Thanksgiving is almost here- I have declared today to be a day of BOASTING!
I am giving us all permission to boast today.
It is easy for people to boast- almost second nature.
We easily boast about things that have happened in our lives or things we have done/accomplished.
As people we like to be recognized by others.
Boasting is not necessarily bad- unless we are constantly drawing attention to ourselves.
Sometimes boasting comes out of pride or insecurity and a need for recognition- not necessarily good-
we need to receive our recognition from God.
Illustration ...
Minister/boy scout/scientist- the only passengers on a small plane. The pilot came back to the cabin- explained that the plane was going down but- only three parachutes/four people. The pilot then added, "I should have one of the parachutes because I have a wife and three small children." So he took one and jumped. The scientist jumped up and said, "I should have one of the parachutes because I am the smartest man in the world." So he took one and jumped. The minister turned to the Boy Scout and said, as I am sure all of you would, "You are young and I have lived a rich life, so you take the remaining parachute, and I’ll go down w/the plane." Then the Boy Scout said, "Relax, Reverend, the smartest man in the world just picked up my knapsack and jumped out!"
(contributed by Dallas Powell, Sermon Central)
What it the moral to this story …
One man’s boast can be another man’s salvation.
There is a boasting, however, that we can do without any danger of sin or drawing attention to self.
2 Cor 10:17 But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD. NASU
I was reading recently in Psa 44 …
V1- how did they hear about the works of God- their father’s boasted about the things God did for them.
V2- he gives testimony to what God did, again boasting in the glory of God.
V3- the Jewish people fought- but they understood they won because of God’s intervention.
V4- now, because of the boasting of their father’s, the sons have faith to claim victories in God’s name.
V5-7- they knew they could not trust in their own strength/wisdom- but in the God that they served.
V8- this is the verse that spoke to my heart- there is something here the church needs to learn.
It is hard to boast about something/someone you do not know much about.
I want to give us some boasting material …
In the Lord’s prayer it says that we are to hallow or honor the name of our God.
The names of God reveal to us the nature of God …
• Jehovah-jireh- the Lord is our provider-
Gen 22:14 Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide … NASU
Phil 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. NASU
God will provide spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.
• Jehovah-rapha- the Lord is our healer-
Ex 15:26 " If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God … I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer."
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; 3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;
• Jehovah-nissi- the Lord is our banner, our victor
Rom 8:31, 37
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. NASU
• Jehovah-shalom- the Lord is our peace-
Judg 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace …
2 Cor 5:18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
We have been reconciled w/God- therefore we have peace w/God.
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NASU
• Jehovah-ra ah (rohi)- the Lord is my shepherd-
Jn 10:27-28
27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. NASU
Psa 23:1-3 (The Lord is my shepherd …)
• Jehovah-tsidkenu-Lord is our righteousness-
Jer 23:6 "In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ’The LORD our righteousness.’ NASU
Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Put off our righteousness- put His righteousness.
• Jehovah-shammah- the Lord is ever present-
1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? NASU
Col 1:27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NASU
Consider the words of Jesus Himself …
• Jn 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. NASU
• Jn 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." NASU
• Jn 10:7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 9 " I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. NASU
• John 10:11" I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 14 " I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, NASU
• Jn 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, NASU
• Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. NASU
• John 15:1"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. NASU
God’s Word tells us who God is, our faith makes it real, and confession brings about salvation.
Rom 10:10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. NASU
Our verbal confession of God’s goodness builds within our hearts a reality of who God is.
Jer 9:23-24
23 Thus says the LORD, " Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;
24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. NASU
Little known characteristics of God (from an email)
GOD is like FORD ... He’s got a better idea.
GOD is like COKE ... He’s the real thing.
GOD is like HALLMARK CARDS ... He cares enough to send His very best.
GOD is like TIDE ... He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
GOD is like SCOTCH TAPE ... You can’t see him, but you know He’s there.
GOD is like DELTA ... He’s ready when you are.
GOD is like BAYER ASPRIN...He works wonders.
GOD is like VO5 HAIR SPRAY...He holds through all kinds of weather.
(Contributed by Jim Kane, Sermon Central)
We can clearly boast in our God … for all kinds of reasons … we have only touched the surface.
Today is a very special day! Why?
Not because …
it is Sunday,
of something that happened in history on this day,
not because it is a holiday, but …
… because it is a day when we can boast in our God.
Psa 34:1-3
1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together. NASU
CHURCH … LETS BOAST!
