Glory and Dominion
Notes
Transcript
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Background to passage: We are robbing this scripture from its original context to formulate a direct application related to our observance of the Lord’s Supper this morning. The link from the verse to Communion is the last half of the verse: “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Taking the Lord’s Supper is a visual reminder and celebration of the most God-glorifying event in history - the death, resurrection, and return of Christ; as well as the salvation it brings.
Opening Illustration: I was listening to a message this week by the American Prince of Preachers, Adrian Rogers. He was telling a story about a time when a homeless man who came to him asking for food money, however his breath and clothing told of a different kind of nourishment. So, he took him into a restaurant for a meal. During that meal he shared with him about Jesus and salvation. At the end of the meal and Dr. Rogers gospel presentation, he asked the man if he would like to receive Christ. The man said, “oh, no.” And Dr. Rogers of course asked why not. The man answered that there was too much he stood to lose. I thought to myself, at least that was a time when unbelievers understood and following Jesus required submitting to His authority and lordship. Now, even in the church, we can willfully rebel without conviction.
Main Thought: God being glorified through Jesus Christ
1. To Him Belongs Glory
Explanation: We use this language a great deal, so it doesn’t seem strange. We see it and say it often that our goal is to glorify God. It is what Jesus came to do, what the Holy Spirit does now, it’s the end for which God created and designed the world and all that it is in it.
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
I saw it on a sign this week that said “Jesus thought I was worth dying for.” Actually, he didn’t. He thought the glory of God was worth dying for. He endured the cross, despising the shame, “for the joy set before Him.”
Application: God was pleased to bruise him. He laid upon Christ our iniquities. He was handed over by the will and foreordination of God. Christ went to the cross not for my worth, but for His will. He receives glory not because he loves creation so much, but because he loves the Creator so much that he went to the cross to satisfy His wrath. We must dwell on the glory of God - His perfections, excellencies, and His exaltation; His value, worth, and attributes - meditate on them. I realize that we have an incomprehensible God, and that our finite brains cannot fathom the above mentioned things, but we must make every effort to plumb His depths. Our knowledge about Him and of Him should be ever increasing. It is the only way that we are to give him the glory he deserves and put on display what a glorious God he is. Look for the allusions to the cross throughout scripture. 1 Cor 10:31. Then, ensure that all of your life - your thoughts, your actions, your words, you aspirations, your time commitments, the use of your money, the stewardship of your resources, the demonstration of your generosity, the attitudes you display - magnify the excellencies of our great God! Make them see him for who he is! Let them see him as desirable in any fashion as treasure over any party of life. Here at the Communion table we give glory to him for the most glorious act ever that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ever did for their own glory, because they will not share it with another.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
2. To Him Belongs Dominion
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Explanation: Dominion is not a word that we use often. Here is carries the sense of controlling power — power to direct or determine (and govern). Christ rules and reigns over all creation, both now and forever! His sovereignty and authority command the wind and seas, the thoughts and volition of man, therefore we crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne, hark how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but it’s own, awake my soul and sing, of him who died for me, and hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity.
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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.
I read an article this week about the importance of lyrics in the songs we sing during our worship services (the lyrics, not the artists, writers, or authors). The author spoke about how when we leave the services the songs we sing in our minds during the week have as much (or more) of a teaching ministry than the pastor’s 30 minutes of bible proclamation on Sunday. One of the insights that I thought was a helpful takeaway from this article was that if we sing in generalities about God, we leave the gates open for cultural or humanistic or other unbiblical worldviews to interpret lyrics. He encouraged specifics to be mentioned. For instance, not just that God is great, but why he is great; not just he comforts the hurting, but how and why he comforts the hurting; not simply repeating that he is good to us, but his end goal in demonstrating his goodness, or purpose in creation, and on we could go...
On March 23, 1743, when “The Messiah” was first performed in London, the king was present in the great audience. It is reported that all were so deeply moved by the “Hallelujah Chorus” that with the impressive words, “For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” the whole audience, including the king sprang to its feet, and remained standing through the entire chorus. From that time to this it has always been the custom to stand during the chorus whenever it is performed. With spontaneous joy the soul stands to salute Him who “cometh in the name of the Lord.” He is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” and to Him we pledge allegiance. -Today
Application: The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the reason we do all things. Christ humbled himself, dwelt among men, shed his visible god-ness, submitted to the unjust suffering of the cross, then glorified was glorified by God in the resurrection. He is not seated at the right hand of God, given a name above every name, will be the judge of all men, with even the unrepentant rebels bowing the knee to his supremacy. The sovereignty, supremacy, and superiority of Christ is seen in the Supper and is crucial to everything we think, say, and do as believers and followers of Jesus.
Closing Illustration: Read Piper’s paragraphs from Sex and the Supremacy of God regarding his supremacy over everything
Recap and Closing Thoughts
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he 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, saying, “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.