In What Will You Glory?

Well, last month, much of the world's attention was focused upon the city of Glasgow, Scotland, in the 26th Conference of Parties, or COP26, COP26. This year's Conference of World Leaders intended to make concrete progress in battling climate change. In fact, an Associated Press headline about the Conference read, Last Best Hope Leaders Launch Crucial UN Climate Summit. Now, according to the CBS News article, the latest United Nations report on climate change, it states, the article states, it warns in its strongest terms yet that human activities have unequivocally warmed the planet and that climate change is now widespread, rapid, intensifying. And it has been fueling extreme weather events and flooding, severe heat waves and droughts, loss and extinction of species, and the melting of ice sheets and rising of sea levels. And UN Secretary-General Antonio Quiterres called the report a code red for humanity. That's from the CBS News article. The article also states that the cost of failure to limit global warming is, that translates into many premature deaths, more mass migration, major economic losses, large swaths of unlivable land, and violent conflict over resources and food, again, what the UN Secretary-General has called a hellish future.

What was achieved at this year's two-week conference?

Well, on November 12th, another CBS News correspondent, Mark Phillips, reported that the conference has been a disappointment. Concrete plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius has proven false, and the conference has so far failed. Nonetheless, world leaders remain undeterred. Humanity, they say, must save the planet. Humanity must save itself from disaster. And as years go by, I am sure we will hear much more about our need to willingly sacrifice, heroic sacrifices we will need to make to save our planet and to save ourselves from catastrophe and destruction. The world leaders believe that global warming is humanity's greatest common enemy. And how will humanity conquer global warming? Well, by trusting in the same three things humanity has always gloried in—human ingenuity, human strength, and human wealth, or riches. Now, the sermon is not about global warming. The sermon is about the way humanity glories in itself.

To glory in human ingenuity, human strength, human wealth—that is nothing new. If you turn with me to Jeremiah 9, verse 23-24, God reveals how people wrongly place their trust in these same three things. It's what humanity tends to do. And here's God's perspective. Jeremiah 9, verse 23.

Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord. Now humanity, as we understand, long ago stopped trusting God, but humanity has not stopped trusting in itself or glorying in its abilities. And apart from God, what else can humanity trust and glory in, but in its own wisdom and might and riches? That's what ancient Judah did. Rather than doing what Jeremiah said and trusting God for deliverance, the people of Judah decided to save themselves from the Babylonians, and their wrong choice led to destruction, death, and exile. It didn't pan out the way they had hoped either. So how about you and me? How about you and me? In our lives, in whom or in what do we truly trust and glory in? Is it in ourselves? Is it in others? Or do we trust God in faith and full confidence? Do we glory in God? These are several questions we'll address today, and I've entitled the sermon, In What Will You Glory? In What Will You Glory? Now, as we begin, let's read again Jeremiah 9.24, because Jeremiah 9.24 gives us the correct answer to the question I've just given you in the title, In What Will We Glory? The correct answer is, Jeremiah 9.24, let him who glories glory in this, the aneur stands and knows me, that I am the Lord exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these I delight, says the Lord. God wants us to glory in that we understand and know Him, that we understand and know that He exercises mercy, judgment, and righteousness, and more than that, that we understand and know how God delights in these things. But let's try to unpack some of the rich meaning from the words we find here in verse 24. Now, I'm going to be taking you back and forth from Jeremiah 9, so if you have a bookmark or something or a ribbon, you might place it there, Jeremiah 9, for your convenience. Now, first of all, let's understand some of the meanings of the Hebrew words translated. The Hebrew word, for example, translated is glories and glory here in Jeremiah 9 and 24. This Hebrew word is halal, which can mean to praise and to boast or to exalt. Many English translations use the word glory.

Now, how can one glory? Well, you can glory in good things and right things. You can glory in not so good things or right things. For example, halal, meaning praise, boast, or exalt, also occurs when one boasts or praises oneself for something dishonest or something unprincipled. We find such wrong glorying or boasting in Psalm 52, verse 1. Again, you're going to keep your place here in Jeremiah 9, but Psalm 52, verse 1. Psalm 52, verse 1, just one scripture, it reads, Why do you boast? Why do you halal? An evil, O mighty man! The goodness of God endures continually. And so it suggests the mightiness of man, especially your evil, is not going to last very long, but the ways of God will. Let's also note, going back a bit, Psalm 10, verses 2-3, examples of how a person might glory in the wrong things and evil things. Psalm 10, verse 2-3.

Psalm 10, verse 2, The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor. Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boast halals in his heart's desire. He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. So these scriptures tell us that doing evil in sin, although some people are boasting that and glorying it, that should never be the cause for our glorying, the cause for our boasting. We understand that our glorying and boasting should be in God. Now back to Jeremiah 9.24. In particular here, we are told to hallel, to glory, or boast, and that we understand and know God. Now we need to grasp the meaning of these two words also, for they mean much more than we may suspect. Sometimes we see words and we nod our heads, yeah, yeah, I get it, we know, and we move on. But there is rich meaning in the words if we take time to study. The Hebrew word translated as understand is salkal, S-A-K-A-L in Hebrew, S-A-K-A-L, which does mean to understand, but it also means to be wise, to understand with depth of wisdom. According to Mounts' expository dictionary, salkal conveys the idea of seeking God, who is the source of true wisdom and insight, of seeking God who is the true source of wisdom and insight, so that one might gain understanding, and that by that you also gain the wisdom of God.

The other Hebrew word for know is yada, Y-A-D-A, yada, yada, yada, yada. You know, you know, you know. This word has a wide range of meaning, and yes, it does mean to know.

But, according to Mounts' again, yada or to know may also describe the proper relationship of partners within a covenant, the relationship of partners within a covenant. And it means more in that case, rather than just mere cognitive or thinking activity. This knowing of God is not superficial, but it's deeper. This knowing is intimate. This knowing is personal. It's akin to the knowing we achieve when we have a close relationship with an individual, such as in a marriage or within a family. It's that kind of knowing. When we put these two words together, to understand and to know God means much more than just this intellectual or academic knowledge about God. To understand and know God means to have this profound and personal relationship with God, whereby we do gain God's wisdom, his insight, and his perspective. Now, we can connect this meaning to very well-known scriptures. I'm sure you remember Philippians 2 verse 5. Philippians 2 verse 5, you can turn there if you like. Just one verse, I'll read it for you. Philippians 2 verse 5, where Paul urges us to put on the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.

When we understand and know God, as we're told to be doing, we are putting on the mind of Christ, in essence. Also, Romans 12 verse 2. Romans 12 verse 2, again, Paul tells us, we've referred to this in previous sermons, Romans 12 verse 2. Paul tells us again to have this new mind. Paul writes, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is at good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And so, as we truly grow to understand and know God, we will be putting on more of the mind of God, more of the mind of Christ. And then there's one more connection I'd like for us to make. That's over in 1 John 2 verse 3 through 6. 1 John 2, 3 through 6. Here, John declares that to know that we know Christ, we must keep his commandments, God's commandments. 1 John 2 verse 3, Now by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He who says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked. 2 John 2 verse 3, God's commandments do much to reveal God's mind to us. They help us to know God. And to know Christ to such a depth that we come to walk like he walked, that requires that we come to understand and know God in that close and personal way. Here in these verses we've just read in 1 John, the Greek word for know is ginosko. And I'll spell it because I know you want to know.

G-I-N-O-S-K-O. G-I-N-O-S-K-O. Ginosko. It can carry the meaning of to know, as from an intimate relationship that involves deep feelings of love. It's a sort of knowing we say we know in that special relationship in marriage, for example. That intimate relationship that involves deep feelings of love. Such a relationship will also lead to this willing obedience and submission in our part. And so in other words, to know God means to have a close and personal relationship with him. And that close relationship in knowing is symbolized oftentimes in Scripture with that symbol of walking with another person. To walk like another person walks. To walk with God. To walk with Christ. Have you ever noticed, you ever watched the little children in our congregation? I know we do because they're so cute. But do you notice how children will tend to walk like one of their parents? They do. I guess I still walk like my dad, which is nice to know. That's a heritage I'm proud of. And I think we might all say something like that about our parents. We notice how oftentimes a child will have the same walk, the same gait and stride as its parents. You see, that child's close relationship is obvious to others' eyes. And that's the kind of knowing that child has with his parents. That's the kind of knowing and understanding we need to have with our Father in Heaven, with Jesus Christ. Now let's go back to Jeremiah 9.24.

The remainder of Jeremiah 9.24 also tells us that when we understand and know God, or as it reads here, that you know me, God says through Jeremiah, we will then glory, boast, or praise because, as we read, because I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in the ease I delight. The word loving kindness also appears as merciful, perhaps, in your translation. So when we practice faith in Jesus Christ's sacrifice and repent of our sins, when we seek God's forgiveness through his justice and his righteousness, God will be merciful and God will forgive us. But it's only by trusting God and being faithful to him that we will receive forgiveness in the gift of eternal life. It's a gift. You can't earn it. We can only—the wages we earn are death, but the gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus, Romans 6, 23. On the other hand, doing what human beings typically do—trusting in their own wisdom might or riches, things that we might do ourselves—trusting to those things can never save us. They can never save us from sin and death. Over in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, 26 through 31, Paul's words echo to a good degree the words of Jeremiah. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 26 through 31, Paul's words echo those of Jeremiah when he urges Christ's followers to have this personal relationship, this personal knowing and understanding with God and Christ. Here, let's see, these verses, Paul does much to clarify why, really why we shouldn't be wanting to glory in anything but only in God. Let's look at verse 26.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty—see, mighty and wise before—not many noble, wealthy and powerful, not many wise, mighty or noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things, the so-called foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. We're only foolish if we don't follow God. He has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised. God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh should glory in his presence. See, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us the wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that as it is written, he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. Paul knew—obviously he knew what Jeremiah had said.

And so we ought to glory and boast in that we have a personal relationship with God, and so understand that he truly is our God of mercy, justice, and righteousness. And as we come to know God better, we will love him more and delight in being more like him. And as we practice his way of love, as we get better at walking like he walks, as we walk with him by faith in Christ Jesus and having our minds transformed to be more like God's. And more than this, we can glory in God knowing that he is always helping us, always. He's always helping us to become his sons and daughters in his divine family. And as we allow God to help us through his scriptures and with the aid of his Holy Spirit, we will truly have ample reason then to glory in that we know God. And that he is our God. He is our God.

Now again, back to Jeremiah 9, 23 through 24. Aren't you glad you bookmarked that? If you're not, that's because you didn't do it. It's okay, you'll find your way. Back to Jeremiah 9, 23. So while we glory in God, which is the right thing to do? That's the right answer. That's what we should glory in. While we glory in God at the same time, at the same time, we must avoid glorying in the wrong things. Such are these three things that we as human beings naturally want to trust in, which, well, is essentially in ourselves. But verse 23 breaks it down. Again, it says, Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches. Let's look at each of those in turn now. Let's consider how each of these three things are things that humanity should not glory in. These are things humanity should not glory in. Humanity, first of all, must not glory in its wisdom. Why not? Why shouldn't the wise man glory in his wisdom? It's because it's his wisdom. It's his wisdom. Humanity's wisdom. It's not God's wisdom. Humanity's wisdom has nothing compared to God's. Let's notice a few scriptures on that point. Proverbs 14, 12. Proverbs 14, 12. This proverb reminds us of the futility of human wisdom. Proverbs 14, 12.

Here we read, There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is a way of death.

Here God simply declares the natural outcome in human wisdom apart from God, in its ways opposed to God. It's simple. It's death. That's what human wisdom will bring you without God. You're just going to die without hope. Psalm 111, verse 10. Let's also turn there. Psalm 111, verse 10. This verse asserts that true wisdom is founded upon the fear of God. That's the sort of fear that has his contrite awe, this profound reverence for God. It's not just simple terror. It's this reverence, this worshipful attitude towards God. Psalm 111, verse 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and a good understanding of all those who do his commandments. You want to become wiser. You want to understand God better, be keeping his commandments, strive harder, strive harder in keeping them. And it says, his praise endures forever. His praise endures forever because it'll come from those who live forever, forever, keeping his commandments, living his way of life. Also, turning now to James chapter 3. James 3, verse 13 through 17. You see, there are different types of wisdom. At least scripture reveals two types of wisdom. James 3, 13 through 17. And that's where we find described here these two types. One is earthly, demonic. The other is of heaven.

I wonder which wisdom we want to follow.

Verse 13. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast, do not glory and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, essential, it's demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. That's the wisdom we want. But this earthly wisdom of humanity apart from God, we should consider that a counterfeit wisdom. It's bogus. It's bogus. It's not true wisdom at all. And then let's read 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians 3, 18 through 21. 1 Corinthians 3, 18 through 21. And it's here that Paul affirms that the wisdom of the world is truly just foolishness to God. It's just foolishness.

Remember, a fool is one who says in his heart, there is no God. And so is his wisdom. God's not a part of it. 1 Corinthians 3, 18. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, he catches the wise in their own craftiness. And again, verse 20, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise. We might say the wise of the world, that they are futile. Therefore, let no one boast in men. Let no one glory in men. And so when we revere God and do as he says, we will come to understand and know God better and better. We will want to glorify him forever, you see. And in the face of humanity's ultimate enemy, which is actually death and sin, of what better protection, of what protection I should say, is human wisdom. How can human wisdom protect us from sin and death? It can't. Only the wisdom of God will lead us to eternal life. And that's what we must glory in. And secondly, humanity must not glory in its might. Humanity must not glory in its might. Jeremiah 9.23 tells us that that's not a wise thing to do, glorying in the might of yourself, glorying the might to man. Nothing, you see, can compare to Almighty God. Now, as I mentioned at the beginning of the sermon, the nations are trusting in their own might to save the planet. They will save humanity. Well, I don't think so. But over in Isaiah 40, let's read God's response, as it were, to that thought. Let's turn over to Isaiah chapter 40. And what we find in Isaiah chapter 40 is God speaking to the nations. And we could read it, as it were, as God's response to the nations in their efforts of boasting and glorying and depending in their own strength and might, even as in this case of trying to save the planet and humanity from global warming. What are the nations in their might compared to God Almighty? This psalm tells us. Psalm 40. And it should be humbling for the nations if they would read this and if they could understand it. Isaiah 40, let's begin in verse 15. Here's God's view of the nations compared to Him. Isaiah 40 verse 15, Behold, the nations are as a drop in the bucket.

You can visualize that. One drop in the bucket.

And are counted as the small dust on the scales. Compared to God, look, He God lifts up the isles as a very little thing. Let's skip down to verse 17-18, continuing. All nations before Him, before God, are as nothing. They are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? There's nothing compared to God. He's so much greater than anything humanly speaking we can imagine. Verse 23, excuse me, 21 through 23 now.

Isaiah 40 verse 21, Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He, it is God, who sits above the circle of the earth. And its inhabitants, earth's inhabitants, are like grasshoppers. It's God who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. That's how God deals with the vast stars we can see at night, the sky, all the beauty of the clouds, the sun, rainbows, all the beauty there. Verse 23, it's God. God brings the princes, the leaders of the nations, to nothing. He, God, makes the judges of the earth useless. That's God's response, you might say, to the mightiness of humanity. Frankly, humanity should be in awe of God. But now, in verses 28 through 31, still in Isaiah 40, let's notice the change of tone here. It's a change of tone, for here we can read God's encouraging words, for those who do trust in the might of God, who do glory in the might of God. These are the things the mighty of the world do not know about God. They do not understand these truths, as God has helped us to understand them. Verse 28, have you not known, have you not heard, the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. They don't trust in the might of men, they trust in the might of God. That is where we must trust and place our glory. And so, Isaiah 40 offers, I would say, a rather appropriate response to the nations who trust only in themselves for deliverance. Based on this last conference, I don't have much hope that they're going to solve global warming or any other huge problem we need to trust in God. And, of course, the third one, then, humanity must not glory in its riches.

Humanity must not glory in its riches.

You see, God warns those who are rich not to glory in their riches, as with human wisdom and as with human might. Riches, we should understand. We should understand riches offer no defense. They offer no real deliverance from humanity's truly great enemy, which is death. Let's read Psalm 49. Let's go back and read Psalm chapter 49 now. We won't read all these, or will we? No. We're going to look at Psalm 49 verse 6 to start with. Here, God provides a ready answer, an appropriate answer, to those who trust in riches. And it's tempting to do. It's tempting to trust in riches. It seems like riches can allow you so much more than you have without them, but there's more to life than riches, isn't there? Psalm 49 verse 6, God writes, or excuse me, these are the inspired words of God, those who trust in their wealth and boast, there it is, those who trust in their wealth and boast, or glory in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their souls is costly, and it shall cease forever that he should continue to live eternally and not see the pit. Yes, redemption is a costly thing. Psalm 49 verse 6 through 9.

Christ paid the price for our redemption. He gave his life. He laid down his whole life.

Now, sometimes being wealthy, as we see here, can make people think that they can avoid death, but they can't. We know that saying, you can't take it with you. You can't take it with you. In what real value are the riches one might have? What real value are they? Let's read on verses 10 through 14. For he sees the wise men die, likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, and they leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations. We've seen some of these dwelling places, haven't we? These huge mansions. Some of these mansions are so expensive to upkeep, they become national museums so the government can take care of it because people can't. It's beyond human nobility to maintain individually, anyway. They call their lands after their own names.

Humanity does that thinking by naming a mountain after themselves or a street after themselves, somehow that gives them eternity. No, it doesn't. It doesn't. Verse 12, Nevertheless, man, though in honor, does not remain. He is like the beast that perish, and this is the way of those who are foolish, and of their posterity who prove their sayings. And so, clearly, the riches of this world in which humanity places its hope, it actually has no true and lasting value. It seems like everything at the moment, but what value is it when one's dead? But next, again, verse 15, we should notice a change of tone. Notice this change of tone as the psalmist expresses in verse 15, the hope of those, and this should be our hope, the hope of those who understand and know God, of those who rightly glory in God. Verse 15 reads, But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive me. This person is rich because he trusts in God for deliverance.

And so, human riches like human wisdom, like human might, confidence in these things offer no protection from death, and it is unwise and foolish for humanity and for any of us to glory in any of these. So, clearly, we ought to glory in that we understand and know God, that we understand the wisdom of God. And even that, we didn't come about that on our own, did we? God had to call us, and we had to welcome his calling, and he had to open our mind, he had to give us his Holy Spirit, he has to give us these words, he has to give us teachers. God inspired teachers to help us understand these things. Even in this, we didn't gain this on our own. This is all a gift from God. We ought to glory in God. But now, let me narrow the topic. Let me narrow our focus and talk about, let me talk about you and me.

Is it possible for those who have come to understand and to know God to slip up and glory in their own wisdom, might and riches? Could we do that?

Yes. Yes, of course. We are still very human. Though we may have been called of the Father and have committed ourselves to God for the rest of our lives, we are still very much prone to be tempted to glorying in ourselves, to be boasting in ourselves, our abilities, our might, somehow in things other than where we should be glorying, and that's in God. Now, what might we need to be on guard against in order to avoid glorying in the wrong things in our lives, to avoid glorying especially in ourselves? What do we need to be on guard against? I would offer us three tips. I can always come up with more, but I'll stick with three. It's a nice number. It's a nice number.

I'd encourage us, and I'm encouraging myself, I'd encourage us to resist attitudes of superiority about our knowledge, our knowledge, and our wisdom. You get my feeling? Yeah. We don't want to be boasting in ourselves. We need to resist attitudes of superiority about our knowledge and our wisdom. You know, before each church service, we asked God to inspire the speaker.

We asked God to inspire our hearing. Why? So that we might hear.

So that we might hear what we truly need to understand and know from God, from His Word. And yet, sometimes, we might walk away from hearing the sermon, saying things like, I didn't get anything out of that sermon.

We might say something like, nothing new there. I've heard it all before.

We sometimes do this. I've done it myself. Much to my shame. And I have repented of it.

Words like that and that attitude, well, they reflect, the attitude they reflect can suggest that we are glorying in ourselves. That somehow, we have decided that we know it all. We have decided that our knowledge is superior.

We have decided that we have little left to learn.

Now, I think you'd agree with me that that really is not a godly attitude. In fact, that's an attitude that smacks a bit of pride, human pride.

And I have this on good authority of Scripture. Let's look at a few verses. Let's look at Proverbs 26 verse 12. Let's look at Proverbs 26 verse 12, for example.

Proverbs 26 verse 12 reads this way, Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? Sometimes I see him in the mirror.

Maybe you see him too, or hurt too.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

You know, thinking of our own knowledge and wisdom as being already sufficient, that we are adequate in what we know. You see, that makes it harder for us to want to learn. That makes it harder for us to want to grow, to be open to learn more about God's true knowledge and wisdom. We really need the humility. Let's also look at 1 Corinthians 8-2. 1 Corinthians 8-2.

1 Corinthians 8-2, 1 Corinthians 8-2, 1 Corinthians 8-2, and if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet, as he ought to know.

If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet, as he ought to know. It seems to suggest there's always more to learn.

We each have more to learn. Paul's words here are meant to deflate, I would say. They're meant to deflate our sense of superiority. When it comes to things of God, we must be humble and teachable. No matter how long we've walked with God, we will never know all there is to know about God in his way. Really, that's what makes life so interesting. We can look forward to learning more and more about God. That should really be exciting for us. And as we grow older and experience different events in our lives, as the scenery around us changes, you might say, around us and in us, we'll always find ourselves able to learn more from God's word.

I'm learning more about God as I grow older, as I'm sure you're all learning more about God, as you grow older and experience life in its new, what, new adventures in living. We always find ourselves learning more about God, if, if we're sincerely willing to learn.

And we can ask God to help us to be willing to learn. In Romans 12, verse 3, Romans 12, verse 3, let's look there too.

Romans 12, verse 3, here, Paul gives us another scripture to help deflate us, our egos. Romans 12, verse 3, For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. Even if we have supposedly heard it all before, as I have foolishly said in the past myself, even if we have supposedly heard it all before, you know there are some in our congregations that are maybe hearing that point, that message, that sermon for the very first time.

Let's also read this last sentence in Romans 12, 16. The last sentence is Romans 12, 16. Here's a little more deflating going on. This is sound advice that we should all take to heart. The last sentence in Romans 12, 16. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

So when we attend services, yes, we must come at the teachable attitude. And even if it would be true that we have heard the sermon before, and any of us who had kids traveling with us when we speak, they've heard our sermons multiple times. But even they can learn something more, hearing that sermon maybe for the third or fourth time. Even if we have heard the sermon or one just like before, we should seek to draw from it. I would suggest at least a meaningful nugget, a wisdom, a nugget of value, something that we haven't quite thought of before, something of instructive benefit to us. And surely with the help of God's Spirit and a teachable attitude on our part, we can always find something valuable to learn.

But to come with an attitude that says, teach me something new, something that I haven't heard before, well, that might lack humility. And that attitude might hurt ourselves and potentially others who might hear us say things like that. Others who have not heard it before, or others who are new to God's truth and are truly eager to learn. We need to be careful.

A second tip I'd give us, all of us, to help us glory in the right things, and to help us to be able to do that. This tip is resist being puffed up about our own mighty abilities and actions. Resist being puffed up about our own mighty abilities and actions.

It is true God gives to each of us gifts and abilities. But those gifts and abilities are meant to share. They're not meant for us to hold to ourselves, our gifts and abilities are meant to be shared in serving and edifying and building up the body of Christ. Whatever our talent might be, it might be in speaking, it might be in construction, making things, maybe it's in cooking, maybe you're really good at cleaning. I like cleaning. Maybe it's teaching, maybe it's encouraging or giving. Whatever it might be, we must use it humbly. And without allowing ourselves to be puffed up with human pride about it, let's notice a few scriptures in this regard, too. Isn't it wonderful what we find in the Bible? It's just what we need at times, isn't it? Let's look at 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13, verse 4 through 5. 1 Corinthians 13, verse 4 through 5.

Here, Paul writes, Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself. Love is not puffed up. Love does not behave rudely. Love does not seek its own. Love is not provoked. Love thinks no evil.

We need to do, then, what we do for others humbly, though probably we will never quite do it like somebody else. We are unique. Our personalities are different. We each have our own ways of doing things, but that's okay. We need to do what we do the best way we know how. That's what matters in that it comes from the heart willingly and generously. However we might serve others, we need to serve without needing any fanfare. We don't need any trumpets blown or confetti thrown in the air because we showed up to sweep the floor. That's okay. I don't need that. I don't.

But we need to serve without striving for attention. We need to do what we do in order to please God and to help others in whatever ways we can. Let's also look at Psalm 39, verse 4-5. Psalm 39, verse 4-5. This Psalm, for me, and maybe for you, too, it puts our lives in perspective. This verses 4-5 can help us keep a healthy perspective on ourselves.

That's a prayer to God. Psalm 39, written by David. Psalm 39, verse 4-5. David wrote, Lord, Lord, make me to know my end and what is the measure of my days, so that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, you have made my days as handbreaths and my ages as nothing before you. Certainly every man at his best state is but a vapor or just a breath. When you walk outside in these cold mornings, you see that white vapor come out of your mouth? That's our lives. That's what it is compared to God. It's gone. It's gone.

That's a nice perspective to keep about us, about ourselves, so we don't get puffed up. We must remember who and what we are. And of ourselves, we are weak and frail. We are helpless. But for God. And because of God's grace towards us, we should be humble and grateful for whatever it is that God has given us or allowed to us. Whatever our ability, whatever our might, whatever gift we have, we must give God the glory and not praise ourselves and not praise ourselves. And the third tip I'd give us is resist glorying and riches when they come our way.

Resist glorying and riches when they come our way.

I'm going to ask a personal question.

Are any of us rich? Don't answer that! I don't want to see. Answer it to yourself. Are any of us rich? Well, the truth is, in one way or another, I believe we are all richer than we think we are. I believe we are all richer than someone else. In a sense, any time we have more of anything than what we truly need, when we have anything more than what we truly need, we are rich.

Whether it be in dollars, whether it be in time, whether it be in cans of beans on the pantry shelf, we have more than we need. We are rich. And instead of holding on to those things we do not need, accumulating them, hoarding on to them, we ought to consider sharing with those others in need, with those who could use them. And again, we should share with a humble attitude. We should share our riches without drawing undue attention to the good works we are doing. And we are to be doing good works. That's God's expectation of us. We all need to be rich in doing good works.

Let's look at 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy 6 verses 17 through 19. 1 Timothy 6, 17 through 19. Paul, writing to Timothy, he writes, 1 Timothy 6, 17, Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, not to be arrogant, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, trust in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, he says, that they may be rich in good works. That's what our riches should be in. That they may be rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share.

That's a key part of being rich towards others in good works. We have to be willing. We may need to ask God to help us to be more willing more often. That they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

The good we do will help us become more like God, will help us to be worthy of receiving the gift of eternal life. You know, we really don't need a million dollars to be considered rich, but we're to be rich in good works, and so we should strive to humbly help others. And as we help others when we do these good works, let's look at Matthew 5 16. I hope you will remember this scripture, Matthew 5 16. We should strive to humbly help others as we are able, as we can, but we're to do it to God's glory.

We're to do it, we're to do all to God's glory. And even as Jesus Christ said, let's look at Matthew 5 16 then. Jesus said, let your light so shine before men, our good works, the things we say, the actions we take, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, that may notice what you're doing, and that they may glory, glorify your Father in heaven.

The good works we do are to be to God's glory. Yes, we feel good about it. We should feel good in doing good works. Absolutely. But we should be thanking God for allowing us to do good works, thanking God to allow us to help others in their need. That is true riches, isn't it? So whatever riches come our way, whether money, whether time, or the soup of human kindness, we should be generous and we should give. We should always be on the lookout to do good works with our riches and always give God the glory.

But do not give the glory to ourselves. Now again, these are three tips I came up with. You can probably come up with some more you can add to mine, and I'd encourage you to do that. You know yourself best. But these are three tips on how we can be on guard against glorying or boasting in anything other than in God.

Now, as I conclude, I just want to say that, you know, I couldn't help noticing that during the introduction when I was describing how world leaders are trying to save the planet and all humanity from global warming. I couldn't help noticing how some of us chuckled at the idea that these leaders in the world really could think that they could save the planet in themselves. It is perhaps something to chuckle about because it's futile. We know they can't. We understand that their glorying and their own abilities to achieve this outcome is foolhardy. It can never be accomplished. Only God could do something like that.

And yet, it's just as foolish, you see. Here's the point I want to make. It's just as foolish for you and me to think that we can save ourselves from sin and death apart from God, our Father, and Jesus Christ. All of our own efforts, including any glorying in our puny old selves, will never gain us salvation. Never. It's only through living faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and in the mercy and forgiveness of God that we have the only hope for salvation, that we have that hope for eternal life in the kingdom of God. We have absolutely nothing of ourselves in which to glory. We have to understand that. We have to ask God to help us understand that so we can make better choices. We can live according to a deeper understanding and knowledge of God so we can practice greater wisdom, so we can love God better, so we can love one another better. And all this, all the glory belongs to God. And so after considering these things today, I again ask each of us, in what will you glory? Will it be in wisdom and might?

Will it be riches? Or will you glory in your own vain self? Now, the answer is up to you. But I would have us choose wisely. Let us glory in God.