To God Be the Glory

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 4th of October, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our service this morning also included the observance of Holy Communion with our Lord.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Have you ever heard the expression, “there are no atheists in foxholes”?  When hunkered down in some low spot with bullets whizzing overhead and mortars and grenades going off all around, everyone prays for help.  At some point in everyone’s life, when the situation is dire enough and seems hopeless, they will turn to some higher authority, some ultimate power, whoever or whatever created everything and controls it all.

Those of us fortunate enough to already know that ultimate power to be our Almighty God, we can’t help but wonder why those folks didn’t know God all along.  We can’t blame God for that failing – He has shown Himself to mankind since our very beginning.  The Apostle Paul explains this quite clearly, I think, in the opening chapter of his letter to the church in Rome.  Please listen and follow along as I read from chapter 1 of Paul’s letter to the Romans, verses 16 through 25, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

--Romans 1:16-25 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for giving us the wonderful gift of faith.  Faith provides the foundation for how we are to live this life, and the justification needed for the next life to come.  Thank You, Father, for loving us this much.  Please help us to continuously exercise our faith to keep it strong and vital.  And Father, please protect us from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  We give you all the glory, for we can make nothing that You have not already made, we can do nothing without Your help.  Show us Your will for our lives through Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the great composer, Johann Sebastian Bach.  Well, Bach once said, "All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul's refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub."

Bach began all his compositions with the initials, "J.J.",  which stood for "Jesus Juva", which means "Jesus help me."  He ended them all with "S.D.G.", short for "Soli Deo gloria", which means "Glory to God alone."

To say that Johann Sebastian Bach was a prolific composer would be a great understatement.  I could easily spend the hour just reciting the names of his pieces and not get finished with them all.  He was also an accomplished musician, able to play many instruments at first sight and widely renown for making instruments.  Many consider him a great man, a brilliant artist, able to do what very few could.

Yet here was this “great” man asking Jesus for help as he began each one of those many compositions.  And then, as he completed them, knowing that man tends to give credit to the artist for such things, Bach made sure to give all the glory to God.  To God alone be the glory.  These words need to be on our lips and in our hearts all the time.

Paul understood just how important it is to give God the glory, and to God alone.  In our scripture reading, he warns us of the ramifications of not believing the truth that has been shown us.

God has shown us Himself since the dawn of creation, so woe be onto those who refuse to believe in Him, who work to suppress the truth, for they have no excuse.  Although they know God, they do not glorify Him nor give Him thanks.  They refuse to give God the glory for all He has done.

There are other times in our Bible where we are warned to always give God the glory.  For instance, take heed of what the prophet Jeremiah wrote in chapter 13 of his book, verses 15 and 16…

15 Hear and give ear: 

Do not be proud,

For the Lord has spoken.

16 Give glory to the Lord your God

Before He causes darkness,

And before your feet stumble

On the dark mountains,

And while you are looking for light,

He turns it into the shadow of death

And makes it dense darkness.

--Jeremiah 13:15-16 (NKJV)

When we are too proud of ourselves, of our own accomplishments, we fail to acknowledge that anything we have, anything we can do, comes from God.  We give ourselves the glory rather than Him.  We sink into idolatry, worshiping ourselves, making of ourselves an idol.  As Paul points out, we worship the creature rather than the Creator.

There is another aspect of glorifying God, and that is being able to see the very glory of God.  Lazarus had died and been laid in a tomb.  Of course, that meant nothing to Jesus, as He was about to show.

Listen to what Jesus, the Son of God, said about seeing the glory of God, as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, chapter 11 verses 38 through 44…

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

--John 11:38-44 (NKJV)

Believe, and see the glory of God.  Faith is a gift – the gift of being able to believe without the need for absolute proof.  By our belief in Jesus, we are shown God’s glory.  It is made manifest to us all around us.  Just as God Himself is made known to us, His glory is shown to us.

Now, we all know ways to glorify God, but is there one really good way, is there something we can do that best shows our desire to give God all the glory?  Using our Bible as our ultimate guide, I’m sure we can come up with many “best” ways.  Here’s what the Apostle Peter instructs us in his 1st letter to the early church, chapter 4, verses 7 through 11…

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

--1 Peter 4:7-11 (NKJV)

The end of things is truly at hand.  So we need to be ever diligent, ever watchful, ever more intent in our prayers and our worship.  And Peter tells us that above all things, we must have fervent love for one another.  Fervent love - having and showing great warmth and intensity of spirit, feeling, and enthusiasm.

Being enthusiastic in our love for one another glorifies God.  God tells us to love one another and doing what He says, for all to see, glorifies Him.  Not matter what we do, give God all the glory.

In just a few moments, we will be sharing in the last meal our Lord Jesus had while on this earth.  The Apostle Paul tells us not to come to the table, not to partake of the body and blood of our risen Savior, unless we are right with God.  Please take the next minutes to silently pray to God, promising to turn from whatever sin you still hold onto, and seeking His help and forgiveness.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for all the wonderful things you do for us.  Thank You for making Yourself known to us.  Thank You for our faith, through which we might have eternal life.  Help us, please Father, to always give You all the glory.  Help us to fervently love others and in that way glorify You.  Help us to take courage from Your Holy Spirit during these troubling times, and not let all the turmoil overwhelm us and weaken our faith.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You told us that is we would only believe, we could see the amazing glory of God.  Our belief allows us to see His hand at work in our life and grants us entry into paradise when our eternal life begins.  Forgive us, Jesus, for not fully exercising our faith.  Forgive us when we fail to fervently love one another.  Help us, please, to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Strengthen us, Jesus, through these stormy times.  And Lord, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through the wildfires raging around us, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.