"Glory in God!"
Date: 7 June, 2015
Text: Jeremiah 9:23-24
Proposition: Real rejoicing is anchored in a relationship with God.
Rhetorical: What is your glory? What do your rejoice in? What do you praise?
Introduction:
Mankind has achieved some significant things in recent years.
- They put man on the moon.
- They have developed super computers.
- They have formed coalitions to seek to maintain peace in the world.
- They have succesfully built planes, trains and automobiles.
- They have developed powerful drugs to combat sickness.
There is much that they could glory in as far as achievements.
On a personal level, we have things that we have accomplished - academically, socially, materially, physically, etc. And we have much that we can boast in.
BUT! There is only one thing that the Bible says that we should boast in this morning.
· If you don't have this one thing this morning, you have nothing to boast of. NO MATER WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
· If you are boasting in anything other than this one thing this morning, your glorying is off track.
What ALONE is worthy of Glory? (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
I. Your praise of self is misplaced.
23 ¶ Thus saith the LORD,
exp. God spoke through Jeremiah. This is God's message to our world.
A. Can you argue your way out of hell?
Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom,
exp. Mankind is convinced they can solve their own problems by their own knowledge.
- Named person scheme to take over parenting.
- Evolution to explain origins and justify humanistic society.
- Environmentalism to try to control nature.
exp. Mankind is full of his "wisdom." He is convinced that what he knows makes God disappear. After all, man's "wisdom" says that there is no God and that this world is the product of another God called, "evolution." Science is the god of the worldly wise man. He is convinced that his knoweldge is the answer to man's every need. GOD WARNS MANKIND NOT TO REJOICE IN HIS KNOWLEDGE.
1Timothy 6:20-21 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee.
app. Someday you will stand before God.
· Your knowledge that opposed God will be useless on that day. Richard Dawkings and David Attenborgh will have nothing to say.
· It will not matter that you don't believe in Hell.
· It will not matter that you don't agree with God's laws and your sin. DON'T GLORY IN YOUR WISDOM that is opposed to God's revelation. You have a right to believe what you want to believe, but God will not agree with you. You will not be able to argue your way out of hell.
B. Can you fight your way out of hell?
neither let the mighty man
glory in his might,
quote: Dr. Bob Sr. "Your arms too short to box with God."
ill. Goliath was a giant of a man, but God's little shepherd boy defeated him with a sling and a stone.
note: Goliath gloried in his strength.
I Samuel 17: 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.
7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
conclusion of that story -
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
app. It matters not today how much power a man may possess. He could be physically strong or positionally strong. And yet, he will never prevail by his power against God. He could be numerically strong (numbers may join hands against God) and yet they will all bow before Jesus and their strength will fail them.
Ro 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
C. Can you buy your way out of hell?
let not the rich man
glory in his riches:
ill. The rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:19 ¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,
questions: Your financial position on earth matters nothing in eternity. We can't buy heaven.
Mt 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
app. Here are three things that mankind trusts in INSTEAD OF GOD. What are you trusting in this morning. The rich young ruler came to Jesus but couldn't follow him because he was trusting in his money. Are you willing to turn away from YOUR WISDOM, STRENGTH, RICHES, AND TURN TO JESUS?
II. Your praise can be in God.
A. You can rejoice!
24 But let him that glorieth
glory in this,
exp. There is something beyond price which is worth glorying in.
ill. I saw an article on the BBC about two teen siblings in Scotland that are great power lifters. The boy is only 15 but for his size, age and weight is doing remarkably well. His sister is doing even better. Imagine they have a 3 year old brother. He comes up to the 100 kilo bar and bends over picks it up and lifts it over his head. He thinks he is big stuff and is glorying in his strength not knowing that his brother and sister are lifting the two ends of the bar.
app. Mankind feels like they should get the glory - UNTIL GOD MAKES THEM REALIZE THE UTTER FUTILITY OF THE THINGS THEY GLORY IN AND THE TOTAL GLORY OF GOD. So, what can we glory in this morning?
B. You are the recipient of revelation.
that he understandeth
exp. We are priviliged to know the Creator Designer!
ill. If you were touring an art museum and saw a magnifscent landscape painting, would you think that a monkey through paint at the canvas creating a masterpiece? Know you would know that their is a master painter who developed a great work. You would then look at the plaque on the wall which says the NAME of the Master and TELLS you about His work.
note: It would be a very foolish person indeed which would believe the monkey theory.
exp. We went to Holy Island on Friday. We saw beautiful landscapes all the way there and all the way back. How can mankind look at that and believe the Monkey theory of evolution - that it just happened? Those landscapes scream that there is a master. We then look at the plaque of the WORD OF GOD and find out that God made it and why it was made.
app. How glorious to know of a certainty about the CREATOR DESIGNER and WHY HE MADE US. Ps 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
C. You can have a relationship with DEITY.
and knoweth me,
exp. You don't just get to read about him and see his work. You get an opportunity to know Jesus as you very best friend and get adopted into God's family.
note: Jesus called God the Father, "Abba, Father" and so can we. "It is a term expressing warm affection and filial confidence."
Mr 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Ro 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Ga 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
app. There are many cool things about Christianity that we could rejoice in.
ill. Disciple's pride at casting out demons.
app. But, there is nothing greater than the fact that we get to personally know God!
ill. As I witness to people I often end with the fact that while they think evolution is true, I know that there is a God and I personally have Him in my heart.
app. Do you know God today? You can understand Him through His Word and His creation. As you understand who He is and why Jesus died, you can accept Jesus as your Saviour and enter into His family.
III. You can not help praising Jesus when you know WHO HE IS.
A. He is the loving LORD.
that I am the LORD
which exercise lovingkindness, (IN THE EARTH)
exp. Those who hate God because they view him as an angry God - don't know Him.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
exp. What a terible God THAT WOULD CRUCIFY HIS SON SO THAT YOU COULD LIVE!
question: Why did Jesus come?
Lu 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
ill. Do you hate rescue teams because they are trying to save people who are about to perish to the elements? Why would you hate God who is trying to save people before they go to Hell?
B. He is the merciful judge. (IN THE EARTH.)
judgment,
exp. Many people hate God because they think he got it wrong. They often say to me, "If there is a God, why does he kill the good people and let the bad people live?"
note: GOD HAS NEVER AND WILL NEVER GET IT WRONG! Earthly judges can mess it up but the judge of the all the earth will not ever mess up.
ill. Abraham knew this as he argued for God's mercy on the wicked city of Sodom. Ge 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
note: God spared lot, his wife and his two girls, because they were the only righteous in the city!
app. How we can rejoice today - because we know God and HE NEVER GETS IT WRONG!
C. He is the giver of imputed righteousness.
and righteousness, in the earth:
song: "What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus."
question: Have you ever sinned?
Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
note: Then you have a problem because sin is not allowed into God's kingdom.
Mt 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
note: YOUR ONLY HOPE IS THAT GOD CAN TAKE AWAY YOU SIN AND GIVE YOU HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
app. If you understand and know Jesus, you went from a dirty sinner on your way to hell to a righteous saint on your way to heaven. THAT IS GROUNDS FOR REJOICING.
ill. I saw a sad petition yesterday for a 12 year old girl that needs a drug that costs 120,000 pounds a year. The NHS is refusing to give it to her. We would rejoice with her if she received it because it would bring her from death unto life. I HOPE THEY GET HER THE MEDICATION SHE NEEDS.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
app. I hope you find the remedy you need. We will rejoice with you. We are already rejoicing ourselves because we have Christ's righteousness and are on our way to Heaven.
conclusion:
"for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."
God is not in Heaven rejoicing in man's wisdom, strength and riches. TRUST IN THOSE THINGS KEEPS MANKIND FROM COMING TO HIM.
God rejoices when mankind learns about His lovingkindness, His justice and His righteousness. Those are the things that lead to what is true glory - UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWING GOD.
What are you glorying in today? Is it a smug self satisfaction that you are right and God is wrong? Is it confidence in your physical strength? Is it wealth?
Or is it a relationship with God by faith through His Son Jesus Christ?
