INTRO.- ILL. - At the conclusion of the sermon, the worshipers filed out of the sanctuary to greet the minister. As one of them left, he shook the minister's hand, thanked him for the sermon and said, "Thanks for the message, Reverend. You know, you must be smarter than Einstein." Beaming with pride, the minister said, "Why, thank you, brother!"
As the week went by, the minister began to think about the man's compliment. The more he thought, the more he became baffled as to why anyone would deem him smarter than Einstein. So he decided to ask the man the following Sunday.
The next Sunday he asked the church member if he remembered the previous Sunday's comment about the sermon. The parishioner replied that he did. The minister asked: "Exactly what did you mean that I must be smarter than Einstein?"
The man replied, "Well, Reverend, they say that Einstein was so smart that only ten people in the entire world could understand him. But Reverend, no one can understand you."
Did you ever hear a sermon that you couldn’t understand? I prefer simple, easy to understand and easy to follow. All people tend glory too much in themselves.
ILL.- Actor Alec Baldwin said one time, “I don't get acting jobs because of my looks." I’m assuming he was saying that he gets acting jobs because of his good acting ability. I once saw him in a movie where he played the role of a doctor who had a “God complex,” that is, he thought he was God. And I think there are times when Baldwin acts like he is God.
We have the Golden Globe awards, the Academy Awards, music awards, and all kinds of awards for ball players of every kind and in nearly every sport. We often glory in people.
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory...
In reality we humans deserve no praise. We may well love to pat certain people in the back but the truth is this: If any good comes from our lives in any form then the Lord alone should be praised. Lord, not to us, but to your name be glory.
ILL.- Bob Russell preached 40 years for the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. Bob was just 22 years old when he began preaching in that church of 120 people. In those 40 years that church grew to an attendance of 18,000 people in four worship services.
Now you know that over the years many people in that church and in other churches and our Bible colleges heaped tons of praise on Bob Russell. I really believe, however, that Bob would be the first to say that the Southeast Church grew because of God’s blessing and God’s blessing only. I think Bob is smart enough and spiritual enough to know that the Lord alone deserves the glory.
If you’ve done any good in life in any form then the Lord alone deserves the glory. If you’ve made money in life, worked hard, had any success in any form, or are talented in any way then the Lord deserves the glory. he is the author of good in us.
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory...
I Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” In life, we should do everything for the Lord’s glory and honor.
PROP.- The Psalmist tells us why we give glory to God alone.
1- Because God is loving and faithful
2- Because God is the one true God
3- Because God remembers and blesses
I. GOD IS LOVING AND FAITHFUL
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
ILL.- At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus. But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.”
Another suggestion was offered: what about resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty. Someone slowly shook his head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead.
Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis (British/Irish scholar) walked into the room, arm full of papers, a little early for his presentation. He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “what’s all this rumpus about?” Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves they said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.” “Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.”
The room fell silent. Lewis said that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. After a moment someone commented that Lewis had a point, Buddhists, for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It’s not a free ride.
Hindus believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions. Someone else observed the Jewish code of the law implies God has requirements for people to be acceptable to him and in Islam God is a God of Judgment not a God of love. You live to appease him. At the end of the discussion everyone concluded Lewis had a point. Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love is unconditional. An unconditional love that we call grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
John 3:16
Romans 6:23
God is extremely loving and God is faithful.
ILL.- Norman Geisler, as a child, went to a VBS because he was invited by some neighbor children. He went back to the same church for Sunday School classes for 400 Sundays. Each week he was faithfully picked up by a bus driver. Week after week he attended church, but never made a commitment to Christ. Finally, during his senior year in High School, after being picked up for church over 400 times, he did commit his life to Christ.
What if that bus driver had given up on Geisler at 395 Sundays? What if the bus driver had said, "This kid is going nowhere spiritually, why waste any more time on him?" Doesn’t this sound like our faithful God? He doesn’t stop loving us after a period of time or when we suddenly blow it in life!
II Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
God deserves praise for His love and His faithfulness to us!
II. GOD IS THE ONE TRUE GOD
2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; 6 they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; 7 they have hands, but cannot feel,feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
Our God is in heaven. He can do whatever pleases Him. How could this be? Because He is the one true and living God who has all power and authority in heaven and on earth!
Exodus 20:1-3 And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” But we have often had other gods in our lives whether we want to admit it or not.
ILL.- One writer put it this: “Today, we have replaced the “golden calf” with an insatiable drive to reach the top of the corporate ladder or with a myriad of other passionate pursuits. And, sadly, those who aggressively pursue goals and dreams, altogether excluding God, are often admired for their individualism and drive. In the end, however, it doesn’t matter what empty pleasure we chase after or to what or whom we bow down, the result is the same—separation from the one true God.
"An idol can be anything we place ahead of God in our lives, anything that tugs at our heart more that God does, such as: possessions, careers, relationships, hobbies, sports, entertainment, goals, greed, addictions to alcohol/ drugs/ gambling/ pornography," etc. WHAT A POWERFUL THOUGHT.
ILL.- It’s like the story of the only guy in church one Sunday morning and said to the preacher as he left, “Good sermon, preacher. You sure let him have it if they’d been here this morning!”
We tend to think everybody is guilty except for us. But no one is without sin. And most people are guilty of idolatry. It’s what some might consider to be a “nice” sin compared to stealing, murder, adultery, etc. But it’s actually spiritual adultery.
Ephesians 5:3-6 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”
We must not be deceived nor deceive anyone else about the sin of idolatry. There is only one true and living God who created us, sustains us, provides for us, protects us, and saves us in Jesus Christ. Consequently, it’s wrong to devote time and money belonging to Him. He is the true and living God and we must seek Him first in life and His kingdom.
HE ALONE IS GOD AND DESERVES OUR ATTENTION, OUR ATTENDANCE, OUR WORSHIP, AND OUR PRAISE!
III. GOD REMEMBERS AND BLESSES
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, 13 he will bless those who fear the Lord— small and great alike. 14 May the Lord make you increase, both you and your children. 15 May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to man.
ILL.- One morning, a grade school teacher asked her class how many points there are on the compass. She was surprised when one little boy raised his hand and said: “Five.” The boy counted: “North, south, east, west, and where I am.”
Children are vitally important. They are on our compass no matter who we are. I see the hundreds of pictures on facebook as proof that our children and grandchildren are vitally important to us.
There is not a day that I don’t think about my kids and grandchildren and pray for them. Our children are precious no matter what age they may be. And so with our grandbabies. We treasure them. We value them. We love them. We give to them. We fend for them. And I would gladly give my life for my children right now. And I’m sure most of you if not all of you would do the same for your children. Do you think God thinks any less of us as His children? And would He do less for us?
Matthew 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
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Many parents are very good about giving to their children, which I think is wonderful. If we have the means to help our kids then I think we should. It’s a sign that we love them, we remember them and want to bless them. BUT DO WE THINK GOD OUR FATHER LOVES US LESS THAN WE LOVE OUR OWN CHILDREN? I think not. In fact, I believe that He loves even more and remembers us constantly.
Psalm 121:3-8 He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
This sounds like our Father is watching over us! He remembers us constantly and blesses us with good gifts. Have we done without any necessities in life? We may want for more, but He has provided for us in great abundance.
Hebrews 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
He remembers that we are frail, weak and often sin. He was tempted just like us. He knows what we’re going through so He is quick to demonstrate mercy for our sins and give us grace to go forward. HE IS QUICK TO REMEMBER AND BLESS US. Don’t you think we owe Him all the “thanks” we can give Him?
CONCLUSION-----------------
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to silence; 18 it is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore. Praise the Lord. It is not the dead who praise the Lord, at least, not on earth. IT’S THE LIVING. And this is what we must do. Our focus must be on Him, not us.
I Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” As long as we have life within us, let us praise Him because of who He is: The one true and living God who loves us more than any, blesses us, and always remembers us.
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory.
