A CHRISTIAN CAN BOAST (Outline)
February 9, 2020 - Epiphany 5 - JEREMIAH 9:23, 24
INTRO.: The word boast is used four times in our two text verses today. Boasting is connected closely to pride. Boasting and pride are usually bad character flaws. Adam and Eve sinned because of pride. They wanted to be like God. Knowing good and evil. Today’s text reminds us Christians can boast in a right manner. We can boast when put everything in its proper perspective. "Whenever I look up at your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place — what is man that you remember him, the son of man that you pay attention to him!” (PSALM 8:3, 4). God’s glory in creation reminds us of his greatness.
A CHRISTIAN CAN BOAST.
I. Not because we are so good. II. But because God is so great.
I. WE ARE NOT SO GOOD.
A. “This is what the LORD says.” What Jeremiah writes is from the Lord God of Armies.
1. These words are not Jeremiah’s thoughts or dreams or opinions or words.
2. The Lord is speaking to his people with his words. Living, active, and powerful.
B. “The wise man should not boast in his wisdom.” Worldly wisdom did not agree with God’s wisdom.
1. God’s wisdom does not change. God’s wisdom is always the truth.
2. “The strong man should not boast in his strength.” Human strength is not eternal.
3. Worldly wisdom cannot save. Human strength cannot save. Nothing to boast about.
C. “…nor the rich man (boast) in his riches.” Nothing worldly can ever save.
1. Trusting in riches is not trusting in the Lord. No reason to boast at all.
2. Unholy three: wisdom, strength, and riches can lead astray from the Lord.
D. We continue with this thought of trusting in riches. Worldly wealth in and of itself is not sinful. Trusting in worldly wealth is sinful. Jesus warned his disciples by asking them, “What can a person give in exchange for his soul? Easy answer: nothing has enough value to redeem a soul. Those obsessed with riches plunge into destruction. We know that money cannot buy God’s forgiveness. “Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his high position, and the rich one in his humble position, because he will pass away like a flower of the grass" (JAMES 1:9, 10). Wealth and riches pass away just as quickly as the beauty of flower. Life is short compared to eternity. We cannot boast about riches.
E. Human strength is not able to save us. Cannot save anyone. Only the strength of our Savior’s blood can and does remove the guilt of our sins. We cannot boast about our strength. Or our goodness. "But God chose the foolish things of the world to put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are strong" (1 CORINTHIANS 1:27). Consider the cross of Christ. The cross was an instrument of torture and death. Weakness in the eyes of the worldly. What person would follow a criminal who was executed? Foolishness according to the standards of this world. For us who believe the cross is the wisdom and the power of God.
F. Worldly wisdom changes constantly. People once thought and taught the earth was the center of the universe. After all, it was God’s special creation. Along came Copernicus. He taught the sun was the center of the universe. Blasphemy! He was kicked out of the church. Neither the sun nor the earth is the center of the earth. People also believed the earth was flat. Columbus proved the wisdom to be wrong. “So watch how I will continue to amaze these people with amazing, extraordinary things. The wisdom of the wise will perish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden" (ISAIAH 29:14). Man’s wisdom changes. We cannot boast about our wisdom. God’s wisdom is al-ways true.
A CHRISTIAN CAN BOAST. We cannot boast about our wisdom, strength, riches or goodness.
II. OUR GOD IS SO GREAT.
A. “Instead, let those who boast boast about this...” There were things that Israel could boast about.
1. “…boast about this: that they have understanding, and that they know me”.
2. Israel had the understanding that only came from the Lord.
3. By God’s great power to change hearts and lives Israel knew the Lord.
B. “They know that I am the LORD, who shows mercy, justice, and righteousness on earth…”
1. Israel experienced Lord’s mercy: He delivered them from Egypt. Led to Promised Land.
2. The Lord always dealt justly with his people. Showed his righteousness again and again.
C. “…for I delight in these things, declares the LORD.” The Lord spoke – declared. His powerful Word.
1. Not only did the Lord display mercy, justice, and righteousness – he wanted to do this.
2. Israel did not always act mercifully, justly, or righteously. The Lord always did.
D. One of the great blessings that we are to boast about is that we know the Lord. There are mil-lions upon millions who do not know the Lord. They do not care about God’s greatness. Some have rejected him. Others are ignorant of the Lord’s love for his creatures. Only the power of God’s grace changes our hearts. Our minds. Our lives. Our eternity. We did not learn of the Lord God from worldly wisdom. We did not come to know the Lord God by our own reasoning or strength. God’s grace. Alone. Scripture. Alone. Christ. Alone. “…and that from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 TIMOTHY 3:15). Wisdom for salvation is the only wisdom that matters. Wisdom to boast about.
E. Each one of us have experienced God’s wisdom in our lives. When we have thought we knew better our loving, heavenly Father has shown us his will. Friends, we have been called out of darkness into light. This is God’s will for our lives. The Lord God has blessed us. Daily. Abundantly. We have an amazing God who cares for each one of us with infinite love and care. “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how untraceable his ways!” (ROMANS 11:33). The Lord God gives purpose to our lives. He has chosen us from before creation to be his own children. Each one of are in this place, at this time, all for God’s purpose. Find comfort in the divine truth that we know the Lord. The Lord knows us. Boast about the Lord.
F. What do we see when we look at ourselves? Closely. Truthfully. We see a sinner who falls far short of the glory of God. We sin daily. We sin much. We deserve eternal separation from the presence of the Lord. Our loving, heavenly Father freely and fully forgives us, his children. The Lord God does not treat us as our sins deserve. “By the mercies of the LORD we are not consumed, for his compassions do not fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness” (LAMENTATIONS 3:22, 23). God in his mercy daily shows us his love. Boast about the Lord’s mercy showered upon us.
CONC.: A Christian can boast about the greatness of God. In fact, our world needs to hear more about the greatness of God. We remind ourselves and others not to trust in worldly wisdom. Do not have any confidence in human strength. Riches are nothing to boast about either. Instead – always look to the Lord Jesus Christ. "But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (GALATIANS 6:14). A CHRISTIAN CAN BOAST about God’s greatness. Always. Loudly. May God strengthen us to boast about Jesus. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EPIPHANY 5 rdgs.: ISAIAH 58:5-9a; 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-5; MATT. 5:13-20; (PSALM 111)
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