WorshipGod09 - Pt. 2

John Piper's second message at the WorshipGod conference was entitled "The Heart of Worship." CLICK HERE to go to Sovereign Grace's website and hear the message for yourself.

Piper dealt with the heart condition and experience of joining with all creation in the exaltation of God's glory. He made the point that this very act (exalting God's glory) is a desired end, and not just a means to something else, but it does have effects on us to move us to other God-glorifying acts.

In-and-of-themselves, when we sing, pray, preach, meditate, and study God's word, these things praise God's glory. The New Testament writers hardly ever used the word most normally used for "worship" in the O.T. because the process had now become internalized!

So what do these experiences mean? They mean that we are satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ. This has been Piper's message for 30 years and countless books. He's developed the idea of "Christian Hedonism" and the helpful motto: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." If you're not familiar with this idea, or want to find out more about it, check out Piper's book "Desiring God." I think this is a book every Christian should be REQUIRED to read; if only to help them think through the idea of God's glory, and our joy.

He went on to outline much of his familiar material as it relates to the worshiping heart; namely:

1) That the pursuit of joy is NOT an option...since God is and should be our greatest and most fulfilling joy. He also pointed out a common misconception people believe: that "to the degree you seek your own benefit in an act, that act is morally corrupted." It is not wrong to serve God, and to worship him, and to follow him because it will work out to our benefit; that's how God intended it!

2) That pursuing satisfaction in God makes worship extremely God-centered. Meaning, that to seek our own joy and fulfillment IN CHRIST is NOT self-centered. When we sing "I'm desperate for you," or "I could sing of Your love forever" we are not focusing on "I" but on God.

3) That being satisfied in God protects worship as an end, not a means. Contemporary Evangelicalism uses "worship" for all kinds of things: evangelism, to raise attendance, to be relevant, to make money, to make us feel good. Worship is its own end, and results in our greatest joy; it should not be used to manufacture something else.

4) Being satisfied in God explains why the worship service and all of life are BOTH worship. Because whether we are singing, praying, eating pizza, or playing video games, we are living in light of the gospel, and doing everything for the glory of God.