060326 What Christianity is All About

8/3/2019 060326 What Christianity is All About

1/4

- 1 - 2006 03 26

So what is Christianity all about?

Its not about me

My main problem is a glory problem

Jesus is all about bringing glory to God

My salvation is to the glory of GodCreations end is the glory of GodGods glory is the final aim of everything

Christianity perceived as practiced from self-serving reasons:

Christians as fearing the consequences of not being Christians (religion

as fire insurance)Christians as feeling the need of help and support to achieve their

goals (religion as a crutch) any cripple who refuses a crutch is a fool!

Christians as wishing to sustain a social identity (religion as a badge of

respectability)[J.I.Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, p.75]

Christianity is about Christ, right? Right!Christ came into the world to save us, right? Right!

He came to save us because he loves us, right? Right!He loves us because we are precious in his sight, right? WRONG! He

doesnt love us because of any intrinsic value in ourselves.

We are precious in His sight because he chose to love us!Ro 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died

for us. [doesnt say because we were precious, Christ died for us]

Paul says: Ac 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious tomyself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord

Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

So what is Christianity all about?

One word answer: GODChristianity is all about God and his glory.

Christianity is not man-centered. Christianity is God centered. Weneed a Copernican Revolution in our thinking we thought we were

the center of the universe and everything revolved around us. Maybewe dont think that way (or at least we dont articulate it) but we often

act that way. Our actions and attitudes betray our belief. Whenever we

have to wait in line, we get a barometer indicating how self-centered

we are. Dont these people know that I am in a hurry. I have places togo. I am important! My time is more valuable than your time, Myneeds are more pressing than your needs.

Illustration: I recently was traveling home from Chicago. We had tovisit a certain restaurant before we left, and that put us on a tight

schedule to get to my flight. We raced through the toll booths and

made it to the airport and my friends dropped me off with barelyenough time to catch my flight. I said goodbye, grabbed my luggage,

and ran into the terminal, only to realize that I was in the wrongterminal! My terminal was two terminals down. So I began to run as

fast as I could with all my luggage. I ran probably the equivalent of acouple blocks to the next terminal, then a couple more blocks to myterminal, where I was fortunate enough to find an abandoned cart to

carry my luggage. I wove in and out of people through the terminal, tothe farthest end where my airline check-in was. I arrived at the counter

with a great sense of urgency, and I fully expected my situation to begreeted with the same sense of urgency from the other side of the

counter. When I vocalized the fact that my plane was scheduled to

leave in 5 minutes, that didnt seem to concern the people on the otherside of the counter. They just didnt seem to grasp the urgency of my

situation. It almost seemed that the critical nature of my case causedthem to move slower rather than faster. It became very evident that my

great concern was no concern of theirs. It was clear that their world did

not revolve around me or my schedule, and they didnt even humor meinto feeling that I was important.

Its not about me!Ps 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!


2/4

- 2 - 2006 03 26

Isa 48:9 For my names sake I defer my anger,

for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,

that I may not cut you off.

Isa 48:11 For my own sake, for my own sake , I do it,

for how should my name be profaned?

My glory I will not give to another.Eze 36:22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not

for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy

name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.

Eze 36:32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be

known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

Ps 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation,

for the glory of your name;

deliver us, and atone for our sins,

for your names sake!

Ps 106:8 Yet he saved them for his names sake,

that he might make known his mighty power.

My main problem is a glory problem:Romans 3: 10 as it is written:

None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Romans 3: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ,

Westminster shorter catechism puts it this way mans chief end is to

glorify God and enjoy Him forever.What does it mean to glorify God?

m-w.com glorify: 1 a: to make gloriousby bestowing honor, praise, oradmirationstrongs:2) to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate3) to honour, do honour to, hold in honour4) to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendour

4a) to impart glory to something, render it excellent4b) to make renowned, render illustrious

4b1) to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to becomemanifest and acknowledged

If Christianity is all about Christ then what is He all about?

Jesus is all about bringing glory to God

John 5: 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son

gives life to whom he will.

22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,

23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father . Whoever does not

honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Joh 12: 23 And Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be

glorified.

28 Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven: I have glorified it,

and I will glorify it again.

John 13: 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified,

and God is glorified in him.

32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at

once.

John 17: 1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven,

and said, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with

you before the world existed.

6 I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.

Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.

Php 2: 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that

is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , in heaven and on earth

and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the

Father.

Then why does God save me?
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/glorioushttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/glorioushttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/glorious


3/4

- 3 - 2006 03 26

My salvation is to the glory of GodIsa 43:25 I, I am he

who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,

and I will not remember your sins.

2Co 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and morepeople it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

1Pe 1:7 so that the tested genuineness of your faithmore precious than gold that

perishes though it is tested by firemay be found to result in praise and glory

and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

I Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for

his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you

out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Ro 15:6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of ourLord Jesus Christ.

Ro 15:9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is

written,

Therefore I will praiseyou among the Gentiles,

and sing to your name.

1Co 6:20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Ps 23: 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his names sake.

Creations end is the glory of GodIsaiah 43: 7 everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory ,

whom I formed and made.

Gods glory is the final aim of everything:

I Peter 4: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as

one who serves by the strength that God suppliesin order that in everything God

may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion

forever and ever. Amen.

1Co 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, orwhatever you do, do all to the glory ofGod.

Colossians 1: 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created

through him and for him.

Romans 11: 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?

35 Or who has given a gift to himthat he might be repaid?

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory

forever. Amen.

Doxology is what Christianity is all about:I Timothy 1: 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost,

Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to

believe in him for eternal life.

17 Tothe King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory

forever and ever. Amen.

Jude 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present youblameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory ,

majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Revelation 15: 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song

of the Lamb, saying,

Great and amazing are your deeds,

O Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways,

O King of the nations!


4/4

- 4 - 2006 03 26

4 Who will not fear, O Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.

Revelation 5: 9 And they sang a new song, saying,

Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.

11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the

elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of

thousands,

12 saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receivepower and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the

sea, and all that is in them, saying, To him who sits on the throne and to the

Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!

14 And the four living creatures said, Amen! and the elders fell down and

worshiped.

Jeremiah 10: 6 There is none like you, O LORD;

you are great, and your name is great in might.

7 Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?

For this is your due;

for among all the wise ones of the nationsand in all their kingdoms

there is none like you.

Psalm 99: 1 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

2 The LORD is great in Zion;

he is exalted over all the peoples.

3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he!

5 Exalt the LORD our God;

worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!

Psalm 135: 1 Praise the LORD!

Praise the name of the LORD,

give praise, O servants of the LORD,3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;

sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

5 For I know that the LORD is great,

and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does ,

in heaven and on earth,

in the seas and all deeps.

Psalm 138: 1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

2 I bow down toward your holy temple

and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,for you have exalted above all things

your name and your word.

Are you doing what you were created to do? Is your life

characterized by a desire to bring glory to God? Your satisfaction

and enjoyment in life will be directly proportional to your capacity

to consciously glorify God. Your level of frustration and

meaninglessness is tied directly to your failure to glorify God in all

things.

Next week: How to live the Christian life(in the strength that God supplies so that he gets the glory. I Pet 4:11)

Documents

060326 What Christianity is All About