Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Glory

Why precisely are we here?

To create an authentic Christian community?  Yes.

To effectively reach out to unchurched people?  For sure.

To express love, acceptance and forgiveness?  Of course.

To draw people into the joy of salvation and a purposeful life of discipleship.  Obviously.

But those are just reasons with a small “r”.  There is a much greater Reason we are here.  To bring glory to God.  His glory is the reason behind all reasons.

Probably no text in the Bible reveals the passion of God for his own glory more clearly and bluntly as Isaiah 48:9-11 where God says,

For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath;
 for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
 so as not to destroy you completely.  See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
 I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.  For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
  How can I let myself be defamed?
  I will not yield my glory to another.

These words come like six hammer blows to a man-centered way of looking at the world, or ministry:

·      For my own name’s sake!

·      For the sake of my praise!

·      For my own sake!

·      For my own sake!

·      How should my name be profaned!

·      I will not yield my glory to another!

What this text hammers home to us is the centrality of God in everything.  The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart.  Throughout scripture there is no mistaking…it is ALL ABOUT God’s glory.

1.    God chose his people for his glory: Ephesians 1:4-6

2.    God created us for his glory:  Isaiah 43:6-7

3.    God called Israel for his glory:  Jeremiah 13:11

4.    God rescued Israel from Egypt for his glory: Psalm 106:7-8

5.    God raised Pharaoh up to show his power and glorify his name:  Romans 9:17

6.    God defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea to show his glory:  Exodus 14:4,18

7.    God spared Israel in the wilderness for the glory of his name:  Ezekiel 20:14

8.    God gave Israel victory in Canaan for the glory of his name:  2 Samuel 7:23

9.    God did not cast away his people for the glory of his name:  1 Samuel 12:20,22

10. God saved Jerusalem from attack for the glory of his name:  2 Kings 19:34

11. God restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name:  Ezekiel 36:22-23

12. Jesus sought the glory of his Father in all he did:  John 7:18

13. Jesus told us to do good works so that God gets glory:  Matthew 5:16

14. Jesus warned that not seeking God’s glory makes faith impossible:  John 5:44

15. Jesus said that he answers prayer that God would be glorified:  John 14:13

16. Jesus endured his final hours of suffering for God’s glory:  John 12:27-28

17. God gave his Son to vindicate the glory of his righteousness:  Romans 3:25-26

18. God forgives our sins for his own sake:  Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 25:11

19. Jesus receives us into his fellowship for the glory of God:  Romans 15:7

20. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son of God:  John 16:14

21. God instructs us to do everything for his glory:  1 Corinthians 10:31

22. God tells us to serve in a way that will glorify him:  1 Peter 4:11

23. Jesus will fill us with fruits of righteousness for God’s glory:  Philippians 1:9,11

24. All are under judgment for dishonoring God’s glory:  Romans 1:22,23; 3:23

25. Herod is struck dead because he did not give glory to God:  Acts 12:23

26. Jesus is coming again for the glory of God:  2 Thessalonians 1:9-10

27. Jesus’ ultimate aim for us is that we see and enjoy his glory:  John 17:24

28. Even in wrath God’s aim is to make known the wealth of his glory:  Romans 9:22-23

29. God’s plan is to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory:  Habakkuk 2:14

30. Everything that happens will result in God’s glory:  Romans 11:36


31. The New Jerusalem will be lit by the glory of God:  Revelation 21:23

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