The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of him, who sent him is true. And in him, there is no falsehood.
– John 7:18
Oh, what a great verse. Jesus talking about the authority of the Father on whose behalf he speaks for the glory of the Father.
John 7:18 Is Another Instance of Jesus Ascribing All Glory to His Father
It’s been the whole theme as you read through John 5 and 6 and 7. In John 5, Jesus describes how he discerns what the Father is doing and joins with how the Father is working everything he does, and everything he says is from the Father on the authority of the Father for the glory of the Father. And it makes sense, right? Just think about when you are talking to someone who’s an expert in a subject, and they’re describing to you basically things that they know because of their expertise, and you’re like, “Wow, that person is really sharp.” They really know what they’re talking about. When they speak with authority, it causes glory to come to them.
And it’s not that that is bad to be an expert or something in ways that show your authority, but this is in a spiritual realm, and this is so important for you and me. Think about the great commission. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all the nations. On what basis are we to go today and tell people they need to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus. That’s the only way they can be forgiven of their sins and have eternal life with God. On whose authority are you going to say that? Well, that’s the great commission, Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.” And we go out as His representatives.
So, you and I have opportunities today to speak the gospel, not based on our own authority, but based on the authority of Jesus to tell people that if they think about this, to tell people today that if they will turn from their sins and put their trust in Jesus, they’ll be forgiven of all their sins before God. They’ll have eternal life in heaven.
John 7:18 Encourages us to Seek the Father’s Glory and Not Our Own
You can pronounce that today. You can proclaim that to somebody else today, not based on your own authority, but based on the authority of Jesus himself who has sent you for the glory of the one who sent you. That’s what Jesus is saying. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory. The one who seeks the glory of him, who sent him is true. And then there’s no falsehood.
So, God, we pray, help us to speak today on your authority. Yes, and all the different areas. We have expertise. We are learning. God, help us to speak truly. But God, most of all, help us today. We pray to speak the gospel based on your authority. God, help us to tell somebody today, guess boldness, compassion that tells somebody today how they can be saved from their sin and how they can be restored to relationship with you forever.
God, we pray. Help us to speak on your authority today, that word for your glory so that you might be glorified as savior of somebody today. God, please give us boldness to speak this word in your authority for your glory. Help us to be faithful to this command, to make disciples of the nation’s today based on your authority.
Praying for the Pinjara People
And God, as we pray that we pray for the spread of your word and your authority to all the peoples of the earth, including the Pinjara people of Bangladesh, 52,000 of them, no known followers of Jesus. God, we pray that this people group of Pinjara, people in Bangladesh, this Muslim people group, that they would hear the word, that they would hear the gospel your word through messengers who are proclaiming it with your authority.
God, send out laborers to the Pinjara people to speak your word on your authority for your glory. Lord, we pray for the spread of your word and your authority for your glory among all the nations of the earth, including the Pinjara and including people around us today. God, we pray for this. In Jesus name, according to your word in John 7:18. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
