John 2:11 English Standard Version (ESV) This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Who were these disciples? According to John chapter one, they were Andrew, Simon, Philip and Nathanael. Andrew heard about Jesus from John the Baptist. Andrew told Simon. All Jesus had to say was “follow me” and that was enough for Philip. With Nathanael, all Jesus had to do was say, “I saw you” and Nathanael joined them.

Now understand this, according to John’s gospel, Jesus had done nothing except speak. The sound of His voice was enough to get men to drop everything and follow Jesus. These men had not yet seen anything done to show who this man they followed actually was. Then at the wedding, He turns water into wine and they have witnessed their first glimpse of glory.

Then they believed in Him. Understand this, they followed Him before they believed in Him.

Is this the way we are in following Jesus? We hear a voice in the wilderness crying out, “repent” or perhaps “this is the Christ”, and we follow because we heard a good word, a word we found acceptable enough to wander down a path that someone we know has taken.

Walk this way far enough and perhaps we will catch a first glimpse of His glory and we will begin to believe. Over time if we haven’t caught a second glance of His glory we might come to a point where we start to doubt the veracity of our first glimpse and wonder “is this all there is to this Jesus?”

These four disciples stuck around and got to witness more and more of His glory. They learned what many of us haven’t come to understand about His glory. His glory is the essence of who He is in relation to His duty to God the Father. Jesus never steps out of character to be more than what the Father is calling Him to do.

Is that all that Jesus is in glory? No. We only get to see those parts of His glory that are needful for us to be faithful to follow. It was something different for Andrew, Simon, Philip and Nathanael, and it will be different for each of us. What that will be is going to be different for each of us because of who we are before Christ enters into our life who who the Father asks us to be after we first believe.

What part of His glory is seen in us is the same for us as it was for Jesus. According to the Father’s purpose for us in this life.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 English Standard Version

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ laid down HIs life in order that His sacrifice should become the Cornerstone for the Temple of God.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 English Standard Version

18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin[every sin] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Is Jesus Christ’s sacrifice the cornerstone of your life? We can only have a life in Christ if this will be the case. So often we think in terms of surviving this life. We want to hold on to what is pleasing and shed that which is distressing us. Many will come to Christ to ease their conscience, to rid themselves of the guilt they feel. They do not think of their body in terms of surviving Christ.

Galatians 2:20 English Standard Version (ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Living by faith is not instinctual. The life we lived before Christ said to cling to life for all its worth. We hoped to see value in life. We hoped to have a legacy that would outlast us. We might have wanted that for our children. It is why some of us push forward in life.

Then there are those who live life for today because they see no hope in the future. They live a life of taking, always taking. If it is not given freely, they steal it. A life that has no meaning in self worth sees no value in others.

Living this life by faith in Christ gives us the ultimate meaning, the glory of God in us, Christ Jesus.