by John M. Fuller

“Begin with the End in Mind” is one of author Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, but originally the lesson is straight from this text. It’s been said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?” All we need to know to worship God is to be like Jesus. This is the kind of life that glorifies God. This is the end we should be focused on as our goal for worship.

End Results

Jesus focused on end results. He was able to remain steadfast and endure the agony to get to the glory. He was well acquainted with the Scripture in Isaiah 53:10-12. As the living Word of God, he would fulfill all of it.

Even though Jesus is God, equal with God throughout all time, he lowered himself to get the dirty service of sacrifice done. He who had everything made himself nothing. To be like Jesus is to get rid of our selfish ambition. We can no longer say, “I’ve got my rights!” or “I demand respect!” We are to be like Jesus in humility. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” (Romans 12:3).

Relational Creatures

Being like Jesus raises our worship to a biblical level of experience. Worship is not just a vertical relationship. Our relationship with others greatly affects our worship. We are to value others above ourselves. This is where we are vulnerable and people can take advantage of us. This is where we obey the second greatest commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves. Before anything else and above everything else, we are relational creatures. This includes vertical and horizontal relationships. When we succeed in our relationship with God and others, then we truly worship.

This Sunday is the Christian’s greatest celebration—Resurrection Sunday. It is inspiring to be reminded that we serve a risen Savior and he is our reason for praise!

John M. Fuller serves as the preaching minister of Silver Star Christian Church in Orlando, FL. He has served as the Treasurer of the National Missionary Convention for the last nine years. He and his wife, Miriam, have two sons, Jedidiah and Josiah, who are in full-time ministry.