Sermon Outline 3 Jun 2017 – The Glory of God Alone

Soli Deo Gloria

a. Meaning: Glory to God Alone

b. Why are we here on the earth? Why did God make us? Who is God, and what are we in comparison to him?

c. The reformers taught that God is sovereign. He owns all things, and governs or controls all things.

d. He has made everything to serve Himself. The fact that man is able to love and be loved of God is amazing, and should humble us to always think and live to serve him. We are not our own, and are not here in the earth for ourselves. We have done nothing ourselves that deserves self-honor and, in fact, our sinfulness and sin makes us worthy only of a place in Hell.

Sermon Notes

Introduction

What do we take pride in? Our status, the 5 “C” s, our family, our honour, our religion? In Asian culture, honour/shame is very important. We begin our camp by looking at the only one we can truly take pride in, boast of, and glorify – God himself.

The Glory of God Alone in Reformed Theology

The key thing for the Reformation about the 5 “alones” is you cannot add anything to these alones. To add is to subtract. The 1st question of the Westminster Confession: “What is the chief end of man?” (meaning what is the meaning of life). Answer: “To glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

John Piper:

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

The Glory of God Alone in Scripture

In Scripture, the Hebrew for the word “glory” derives from the concept of “weight,” “heavy” or “heaviness.” God, therefore, is a being who is a “heavy-weight” and so has “honour” as opposed to us who are lacking glory and so are “light-weight” and “dishonourable.” In Greek “glory” means “radiance,” “splendour,”, “brightness.” So, God’s glory is the glory of the great & majestic King.

  • God is glorious in himself (Ps 24:7-10; John 17:1-5)
  • God’s glory is particularly seen as the visible manifestation of his great Holiness (Isa 6:3) – the Holiness of God is His utter wholeness & perfection, his separation from the world & for Himself, & his moral purity
  • God’s glory is seen in creation (Ps 19:1; Ps 29:1-11.)
  • God’s Glory is seen most clearly in Christ (John 1:14.)
  • God’s glory is also paradoxically seen in the cross of Christ (an emblem of shame) (1 Cor 1:26-2:8), where Christians boast or glory not in themselves but in Christ and his cross
  • Fallen human beings lack glory (Rom 1:21-23.)
  • Redeemed human beings are restored to Glory (2 Cor 3:18)
  • Glory in Christian suffering (2 Cor 12:9)
  • Glory when Christ returns (Rev 21:23-26.)

Living for God’s Glory Alone Today

  • Prayer & worship in an age of distraction
  • Fear of the Lord in an age of self-centredness
  • Suffering in an age of prosperity
  • Glorying in God in an age that is passing away

Conclusion

 Jonathan Edwards:

“The first instance that I remember of that sort of inward, sweet delight in God and divine things that I have lived much in since, was on reading those words in 1 Timothy 1:17- ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory forever and ever, Amen.’ As I read these words, there came into my soul…a sense of the glory of the Divine Being; a new sense, quite different from any thing I ever experienced before…I thought with myself, how excellent a Being that was, and how happy I should be, if I might enjoy that God and be rapt up to him in heaven.”

Questions:

1. What sort of things do you take pride in?

2. In what ways might we be tempted to be ashamed of suffering for Christ?

3. How can we live for the Glory of God?