God's Glory: The Center of All Creation

In this sermon, I explore the profound truth that God is the most God-centered being in existence. This concept challenges the prevalent man-centered perspective of our age, where many believe that God's worth is measured by how much He makes of us. Instead, we must recognize that God's ultimate purpose is to glorify Himself and enjoy Himself forever. This is not a deficiency or a need on God's part but an overflow of His perfect, intra-divine worship. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in a perfect relationship of love and admiration, and this divine energy is the source of all creation.

God's actions throughout history, from predestination to creation, salvation, and the return of Christ, are all driven by His desire to magnify His glory. Ephesians 1 reveals that God's plan of redemption is "unto the praise of the glory of His grace." Similarly, Isaiah 43 declares that we are created for God's glory. The incarnation of Christ, His death, and our sanctification all serve the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. Even the return of Christ is centered on His glorification and the marveling of His saints.

This God-centeredness is not just a theological concept but a call to action. As believers, we are invited to join God in His mission of self-glorification through missions and evangelism. Our lives should reflect the image of God, pointing others to His glory. This requires a radical shift in perspective, moving away from a man-centered view to a God-centered one. Only then can we truly fulfill our purpose and participate in God's global enterprise of glorifying Himself.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Centeredness:** God is the most God-centered being, and His actions are driven by the desire to glorify Himself. This challenges the man-centered perspective that measures God's worth by how much He makes of us. Understanding God's God-centeredness helps us align our lives with His ultimate purpose. [01:03]
  2. The Overflow of Divine Worship: The creation of the universe is not out of God's need or deficiency but an overflow of the perfect worship within the Trinity. This divine energy is the source of all creation, and it calls us to participate in God's glory.
  
  3. Predestination and Creation: God's plan of redemption and creation is "unto the praise of the glory of His grace." We are created in God's image to reflect His glory, and our existence is meant to image God. This understanding gives purpose and direction to our lives.
  
  4. The Incarnation and Salvation: Christ's incarnation and death serve the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. The salvation offered to the nations is so that they might glorify God for His mercy. This highlights the centrality of God's glory in the gospel message.
  
  5. Missions and God's Glory: Missions is the Church's commitment to join God in His global enterprise of self-glorification. Our participation in missions is a response to God's passion for His own glory, and it requires a radical shift from a man-centered to a God-centered perspective.
  
  ** [01:03]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:08] - God's Plan for Redemption
• [00:29] - The God-Centeredness of God
• [01:18] - God's Infinite Energy
• [02:04] - Intra-Divine Worship
• [03:02] - The Mystery of God's Existence
• [04:17] - The Name of God
• [05:04] - God's Absolute Reality
• [06:31] - The Ultimate Mystery
• [07:49] - Creation as Overflow of Worship
• [09:10] - The Chief End of Man
• [10:34] - Man-Centered vs. God-Centered
• [12:21] - Predestination and God's Glory
• [14:22] - Creation for God's Glory
• [16:41] - The Incarnation and God's Truthfulness
• [19:05] - Salvation and God's Righteousness
• [20:33] - Sanctification and God's Praise
• [21:38] - Missions and God's Self-Glorification

1. Ephesians 1:3-6 - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."
2. Isaiah 43:6-7 - "I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
3. Philippians 1:9-11 - "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."

1. According to Ephesians 1:3-6, what is the purpose of God's plan of redemption? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on God’s God-centeredness? [13:19]
2. In Isaiah 43:6-7, what reason does God give for creating His people? How does this passage support the sermon’s message about creation being for God's glory? [14:53]
3. How does Philippians 1:9-11 describe the outcome of being filled with the fruits of righteousness? What does this suggest about the purpose of our sanctification? [20:33]

1. How does understanding God as the most God-centered being challenge the prevalent man-centered perspective in today's culture? What implications does this have for how we view our relationship with God? [01:03]
2. The sermon mentions that creation is an overflow of divine worship within the Trinity. How does this concept affect our understanding of the purpose of the universe and our place in it? [08:06]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that missions and evangelism are responses to God's passion for His own glory? How does this perspective shift the focus of these activities? [21:38]

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you have adopted a man-centered view of God? How can you begin to shift towards a more God-centered perspective in your daily life? [10:34]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of glorifying God in all aspects of life. Identify one specific area in your life where you can more intentionally reflect God's glory. What steps will you take to make this change? [09:10]
3. Consider the relationships in your life. How can you encourage others to see and reflect God's glory? What practical actions can you take this week to point others to God’s greatness? [16:17]
4. Missions is described as joining God in His global enterprise of self-glorification. How can you personally participate in this mission, whether locally or globally? What is one action you can take this month to contribute to this mission? [21:38]
5. The sermon challenges us to align our lives with God's ultimate purpose. What is one specific way you can align your personal goals with the goal of glorifying God? How will you hold yourself accountable to this commitment? [12:21]
6. Reflect on the concept of intra-divine worship as the source of creation. How does this understanding influence your worship practices? What changes might you make to ensure your worship is more God-centered? [08:06]
7. How can you cultivate a deeper appreciation for God's God-centeredness in your spiritual life? What resources or practices can you incorporate to help you grow in this understanding? [01:03]