Theology of the Church, Mentor's Guide, MG03

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T H E O L O G Y O F T H E C H U R C H

• We worship the Triune God through Jesus Christ. We worship Yahweh God alone, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. • We worship through praise and thanksgiving, through liturgy, which emphasizes the Word and the sacraments, and through our obedience and lifestyle as a covenant community.

I. The Central Reason Why the Church Worships Is the Purpose of Glorifying the One, True, and Almighty God, Yahweh.

Video Segment 2 Outline

Like Israel of old, the Church exists for God’s ultimate glory and pleasure, and all that she is and does is to be done in order to glorify him in all things. Paul makes this point numerous times in the New Testament, suggesting, for instance: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3.17) “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made,” and again in verse 21, “the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” (Isa. 43.7) “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Pet. 2.9-10) Specifically, then why ought we worship our great and glorious God? The answers are rooted in his solitary holiness, his infinite beauty, his incomparable glory, and his matchless deeds.

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A. We worship God because he is solitary in holiness .

1. Isa. 6.3