God's Transformative Love: Glorifying Him Through Us
Devotional
Day 1: God's Love and Glory Intertwined
God's love for us is deeply connected to His glory. When He makes much of us, it is not solely for our benefit but for His divine purpose. This love is greater because it liberates us to enjoy making much of Him forever, aligning our joy with His glory. Understanding this connection helps us see that God's love is not diminished by His glory; rather, it is magnified. This perspective invites us to participate in His divine plan, where our ultimate joy and fulfillment are found in Him. [02:11]
"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you align your daily actions with the purpose of glorifying God, and how might this change your perspective on His love for you?
Day 2: Participants in God's Glory
We are not just recipients of God's love but participants in His glory. God makes much of us by being pleased with us, commending our lives, and making us an integral part of His divine happiness. This is a love that delights in us as a father delights in his child. By understanding our role as participants, we can embrace our identity as beloved children of God, knowing that our lives are significant in His eyes. This realization encourages us to live in a way that reflects His love and glory. [04:49]
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." (Romans 8:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's glory today, and what steps can you take to live as a beloved child of God?
Day 3: Inheriting the Universe with Christ
As fellow heirs with Christ, we inherit the universe. This inheritance is not just a future promise but a present reality that shapes our identity and purpose. We are called to live in the light of this inheritance, knowing that we are valued and loved by God. This understanding transforms how we view our lives and the world around us, encouraging us to live with purpose and hope. By embracing our inheritance, we can find strength and motivation to pursue God's will in our daily lives. [06:14]
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:3, ESV)
Reflection: What does it mean for you to live in the light of your inheritance with Christ, and how can this perspective influence your daily decisions and interactions?
Day 4: God's Humility and Service
God's love is demonstrated in His humility and service. In His second coming, He will serve us, a gesture that underscores His love and humility. This is a love that values us, rejoices over us, and promises us a glorious future. By recognizing God's humility, we are invited to reflect on our own attitudes and actions, striving to emulate His example of selfless love and service. This understanding challenges us to serve others with the same humility and love that God shows us. [08:30]
"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45, ESV)
Reflection: How can you demonstrate humility and service in your relationships today, and what specific actions can you take to reflect God's love to those around you?
Day 5: Destined for Glory
We are destined for glory beyond imagination. God promises us a glorious body like Christ's resurrection body and grants us the honor of sitting with Christ on His throne. This is a love that makes much of us, valuing us as His treasured possession. Understanding our destiny in Christ gives us hope and assurance, motivating us to live with purpose and anticipation of the future glory that awaits us. By embracing this promise, we can find strength and encouragement to persevere through life's challenges. [13:31]
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)
Reflection: How does the promise of future glory influence your perspective on current challenges, and what steps can you take to live with hope and anticipation of God's promises?
Sermon Summary
In our journey of faith, we often grapple with the profound truth that God makes much of us, His children. This isn't merely a comforting thought but a transformative reality that reflects His glory. God glorifies Himself by redeeming us, and this act of redemption is a testament to His immense love. Some might feel that this divine love, aimed at glorifying God, diminishes its value. However, this perspective misses the depth of God's love, which is expressed in the most profound way when it is for His glory.
God's love for us is not diminished by His glory; rather, it is magnified. When God makes much of us, it is not just about us; it is about His divine plan and purpose. We are not merely recipients of His love but participants in His glory. This is a love that frees us to enjoy making much of Him forever, a love that is not just about our comfort but about our ultimate joy and fulfillment in Him.
God's love is demonstrated in several ways. He is pleased with us, commending our lives as a father delights in his child. We are made fellow heirs with Christ, inheriting the universe alongside Him. In His second coming, He will serve us, a gesture that underscores His humility and love. We are appointed to judge angels, a role that signifies our value and importance in His kingdom. God ascribes value to us, rejoicing over us as His treasured possession, and promises us a glorious body like Christ's resurrection body. Ultimately, we are granted the honor of sitting with Christ on His throne, sharing in His rule and reign.
These truths are not just theological concepts but realities that should shape our identity and purpose. We are loved beyond measure, valued beyond comprehension, and destined for glory beyond imagination. This is the love of God, a love that makes much of us for His glory.
Key Takeaways
1. God's love for us is intertwined with His glory. When He makes much of us, it is not just for our benefit but for His divine purpose. This love is greater because it frees us to enjoy making much of Him forever, aligning our joy with His glory. [02:11]
2. We are not just recipients of God's love but participants in His glory. God makes much of us by being pleased with us, commending our lives, and making us an integral part of His divine happiness. This is a love that delights in us as a father delights in his child. [04:49]
3. As fellow heirs with Christ, we inherit the universe. This inheritance is not just a future promise but a present reality that shapes our identity and purpose. We are called to live in the light of this inheritance, knowing that we are valued and loved by God. [06:14]
4. God's love is demonstrated in His humility and service. In His second coming, He will serve us, a gesture that underscores His love and humility. This is a love that values us, rejoices over us, and promises us a glorious future. [08:30]
5. We are destined for glory beyond imagination. God promises us a glorious body like Christ's resurrection body and grants us the honor of sitting with Christ on His throne. This is a love that makes much of us, valuing us as His treasured possession. [13:31] ** [13:31]
Romans 4:13 - "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith."
Philippians 3:21 - "Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
Revelation 3:21 - "The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne."
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Observation Questions:
According to the sermon, how does God demonstrate His love for us through His glory? ([01:31])
What are some ways mentioned in the sermon that God makes much of us? ([03:14])
How does the sermon describe our inheritance as fellow heirs with Christ? ([06:14])
What is the significance of God serving us at His second coming, as mentioned in the sermon? ([08:30])
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Interpretation Questions:
How does the concept of being fellow heirs with Christ shape our understanding of our identity and purpose as believers? ([06:14])
In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's love is magnified rather than diminished by His glory? ([01:31])
How might the promise of a glorious resurrection body influence a believer's perspective on current struggles and suffering? ([11:54])
What does it mean for believers to sit with Christ on His throne, and how does this reflect God's love for His church? ([13:31])
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Application Questions:
Reflect on a time when you felt God made much of you. How did that experience impact your faith and understanding of His love? ([03:14])
How can you actively participate in God's glory in your daily life, knowing that you are a fellow heir with Christ? ([06:14])
In what ways can you demonstrate humility and service to others, following the example of Christ's love and service at His second coming? ([08:30])
Consider the promise of a glorious resurrection body. How does this hope affect your approach to physical and emotional challenges you face today? ([11:54])
How can you align your joy with God's glory in practical ways this week, especially in areas where you might struggle to see His purpose? ([01:31])
What steps can you take to embrace your role as a participant in God's divine happiness, as described in the sermon? ([03:14])
Identify one area in your life where you can better recognize and celebrate the value God ascribes to you. How will you act on this recognition? ([10:02])
Sermon Clips
If you are God's blood-bought child, God makes much of you. He does, he really does. In fact, he makes more of you and more of me than we could ever dare imagine. Here's the biblical proof he was eager to share with his church, and this is what he told them. [00:01:07]
The point of those texts throughout the Bible, where God performs his love for us for his glory, is to show that he loves us in the greatest possible way. Why? How does that show that it's a greater love? How is it a greater love when he loves me for his glory than if he just loved me and it all terminated on me? [00:01:48]
God makes much of us by being pleased with us and commending our lives. Alan Jacobs wrote a great biography of C.S. Lewis, and he says in C.S. Lewis's biography that the greatest sermon that C.S. Lewis ever preached was called "The Weight of Glory." That is, believers will one day have a weight of glory that will be so heavy they will imagine, "I don't know if I can bear this, it's so good." [00:03:42]
God makes much of us by making us fellow heirs with his son, who owns everything. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the what? I wonder if you believe that. I do. Mine. I don't need it now, therefore, right? I don't need it now. I don't need a scrounge to get a piece of earth for about 50 years and then maybe lose everything. [00:05:34]
God makes much of us by having us sit at table when he returns and serving us as though he were the slave and we are the masters. This is the parable of the second coming that is the most unbelievable. It's Luke 12. I'll just read you verse 37. He's describing the second coming, and he says, "Truly I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have us sit at table, and he will come and serve us." [00:07:48]
God makes much of us by appointing us to carry out judgment of angels. First Corinthians 6:3, "Do you not know that we are to judge angels?" You say, take a deep breath and say, "Wow, I don't think I could do that." You will. You will. [00:09:36]
God makes much of us by ascribing value to us and rejoicing over us as his treasured possession. Two verses: Matthew 10:30-31, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." [00:10:04]
God makes much of us by giving us a glorious body like Jesus' resurrection body. He will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself, Philippians 3:21. But here's the one that has captured me for all the years since I saw it, in the parable in Matthew 13:43, "The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." [00:11:54]
God makes much of us by granting us to sit with Christ on his throne. Revelation 3:21, "The one who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down on my Father's throne." I don't know what to do with that, so I'll try. [00:13:31]
God makes much of us by granting us to sit with Christ on his throne. Revelation 3:21, "The one who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down on my Father's throne." I don't know what to do with that, so I'll try. [00:13:31]
God makes much of us by granting us to sit with Christ on his throne. Revelation 3:21, "The one who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down on my Father's throne." I don't know what to do with that, so I'll try. [00:13:31]
God makes much of us by granting us to sit with Christ on his throne. Revelation 3:21, "The one who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down on my Father's throne." I don't know what to do with that, so I'll try. [00:13:31]