Thoughts from WorshipGod 09 part 2: The God of Worship
August 11, 2009
John Piper preached the first two sessions of the conference, and it was a great privilege to sit under his ministry. His first sermon rang the notes at the center of his theology–that the glory of God, and our joy in that glory, are what the Gospel is all about. It is in the Gospel where God’s character is revealed most clearly and vindicated most definitively.
Romans 3:21-26 is a central passage to this understanding of God and the Gospel. A key to understanding this passage is understanding the grave problem that results when God passes over sin: If God is just, then how can He possibly overlook sin? If sin really is as serious as the Bible claims it is, then it is scandalous for the One who is to judge sin to pass over it freely!
But in this passage, we see how it is that God’s glory is shown forth and vindicated in passing over sin: how He is proved both just and the Justifier. Jesus is the propitiation–the One who satisfies the wrath and justice of God, the One who receives the judgment incurred by our sin so that God is perfectly righteous in passing over our sin. With His wrath satisfied by Christ, God is free to show mercy and grace to His people.
In this way, the Gospel is the vindication of God’s glory in the sight of the world, and in this way it becomes clear that the magnification of God’s glory is also the manifestation of God’s love for us. It is not egomaniacal for God to seek His own glory; rather, since the magnification of His glory is accomplished in the Gospel, and the Gospel brings us to God, the true Satisfaction of our souls, then seeking His own glory is the most loving thing God can do for us!
This raises the question for us: Why do we rejoice in the Gospel? Do we rejoice because in the Gospel God makes much of us? Do we see the Gospel as primarily about winning benefits for us? Or do we rejoice in the Gospel because it is through the Gospel that we are set free to join in making much of God?
Which brings to mind a question posed in something I read recently–Do the songs we sing together focus primarily on the many benefits we get from the Gospel, or do we sing more of the glory of God as displayed in the Gospel? Of course, we get benefits from the Gospel; but the chief benefit is to join in the story of redemption as the glory of God is magnified through what He has accomplished. We are cheating ourselves–and potentially creating idols–if we focus on ourselves as recipients of God’s benefits rather than focusing on God as worthy of highest glory and honor.
This God is supremely worthy of worship, and it is He who we join together to magnify each time we gather. May our hearts be captivated with the greatness of His glory this Sunday.
I’d encourage you to take the time to listen to Piper’s sermon here.