The Profound Beauty of the Lord: A Call to Worship

 

Summary

The beauty of the Lord is a profound concept that encapsulates the entirety of God's character and attributes. It is not merely an aesthetic quality but a summary attribute that encompasses God's perfection, blessedness, and glory. God's beauty is the sum of all His excellencies, making Him the most desirable being. This beauty is reflected in creation, which God made not only functional but also beautiful, revealing His glory and goodness. The beauty of the Lord is closely related to His perfection, as God possesses all excellent qualities and lacks nothing desirable. This perfection naturally leads to His beauty, as it highlights His desirability.

In Psalm 27, David expresses a deep longing to behold the beauty of the Lord, which is his singular desire amidst life's challenges. This longing is not for deliverance from his circumstances but for a deeper communion with God. David's focus on God's beauty transforms his perspective, allowing him to live confidently despite adversities. His fear of God liberates him from the fear of man, teaching us that true peace comes from revering God above all else.

Paul, in Romans 11, also reflects on the beauty of God's inscrutable ways. Despite his deep desire for the conversion of Israel, Paul recognizes God's glory in His sovereign choices. This understanding leads him to praise God, acknowledging that all things are from, through, and to Him. The beauty of God's glory is most vividly displayed in Jesus Christ, whose incarnation, life, and sacrificial death reveal the depth of God's love and majesty. In Christ, we see the ultimate expression of God's beauty, drawing us to worship and adore Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. The beauty of the Lord is a comprehensive attribute that encompasses all of God's excellencies, making Him the most desirable being. It is not just an aesthetic quality but a reflection of His perfection, blessedness, and glory. Understanding this beauty helps us appreciate the fullness of God's character. [04:25]

2. David's longing to behold the beauty of the Lord in Psalm 27 teaches us that true peace and confidence come from a singular focus on God. By prioritizing worship and communion with God, we can face life's challenges with courage and faith. [14:03]

3. The fear of God liberates us from the fear of man. David's reverence for God enabled him to live confidently despite adversities, reminding us that when we fear God, we need not fear anything else. [18:09]

4. Paul's reflection in Romans 11 shows us that God's ways, though inscrutable, are always for His glory. Even when God's plans differ from our desires, recognizing His sovereignty leads us to worship and trust in His perfect wisdom. [29:14]

5. The beauty of God's glory is most vividly displayed in Jesus Christ. His incarnation, life, and sacrificial death reveal the depth of God's love and majesty, drawing us to worship and adore Him. In Christ, we see the ultimate expression of God's beauty. [37:12]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Introduction to the Beauty of the Lord
- [00:57] - Defining the Beauty of the Lord
- [02:35] - Prayer for Understanding
- [04:05] - God's Beauty as a Summary Attribute
- [05:25] - God's Perfection and Beauty
- [08:22] - God's Blessedness and Joy
- [10:39] - God's Glory and Presence
- [13:14] - Psalm 27: David's Longing
- [15:08] - David's Spiritual Priorities
- [17:19] - Overcoming Fear through Reverence
- [22:18] - Single-hearted Devotion
- [26:27] - Paul's Reflection in Romans 11
- [30:18] - God's Glory in Sovereign Choices
- [34:49] - Jesus Christ: The Ultimate Display of God's Beauty
- [41:10] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Beauty of the Lord

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 27:1-6
2. Romans 11:33-36
3. John 1:14

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Observation Questions:

1. In Psalm 27, what does David express as his singular desire amidst life's challenges? How does this desire influence his perspective on fear and adversity? [14:03]

2. According to the sermon, how is the beauty of the Lord described as a "summary attribute" of God? What other attributes are related to this concept? [04:05]

3. In Romans 11, how does Paul respond to the mystery of God's ways, particularly regarding the conversion of Israel? What does this reveal about his understanding of God's glory? [29:14]

4. How is the beauty of God's glory most vividly displayed in Jesus Christ, according to the sermon? What aspects of Jesus' life and mission highlight this beauty? [37:12]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does David's longing to behold the beauty of the Lord in Psalm 27 teach us about finding peace and confidence in God? What does this suggest about the role of worship in overcoming fear? [14:03]

2. The sermon mentions that the fear of God liberates us from the fear of man. How can this principle be applied in contemporary situations where fear of others might dominate? [18:09]

3. In Romans 11, Paul acknowledges God's inscrutable ways. How does this acknowledgment lead to worship and trust in God's wisdom, even when His plans differ from our desires? [29:14]

4. The sermon highlights Jesus Christ as the ultimate display of God's beauty. How does understanding Jesus' incarnation and sacrificial death deepen our appreciation of God's love and majesty? [37:12]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant challenge. How might focusing on the beauty of the Lord, as David did, change your perspective and response to that situation? [14:03]

2. Consider a situation where you feel dominated by the fear of others. How can cultivating a reverence for God help you overcome this fear? What practical steps can you take to shift your focus? [18:09]

3. When God's plans differ from your desires, how do you typically respond? What can you learn from Paul's response in Romans 11 about trusting in God's sovereignty and wisdom? [29:14]

4. In what ways can you actively seek to behold the beauty of the Lord in your daily life? How can this pursuit influence your worship and relationship with God? [14:03]

5. Jesus' life and mission are described as the ultimate expression of God's beauty. How does this understanding impact your view of Jesus and your relationship with Him? [37:12]

6. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to see God's beauty. What steps can you take to seek His presence and glory in that area? [14:03]

7. How can you incorporate the practice of praising God for His inscrutable ways into your daily routine, especially when facing uncertainty or disappointment? [29:14]

Devotional

Day 1: The Comprehensive Beauty of God
The beauty of the Lord is a profound concept that encapsulates the entirety of God's character and attributes. It is not merely an aesthetic quality but a summary attribute that encompasses God's perfection, blessedness, and glory. God's beauty is the sum of all His excellencies, making Him the most desirable being. This beauty is reflected in creation, which God made not only functional but also beautiful, revealing His glory and goodness. The beauty of the Lord is closely related to His perfection, as God possesses all excellent qualities and lacks nothing desirable. This perfection naturally leads to His beauty, as it highlights His desirability. [04:25]

Psalm 96:6-9 (ESV): "Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!"

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally seek to recognize and appreciate the beauty of God in your daily life, especially in the mundane or challenging moments?


Day 2: Longing for God's Beauty
David's longing to behold the beauty of the Lord in Psalm 27 teaches us that true peace and confidence come from a singular focus on God. By prioritizing worship and communion with God, we can face life's challenges with courage and faith. David expresses a deep longing to behold the beauty of the Lord, which is his singular desire amidst life's challenges. This longing is not for deliverance from his circumstances but for a deeper communion with God. David's focus on God's beauty transforms his perspective, allowing him to live confidently despite adversities. [14:03]

Psalm 63:1-3 (ESV): "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to prioritize your focus on God amidst your current challenges?


Day 3: Freedom in the Fear of God
The fear of God liberates us from the fear of man. David's reverence for God enabled him to live confidently despite adversities, reminding us that when we fear God, we need not fear anything else. His fear of God liberates him from the fear of man, teaching us that true peace comes from revering God above all else. This reverence for God transforms our perspective and empowers us to live with courage and faith, regardless of the circumstances we face. [18:09]

Proverbs 14:26-27 (ESV): "In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death."

Reflection: Identify a specific fear or anxiety you are currently facing. How can you shift your focus to the fear of God to find freedom and confidence in this situation?


Day 4: Trusting in God's Sovereign Wisdom
Paul's reflection in Romans 11 shows us that God's ways, though inscrutable, are always for His glory. Even when God's plans differ from our desires, recognizing His sovereignty leads us to worship and trust in His perfect wisdom. Despite his deep desire for the conversion of Israel, Paul recognizes God's glory in His sovereign choices. This understanding leads him to praise God, acknowledging that all things are from, through, and to Him. [29:14]

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Reflection: Reflect on a situation where God's plans differed from your desires. How can you choose to trust in His sovereign wisdom and glory today?


Day 5: The Ultimate Expression of God's Beauty in Christ
The beauty of God's glory is most vividly displayed in Jesus Christ. His incarnation, life, and sacrificial death reveal the depth of God's love and majesty, drawing us to worship and adore Him. In Christ, we see the ultimate expression of God's beauty, which compels us to respond with worship and adoration. This beauty is not only seen in His actions but also in His character, which reflects the fullness of God's love and majesty. [37:12]

Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV): "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Reflection: How does the beauty of Christ's life and sacrifice inspire you to worship and adore God more deeply today? What specific action can you take to express this worship?

Quotes


The beauty of god is a summary attribute of god in this sense, it is an attribute it is a characteristic of god revealed by him and ascribed to him in scripture in which all of his excellencies are summed up. When we speak of the beauty of the lord, we are not speaking of simply one component of his character, but we are speaking of all the excellence in his character summed up, compiled and collated. [00:03:51]

God's perfection reminds us that god possesses all excellent qualities and he lacks no quality that would be desirable for him to have. To use the phrase of a famous theologian, he is that then which no greater can be conceived. You cannot think of that which is more perfect than god, and when we speak of the perfection of god, we are speaking of the reality that god possesses all excellent qualities and lacks none of them. [00:05:28]

God is not only said to be blessed because we bless him, because we bless him for who he is and bless him for what he has done for us and ascribe blessing to him and pronounce blessing on him, but god is blessed also and especially because he is blessed in and of himself. That is, god is possessed of the deepest and profoundest state of happiness and contentment and joy that can be conceived. [00:08:02]

The lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The lord is the defense of my life, whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear. The war rise against me, in spite of this, I shall be confident. [00:13:22]

David refuses to be dominated by his circumstances because of the fear of god. His affectionate reverence for the living god delivers him from the fear of everything else, and in that, he is teaching us a lesson. Christians need fear nothing, not because of the absence of adversity, but because of the greatness and the glory and the goodness and yes, the beauty of god. [00:18:09]

One thing I have asked from the lord, that I shall seek, that I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the lord and to meditate in his temple. For in the day of trouble, he will conceal me in his tabernacle; in the secret place of his tent, he will hide me; he will lift me up on a rock. [00:14:36]

Christians find peace and confidence in the midst of fear when they are single-hearted, and David is describing for us the one thing that he wants, and it is the one thing that no one can take away from him. One thing I want, one thing I have asked for the lord, one thing I will seek, that I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the lord. [00:22:46]

Paul has begun it by confessing a deep, deep problem that he has. He has been burdened of heart for the conversion of his own people. He has desired above all things to see a spiritual revival amongst the Jewish people. He has longed to see the people of god of old, the Jewish people, coming in droves in faith in Jesus the messiah, and he has not seen it. [00:26:27]

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god, how unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the lord, or who became his counselor, or who has first given to him that it might be paid back to him again? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. [00:29:18]

In this choice of god, which god has set forth before Paul's eyes, Paul sees god's glory. Paul sees god getting glory for himself, and so all he can do is sing the doxology. Lord, your ways are not my ways. Were we just talking about the unpredictability of god? Now here's the great apostle Paul praying for the mass conversion of Israel. [00:30:18]

But my friends, it is especially in Jesus Christ that we see the glory of this of god displayed and the beauty of god displayed par excellence. Let me ask you to turn back to the book of Isaiah and look at Isaiah 53 verse 2. He grew up before him like a tender shoot and like a root out of the parched ground. He had no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him nor appearance that we should be attracted to him. [00:34:49]

The glory of god is displayed in the humiliation of the savior in his incarnation, in his life, in his ministry, in his sufferings, and finally in his death. You know, I think one of the great testimonies to the deity of Christ in all of scripture is found in James 1:1. You want to turn with me there? In James 1:1, the man who was the half-brother of Jesus opens his book by calling himself first a bond servant of god and of the lord Jesus Christ. [00:37:12]

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Transcript
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