OPEN: An older woman was cruising a busy parking lot in her new Mercedes-Benz looking in vain for a parking space. She finally saw someone loaded with packages heading for a car, so she followed him, put on her blinker and waited patiently until he pulled out.
Just as he pulled out a young man in a sleek black Porsche zipped in to the space ahead of her. She was dumbfounded and outraged, and jumped out of her car, shouting, "How could you do that? Didn’t you see me waiting there with my signal on?"
He smiled an arrogant smile and replied, "That’s what you can do when you’re young and fast."
As the young man was about to enter the store he heard the hideous crunch of metal striking metal. He ran back, horrified, to see that the woman had gunned her Mercedes and smashed it into his beautiful black Porsche. He ran back and cried, "How could you do that?"
She smiled back at him and replied, "That’s what you can do when you’re old and rich!"
APPLY: Let the wise man not boast of his wisdom (says Jeremiah)
nor the strong man of his strength
nor the rich man of his riches
I. Boasting (pause…) God talks a lot about boasting
In Psalms 75:4 God says: "To the arrogant I say, ’Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ’Do not lift up your horns.’"
Proverbs 27:1 warns us: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."
And in the New Testament, Paul writes that: “(God) chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things— and the things that are not— to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” I Corinthians 1:28-29
God speaks about “boasting” as if it’s a natural temptation for us.
(pause…) But, what is wrong with little boasting? I mean - as some people say - if you’ve got it - flaunt it. What can be wrong with that? I mean, if you’ve got a special ability or talent that sets you apart from the rest… what could be wrong with showing off a little bit?
WELL, there is the small matter of God not being pleased with it. But why? Why would God be so upset with a little “boasting” now and again?
· 1st – God doesn’t like boasting because it tends to reflect spiritually laziness.
Turn with me to James 3:13-17 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such ’wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
Now, what’s James saying here?
He’s saying this: If you’re truly wise, you shouldn’t have to TALK about being wise.
“Let him SHOW (his wisdom) by his good life, by deeds DONE in the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13)
Talk - or bragging in this case - is cheap.
God’s saying… if you’re really wise - do something with it.
He could as easily say: if you’re rich - do something with it.
Or, if you’re strong – do something with it
Use your wisdom, or your strength, or your riches for the upbuilding of my Kingdom, or for the benefit of others around you.
ILLUS: Years ago, on the Merv Griffin Show the guest was a body builder. During the interview, Merv asked, “Why do you develop those particular muscles?”
The body builder simply stepped forward and flexed a series of muscles from chest to calf. The audience applauded.
“What do you use all those muscles for?” Merv asked. Again, the muscular specimen flexed, and biceps and triceps sprouted to impressive proportions.
“But what do you use those muscles for?” Merv persisted. The body builder was bewildered. He didn’t have an answer.
His strength was something to be shown off and bragged about… BUT he didn’t use it for God or anything else.
To have strength, or riches or wisdom and to focus on talk about what you have rather than doing something with it… is spiritual laziness. And God doesn’t appreciate that. God doesn’t like it.
· 2nd – When we brag… it reflects a sinful lack of humility.
In James 4:6 we’re told "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
ILLUS: My dad was something of a prankster. He always loved a good practical joke. Once he walked into a church board meeting, smiled broadly and said: “I’m the most humble man here.” And he sat down.
Now, dad found that humorous.
Why? Because, in order for them to contest his statement, somebody had to say they were more humble than he was. And the moment someone did that… they all knew – to brag about their humility was a sure sign they weren’t humble.
Now, dad had an ulterior motive – he was playing a little joke.
Likewise, the person who brags about their strength, or their wisdom, or their riches often has an ulterior motive. That ulterior motive often has a lot to do with their desire to create envy…
… or impress people or influence how others think about them so that the boaster can kind of get ahead in life.
James writes: “if you harbor … envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:14-16)
The key goal of the braggart is to EXALT themselves…to exalt themselves either for the purpose of creating envy in others, OR for the purpose of furthering their ambitions in life.
Bragging is their way of trying to manipulate the people around them.
That kind of thinking runs completely against everything God tries to teach us.
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10
Jesus taught this same concept when he talked about attending a banquet. He explained that the natural tendency at these banquets was to sit at the chief spot of the table. He taught: don’t do that – all you’re going to do is get embarrassed when they tell you to give up your seat to a more important person.
Instead, seek out the lowest seat at the table… then, when the host of the meal sees you, he’ll exalt you before everyone by asking you to take a more important seat
Humble yourself… God will exalt you and you move you a few seats up the table. But if you exalt yourself, expect God to move you down a seat or two (God opposes the proud).
You don’t have to further your personal ambitions. Learn humility and God WILL FURTHER your ambitions.
· Now, lastly, boasting displeases God… because it creates a whole new god in your life: you. Boastful people move God out of their lives… they replace HIM with themselves.
In Ezekiel 28:2 God rebuked the King of Tyre with these words: “In the pride of your heart you say, ‘I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.’ But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.”
ILLUS: Years ago, I watched an old Jimmy Stewart movie called Shenandoah. Stewart played a hard bitten farmer – and during one scene – he led the family in prayer at the dinner table: “Lord, we plowed the field, we planted the field, we harvested the crop. We cooked it and put it on the table. It wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for our hard work. But we thank you for it anyway. Amen.”
That’s the spirit of a boastful man or woman.
The boastful person is trying to proclaim that THEY are responsible for their own success. To hear them talk, you’d think God had nothing to do with their strength/wisdom/riches.
It’s their strength
It’s their wisdom
It’s their riches
THEY WORKED FOR IT, it belongs to them
God isn’t part of the picture
They are God
They don’t seem to understand that what they have is a gift… it’s not theirs by right.
All we have to do to understand this principle is encounter someone who can’t speak, or hear, or run, or who has lost an arm or hand… and then reflect on the fact that we have no right to have what these people have lost. What we have is a gift and should be treasured. But we have no RIGHT to brag about that which we really did not earn.
ILLUS: Back when I was a young teen, I was with my dad and felt it would be a good thing to brag in his presence: “I’m proud I’m a Strite!” I declared.
Dad looked me dead in the eye and responded: “What did you ever do about it?”
And, that is why God’s not keen on that kind of boastfulness:
1. It reflects spiritual laziness
2. It reflects a sinful lack of humility
3. AND it replaces God in our lives… and takes His gifts for granted.
II. But there is a boastfulness that God does honor.
“… let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24
This kind of boasting protects us from the sinful tendencies of laziness, pride and self-righteousness. Brag on God, not on yourself
ILLUS: Jill Briscoe once wrote:
I love what Corrie ten Boom once taught me. She said, “Jill, people thank me so much and it used to worry me because I didn’t want to get a big head. So I began to collect those compliments like flowers.
‘Thank you,’ I’d say. ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.’ Then at the end of the day I’d kneel down and I’d say, ‘Here You are Jesus, they’re all Yours.’“
ILLUS: A poet once wrote:
Have you been called to serve where others tried and failed?
But with God’s help and strength YOUR efforts have prevailed?
Touch not the glory.
Has God appointed you to some great, noble cause?
Or put you where you hear the sound of men’s applause?
Touch not the glory.
Have you some special gift? Some riches you can share?
Or have you learned the art of intercessory prayer?
Touch not the glory.
A watching world still waits to see what can be done,
Through one who touches not that which is God’s alone...
Touch not the glory!
CLOSE: You’d think preachers would understand this best of all…. But even we fail sometimes
David Stone is one of the preachers at South East Christian Church…
One time, back when he was a youth minister, Dave read to his teens about Jesus washing His disciples feet… and then he sent them out in groups, for a period of 2 hours, with instructions to minister to the people of Louisville, KY as they think Christ would have.
One group went out and bought ice cream cones and took them to a retirement community where several of their congregation lived and delivered the dripping cones to their door.
Another group went to a self service gas station and pumped gas for the patrons.
Each group returned and then shared what they had done and there was a spirit of joy and excitement as they realized they had done something for others and for God.
One group, however, arrived about 15 minutes late. When asked what they had done, they replied that they had gone to their arch rivals, the Baptist Church (they competed heavily in church basketball and other activities).
When they asked what they could do, they were told they could help sort the children’s library - which took all of 45 minutes. Then they asked what else they would be allowed to do.
“Well,” replied the Baptist preacher, “we do have a shut-in that needs her yard raked. She’s needed done for some time now, but we haven’t been able to get anybody over to her home.”
So the youth went, raked her yard, shared in a prayer circle at her request and then she said these words: “I am so glad I belong to the Baptist Church, it’s so nice to know that they care so much for me that you kids would come out and help me.”
At that, Stone could hardly contain himself. He exclaimed: “Well, you did tell them you were from 1st Christian, didn’t you.”
“No,” they replied, it never occurred to us. We were just so excited about serving God that we forgot all about that.”
“’Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.”
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES
· Formed For A Purpose - Jeremiah 1:4-1:10
· Accept No Substitutes - Jeremiah 2:4-2:13
· The Smell of Sin - Jeremiah 5:20-5:25
· If I’ve Got It Why Can’t I Flaunt It? - Jeremiah 9:23-9:24
· The Effect Of Judgment - Jeremiah 10:17-10:25
· Time To Decide - Jeremiah 15:15-15:21
· Planning For The Future. - Jeremiah 29:8-29:14
· A New Hope - Jeremiah 31:31-31:35
· Knowing God’s Phone Number - Jeremiah 33:1-33:3
· You Can’t Tell Some People Anything - Jeremiah 44:1-44:30
