Worship Articles by Ron Man Pastor of Music and Worship, EXW Contributor September 13, 2006

(Psalm 72:18-19) Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. (the purpose of creation is to display God’s glory throughout)

The astounding fact is that everything that is, and everything that happens, has as its ultimate goal and end the glory of God. God in his power and sovereignty created the universe so that His glory might be displayed (might be "clearly seen," as Paul puts it in Romans 1:20); Psalm 19:1 puts it this way: "The heavens are telling of the glory of God". God made man in His own image, and though man rebelled and sinned, He provided a way for His own glory and love and justice to be vindicated through the work of Christ. Even His righteous judgment of the lost will demonstrate the infinite value of the glory of God, by showing "the infiniteness of the sin of failing to glorify God." (Piper, LNBG, p.22)

Piper also says: "The biblical vision of God is that He is supremely committed, with infinite passion, to uphold and display the glory of His name." (LNBG, p.22-23)

Now, we are conditioned to consider that anyone who pursues always and only his only glory is rather self-centered. But that’s because we as sinners choose to glorify ourselves rather than God, who is infinitely greater (cf. Rom 3: 23: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"). But, as Piper points out, for God there is nothing greater than Himself to seek to glorify. In His perfection He seeks the greatest good for Himself and for His creatures, and that greatest good is simply God Himself and His glory!

You’re familiar with the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s statement that "the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." The astounding fact is that the chief end of God is also to glorify God! There is no greater thing for Him to glorify. He, and He alone is worthy of all glory. Amen!

So the glory of God is really the greatest of all subjects, and is indeed the subject and the motivation and the goal of worship.

III. THE CHIEF END OF MAN

God has an inexhaustible passion for His glory, and by application that’s what godliness must involve for men and women: we must come to share His a passion for the glory of God; we must learn to cherish God’s glory. And to cherish God’s glory is what it means to worship. Worship is expressed in many different ways, but in it broadest understanding it comes down to cherishing the glory of God.

To go back to the Westminster statement: the chief end of man-- as well as of God-- is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (those are really two sides of the same coin) and ultimately that is a statement about worship.

Let us consider briefly three NT Passages which demonstrate-- in quite different ways-- the utter centrality of worship as mankind’s highest goal and reason for existence.

Continue >>>

Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  Next

Printable Version
Email this Page to a Friend	Add Your Opinion

good job best i have seen on worship. many scripture references. really thought out and worth reading. thanks, ron...more Submitted by: susan Location: amarillo, tx Pastor Of Worship This is one of the best articles on worship I have read in a while. Ron Man is right on in his teaching and writing. Outstanding!!...more Submitted by: Steven Location: Farmington, NM
Add Your Opinion	See All 2 Opinions >>