The Glory, The Gospel, The Goal

The Glory -

The Holiness of God - Isaiah 6:1-3

Revelation 4:8 ESV

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Holy = set apart

Isaiah 44:6–7 ESV

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.

The only attribute declared of God three times. God is not said to be love love love

God is not said to be love love love

It is normal to attempt to make God into something familiar; often more like ourselves.

God made us in His image, but we tend to think He bears ours.

He is not a tame lion!

The Righteous Judgment of God - Isaiah 6:8-13

1 Samuel 8:7 ESV

And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.

1sam 8:7

The sure defeat and destruction of the nation Israel was just

Yet a remnant - v13: though a tenth

Genesis 18:32 ESV

Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

1 Peter 3:20 ESV

because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

1 Kings 18:19 ESV

Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

God is gracious even while being just in judgment

The Glory of God

Isaiah 6:3 ESV

And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

glory = splendor, honor, brightness, radiance

Psalm 19:1 ESV

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Romans 1:20 ESV

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

The proclamation of the Lordship and Holiness of God fills the earth, the air, the ears, hearts, and minds of all who hear with the glory of God.

Therefore the right response to seeing God as Holy and to having your sins taken away, is to say, “Here I am! Send me,”

Jeremiah 20:9 ESV

If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

It is ours to fill our lives and the earth around us with the glory of God by means of gospel proclamation

The Gospel -

It is important then to ensure that our confession, our proclamation, our central theme is in fact the gospel of Jesus, which alone and wholly apart from any other message is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe

The Gospel is according to the scriptures

is according to the Bible

is according to the Old Testament

is the message of the New Testament

The gospels and Acts = historic narrative

The letters are commentary and application

The Revelation is the prophecy & conclusion

The Gospel is about Jesus

His life/death - vicarious sacrifice / substitution

His burial - completion of death, full participation

His resurrection & appearing to many - vindication, victory, verification

The Gospel is to be proclaimed - v10-11

2 Corinthians 11:23 ESV

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

Jesus commanded it; it’s why we are still here

Matthew 24:14 ESV

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus is to be a life-long endeavor

2 Corinthians 11:23 ESV

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

We are not left to our own strength to accomplish it

Colossians 1:29 ESV

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

The Gospel of Jesus is to be our constant and eternal refrain.

And when, before the throne, I stand in Him complete, “Jesus died my soul to save, My lips shall still repeat.

The Goal -

The goal is not to be unchanged -

repentance = change

When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said “Repent,” he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.

Jesus instructed the what, when, where, and how AFTER they had labored all night.

It is our then, to be obedient to the master like Peter here

The goal is not fish, no matter the number or type - Luke 5:10

Success in life/business is not God’s priority for your life, although He may grant it

Genesis 41:41–45 ESV

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

Christian doctrine of vocation is good, but there is danger of idolatry

1 Corinthians 12:21–23 ESV

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,

The goal is following Jesus -

We do not know what Jesus knows

We are not responsible for results

We are simply called to follow

My prayer for myself, my family, and my church family is simply that we would more and more follow Jesus in all we do, say, and think.