Making Father God Famous Forever

“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Philippians 4:20).

The latest Hollywood blockbuster is about to premiere. The next hot project from your favorite artist is about to drop. These are times when the PR blitz really gets rolling. Folks involved do everything they can to get the word out. TV interviews. Media tours. Talk show appearances. Email blasts. Social media campaigns. For a few days or weeks, it’s everywhere. You can’t avoid it. But suddenly, it’s over and becomes yesterday’s news. The fame fizzles. 

God has a completely different kind of media campaign. According to Paul, God’s glory never stops. Near the end of his letter to the church back in Philippi, the apostle lets us know God’s push for prominence has legs. It’s long lasting. His fame goes on and on and on and on. “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen” (v20). You can’t stop it. You can’t even hope to contain it. Why doesn’t His fame ever fade? Because He’s the only One truly worthy of the spotlight. He’s the only One who truly deserves the applause. He’s the only One truly worthy of the standing O. Giving Him glory means making God the Father famous forever. Period.

After thanking God for His overwhelming fire hose of grace (Phil 4:19), Paul can’t write another word without celebrating. He doesn’t want anyone to misunderstand the source of this lavish love. The result is this direct response to His jaw-dropping goodness. The apostle’s words here are what smart dudes in seminaries call a doxology. When I was a kid growing up in a Southern Baptist church, the doxology was the song everybody sang from memory when the ushers carried those plates full of cash back to the pastor. But it’s a whole lot more than a 20-second tune after the offering. 

Doxology literally means “glory words.” We see them all throughout Scripture (Lk 2:14; Rom 11:36; 16:27; Gal 1:4-5; 1Tim 1:17; 1Pet 4:11; Jude 25; Rev 1:6; Rev 7:12). When Paul cuts loose with these words of glory about the goodness of God, it’s nothing like the drone I heard in church as a child. He’s so excited about what Christ is doing, he can’t contain himself. This little letter his friends in Philippi is all about his joy in Jesus. According to Bengel, “The doxology flows out of the joy of the whole epistle.” The man from Tarsus may have spent the past five years behind bars, but that can’t rip the joy of Jesus from his heart. As a matter of fact, it’s this joy of the Lord that gives him the strength to endure no matter his situation (Neh 8:9; Phil 4:11-13).

So just what is this glory Paul’s so excited about? Let’s dig into the original language. “Glory” is the Greek word doxa. which means splendor, brightness, brilliance, magnificence, excellence, splendor, or grandeur. It’s what puts the doxa in our doxology! You can be sure the apostle doesn’t throw this term around willy nilly. And why would he? He’s a eyewitness of Jesus’ glory. He’ll never forget the day he was blindsided by the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter just outside of Damascus. Christ’s appearance was so dazzling that “I could not see because of the brightness (Gr. doxa) of the light” (Acts 22:11). That’s what happens when you catch a glimpse of God’s glory. It’s like looking into a spotlight. 

We read about this supernatural shimmering just about every time God pulls back the curtain of heaven. Just ask the shepherds outside Bethlehem the night Jesus was born (Lk 2:9). How about the time Christ took His inner circle up to the mountain? Not only does Jesus suddenly start to glow, but Moses and Elijah “appeared in glory (Gr. doxa)” (Lk 9:29-32). Jesus tells His posse that the world won’t miss His spectacular return because of His glittering glory.(Mt 24:30; 25:31; Mk 8:38; 13:26; Lk 9:26; 21:27). 

But the glory of God isn’t just about what we see, it’s about what we feel. The Hebrew word in the OT for “glory” is kavod. It carries the idea of weight or heaviness. To experience the glory of God is feel the weight and importance of God. To know His glory is to be under His heaviness. Jonathan Edwards writes that God’s glory is the weight of all He is. C.S. Lewis’ book “The Weight of Glory” goes into great detail about our response to the load of God’s incredible love for us. His grace has gravitas.

Paul doesn’t want us to miss the fact that God the Father’s glory goes on “forever and ever” (v20). He uses the little Greek word aion not once but twice. It’s a time term that means era, age, or eternity. We get our English word eon (or aeon) from it. For geologists, this is the longest continual measure of time. Astronomers define one billion years as an eon. But these scientists still don’t have a clock that will last long enough to count God’s glory. The era of God’s glory is forever. And ever. And ever. And ever. His publicity blitz never ends.

The apostle ends this never-ending doxology with “amen” (v20). For the longest time, I this was simply the way to sign off our prayers. Basically the divine equivalent to “over and out” on a walkie talkie. But this incredibly underrated word has rich implications. “Amen” means truly, so be it, certainly, let it be, this is indeed true, or that’s the way it should be. Today we might say things like “You got that right!” or “Dang straight!” or “Word!” Paul wants his friends back in Philippi to know that giving Father God all the applause for all time is the way things should be. The resurrected Jesus describes Himself as the ultimate “Amen” (Rev 3:14). When you say “Jesus,” you’ve said it all. “Amen” is a first century mic drop.

So what’s the point? What does this have to do with me? Am I supposed to do something with all this? Paul wants us to know that God the Father is forever famous. The question isn’t whether we’ll make Him famous. He’s going to get His glory. The only question is how we do it. Here’s the deal. Everything single stinking in the universe shines the spotlight on His goodness. Will I make God famous through my worship of Him? Or will I make Him look awesome through my sin and disobedience? Just in case you don’t think that’s possible just take a quick look back a Calvary. Father God took the murder of His sinless Son and transformed it into the most glorious moment in the history of the universe. He’s going to get the glory. And He’s going to get it forever. Period.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road for Jesus’ followers. When we give God the glory, it’s a good thing for us. We’re blessed that whatever brings God glory also brings us the most good. R.C. Sproul says, “Because you and I are in Christ Jesus, His glory and our good are linked together. Because we are united with Christ, whatever is for His glory is also for our good. And whatever is for our good is for His glory.” According to John Piper, we’ll find the ultimate satisfaction and happiness when we’re making God famous and finding our total satisfaction in Him. “The pursuit of our interest and happiness is never above God’s, but always in God’s. The most precious truth in the Bible is that God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him—in Him!” Piper drops the bottom line. “Our interest and His glory are one.” 

So if you and want to experience the overflowing and abundant life that Jesus talks about (Jn 10:10), let’s hop on the bandwagon and give God the glory He rightly deserves. His glory=our good. His fame rolls on and on and on. It’s not some short term publicity campaign that’s gone in a few weeks. The Message really sums up this idea. “Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes” (v20 The Message). He’s the only One truly worthy of the spotlight. He’s the only One who truly deserves the applause. He’s the only One truly worthy of the standing O. Giving Him glory means making God the Father famous forever. Period.

Making Jesus Famous

“Yes, and I rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as alway Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life for by death” (Philippians 1:18b-20).

Jesus is a game changer. He brings hope where there should gloom. He brings joy where there should be tears. There’s no greater example than the life of Paul, especially during his four years behind bars for telling everyone who would listen about Jesus. I mean there must have been some absolutely crazy stuff going on in the Roman prison where the apostle was in custody. Jesus used Paul to transform this place of pain and suffering into a joyful joint. You see, the man from Tarsus knew that no matter what happened to him during his time in the pen, Christ would use it to make Himself more and more famous. 

Let’s be honest. This little letter to a tiny group of believers in Philippi just doesn’t make sense. Jesus’ top spokesperson is locked up. The church he planted in the Macedonian seaport sent their current pastor to help but he nearly died making the trip to Rome. Yet this note absolutely drips with joy. Yeah, you read that right. Joy. If Paul had a boom box, he may have had Pharrell’s “Happy” cranked to 11. Here in the darkest dungeon of the empire, the apostle feels like a room without a roof. He knows that Jesus has given him something so incredibly awesome that Caesar’s supermax can’t take away. That’s the reason for his joy. As a result, God uses the apostle to turn the slammer into a greenhouse for Good News. Paul is telling everybody who will listen about the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee.

We pick things with Paul’s joy on repeat. “Yes, and I will rejoice” (v18). He’s just said that he’s absolutely stoked to know that no matter what the motives are of the various messengers, they’re spreading the message of Jesus. Because “Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice” (v18). His joy keeps jumping he knows one way or the other Jesus will spring him from prison. While the apostle’s praying for his friends back in Philippi (Phil 1:3-11), they’ve been praying for him too. God is up to something “through your prayers” (v19). Their concern for their founder isn’t just lip service. Their prayers have clearly resulted in action. They’ve sent very practical help in the form of their pastor Epaphroditus (Phil 4:18). The Big E nearly died on his mission to aid Paul (Phil 2:30).

Do you pray for your friends and family? Do you know of fellow believers who are, in the words of Ulysses Everett McGill in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, are in a tight spot? Do you ask the One who’s in charge of the universe to help them out? That’s a huge part of God’s gift of prayer. It’s not an intercom so God can be some sort of supernatural butler to freshen your drink. John Piper sees prayer like a walkie talkie on the battlefield. We use it to call in the ultimate air support. We call on God when we’re in real trouble. We call on God when we know the ones we love are in real trouble. Who needs your prayers right now? Call HQ and get Jesus involved. That’s what the Philippians have done for Paul. 

The prayers of the Philippian followers of Jesus sound the alarm for “the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (v19). No, they’re not baking a cake with a file in it. There’s no plan to bust Paul out of the joint through an elaborate jail break. Paul knows that there’s something, or should I say Someone much greater at work. The Holy Spirit has something up His sleeve. The Third Person of the Trinity provides “help” (v19). Paul uses the Greek word epichoregia here. This describes a large supply, a rich provision, and overwhelming assistance. God’s Spirit just won’t give what Paul needs to squeak by on the cellblock. He’s giving him more than he could ever dream of wanting or needing (Eph 3:20). Later, the man from Tarsus proudly writes, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). In this particular instance, he knows that the combo of their prayers and God’s Spirit “will turn out for my deliverance” (v19). One way or the other, prisoner Paul will be a free man soon.

You would think it to be bad press when God’s top missionary is locked up in prison. Wrong. It’s not that any publicity is good publicity. It’s because Paul knows that he “will not be at all ashamed” (v20). He knows that as long as he is obedient to God’s call on his life and in willing submission to the Lord’s leadership, Jesus’ glory will continue to roll around the world. In the big house in Rome, I wonder if Paul remembers his words to the Roman church that he sent them a few years back. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). He’s not ashamed to broadcast the Good News of Christ because it’s more than powerful enough to change the lives of everyone who hears it. “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been give to us” (Rom 5:5). Something tells me that Paul not only remembers these words, but is giving them very practical application in this Roman prison.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road for the apostle. He’s completely confident “with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body whether by life of or death” (20). Check out the word he drops that the folks at the ESV translate “honored.” Megaluno. It means to magnify with great intensity, enlarge greatly, make incredibly conspicuous, or even to make famous. Check out a few other times writers of the NT use this term. Mary sang about how her very soul was a magnifying glass of God’s glory (Lk 1:46). When God’s Spirit bum rushes Gentile believers right before Peter’s eyes, they couldn’t stop enlarging Jesus’ rep to everyone who would listen (Acts 10:46). God used Paul’s preaching about Jesus to turn Ephesus upside down to the point that Christ’s name became known all throughout the city (Acts 19:17). It’s a stone cold, lead pipe lock that God will use whatever happens to Paul in order to make Jesus famous.

So from the comfort of my suburban life in America, do I have the same confidence as Paul does in prison? Am I honoring Jesus with my life? Am I making Him famous? Am I using my soul as a magnifying glass of God’s glory? Am I doing everything I can to tell the world about the One who has come to my rescue? I need to remember the incredible cost Jesus paid to make me His and what I should do about it. “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1Cor 6:20). There’s also a mammoth point here that God calls us to worship with so much more than our minds. We’re to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:2). I’m not saying that I need to do P90X for Jesus (then again, this particular “temple” could certainly use a little renovation). But there is certainly a physical component to following Christ. 

When it’s all said and done, Paul knows that no matter what happens to him the Lord will use it as part of the worldwide campaign to spread the Gospel. And that includes whether the apostle walks out through the front door of the prison or whether he dies behind bars. Jesus will be honored “whether by life or by death” (v20). That’s not something most American believers are facing these days. But there are those around the world that bring glory to our Savior as they face death at the hands of terrorists like ISIS and Boko Haram. Paul doesn’t let the possibility of dying in jail steal his joy. He knows more than most that Jesus is a game changer. God will use whatever happens to make sure Christ is the lead story in every newscast.