To kick off a new year, Pastor Michael has been preaching through a series that casts a vision for our church in 2024. Through this series we have been encouraged to walk by the Spirit, live for and wait on Jesus, and most recently, make much of Christ.

If you’ve been around our church for some time, you’ve probably heard someone say, “make much of Christ this week.” This phrase is repeated at the end our services each week. It’s a line that many, if not most, in our church have committed to memory. This phrase embodies what we are called to do as believers. It’s a great phrase to memorize and recite, but we need to be sure that we are working to live it out.

Pastor Michael reminded us that “we make much of Christ because God is committed to making much of Himself.” There is no one more committed to glorifying God than God Himself. Within the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Spirit seek to glorify one another (John 12:27-28; 16:14; 17:1-5). All that God does, He does for the sake of His own glory, including the sacrificial death of Jesus. Through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, He drew people to Himself, thus glorifying God (John 12:32). God receives greater glory as sinners are reconciled to Himself through His Son.

Since God is committed to making much of Himself, we ought to be people who seek to make much of Him. Pastor Michael reminded us that we do not make God glorious. God is glorious whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. What we ought to do is recognize and magnify how glorious God is. He judges sin, defeats Satan, and draws people to Himself through Christ. Christ, our Savior, is worth making much of.

Resources:

• The Glory of God – Christopher Morgan

• Making Much of Christ from 8 to 5 – John Piper

• Christ Be Magnified – Song by Cody Carnes

Reflection Questions:

• How has this sermon series impacted the start of your new year?

• In your own words, what does it mean to make much of Christ?

• How will you make much of Christ this year?