The Origin of True Worship
Understanding God's glory can unlock the door to an overcoming life and change the way we live.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that understanding God's glory is essential for true believers, as it reveals His nature and leads to an overcoming life. He illustrates this through Moses' encounter with God, where God's glory is shown as His love, mercy, and readiness to forgive. This revelation transforms worship, moving believers from fear to adoration, as they recognize God's kindness. True worship stems from an awareness of God's unmerited love, which in turn influences how we live and interact with others. Wilkerson encourages believers to reflect God's glory in their relationships, embodying kindness and forgiveness.
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Understanding God's glory has very real, practical value for every true believer. Grasping it can unlock the door to an overcoming life!
The glory of God is a revelation of our Lord's nature and being. We know Moses received a literal glimpse of God's glory. God took him aside into the cleft of a rock and, scripture says, he revealed himself to Moses in all his glory: "The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7).
Often when we think about the glory of God, we think of his majesty and splendor, his power and dominion. But the way God wants us to know his glory is through the revelation of his great love toward all men. That's what he revealed to Moses. The Lord is forever waiting to show us his love to forgive us, shower us with his mercy, and restore us to himself!
This revelation of God's glory has powerful effects on those who receive it and pray to understand it. At the first sight of his glory, Moses was no longer fearful of the Lord. Instead, he was moved to worship: "Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped" (34:8). He saw that God's nature was one of kindness and tender mercy -- total love!
True worship arises from hearts that are overcome by a vision of God's unmerited love for us. It is based on the revelation that God gives us of himself, of his goodness, his mercy, his readiness to forgive. If we are to praise God both in spirit and in truth, our worship must be based on this awesome truth about him.
Seeing God's glory changes the way we live! Each new revelation of his love and mercy brings supernatural change and makes us more like him. It also changes our relationships with others. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). Just like Paul told the Ephesian church then, it holds true today: We've seen and tasted the glory of God. Now, let's be a reflection of that glory to others.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Revelation of God's Glory
- A. Moses' experience in Exodus 34
- B. The nature of God's glory
- II. The Effect of God's Glory on Worship
- A. True worship arises from hearts overcome by God's love
- B. Worship based on God's revelation of himself
- III. The Impact of God's Glory on Our Lives
- A. Supernatural change and transformation
- B. Changed relationships with others
Key Quotes
“The Lord is forever waiting to show us his love to forgive us, shower us with his mercy, and restore us to himself!” — David Wilkerson
“Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped” — David Wilkerson
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should strive to know God's glory through the revelation of his great love toward all men.
- True worship arises from hearts that are overcome by a vision of God's unmerited love for us.
- Seeing God's glory changes the way we live and brings supernatural change.