To Your Name Be The Glory

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.”