God's Heart for God: The Foundation of Our Faith

From creation to consummation, God's heart is consistently for God. His unwavering purpose in all that He does is to magnify His own worth and the glory of His name. This is the central theme of our exploration into God's heart, which is the most passionate for God in all the universe. As we delve into this, we must understand that God's heart for God is foundational to our understanding of what it means to have a heart for God ourselves. Without this understanding, our perspective becomes man-centered, and we miss the profound truth of God's self-glorifying nature.

In Matthew 24:1, Jesus warns that many false prophets will arise, and the love of many will grow cold as lawlessness increases. This is a call to action for us to fan the flames of our affection for God, especially as the end of the age approaches. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to stir one another up to love and good works, meeting together more often as the day of the Lord draws near. This is crucial because Satan despises love and will do everything to undermine it.

Our theme, "A Heart for God," is rooted in the concept of Christian Hedonism, which is intended to shock and provoke thought. It challenges us to see that God's actions throughout redemptive history are motivated by His love for His own glory. From creation, where we are made in His image to reflect His glory, to the election of Israel, the Exodus, and the return from exile, God's actions are consistently for His name's sake.

In the New Testament, the Incarnation of Christ is a divine conspiracy to glorify God. Jesus came to glorify the Father, and our lives are meant to reflect this purpose. We are destined to live for the praise of His glory, and even the second coming of Christ is to be glorified in His saints. Understanding this God-centeredness is crucial to grasping the true nature of grace and redemption.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God's heart is most passionate for God, and this is foundational to understanding our own relationship with Him. We must recognize that God's actions are motivated by His love for His own glory, which challenges our man-centered perspectives. [05:39]
• 2. As lawlessness increases, the love of many will grow cold. We are called to fan the flames of our affection for God and meet together to stir one another up to love and good works. This is essential in resisting Satan's attempts to undermine love. [01:32]
• 3. Christian Hedonism challenges us to see that God's actions throughout history are for His name's sake. From creation to the Incarnation, God's purpose is to magnify His own worth and glory. This understanding is crucial to grasping the nature of grace. [04:02]
• 4. The Incarnation of Christ is a divine conspiracy to glorify God. Jesus came to glorify the Father, and our lives are meant to reflect this purpose. We are destined to live for the praise of His glory, and even the second coming of Christ is to be glorified in His saints. [15:27]
• 5. Understanding God's God-centeredness is crucial to grasping the true nature of grace and redemption. We must allow ourselves to be displaced from the center of God's affections and recognize that God loves Himself more than He loves us. [18:08]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:18] - God's Heart for God
• [00:57] - Context of Matthew 24:1
• [01:32] - Fanning the Flames of Love
• [02:14] - Stirring One Another to Love
• [03:21] - Mission to Stir Love
• [03:39] - Christian Hedonism Explained
• [04:19] - Prayer for God's Glory
• [05:39] - God's Passionate Heart
• [06:39] - Survey of Redemptive History
• [07:14] - Creation for God's Glory
• [09:23] - Election of Israel
• [10:05] - The Exodus and God's Power
• [12:16] - God's Grace and Security
• [13:12] - Return from Exile
• [15:05] - Incarnation and Glory
• [16:21] - Second Coming for Glory
• [17:29] - God's Self-Love and Our Displacement

1. Matthew 24:1 - "Many false prophets will arise and deceive many, and because lawlessness is multiplied, the love of many will grow cold."
2. Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
3. Isaiah 43:6-7 - "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."

1. What does Matthew 24:1 warn us about the future and the state of people's hearts? [01:13]
2. According to Hebrews 10:24-25, what are believers encouraged to do as the Day of the Lord approaches? [02:14]
3. In Isaiah 43:6-7, for what purpose does God say He created people? [07:14]
4. How does the sermon describe God's motivation throughout redemptive history? [06:39]

1. How does the warning in Matthew 24:1 about love growing cold relate to the current state of the world? [01:32]
2. What might be the significance of meeting together more frequently as mentioned in Hebrews 10:24-25, especially in today's context? [02:29]
3. How does the concept of being created for God's glory in Isaiah 43:6-7 challenge common perceptions of self-worth and purpose? [07:35]
4. How does the sermon’s emphasis on God’s self-glorifying nature affect our understanding of grace and redemption? [14:48]

1. Reflect on your current spiritual temperature. Are there areas where your love for God or others has grown cold? What steps can you take to rekindle that love? [01:32]
2. How can you actively participate in stirring up love and good works within your community or small group? What practical steps can you take this week? [02:14]
3. Consider the idea that God created you for His glory. How does this perspective influence your daily decisions and interactions with others? [07:35]
4. In what ways can you align your life more closely with the purpose of glorifying God, as Jesus did during His incarnation? [15:27]
5. How can you ensure that your gatherings with other believers are focused on encouraging one another and preparing for the Day of the Lord? [02:29]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt displaced from the center of attention. How can embracing God’s God-centeredness bring freedom and purpose to your life? [18:08]
7. Identify one area in your life where you might be placing yourself at the center rather than God. What changes can you make to shift that focus? [18:29]