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Mar 04, 2018

The Glory of God

The Glory of God

Speaker: Dennis Gallaher

Series: Transformation

Category: Sunday Morning

What is the "glory of God?" Over the decades there has been debate over worship and the manifestation of God's glory, and yet the Bible is very clear as to how we are to engage the Lord through our worship. As we do, the result is transformation in us and around us.

Opening Scripture:
Colossians 1:27 To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The glory of God is not a mystery. It is the most attractive, inviting, and safe place for the lost of this world.

John 1:14   And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

For those of you who want to study the purpose and results of God’s glory, let me give you a list of results from John 17.

vs. 1  Eternal life

vs. 11   Unity with others, a deep abiding trust, and fellowship

vs. 13   Joy

vs. 17  Protection

vs. 18   Ministry, meaningful engagement for eternal purposes

vs. 21  Unity with God and others

vs. 22  The Shekinah dwelling of God

vs. 26  Never leave, never forsake companionship with Jesus

It is then that Moses asks for more than a blessing.

vs. 18   Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!”

And this glory comes through worship.
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One of the most famous conversations Jesus ever had was about worship.

John 4:20   Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

There are two basic reasons that you must worship God:

  1. He is our God.
    -  If you claim Him as God, then you must worship Him.
    Psalms 95:7   For He is our God, and we are the people   of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice.

                 2.    We are His people.

  -  Worship is the appropriate response to God’s care.
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So, what is worship?

If we are to worship Him in truth, what is true worship?

God longs to have sincere worshippers who worship and adore Him in the realm of the Spirit and truth.

1 Thessalonians 5:23   Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are unique in all of creation. We were created with three parts:

  1. Spirit
  2. Soul
  3. Body

Genesis 2:7   Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Body  -  “The dust of the ground”

Spirit  -  “The breath of life, the Spirit of God”

Soul   -  “Man became a living soul”

2 Distinct Sources of Human Personality - One from above and one from below
     Above  -  the breath, Spirit of God breathed into man
     Below  -  man’s physical nature, the body made of clay

The union of the spirit and clay produces a living soul.

But, when man sinned and rebelled against God, his spirit was cut off from God.

Ephesians 2:1   And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.
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The soul is the ego, the will, the intellect, and emotions.

3 Statements that Express the Soul:  I will, I think, I feel

When our worship is based on the soul, it is not spiritual worship.

John 4:24   God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

The two basic reasons you must worship are…

  1. He is God.
  2. We are His people.

And the result?

Psalms 95:7   For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice.
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To hear His voice:

The spirit of man’s one function is to relate to God. But, the prideful and unsubmitted soul that refuses the Spirit of God always tries to relate to God through the will, the intellect, and emotions.

When we do not worship in the Spirit and through the Spirit, our hearts are hardened. We might read the Bible, but we do not hear His voice.

Psalms 95:11   Truly they shall not enter into My rest.

We do not know the peace that goes beyond understanding.

We do not know the deep and abiding fellowship with God and others.

We struggle with condemnation, addictions, anger, and fear.

We do not enter the rest of God because our lives are connecting to the world instead of the throne, imitating the opinions of the culture instead of being transformed in our mind, emotions, and will.
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1 Kings 19:11-12    So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.

Elijah had been running from the wicked queen, Jezebel. God took him through a number of dramatic experiences. Finally, God gives him a fresh revelation of who He is.

We love for God to move in power…wind, earthquake, and fire! But, these are the preludes of worship.

Worship takes place when we have calmed and quieted our souls so the Spirit can release the praise and adoration that only our spirits can give.

When we worship in spirit and truth, we are transformed. When we are transformed, no devil in hell can stop the Gospel of Jesus Christ!