To The Only Wise God Our Saviour - Part 2

Temple Baptist Church - 8-31-2016

Jude 25

Introduction:

 

A.  As we continue to look at this last verse of Jude’s doxology, I want to look at the first of 4 things not only ascribed to God but given to God: “Now unto Him … be … glory.” 

 

1.  As a general rule, when we think of giving God glory, we think of the element of praise.  To praise the Lord with our lips is a good thing.  Giving such praise to the Lord should be a daily part of our lives but, in the Book of Psalms, we find that the Sabbath for the Old Testament saint and the Lord’s Day or first day of the week in the New Testament, is a special time of thanksgiving and praise.

 

Psalms 92:1  A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High.

 

Psalms 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 

2.  When Moses asked to see Jehovah God’s glory, God did not allow him to see the Shekinah glory but placed him in a clift in the rock and covered him with His hand.  But the Lord showed Moses, not what He looked like but rather what He was.

 

Exodus 34:6-8  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  (7)  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.  (8)  And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

 

3.  When Jude speaks of the glory of God, it is true that all that we do in this life should bring glory and honor to His wonderful name.  It is also true that all that we are or can be for God is because of His grace and therefore for His glory. 

 

1 Corinthians 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

 

B.  God’s glory can be seen in both the good times and the hard times of our lives.  Jude, staying within the context, is speaking of the glory of God in the hard times that the people of God were experiencing.  Though told to earnestly contend, Jude wanted them to know that, if anything was accomplished, it would be to God be the glory, not self. 

 

1.  We are what we are by the grace of God. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:9-10  For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  (10)  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

 

2.  Lest our contending turn into conceit or pride, we need to remember that all that is done is of God, through God, and to God. 

 

Romans 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

 

3.  All of the Glory belongs to God.

 

Psalms 29:1-2  Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  (2)  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 

 

4.  Our crowns will be cast at the feet of the One who is worthy to wear them. 

 

Revelation 4:10-11  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,  (11)  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.  (Four and twenty elders typify both Old Testament—the twelve tribes of Israel—and the New Testament—the twelve apostles.)

 

Revelation 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

 

C.  But Glory is more than just the praise that comes from our lips.  These Thessalonian believers glorified God in their walk with God and in their sufferings for God.  It was much more than just lip service; it was life service.

 

1.  We should glorify God in our Praise - Psalms 22:23  Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

 

2.  We should glorify God in the fires - Isaiah 24:15  Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

 

3.  We should glorify God in our Deliverance - Psalms 50:15  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

 

4.  We should glorify God in our walk with Him - Matthew 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

5.  We should glorify God in bowing to His will in our lives - John 17:1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

 

6.  We should glorify God in our Sicknesses - John 11:3-4  Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.  (4)  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

 

7.  We should glorify God in our Persecution - 1 Peter 4:14, 16  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified … (16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

 

8.  We should glorify God in our Commitment - Philippians 1:20-21  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.  (21)  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

9.  We should glorify God in our Contending - Jude 3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.   (Notice it is contending “for” and not contending “with.”  The tendency is to take the battle for the Bible personally.  It is between them and the Lord!  We are not here to battle the apostate but rather to make sure that we stay with the King James Bible and not be moved.  The right kind of battle fought in the right kind of way!)