February 8, 2025 -- Isaiah 42:5-8 -- The Great Glory of God and the rebellious desire of a person's heart
/People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!
Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heaven and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
“I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
to open eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the LORD; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
Isaiah 42:5-8 ESV
The Westminster Shorter Catechism opens with this question and answer:
1. What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.
You can see how this question and answer are drawn directly from the Scriptures. God has called His people from the nations. God has drawn people to Himself from the idolatry and perversions, wickedness and darkness to which they had once been devoted. The temptation Christians always face is to go back to old patterns and sinful habits. Life used to consist in the worship of things, or animals, or stars, or mighty men, or self, or money. When the LORD takes His people by the hand He leads them in righteousness, He leads them away from all that and gives them a new identity. They belong to Him. They are made to praise Him. Their new life and new patterns of behavior are to be a light to the nations who are walking in deep darkness.
Isn’t that egotistical of God? To demand that His people worship Him? John Piper has, for more than four decades, taught using the expression “Christian Hedonism.” Here is how he defines it:
Christian Hedonism is the conviction that God’s ultimate goal in the
world (his glory) and our deepest desire (to be happy) are one and
the same, because God is most glorified in us when we are most
satisfied in him. Not only is God the supreme source of satisfaction
for the human soul, but God himself is glorified by our being
satisfied in him. Therefore, our pursuit of joy in him is essential.
https://www.desiringgod.org/topics/christian-hedonism
Now, dearly loved brothers and sisters, let’s look at some of the things that are being planned for tomorrow. It is the Superbowl. Many call it “Superbowl Sunday”. It is repugnant because God does not share His glory with any other. It is sad to read of churches that convert their sanctuaries (which are designed for the worship of God) so that the big screens are used watch the game. That is clear violation of the purpose for which the church building. That amounts to scorning God.
Why is it a violation?
God is to be worshiped in His sanctuary. No one and nothing is to share His space. A church building is dedicated to the worship of God—football (already an idol in this culture) so distracts people from their real purpose that to put it front and centre in a church is to command God to share His glory.
The practice of morning and evening worship services models the Old Testament practice of morning and evening sacrifices (Exodus 29:38 et al). Many churches have abandoned such practices because people are too self-absorbed to go to church. Filling a church time slot with something that for this culture is already an idol takes people even farther from their commitment to God. Congregations that do this are training their people in patterns that lead away from God, not toward Him.
In the best traditions of Christian worship, believers met in the morning to learn about the Word of God and in the afternoon or evening to learn to defend the faith through catechetical preaching. Catechetical preaching instructs the worshipers on the basics of the faith so that they can in turn raise them in the knowledge of God. It is teaching that helps believers defend their faith against all skeptics and critics. Catechetical preaching is foundational to help Christians evangelize the lost.
To host a Superbowl party in the church building is to “bait and switch”. You have a big event that is out of character, which appeals to the basest instincts of the non-believer. If that non-believer should return, he will be taught that God is to be honoured above all things (which is precisely what did not happen the week before). The message is confusion and compromise.
God of all glory teach me to love You first, best, and above all other things. By Your Holy Spirit lead me to Jesus, through Whom I am reconciled to You. Triune God, the Scriptures promise ‘in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore’ led me in such paths of gladness. Amen.
(quotation is from Psalm 16:11b)
https://youtu.be/R8mLTdQQXg4?si=3pThs3p6SjdE3WZ2 Psalm 16 Shane and Shane
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