Why Should We Glorify God Image

12032014WhyShouldWeGlorifyGodDonRuhl

Why Should We Glorify God? 

Hebrews 2.10

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • November 12, In the year of our Lord, 2014

Prelude: 

  1. A friend of mine was considered for the eldership recently, but 
    1. one member of the congregation has a problem with my friend,
    2. who is also a preacher, and
      1. my friend preaches and teaches on glorifying God.
      2. However, the objector claimed that my friend
        1. talks too much about glorifying God, and
        2. that doing so acts as the mouthpiece of Satan!
  2. Secularists, skeptics, atheists, and others 
    1. have a problem with God commanding us to glorify Him.
    2. They believe there is something wrong with Him.
  3. What do you think of God telling us to glorify Him? 
    1. If He does not need our glorification,
    2. why does He tell us to glorify Him?

Persuasion: 

  1. Why do you teach your children to say, Thank you? 
    1. If you give them something,
      1. you want them to say, Thank you.
      2. Is it for your benefit or theirs?
        1. Yes, it makes you feel good, but
        2. you know that it helps to develop their character.
    2. Could it be that glorifying God is for our benefit?
      1. What do you think of ungrateful people?
      2. What do you think of people who do not glorify God?
    3. On the other hand,
      1. what do you think of grateful people, and
      2. what are the lives of people like who glorify God?
        1. You see then, that glorifying Him gives Him the honor due Him,
        2. which in turn makes us better people.
  2. We should glorify God because it is due Him. 
    1. Psalm 29 teaches that this is what we must do,

      1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
      Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
      2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
      Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
      (Psa 29.1–2)
    2. Can you see anything wrong with giving God the glory due Him?
      1. Would we exist,
      2. if He had not created us?

        8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

        “Holy, holy, holy,
        Lord God Almighty,
        Who was and is and is to come!”

        9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

        11 “You are worthy, O Lord,
        To receive glory and honor and power;
        For You created all things,
        And by Your will they exist and were created.”
        (Rev 4.8–11)

        1. Therefore, it is fitting and proper for us to glorify Him.
        2. Truly, to refuse to glorify Him exemplifies the height of arrogance!
    3. How does man do when he does not glorify God?
      1. Here are the facts.
      2. When man fails to glorify God,
        1. man goes downhill.
        2. Romans 1 shows the downward spiral of any society, or
          1. even of individuals
          2. who fail to glorify God,

            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. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them (Rom 1.18–32).

            1. The current godless movement of Western Culture,
            2. demonstrates the truth of this passage.
    4. Also, observe the lives of people
      1. who not only fail to glorify God, but
      2. who themselves are glorified.
        1. Look at the lives of celebrities.
        2. How many of them have ruined lives because of fame?
          1. We are made to give praise,
          2. not to receive it endlessly.
            1. Yes, of course, we can praise and encourage one another, but
            2. observe those who do not praise and
              1. who receive it endlessly, and
              2. they cannot handle it. It destroys them.
  3. Glorifying God brings people to Him. 
    1. If it is night and there are two trees before us.
      1. One remains unlit.
      2. We flood the other with light.
        1. Which one do people notice?
        2. We all notice the lit one.
    2. Hebrews 2 references something that Jesus did by His death,

      9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb 2.9–10).

      1. The writer refers to the work of Jesus as bringing sons to glory,
      2. as though all Christians should understand that part of His work.
        1. Like Jesus, we glorify God
        2. that others might see Him and
          1. go to Him.
          2. For then they will have the hope of sharing in His glory!

            22 “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one…” (John 17.22).

            20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Phi 3.20–21).

    3. He wants us to have and to enjoy the experience of glorification.
      1. However, we have fallen from that glory,

        23 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… (Rom 3.23).
      2. He does not want us to remain in that condition.
        1. The sacrifice that He made in Jesus shows
        2. just how much He wants us to receive His glory.