Pray We and Our Children Glorify Christ (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Prepared and Preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church on July 22, 2018

Praying Scripture Series

Introduction:

A student once asked Albert Einstein, “Dr. Einstein, how many feet are there in a mile?” To the utter astonishment of the student, Einstein replied, “I don’t know.”

The student was sure the great professor was joking. Surely Einstein would know a simple fact that every schoolchild is required to memorize. But Einstein wasn’t joking. When the student pressed for an explanation for this hiatus in Einstein’s knowledge, he declared, “I make it a rule not to clutter my mind with simple information that I can find in a book in five minutes.”

Albert Einstein was not interested in trivial data. His passion was to explore the deep things of the universe. His passion for mathematical and physical truth made him a pivotal fixture in modern world history.[1]

 What is our focus?

Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. That comes from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. But I also believe the idea is Biblical.

Desiring God’s slogan is: God is most glorified in us
when we are most satisfied in him.

Is God glorified in us? Are we living for Him?

Jonathon Edwards had these resolutions throughout his life, one was:

Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second: That whether others do or not, I will.[2]

Could we say that? Do we want to glorify God with our lives?

It is my prayer that we do. I pray that myself and my descendants glorify Christ with our lives. I am in a sermon series on Scriptures which I am convicted to pray. Today we talk about glorifying Christ.

My theme:

Pray We and Our Children Glorify Christ.

Let’s read 1 Cor. 10:31:

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

• Glorify Christ.
• We just read 1 Cor. 10:31. In context this passage is placed after a long discussion on dietary laws.
• From 1 Cor. Chapter 8 through chapter 10 Paul was writing about disputes with believers eating meat sacrificed to idols.
• Paul is now about to wrap up the passage.
• In chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians verses 24-30 Paul is saying to do what you can for the good of all.
• Then in verse 31 Paul is saying to glorify God.
• Food is something that we hold quite precious, don’t we?
• Someone wrote:
• My husband has an almost boundless appetite for ice cream, and it was obvious at a Sunday school party where he helped himself to a good sample of every flavor available. Later during the game time, he was asked: “If you could choose any famous couple to be your parents, who would they be?” His answer came without hesitation: “Baskin and Robbins!”[3]
• But 1 Cor. 10:31 is not limited to food. I think ever since I was required to memorize this passage, the passage has been near to my prayer life.
• The passage says, whether you eat or drink, so this is not limited to food, nor is it limited to drink.
• The passage says “whatever you do…” So this is not limited to food or drink.
• What fits under “whatever”? Everything.
• The verse says, “do all…”
• What fits into “all.”
• Do all to the glory of God.
• I have a quote: The glory of God is man fully alive. —Irenaeus, early Church Father (died c. 200)
• We glorify God by living as His creation. BUT is it our aim to glorify God?
• I believe we were created to bring glory to God.
• Why we glorify God, He is worthy
  1. Read with me Rev. 5: 9-14:

And they *sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

¹⁰ “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Angels Exalt the Lamb

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

¹³ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

¹⁴ And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

• Now, in the first 4 verses of Revelation chapter 5 we see that no one is worthy to open the scroll.
• Have you ever been in a situation when it seemed like there was no one, really no one who could help?
• Think about it. We think, or at least I do, that there are always options. We have cell phones, we have access to all kinds of information.
• I watched a movie based on a true story about people climbing Mount Everest when some amazing storms hit. Really, we know Mount Everest we really cannot get help to you.
• We always can get help in most places, but in today’s world there are still places when there is no help.
• But even when we think we have help everywhere is it the help we really need?
• We need to fix creation. We need to get rid of sin. We need to get rid of murder, violence, stealing, unfaithfulness, poverty, gangs, government oppression.
• We need help!
• They needed help in John’s day as well. The government was persecuting Christians, they were dying torturous deaths. Fallen Babylon was reigning and fallen Babylon meant that it was the fallen system.
• Now, we see these scrolls and we see in verse one that the scroll is written on both sides. Usually a scroll was only written on one side because it needed to be rolled up.
• This scroll being written on both sides is saying that it is complete.
• It has seven seals which is a number of completion.
• John weeps (verse 4) because he thinks no one is worthy.
• Again, he is overwhelmed seeing this vision of Heaven and then for a moment thinks that no one can help.
• How would you feel?
• Then in verse 5 it reads: and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
• So, in verses 8-14 Jesus takes the scroll and He is worshipped.
• Verses 8-14 are similar to chapter 4.
• The four living creatures and the 24 elders are constantly bowing down.
• They are singing a new song.
• Verse 9 is about why Jesus is worthy:
  1. He was slain
  2. Purchased for God with His blood people from every nation to be a Kingdom and priests (Rev. 1:6).
• There is the emphasis on the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice. There is the emphasis on Him making us worthy to be priests.

1. So we get to verse 11 and there are myriads and myriads and thousands upon thousands of angels. A myriad is 10,000, so we have 10,000 times 10,000 times 1000 times 1000 angels with the 4 beasts and the 24 elders worshipping.
2. This would be a loud worship service.
3. We see what they say and then as they say it the elders are constantly falling down to worship.

• Applications
  1. We are called to glorify Christ and why?
  2. He is worthy!
  3. God loves you and gave Jesus for you (John 3:16).
  4. The world was created for you and for us.
  5. He created you and everything else (Gen. 1-2; John 1:1-14; Col. 1:15-20).
  6. He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139).
  7. He saved you (Rom. 6:23).
  8. He has sanctified you (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11), this means you are set apart for Him.
  9. He has justified you, declaring you righteous (1 Cor. 6:11).
  10. He has made you a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
  11. He took on sin for you and gave you His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).
  12. He gives us the Holy Spirit (John 14-17).
  13. He takes the scroll for us in Rev. 5.
  14. He gives us a new Heaven and a new earth in Rev. 21-22.
  15. Glorify God, Glorify Christ, live for Him. Is there anything or anyone higher to live for than Jesus?

 

Early in his career, Matt Redman, the popular Christian musician in Britain, was singing with his church’s praise band when his pastor confronted them. They were proud of their musical performance, he said, but they were neglecting true worship. Insulted by the charge, the members of the band left the church—all, that is, except Redman. Shortly afterward, he wrote his hit song “The Heart of Worship,” which included these words: “I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you, Jesus.”[4]

D.L. Moody shared:

I believe the religion of Christ covers the whole man. Why shouldn’t a man play baseball or lawn-tennis? … Don’t imagine that you have got to go into a cave to be consecrated, and stay there all your life. Whatever you take up, take it up with all your heart.[5]

Let’s pray.

God created us to be with Him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

[1] R. C. Sproul, Jr., In the Presence of God (Word, 1999)

[2] Jonathan Edwards, Leadership, Vol. 6, no. 1.

[3] Sherrie Murphree, Odessa, TX. Christian Reader, “Lite Fare.”

[4] Jack Hayford, Midday Connection (11-28-01), used with permission from the Moody Broadcasting Network; submitted by Steve Gertz,

[5] D.L. Moody, Christian History, no. 25.