Revealing a Tapestry: God's Glory

Communion

Come and get it

I remember doing multiplication tables in grade school.

Over and over again, we would do those sheets. 2 by 2, 6 by 7, 4 by 8 and as one who struggled with busy work I wondered why we had to do it SO MANY TIMES...

But…today I can estimate a tip in my head.

I can figure out about what tax is going to cost me before I get to the register, I hated the repitition…but I love the results.

Jesus called his disciples to a table and instituded a meal that the church has taken for 2 millenia. Some weekly, some monthly. There is a variety of forms and styles.

All share one purpose: Remembering Jesus, his life, his atoning death, and his resurrection in power.

But sometimes with repetition…we begin to worry that it will lose it’s meaning.

The key, like the multiplication tables is to fix our hearts on the results.

Eyes fixed on Jesus have hope. Eyes fixed on Jesus are grateful, eyes fixed on Jesus do not fear, eyes fixed on Jesus walk on water.

So we come to this table again, fixing our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith. Jesus.

We practice an open table at Hockinson Community Church, meaning you do not need to be a member to participate, we invite all who trust Jesus as savior and lord to join in this meal.

Parents, your child’s participation is up to you.

1 cor 11:23-26 “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

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Oops: Every person struggles with a worship problem, our lives focused on our own glory

Monica and I have had to accept the difficult truth that despite all our attempts to raise our daughter right…she is a cat person.

Now we know dogs aren’t perfect, but c’mon…

Our dogs jump up and down at the window every time we get home. Annoying, but it’s because they are so happy to see us.

Cats will glance up, like “finally, you got here to feed me.”

I’ve heard it said that while dogs have masters, cats have staff. Having had both, Pretty fair.

Pastors Bob “shogren” and Gerald Robinson put it another way in their book, Cat and Dog Theology:

A dog says, “you pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, You must be God.”

A cat says, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, I must be God.”

They go on to point out that we struggle with a cat theology. Oh we would never say it, preach it, or proclaim it. but at some level we each look at God and Lord you love me, you bless me abundantly, you gave your life for me, I must be god.

cat theology doesn’t say, I must be God, but it’s our natural bend to focus on what God did for us, how life is about us, If God died for us, then he must live for us too!

The truth is, God has done so much to bless us. He loves us deeper than we can imagine, he did go to the cross that we might have life…but...

Dog theology looks at it and says, no, it’s all about him. He does all these things for his own glory and he should.

We are all a little of both, they go on to say in the book that we’re all cats having moments of dogness.

I want to show two things this morning. First that God’s glory is God’s greatest purpose (and that’s a good thing), and second that our purpose not only as individual humans, but maybe especially as this woven together body of believers is the same, and that our greatest joy and life comes when we pursue God’s glory instead of our own.

Ugh: God exists for his own glory, and that’s good

God’s Glory

In Creation

Easy place to start. Who was the world made for? Consider for a moment the beauty of a swordfish.

If you have seen them on discovery or national geographic, they have brilliant colors that flash and change with the sun.

But thirty seconds out where the people live and the colors all drain away. That swordfish mounted on the wall in Sportsmans warehouse had to be painted by a skilled artist to get it to approximate what it looks like in the water.

If this world were really for us primarily, why bother with the intense beauty we never see?

Why create galaxies our eyes will never witness and planets our feet will never stand on?

Colossians 1 contains a beautiful poem describing the glory of Jesus, and this is the second line:

Colossians 1:16 “For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.”

All things through him and for him.

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, he took chaos and shaped it into order and in the same way Van Gogh revealed his mind and heart in the vivid strokes of his brush, God revealed his glory in creation.

Mighty mountains, and delicate hummingbirds.

Crushing oceans, and gentle creeks

The power of an elephant, and the glow of a lightning bug.

God puts himself on display as mighty and tender, unyielding and kind, shaking the ground and bringing light to darkness.

No wonder Paul says this

Romans 1:20 “For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.”

But as that chapter goes on to say, humanity has a track record of looking at all of that and making it about us.

worshipping the sun, the moon and stars instead of the one who hung them in the skies.

Ultimately the gods created by humanity have always been … about us.

Sacrifices made to God’s of harvest, health, and seasons for our benefit.

The God we meet in scripture, can and will provide for people, but the worship is not about earning it, it’s because he is worthy.

In Salvation

For God so loved the world…I’ve used that verse a few times in messages lately. It’s important for us to know it, to understand it. God loves you deeper than you can imagine.

but…is that the reason Jesus died? Just because he loves you?

Paul says no.

Romans 15:8-9 “For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, and so that...

Stopping there for a moment. Paul is describing the saving sacrifice of Jesus. He did all that “so that”.

how would we fill in the gap?

So we might go to heaven? So we might avoid hell? So we might be saved? Let’s see:

…so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to your name.”

The cross points out God’s great love for us. But EVEN MORE SO it points out God’s glory as one who loves.

That God’s nature is to give life even at cost

That God is mighty to save those who have rejected him

That God is stronger than the grave because he is LIFE

Paul goes into a medley from the psalms and prophets to declare praise to a God who is worthy and that we can rejoice in that.

In Eternity

Let’s dig farther on that track. Who is heaven for? What is it’s purpose?

Is it for us to be forever happy? That happens

Is it for us to avoid hell? That’s a nice benefit

But is that what it’s for?

Revelation gives us a glimpse behind the curtain:

Revelation 4:9-11 “Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.”

The citizens of heaven don’t seem to spend time singing about how great and blessed people are. All eyes are on Jesus.

In Cat and Dog theology, the point is made that the cat in us tends to view salvation as an escape from hell or a gaining of eternal life. Not wrong…just incomplete.

Dogs on the other hand can’t wait for heaven because that’s where Jesus is and like my dogs jumping and howling at the window they can’t wait to be in the presence of the one they adore.

As Billy Graham contemplated heaven, he said:

“The most thrilling thing about heaven is that Jesus Christ will be there. I will see Him face to face. Jesus Christ will meet us at the end of life’s journey.”

On another occasion he touched on where we go from here:

“In heaven I’ll wish with all my heart that I could reclaim a thousandth part of the time I’ve let slip through my fingers, that I could call back those countless conversations which could have glorified my Lord—but didn’t.”

Aha: What is the primary purpose of humanity? Of the Church?

God is worthy to be the one glorified. It is not narcissistic for God to do what brings himself glory for there is no better purpose.

For you and I to do the same would be a tragic mistake…because we weren’t made to carry that load. We were made and redeemed for God’s glory because his glory is perfect and not corrupted by sin

God can have a perfect sense of self without selfishness

This is why the Westminster Shorter Catechism (one of the great old teaching tools of the church) in it’s series of questions and answers asks: What is the chief end of man?

in other words, what are people for?

To which it answers: To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

John Piper refers to this lifestyle as Christian Hedonism: A weird combination of words, simply put to highlight that our greatest happiness comes when we are most satisfied in and reflecting God’s glory.

One of my favorite hymns is Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full, in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace

Toward the end of John, Jesus gives his final teaching to the disciples, a worthwhile read, chapters 14-17. Here’s a few lines pertinent to our purposes today:

John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.”

John 17:4-5 “I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.”

John 17:9-10 ““I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours. Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them.”

John 17:22-24 “I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation.”

I realize that was a scripture overload…I didn’t do that so you would know those verses…though I would spend time knowing this passage. I read those because I want you to be overwhelmed by the reality that Jesus established the church for a clear purpose: TO Bring HIM glory.

In our culture we make lots of choices based on preference and our own desires.

We choose our clothes to look the way we like to look.

Some choose Starbucks, some choose Dutch, some choose Hearth, all based on what slight variation in caffinated goodness brings you the most satisfaction.

But our lives are meant for more. We were made to glorify God.

Even more so then, this woven together body we call the church.

We are not here first and foremost for you or I. It is so easy for us to look at our church experience through a lens of our own purposes for us, for our family...

But the body of Christ, here at HCC and beyond was never about that. It was and is about Him and his glory.

That’s the underlying foundation of that mission statement:

We love God completely - His glory is our hearts desire

We love People - because when we do we glorify him, because we reflect him

We make disciples because that is obedience to his commission to his church and we bring him glory when we follow him into the field in obedience to do the work of ministry in the lives of others.

At the end of the day this church will not be judged on numbers or programs, on the style of worship, or the little odds and ends.

The question God will have for us is did we as the church woven together in Hockinson, Washington bring him glory?

Whee: How do we live for God’s glory as a woven together church?

So how? Here are some practical steps.

How do we Glorify?

Check our Motives

There is a saying I’ve heard many variations of, “When you pursue your own happiness, you’ll never find it. When you pursue someone else’s, yours is thrown in.”

I have found this to be true. Not to mention consistent with everything Jesus and the rest of scripture speak to when it comes to contentment and joy.

(note: what I’m about to share in regards to the woven together church, is just as true in the woven together family, friend group, workplace…)

We can have bad motives when it comes to worship and knowing God’s word.

Here’s one example of many from the prophets:

Amos 5:21-24 “I hate, I despise, your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle. Take away from me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.”

That word, Justice: Mispat is more than what we mean when we talk about our justice system: punishment for guilt.

It is about not only doing right, but seeking out the welfare of others, not being ok when you benefit from someone’s oppression, as Jesus defines it “doing to others as you would have them do to you”

God says the worship of our gathering, of our giving, of our songs are not interesting to him if our lives don’t give him glory.

What are your motives when it comes to church?

When you worship, is your heart tuned to please God, or are you looking for an experience?

When you give, is it freely, sacrificially, and cheerfully? or is it grudgingly or obligitory?

When you listen to the message, are you hoping to feel good, be entertained, to learn something new? Or, are you listening for how you can serve Jesus better?

Or…here’s something cool to pursue. What if you began each message praying for God to open your own heart to change, AND prayed for God to reveal something from the message that you can share with someone to help them meet or get closer to Jesus?

If every person walked into this room on a Sunday morning thinking about how to serve others to glorify God, what kind of impact would that have in this community?

Do you think we could restrain it to these walls? I wouldn’t need to encourage you to be the church beyond the walls, you wouldn’t be able to help yourselves but do it.

Contentment without Satisfaction

This sounds strange I know. But hear me out.

Contentment is not desiring more for you. It’s being able to say, that toy is cool, but I don’t need it.

It’s saying what I have is enough. It is gratitude for the family you have, not bitterness because of what you wish they were.

It’s joy in the job you have, not frustration because of what it isn’t.

Contentment is something you can have with much or little: Philippians 4:13 is a famous coffee mug verse. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

But in context the verse is even better:

Philippians 4:11-12 “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.”

Paul’s anything is specifically talking about being ok and grateful with what he has.

But satisfaction is the point where we stop pursuing what is better.

That job, be content in it…and do the work, learn the skills, take the risks that allow you to do more or do different.

Your family, be content with them…and do the work to pour into them to help them grow and become more like Jesus and find it can get even better!

It is far easier to be satisfied than content

Then my job just stinks, and I don’t have to put in the effort to change.

My family is not what I want, and I suffer, but I don’t have to change.

Students: Frustrated by your family? What can you do to serve them?

Parents: Frustrated by your student? How can you love them?

Spouses: Frustrated by your spouse? I think you get it, do the work of ministry for one anther. Content, but not satisfied.

As a church body, woven together we want to be content, but never satisfied.

It’s easier to be frustrated at what we wish the church could be, all the while satisfied with the impact we are making...

But what if we approached our church life with gratitude and joy for all the blessings it brings now…and never satisfied with the impact we are having today, believing God has a mission and until the day he takes us home we will do the work of ministry inside and outside this building to see God glorified as we serve obediently?

The problem with satisfaction is it pairs nicely with despair at things getting better. We settle, rather than do the work.

And to do the work we need a motive, and there is no motive like God’s glory when we truly come to love Him.

It’s awesome what happens when God’s glory is what we live for.

Bearing Fruit

Finally, I want to come back to one of the bits from Jesus’ farewell speech:

John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.”

Linking very strongly to the last point, the bottom line is, are we bearing fruit? In our lives? As a woven together church?

If not…what steps do we need to take?

Yeah: What do we do?

We’re all a bunch of cats having dog moments.

Life, family, church, is about us, or it’s about God.

Do we look at the cross and all God’s love and blessings and think it’s all about us?

or do we see it all and marvel at God’s majesty and give all the glory to him?

So this is where I want us to go from here.

I want you to pray with me for us. Because I need this word as much as anyone.

A prayer of surrender of this church body, of our lives as individual threads within it. Surrender to God’s glory as our highest and best purpose and desire

Then following the prayer, The worship team will begin to play. Here’s what I want you to do

I want you to listen for God to speak one specific area where he is inviting you to reflect his glory in a new way.

Maybe it’s an attitude or action within your family.

Maybe it’s how you approach God, in worship, giving, in serving, or his word that has been about you instead of him

Maybe it’s a neighbor you have resisted the call to build a relationship with so you could glorify God in making a disciple because you have been focused on the impact to you.

Maybe it’s something entirely different…That’s between you and the Lord. But We’ll give it several minutes for you to have that moment with the Lord

When you feel God has given you something specific to surrender, I want you to stand and continue to pray.

I’m going to pray for you as you stand, so stay standing

after those few minutes the team will lead us in a (new?) song pushing us deeper into God’s glory

And then before you leave…will you share how God challenged you with someone else?

Let’s pray

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