Temple Baptist Church - 8-30-2015
1 Chronicles 29:10-13
Introduction:
A. Over the last few weeks,
we have seen several attributes of David’s God as he publicly
worshipped in the sight of all of the people. We looked at the
greatness, sovereignty, and power of God. This morning, I want to look
at the glory of God.
B. When we think of the glory of God,
our minds go to the Old Testament where, on several occasion, God
manifested His Shekinah glory to His people. Throughout the Old
Testament, we find theophanies, Christophanies, anthropomorphisms, etc.
God never revealed His Shekinah glory or His person without a reason!
1. At the Burning Bush, God revealed His Purpose for Israel’s deliverance. Exodus 3:2
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of
the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with
fire, and the bush was not consumed.
2. On Mt. Sinai, God revealed His Holiness to Israel. Exodus 19:18
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended
upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a
furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
3. On Mt. Sinai, God revealed His Person to Moses. Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
4. In the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, God revealed His glory. Exodus 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
5. In Solomon’s Temple, God revealed His glory. 2 Chronicles 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
6. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up in Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah 6:1
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
7 . In the New Testament, Jesus Christ was transfigured and the apostles saw His glory. Matthew 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
8. In Revelations, Jesus Christ revealed Himself to John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
C. God no longer
manifests His Shekinah glory. You and I have never seen God or that
glory that was manifested thousands of years ago. Now, to answer the
question: “Why?” If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever—why
do we not have the privilege of seeing His glory? He is invisible to
man today.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
D. Because we have
the complete revelation of God in our hands! Whatsoever is not of
faith is sin and God has chosen that we walk be faith and faith comes
through God’s Word.
1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
E. I want to look at a verse and then make an analogy. 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (We glorify God through the things that we do. These outward things that we do are because of who we are inwardly.)
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
F. The glory of God is
no different. Though we cannot physically seem Him, His glory is
manifested in what He does. But we see the glory of God through His
wonderful creation and works. Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste
death for every man.
1. We see the Glory of God in His creation. Psalms 19:1-5 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. (2) Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. (3) There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. (4)
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the
end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, (5) Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. (When
I think of handywork, I think of a skilled work or a work of art. This
world is certainly a work of art in its perfection; its architecture,
its harmony, its balance, its breath taking beauty, its minute detail.
All of these point to the glory of the One who made it all.)
2. We see the Glory of God in His incarnation. John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth.
3. We see the Glory of God in His gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (4)
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them. (God so
loved the world that He gave His Son! Born in the flesh, born in
poverty, born in obscurity, died on an old rugged cross for our sins,
gloriously resurrected bodily from the grave, gloriously ascended back
to heaven for sinners such as you and me! Oh what glory!)
4. We see the Glory of God in His Person. Exodus 34:6-7
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD
God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth, (7) Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Oh,
the love, grace, mercy, and longsuffering of our wonderful Lord. He is
so much better to us than we deserve. He is so much better to sinners
than they deserve.)
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