“To God Be The Glory”
(based on Lucado’s book – “It’s Not About Me”)
INTRODUCTION: We live in a “me-centric” world. i.e., everything revolves around ME … my happiness … my wants … my pleasure … ME!
Up until 450 years ago, everybody believed that the universe, and the sun, and the planets revolved around the earth. THEN, in 1543, Copernicus told them that the earth wasn’t the center of the universe. 50 years later, Galileo said that the planets revolved around the sun. They were so opposed to this idea, that they threw him in prison, and kicked him out of the church. The very IDEA that WE weren’t the center of the universe, was unthinkable!
God has a very important LESSON in all of this … the world doesn’t revolve around YOU … or ME. God’s priority isn’t your comfort … happiness … or pleasure. If God existed to please you & me … THEN … why aren’t we pleased all the time? The TRUTH is … it’s not all about you or me … it’s all about GOD.
If God’s priority isn’t to make us happy … to please us … THEN … WHAT IS GOD’S PRIORITY? God’s priority is that He receive all the honor and glory. If God had a “To-Do” list, it would consist of just 1 THING … “How can I reveal My glory?” “How can I receive the most glory? God exists to showcase GOD.
• Why did God create the universe? Psalm 19:1 - “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
• Why did God choose the Jews? Isaiah 43:7 – “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
• Why does God allow troubles in our life? Psalm 50:15 – “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
• Why did God send Jesus to earth? John 17:4 – “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
God wants the SPOT-LIGHT on HIM! EVERYTHING that God does, it to give Him glory!
NOW … this doesn’t mean that God has an EGO PROBLEM. If you or I did everything we do for the purpose of receiving honor and glory, we would be considered arrogant … egotistical … conceited … pompous.
BUT … God doesn’t do everything so His glory will be revealed for HIS OWN good. God wants His glory revealed in everything that happens … FOR OUR GOOD … so we can WITNESS His glory … AND be a witness OF His glory.
God wants us to SEE His glory … SO … we can REFLECT it to the rest of the world. We are to be like the MOON. The moon doesn’t have any light of its own … it REFLECTS the light of the sun. We are to be “Son-Reflectors” … and reflect the glory of God that He displays for us in everything He does.
2 Cor. 3:18 – “that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him, and reflect His glory even more.”
• LISTEN to what God tells His people - 1 Chron. 16:24 – “Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvelous works among all nations.”
• LISTEN to what Paul told the Roman Christians - Romans 11:36 – “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
• Why do the planets exist? For God’s glory. Rev. 4:11 – “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
• Why did God give you talents and abilities? NOT for YOU to receive honor and glory … BUT … for His glory.
• Why do you have money … or live in poverty? For God’s glory.
• Why do you have victory, or struggle in life? For God’s glory.
Everything happens … everybody exists … everything was created … to give glory to God! Including YOU! We think that the world ought to revolve around us. Do you really want that? (I know some people who SEEM to want it … want to be in the SPOT-LIGHT). LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING … IF it’s all ABOUT you … THEN … it’s all UP TO you.
God knows better than to revolve the world around you & me. WHY? BECAUSE … He knows that we are weak and powerless … He knows our limitations. BUT … GOD is GOD! To HIM be the glory! THAT’S WHY God wants all the glory … it’s not all about YOU … it’s all about HIM!
God doesn’t share His glory. LISTEN to what God says - Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another …”
The world doesn’t revolve around you & me … it revolves around God. LISTEN to what John the Baptist said about Jesus - John 3:30 – “He must increase, but I must decrease.” WHY? BECAUSE … it’s all about HIM … NOT about you & me.
1.- Your SUCCESS Is For God’s Glory
SOMETIMES, great men & women start thinking that they are pretty important … get the big-head … think they are really something. Even PREACHERS sometimes get this tendency (at the door, after a wonderful sermon!).Paul had something to say about this in 1 Cor. 3:7 – “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”
When any of us start to get the big-head … get “too big for our britches” (like my Mama used to say) … we need to turn to 1 Cor. 1:31 – “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
Any SUCCESS you have, has been given to you by God, to bring GLORY to Him. Any SUCCESS you have, is given to you by God, to advertise GOD. God lets you excel, so you can make Him known … to declare His glory.
2.- Your BODY Is To Be Used For God’s Glory. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 – ribbon
• Sexual impurity doesn’t glorify God.
• Unhealthy eating habits … alcohol & drugs … living to satisfy the flesh … doesn’t glorify God.
• Your body is God’s TOOL … maintain it … for His glory.
• Your body is God’s TEMPLE … respect it … for His glory.
That’s why God gave you a body … so He would get all the glory.
3.- Your STRUGGLES Are To Be Used For God’s Glory
Everybody can relate to problems, trials, struggles, heartaches, tragedies … They are there for 1 PURPOSE … to bring glory to God. Psalm 50:15 (again) – “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
John 9:1-3 – all turn. WHY was this man born blind? So that God might be glorified! See 9:35-38
• To MARY, God said – “You will be the mother of My Son … for My glory.”
• To PETER, God said – “You will be the 1st preacher of the gospel … for My Glory.”
• To MATTHEW, God said – “You will write the 1st Gospel… for My glory.”
• To THIS BLIND MAN, God said – “You will be born blind … for My glory.”
I can just hear the blind man reply to God … “Have you got a Plan B?”
REMEMBER Lazarus? Turn to John 11:1-3. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He didn’t rush to their house. As a matter of fact, He waited a couple of more days – 11:5-7
Mary & Martha couldn’t understand why Jesus waited – 11:21, 32. They were “me-centric”! Martha & Mary were broken hearted … weeping and crying. Their happiness wasn’t God’s priority.
Some even doubted Jesus – 11:37
• WHY did Jesus allow such trial, trouble and heartache?
• WHY does Jesus allow such struggles, tragedies and trial in YOUR life?
MAYBE … It’s to bring you to salvation in Jesus. MAYBE … It’s to strengthen your faith. MAYBE … It’s to get you to depend on Him … not on yourself. LISTEN to what Jesus says – 11:4 … 11:40. Death … and blindness … and (whatever you are going through) … is for the glory of God.
LISTEN to what Jesus told the Apostle John - John 21:19 - “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.”
• What do you think happened when Lazarus walked out of that tomb? They witnessed the glory of God.
• What do you think happened when the blind man came walking down the street without his white cane … greeting everybody? They witnessed the glory of God.
What do you think will happen …
• When people see you put your trust in God, in your struggles? God will be glorified.
• When people see how God sees you through your trials and testings … meeting your needs? God will be glorified.
• When people see your faith, in spit of your circumstances? God will be glorified.
MAYBE … YOU have been selected by God (like Lazarus and the blind man) to display the glory of God!
Are people strengthened because of your struggles? Do they see the glory of God in your trials?
REMEMBER … It’s not about YOU. Your struggles and trials might be for God to display His glory through you. God might be using you to reflect His glory … as a “Son-reflector”. MAYBE … You have been selected to suffer for God’s glory. God will use whatever He chooses to reflect His glory … the universe … a beautiful sunset … YOU and your struggles.
2 Cor. 4:17 – “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” Compared to the glory that you will give to God … compared to the glory that you will receive in Heaven … it’s but a “light affliction”.
CONCLUSION:
Turn to 1 Cor. 10:31.
We are to glorify God in EVERYTHING.
• In what you DO - Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
• In all your STRUGGLES – 2 Cor. 4:15 – “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”
REMEMBER … it’s not about you. It’s about how you can give God the most glory. Don’t waste any opportunity that God gives you … to give Him all the glory.
We ought to wake up each morning and say … “God, how can my life give you the most glory today?”
The world doesn’t revolve around YOU … it revolves around GOD. It’s not about YOU … it’s all about HIM … giving God all the glory.
STAND – PRAYER
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
“To God Be The Glory”
INTRODUCTION: We live in a “me-centric” world.
• God’s priority isn’t your comfort or happiness.
• It’s all about GOD … it’s not all about you or me.
• God’s priority is for Him to receive all the honor and glory.
- God created the universe to glorify Him – Psalm 19:1
- God chose the Jews to glorify Him – Isaiah 43:7
- God allows troubles in your life to glorify Him – Psalm 50:15
- God sent Jesus to earth to glorify Him – John 17:4
• We are to be “Son-reflectors” of God’s glory –
- 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Chronicles 16:24, Romans 11:36
• Everything happens and exists … to give God the glory.
• God doesn’t share His glory – Isaiah 42:8
• It’s all about Him … it’s not about you – John 3:30
1.- Your SUCCESS Is For God’s Glory
- God blesses you to glorify Him – 1 Corinthians 3:7, 1:31
2.- Your BODY Is To Be Used To Glorify Him
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 6:13
- Your body is God’s tool … maintain it for His glory.
- Your body is God’s temple … respect it for His glory.
3.- Your STRUGGLES Are To Be Used For God’s Glory
- That’s the purpose for your trials – Psalm 50:15
- John 9:1-3 – He was born blind to give glory to God
- 9:35-38
- John 11:1-3 – Lazarus died to give God glory
- 11:4, 11:40
- Your trials, struggles & problems are there to give God glory.
- Are people strengthened because of your struggles?
- Do they see the glory of God in your trials?
- They are there to display His glory through you.
- God is using you as a “Son-reflector” – 2 Corinthians 4:17
CONCLUSION: 1 Corinthians 10:31
• Glorify God in everything you DO – Matthew 5:16
• Glorify God in all your STRUGGLES – 2 Corinthians 4:15
It’s not about YOU … it’s how you can give God the most glory.
Don’t waste any opportunity to give God the glory.
