The Story of Glory [Scott Lehr]

·55 min·5 clips

Derek Redman's hamstring pops mid-race, but his father rushes to help him finish, redefining what victory means.

This sermon by Pastor Scott Lehr of Southbridge Fellowship explores the biblical concept of glory through Jesus's prayer in John chapter 17. Lehr uses the start of a new year to prompt listeners to consider their personal definitions of success and glory. He draws a parallel between an athlete's moment in the Olympics and Jesus's pivotal hour on the cross. Lehr recounts the story of British runner Derek Redmond, who tore his hamstring during the 1992 Olympic 400-meter semifinals but finished the race with his father's help. The sermon focuses on John 17:1-5, where Jesus prays for glory as he faces the cross, a symbol of shame in Roman culture. Lehr notes the word "glory" appears five times in these five verses, signaling its importance. He argues that society typically defines glory through accomplishments, appearance, and applause, citing the Oxford Dictionary and examples like winning championships or gaining social media followers. Jesus, however, redefines glory as alignment with God's will, not human achievement. Lehr references Jesus's miracles in John, like turning water to wine and raising Lazarus, which initially seemed glorious but ultimately led to his crucifixion. The pastor explains that eternal life, according to Jesus in verse 3, is knowing God experientially, not merely an afterlife destination. He contrasts this with worldly pursuits of the "good life," such as financial security or control, which he calls temporary or deceptive. Lehr emphasizes that eternal life begins now for believers, citing John 3:36 and John 5:24 as examples of the present tense used in scripture. He illustrates experiential knowledge with analogies like studying fire versus feeling its heat or reading about parenting versus holding a crying child at 2 a.m. Lehr warns that even impressive religious acts, like prophesying or driving out demons, are insufficient without a relational knowledge of God, referencing Matthew 7:21-23. The sermon's tone is conversational, instructional, and pastoral, blending personal anecdotes, sports stories, and scriptural analysis. Listeners interested in Christian theology, personal growth, or New Year's reflection would appreciate this message. Those seeking a purely academic or non-religious discussion might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A brisk sermon about chasing the right glory and finding the next assignment.

The piece frames a New Year sermon around a pointed question: what would make the year count, and whose glory is actually being pursued? It moves briskly through John 5, 6, 7-9, 11, and 13, using Jesus' signs to probe motives, popularity, applause, and alignment before landing…

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Why you'd press play

For when your New Year goals need a harder question about what success really means.

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