good.
John Owen (1616 - 1683) was an English pastor and theologian. Ministering during and after the English Civil War, he was tasked with preaching at parliament the day after the execution of King Charles I. He preached and wrote a lot. This book, The Glory of Christ, is John Owen’s final work.
It started out as a series of personal meditations and soon became a collection of sermons to friends, which then became this book. The whole thrust of the book is a really simple one, Owen pleads with his listeners and readers to devote themselves to looking on Christ and his glory. Taking as his text John 17:24 ('Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world') Owen spends the book showing us why seeing Christ’s glory is the most satisfying thing possible.
It’s a lofty ambition for a book, but what is seeing Christ’s glory? One day God’s people will see the glory of Christ by sight in the new creation, but now by faith we can behold his glory as we contemplate, mediate on, and delight in who Christ is. This, Owen says, is the main joy of a Christian’s life, and the main way we are transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18). And what is this glory we see? It’s Jesus Christ, God made man, who has humbled himself and come to save and rescue sinners through his death.
Other than good for your soul how is this good for your youth work? Here’s the question Owen asks of your ministry; why are you trying to draw your young people to church and Christian life with something other than Jesus Christ? Are you trying to get them to stay with the promise of fun or because they’re morally obliged to? Point them to Jesus’ glory instead.
