Who are you glorifying?
John 8:54
54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
Jesus’ life and ministry reads like one trial after another. Mind you none of the trials are really legal and even the one that sends Him to the cross is illegitimate with trumped up charges in the dark so no one will see. Regardless, here we are again still in the midst of these bits of drama surrounding His ministry, what He is teaching and who He really is.
We just left an earlier passage in John 8 telling us the story of Jesus being the light of the world (I Am statement) and him communicating that the truth will set you free. Remember these are those who “believed” but really didn’t want to know the truth. They liked some of what they were hearing, but as often the case didn’t like the deal that came with it.
We now cut to a scene with the Jews again pestering and questioning Jesus. Remember he is at the temple and he has just told them that they would know the truth if they knew God, but since they refuse to see it that instead of being children of God they are actually children of the devil. All along they are claiming their right to God’s Kingdom because they are “children of Abraham” they are Jews by birth. Jesus is making clear that it’s the matter of the heart, that it is belief in God that is the path to eternal life, not something we inherit…remember we have to be “born again” as He told Nicodemus. Become a Spiritual child of God.
John 8:48-59
[48] The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” [49] Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. [50] Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. [51] Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” [52] The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ [53] Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” [54] Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ [55] But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” [57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
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So Jesus clearly knows who to glorify……my question today is “Who are you glorifying”?
Glorify means: to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate 3) to honour, do honour to, hold in honour 4) to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendour 4a) to impart glory to something, render it excellent 4b) to make renowned, render illustrious
Well pastor…I’m at church don’t you think I know who to glorify?
“Prayer is arguably the most objective measurement of our dependence upon God. The things you pray about are the things you trust God to handle. The things you neglect to pray about are the things you trust you can handle on your own.” – H.B. Charles Jr.
I’m going to put it this way….do you just pull God out of your back pocket when you “need” Him?
That’s about prayer…. preacher, that’s not about who I glorify, right?
Isn’t it all tied together? H.B. Charles is talking about “a measurement of dependence upon God.”
Don’t we show what we really believe by our actions?
Don’t we rely upon what we trust?
Again, as I’ve said before. You trust that airplane pilot to know what he’s doing right? You trust that steering wheel to not come off? You trust, rely and abide in that truth.
I wrote this note this week to myself wondering if the Jews of Jesus day really knew and I wonder if people today really know this?
Do we know what the Bible says?
If you think it’s a list of do’s and don’ts you are wrong.
If you think it’s about the way I was raised you are wrong.
If you think it’s about my daily or weekly activities (like how much I go to church) you are wrong.
If you think it’s about your heritage or skin color or country you are wrong.
The Bible tells us that God created the universe out of nothing.
The Bible tells us that God created man and woman in His image. (Not because He was lonely, but to enjoy His glory)
The Bible tells us:
Leviticus 26:12
[12] And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
So we know that He desires to walk among us just as Jesus did.
The Bible (the OT which the Jews should know) tells us that Israel (the Jews, His people) continually failed at following Him. When things were bad they turned to Him and repented, but as things got better they slowly turned back to their idols, their gods, themselves and things got worse and eventually so bad that they were overcome by their own failings or were overrun by enemies and when it got so bad they ultimately remembered who to glorify and then repented and He forgave and the cycle started again.
Isn’t that how we are?
In this passage as the Jews press Jesus, call him awful names and try to kill Him, he is firm but not violent, he is brave and merciful, he is patient with them and when things are their worst makes sure that He glorifies God the Father. He’s already healed people, turned water into wine, fed 5000, walked on water. I mean He’s got plenty of reasons to be proud, but He doesn’t defend Himself in that way. He is always pointing to the Father, glorifying the Father, not Himself…but He didn’t fit their view of what God was like. He didn’t fit in their back pocket.
Is that what we do?
Are we handling everything on our own until it gets bad? (God in the back pocket)
Or are we trusting Him for everything?
Well…that’s only for Mother Teresa…I mean everything, really? I’m doing good to get my teeth brushed and the kids off to school with their lunches and you expect me to think about Him and rely upon Him all the time? In short yes.
I’m sure most of you are aware that mental health issues are at an all time high. Suicide, anxiety, depression, chemical dependency. Why do you think this is so?
I heard this quote this week. “We’re only unsettled when we don’t trust Him”
I’m not passing off actual mental health issues nor discounting the stress of the world in modern times….but isn’t that the point? Where do I turn? Who am I glorifying, trusting, listening to?
In the OT the Jews were known to intermarry with other cultures (which God had told them not to do) and that brought in false Gods. I had a professor say this was to “cover their bases”.
I think he meant just in case my God doesn’t deliver, maybe another one will. If the crops don’t come in or if we don’t have a good hunting season we will die, so I better do everything I can.
Genesis 31:17-20
[17] So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. [18] He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. [19] Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. [20] And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.
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Today we don’t quite have those types of worries regarding food here where we live, but we have other types. Those types of worries begat false gods to worship.
Self, money, power, beauty, success, possessions. (Let me emphasize there’s nothing wrong with hard work and success). But you see where I’m going..we’re covering our bases. I mean if all else fails I can rely upon “this” right? I can pull this out of the back pocket.
Again……
“Prayer is arguably the most objective measurement of our dependence upon God. The things you pray about are the things you trust God to handle. The things you neglect to pray about are the things you trust you can handle on your own.” – H.B. Charles Jr.
The Jews of that day were trusting in their heritage they were glorifying themselves because of something they “possessed”. Honestly it was an idol. This attitude begat what you see here in the passage. Such arrogance that they were blind to the things of the true God. They didn’t recognize the Messiah because they didn’t want their deal messed up. They liked the power and prestige and they were able to set the rules. They had God in their back pocket.
That’s where Jesus turned them on their heads. He continually clarified that it is God who is ruler of all and that He works the way that He wants.
Are we like that?
We’ve got God in our back pocket until we need to pull Him out? If that’s true then we aren’t worshiping the right God. We’re worshiping ourselves or the world or as Jesus told them, they’re listening to the devil.
Things are going good. Then I don’t have to do anything. I’ll keep God right in my pocket.
Things are going bad. Maybe I should get God out of the back pocket?
[58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
This infuriated the Jews and they tried to stone Jesus. This term I am is what God used to identify Himself when Moses asked what to call Him. It means I was, I am and I am to come. God is eternal.
Here are the first two commandments.
Exodus 20:2-6
[2] “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
[3] “You shall have no other gods before me.
[4] “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. [5] You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Think God wants to be in the back pocket?
Who are you glorifying today?
