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GIVING GOD THE GLORY

December 31, 2000 PM

Sermon Outline

Phil 4:20

INTRO: I had originally planned to brush past this verse with little or no notice. On the surface of it, one might think, there is not much substance. But thats the trouble with so much of our Bible reading ... its just done on the surface. We can so easily skim across words giving them hardly a second thought. May I suggest that every word from God is worth a second thought ... and more! So, I decided to spend some time thinking and reflecting right here on this verse ... to see if there might be something I should share with you. Sure enough, here is the subject of Giving God The Glory.

I. GOD POSSESSES INHERENT GLORY

A. God is God

1. His power, possession, preeminence are facts

2. descriptions of Revelation are awesome - Rev 4:2-6 - yet, they do not really do justice to Gods glory ... John can only say that what he saw was like something

3. too, the natural world, universe declare His glory Ps 19:1 ...

Ps 147:4

B. But God elected to seek glory in/from human response

1. if you ask me why, I must tell you I dont know!

2. but Eph 1:5,6,12 ... predestinated ... to the praise of the glory of his grace

3. Eph 3:21 unto him be glory in the church

C. Principle of childrens bringing glory to parents?

1. Prov 17:6a vs 19:26 by the manner of their lives our children glorify us ... or not

2. we are the offspring of God - 1 Jno 3:1 ... by the choice of God

3. God seeks glory in/by the manner of our response to Him, His love, His grace 1 Pet 1:13-16 and Eph 5:8-11

II. HOW IS GOD GLORIFIED BY US?

A. By the praise of our lips

1. this is the manner in our text - thrilling realization

2. the realization evokes excited praise of God

3. Heb 13:15

4. note Ps 51:14,15 Davids praise of forgiving God

B. By the conformity of our lives to His pattern

1. its possible for one to say what he knows I want to hear without there being substance behind the words

2. a child can so say to his parent

3.what we really want is to see the life conformed to the standards, values, principles we believe are right, vital

4. so, Eph 5:1 compared to 2:1,2 ... it should not be too difficult in this world for people to observe us and know that there is a difference !!

(1 Cor 10:31)

C. By the service we render

1. a likeness to God most assuredly will be compassionate, concerned, caring ... beyond self

2. 2 Cor 9:12,13 the generous sharing of Corinth resulted in expressions of praise, thanksgiving and glory to God

3. Lk 18:40-43 Jesus served ... God is glorified

4. compare Mt 6:2 to God, not to me, belongs the glory in the service I may render through Gods power, bounty

D. By the loyalty of our commitment

1. on again, off again loyalty, commitment really hurts more than it glorifies!

2. note Jno 17:4 I have glorified ... I have finished

3. a steady movement - with God - through the course of His life ... no gaps, phases, desertions and returns ... just th loyalty of His commitment

4. is there ever a doubt whether or not you are Gods?

E. By the anticipation of the future

1. I love the phrase going home to be with God

2. somehow I think that a childs desire to return home over and again brings glory to his parents

3. recall Phil 1:23 desire, anticipation for others to know that must say something to them of the attractiveness of God ... of home!

4. in Hebrews 11 are some great names which brought glory to God ... and look at v.16 they lived toward home

CLOSE: So, I think with all of this in mind an appropriate question is ... Is my life - right now - bringing glory to God?

Cecil A. Hutson

31 December 2000

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)