Finding Joy in God's Glory: A Gospel Perspective

Devotional

Day 1: God's Glory and Our Joy

God's commitment to His own glory is not in conflict with our desire for happiness. Instead, they are one and the same. When we find our ultimate satisfaction in God, we glorify Him, and this is the essence of the Gospel. This understanding transforms our perspective on life, showing us that our deepest joy is found in the glorification of God. When we align our desires with His glory, we experience a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose. This is not a call to self-denial but an invitation to experience the fullness of joy that comes from a life centered on God. [07:06]

"For you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet." (Psalm 8:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you seek to find your satisfaction in God today, and how might this pursuit bring glory to Him?

Day 2: The Gain in Death

For Paul, dying is gain because it means being with Christ. This perspective challenges us to see death not as a loss but as a transition to greater intimacy with Jesus, where our joy is made complete. This understanding of death transforms our fears and anxieties, allowing us to live with a sense of peace and hope. It invites us to view our earthly life as a journey towards an eternal relationship with Christ, where our ultimate joy and satisfaction are found. [13:09]

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell." (Philippians 1:21-22, ESV)

Reflection: How does the perspective of death as gain change the way you live your life today, and how can it influence your interactions with others?

Day 3: Christ Glorified in Our Satisfaction

Christ is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. This truth calls us to pursue our joy in God as our ultimate vocation, aligning our desires with His glory. It challenges us to examine our lives and identify areas where we seek satisfaction apart from God. By redirecting our desires towards Him, we not only glorify Christ but also experience the fullness of joy that He offers. This pursuit of satisfaction in God is not selfish but is the very means by which God is glorified. [15:03]

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:25-26, ESV)

Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you seek satisfaction apart from God, and how can you begin to redirect those desires towards Him today?

Day 4: Missions as Gain

The call to missions is a call to gain, not loss. By participating in God's global cause, we invite others to experience the ultimate satisfaction found in making much of God, which is the essence of true joy. This perspective on missions transforms our understanding of evangelism and outreach, seeing them not as burdensome tasks but as opportunities to share the joy we have found in God. It compels us to join God in His mission of self-glorification among the nations, inviting others to experience the same joy and satisfaction. [16:22]

"Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods." (1 Chronicles 16:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you participate in God's global mission today, and who in your life can you invite to experience the joy of knowing Him?

Day 5: Self-Exaltation and Joy

God's self-exaltation is the foundation of all lasting and deep joy. Understanding this truth transforms our perspective on life and compels us to join God in His mission of self-glorification among the nations. It challenges us to see our lives as part of a larger story, where our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This understanding invites us to live with a sense of purpose and direction, knowing that our joy is found in the exaltation of God. [17:17]

"Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!" (Psalm 96:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you align your daily life with God's mission of self-glorification, and how might this alignment bring you deeper joy and satisfaction?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound relationship between God's self-glorification and our ultimate satisfaction. The central question posed was whether Jesus' love for us is about esteeming our intrinsic value or about enabling us to enjoy the infinite value of God. The answer to this question shapes how we perceive the good news of the Gospel. If we understand that God's commitment to His own glory aligns with our deepest joy, then we see that His self-glorification is not at odds with our happiness but is, in fact, the very foundation of it.

We delved into Philippians 1:20-21, where Paul expresses his desire for Christ to be magnified in his life and death. This passage reveals that our ultimate gain is found in Christ, and that even in death, we can find joy because it brings us closer to Him. The key insight here is that Christ is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. This means that our pursuit of joy and satisfaction in God is not selfish but is the very means by which God is glorified.

The implications of this truth are profound for our lives and for missions. Our ultimate vocation is to pursue joy in God, and this pursuit leads to a life that honors Him. Missions, therefore, is not about loss but about gain—inviting others to find their ultimate satisfaction in God. When we understand that God's self-exaltation is the ground of all lasting joy, we are compelled to join Him in His global cause of glorification among the nations.

Key Takeaways

1. God's Glory and Our Joy: God's commitment to His own glory is not in conflict with our desire for happiness. Instead, they are one and the same. When we find our ultimate satisfaction in God, we glorify Him, and this is the essence of the Gospel. [07:06]
2. The Gain in Death: For Paul, dying is gain because it means being with Christ. This perspective challenges us to see death not as a loss but as a transition to greater intimacy with Jesus, where our joy is made complete. [13:09]
3. Christ Glorified in Our Satisfaction: Christ is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. This truth calls us to pursue our joy in God as our ultimate vocation, aligning our desires with His glory. [15:03]
4. Missions as Gain: The call to missions is a call to gain, not loss. By participating in God's global cause, we invite others to experience the ultimate satisfaction found in making much of God, which is the essence of true joy. [16:22]
5. Self-Exaltation and Joy: God's self-exaltation is the foundation of all lasting and deep joy. Understanding this truth transforms our perspective on life and compels us to join God in His mission of self-glorification among the nations. [17:17]
** [17:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:51] - Understanding Jesus' Love
[05:37] - God's Self-Glorification as Good News
[06:23] - Biblical vs. Man-Centered Worldview
[07:06] - God's Glory and Our Satisfaction
[08:24] - Seeking Scripture for Truth
[09:18] - Magnifying Christ in Life and Death
[10:43] - The Relationship Between Glory and Gain
[12:01] - Life and Death in Christ
[13:09] - The Gain in Dying
[14:16] - Christ Glorified in Our Satisfaction
[15:22] - Pursuing Joy as Vocation
[16:22] - Missions as Gain
[17:17] - Self-Exaltation and Joy
[18:32] - Prayer and Call to Action

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading
- Philippians 1:20-21

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Observation Questions

In Philippians 1:20-21, what does Paul express as his desire regarding Christ in his life and death? How does this relate to the sermon’s message about magnifying Christ? [09:18]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between God's self-glorification and our ultimate satisfaction? [07:06]
What does the sermon suggest is the reason Paul considers dying as gain? [13:09]

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Interpretation Questions

How does the idea that "Christ is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" challenge or affirm your understanding of the Gospel? [15:03]
What does it mean for missions to be a call to gain rather than loss, according to the sermon? How does this perspective affect the way we view evangelism? [16:22]
The sermon suggests that God's self-exaltation is the foundation of all lasting joy. How does this perspective influence our daily lives and decisions? [17:17]

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Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt that your pursuit of joy was at odds with glorifying God. How might the sermon’s message change your perspective on that experience? [07:06]
How can you practically pursue joy in God as your ultimate vocation in your current life situation? What steps can you take this week to align your desires with His glory? [15:22]
The sermon describes death as a transition to greater intimacy with Jesus. How does this perspective influence your view of life and death? How can it bring comfort in times of loss? [13:09]
Consider your involvement in missions or evangelism. How can you shift your mindset to see these activities as opportunities for gain rather than loss? What specific actions can you take to invite others to find satisfaction in God? [16:22]
Identify an area in your life where you struggle to see God's self-exaltation as the ground of your joy. What practical steps can you take to transform your perspective in this area? [17:17]
How can you encourage others in your community to see the connection between God's glory and their joy? What role can you play in fostering this understanding within your small group or church? [17:30]

Sermon Clips

"God's unwavering commitment to his self-glorification is good news wherever people believe that seeing and savoring God is Ultimate satisfaction not seeing and savoring ourselves, so how free are you from the 20th century here's the question, how biblical are you how much have your bones been saturated by the biblical worldview rather than the therapeutic man-centered worldview that we've breathed for a couple of centuries." [00:05:45]

"God's commitment to his own Glory is good news because his commitment to self glorification and my commitment desire for ultimate satisfaction are not on a collision course, if they were I'd have no good news I would not be in this pulpit, if God's commitment to the glorification of God and my passion to be a happy person forever we're on a collision course I would quit the ministry in a minute, because there would be no gospel in the universe." [00:06:46]

"Paul here is saying something that we need to hear because it relates absolutely directly powerfully to what we've been saying namely how is Christ Son of God magnified in life and in death here's his answer, it is my Earnest expectation this is chapter 1 verse 20. and hope that I will not be put to shame in anything but that with all boldness Christ will even now as always be magnified or your version may say glorified or honored in my body whether by life or by death." [00:09:08]

"His passion is that in his life and death Christ would be made great among the Nations, magnified glorified honored people will read off of your life Wow, their God is great, that's what that verse says, that's what he wants to happen now Paul is so helpful for us he is in the Bible one of those great arguers he gives reasons for things so the next verse begins with four or because and now he's giving the underpinning of how you live a life in life and death that magnifies Christ." [00:10:04]

"Christ will be magnified in my dying if in my dying I count Christ as gain, or to put it another way, praising Christ is the key to praising Christ, or to put it another way, Christ is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Christ even when I die, if that's true, then God's glory and my satisfaction are not on a collision course, they are one." [00:14:22]

"If the way God has designed for his glory to be magnified in the world is for his people to count him gain to cherish him and treasure him and be satisfied in him then there is no conflict between God's being magnified in your life and you're being satisfied in life, in fact I'm going to argue tonight with all my might over there in Pierce Chapel that the implication of what I have just said is that your ultimate vocation must be the pursuit of your joy in all that you do or you will dishonor God in all that you do." [00:15:19]

"Missions which is a recruitment, it's a recruitment to join God in his Global cause of World evangelization is not a recruitment for loss but for gain, and if you realize that, that ultimate gain ultimate satisfaction ultimate Joy ultimate contentment is found in making much of God, then you won't hear Yesterday is bad news, you will conclude this God is the one being in all the universe for whom self-exaltation is the ground of all lasting and deep jubilation." [00:16:09]

"God is the one being in all the universe for whom self-exaltation is the ground of all lasting and deep jubilation, they are not at odds, they are one, join him I beg of you for your joy and for his glory join him in his self-glorification among the Nations." [00:17:07]

"My heart's desire is that these students would see what Paul is saying about his own life and his own death in such a way that these verses would rivet them not as Piper's words but as God's words, my hope is to magnify my Christ for to me to live and to die, Lord help them to get it to see it to be changed by it to be called by it and may hundreds join you thousands join you in your Global Enterprise of self glorification." [00:18:07]

"God-centered preaching to help you see Christ clearly and treasure him truly, I'm your host Dan groover thank you for listening, on our next episode John Piper will preach on the chief end of suffering the final sermon in our three-part series God's Global Glory I hope you'll join us for more resources visit desiringgod.org." [00:18:40]

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Finding Joy in God's Glory: A Gospel Perspective

Devotional

Day 1: God's Glory and Our Joy

Day 2: The Gain in Death

Day 3: Christ Glorified in Our Satisfaction

Day 4: Missions as Gain

Day 5: Self-Exaltation and Joy

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Finding Joy in God's Glory: A Gospel Perspective

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