Evans, Our God is Awesome: God Passion

“A man can no more
diminish God's glory by
refusing to worship Him
than a lunatic can put out
the sun by scribbling the
word, 'darkness' on the
walls of his cell.”
C.S.Lewis

Thursday 31 March 2011

Graham Truscott -
"When God's people begin
to praise and worship Him
using the Biblical methods
He gives, the Power of His
presence comes among His
people in an even greater
measure.”


AW Tozer
"Without worship, we go
about miserable."


Jack Hayford
"Worship changes the
worshiper into the image of
the One worshiped"


The Passion
for God


1. Life’s purpose
Simple Fact: You were made to
worship God. Anything else is a
benefit - not a purpose in life.
Eve - knew the tree and fruit
were good before she took it -
when she took the benefit of it
bearing fruit and made it her
purpose then she lost the
purpose and benefit of the tree.
Marriage is a benefit in life -
not a purpose. In fact it is a
picture of Christ and his church


1.a. A foretaste of eternity
Evans suggests that God wants
to give us a small foretaste of
eternity - he uses marriage to
illustrate this.
1. God created man, Adam, in
his image - this includes God’s
tri-personhood which means it
needs something more.
2. So God then creates Eve -
Adam already has work,
provision etc. But he does not
have a ‘mate’ like all the animals
do.

1.a. A foretaste of eternity
Evans suggests that God wants
3. give is now 1/2 the man he
toAdamus a small foretaste of
was - so he completes him
eternity -Goduses marriage to
by bringing him
illustrate this. to Eve. They
have sex - and we see two in
1. God created man, Adam,
become one. includes God’s
his image - this
4. To complete which means it
tri-personhoodthe foretaste of
the trinity we see them
needs something more. having
children - one family all Eve -
2. So God then creates distinct
in essence. has work,
Adam already
5. So marriage and family
provision etc. But he does not
foreshadow like all
have a ‘mate’eternity.the animals
do.

1.b. Reﬂecting God’s glory

So life is not about marriage,
money etc. - but what? To
know and worship God.
1 Cor 10:31 - So, whether you
eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God.
One meaning of glory is to put
on display so it can be seen.
People should see you life and
stand in awe of God - even in
the little things of life.


2. Getting to know God
How do we get to know God so he becomes our reason
for living?
Php 3:1-4 - what was the situation?
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.To write the same
things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for
those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who
worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put
no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reason for
confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has
reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:


2.a. Not by human effort
Judaisesrs said observe the
Law better - Paul had tried this
already! 3:5, 6 - he had it all
compared to them.
circumcised on the eighth day, of
the people of Israel, of the tribe
of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
Hebrews; as to the law, a
Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor
of the church; as to righteousness
under the law, blameless.
No one could match Paul’s
human effort towards God.

2.b. Swept away

3:7 -But whatever gain I had, I
counted as loss for the sake of
Christ.
Note the past tense counted
- all of Paul’s credentials had
been swept away, they had
become worthless.
But Pul does not stop in the
past, he continues into the
present, 3:8


2.b. Swept away

Indeed, I count everything as
3:7 -But whatever gain I had, I
counted as of the surpassing
loss because loss for the sake of
Christ. of knowing Christ Jesus
worth
my Lord. For his sake counted
Note the past tense I have
suffered the loss of all things
- all of Paul’s credentials had
and count them as rubbish, in
been swept away, they had
order that I may gain
become worthless. Christ
Counting the effort andthe
But Pul does not stop in
rubbish as loss goes on day
past, he continues into the
by day.
present, 3:8


2.c. Fellowship with Christ
Paul continues to show it is not by works that you come
into fellowship with Christ,
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that
comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in
Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and
may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by
any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the
dead.
It all comes from Christ and is maintained by him even
after salvation.


3. Knowing Christ
If works have no role in our
knowing Christ what of the
commands in the Bible to do
them and the fact that God
prepared them for us - Eph
2;10?
Evans suggests that the
motivation is key - are they for
the glory of God? They in effect
express our love for, and
devotion to, Christ.
[Opp: William Wilberforce]


3.a. The proper motivation
What must you do to know
Christ?
Why do you read / study your
Bible each day? Why do you go
to church? Why pray?
In all of Paul’s works for Christ
his motivation was not personal
fame but to know Christ. The
work was not worthless in
itself, simply worthless
compared to knowing Christ.
Our motivation must be love
not duty.

3.a. The proper motivation
What must you do to know
Christ?
Do you think
Why do you read / study your
God ‘owes’ you
Bible each day? Why do you go
to church? Why pray?
something
In all of Paul’s works for Christ
because you read
his motivation was not personal
fame but to know Christ. The
your Bible, pray,
work was not worthless in
serve in the church
itself, simply worthless
compared to knowing Christ.
etc.?
Our motivation must be love
not duty.

3.b. The proper righteousness
3:9 - Paul declares not his own
righteousness but that which comes
from Christ.
Salvation, spirituality, works - all
should now come from faith.
1 Cor 3:10-15 - many works will
burn up before Christ.
Matt 6:5 "And when you pray, you
must not be like the hypocrites. For they
love to stand and pray in the synagogues
and at the street corners, that they may
be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they
have received their reward.

3.c. The proper measure of faith

Faith = trust, dependence upon
God.
We only need a mustard seed
full - Matt 17:20 - the issue is
not how much faith you have
but how much of God you
have. Is you God small and your
experience negligible?
Do you have a little faith in a big
God - or massive faith in a small
God?


4. Where to begin
Php 3:10-11 It begins with desire -
Paul was hungry for what Jesus had
and did.
A hungry person is always looking for
food - Matt 5:6 - are you hungry?
Hang around food and you start to get
hungry - hang around the places you
know that there is good available.
Hook up to the power source - it is
not in anyone other than Christ.
Abide in Christ - and bear fruit - Jn
15:5
Believe - 1 Jn 4:4

Responding to a passion for God

1. Have you switched the
beneﬁts to the place of purpose
in your life?
2. Are you working hard for
God, but not knowing intimate
fellowship with him?
3. Are you living by faith?
Colossians 2:5-7.
4. Would Christ be enough for
you - or do you need earthly
credentials?


Evans, Our God is Awesome: God Passion

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