I'm going to be speaking from
this verse of scripture in Ephesians 5.20, giving thanks always for
all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Giving thanks for all things. I want you to turn back to Jeremiah
chapter 9. Verse 23, thus saith the Lord,
let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty
man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in
his riches. Now what are people most interested
in? The people that you see, the
people you work with, Perhaps you. What are people most interested
in? First, wisdom. Knowledge. I know something you don't know.
That gives me an advantage over you. I know how to do certain
things that will help me. Wisdom. When people are interested
in my experience, or power. I want to have power. I want
to have influence. I want to have health. I want
to have a mighty physical strength. People are interested in money. And people are interested in
wealth. Money and all the things that comes with it. These are
the great interests of the natural man. It was that way in Jeremiah's
time. It's that way today. I think
the Jews are still the same, aren't they? And you would have
to agree that this is pretty much the description of what
men are interested in. Wisdom, might, and wisdom. Verse 23, thus saith Lord. I'm so thankful for that. Thus saith the Lord. I'm so thankful he speaks. And
you know this was written 2,600 years ago. It is the message
for today. It's not a relevant message.
It's the eternal message. I get so aggravated when I hear
preachers talk about making God's word relevant. As soon as you
say something like that, you become completely irrelevant
yourself. The word of God is not made relevant. This is the
eternal word of the living God. Thus saith the Lord, the self-existent one, the independent
one, the one who has no Lord in his life. He doesn't
need me or you to fulfill some perceived need that he has. He has infinite and perfect life
in himself. He doesn't need anything or anybody
to make him happy. He's God over all. What a mercy that he speaks. Thus saith the Lord. I want to hear what he has to
say, don't you? Thus saith the Lord. Now in this passage of
scripture, three times he mentions the word glory or boast. Let not the wise man glory in
his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his mind. Letting off the rich man glory
in his wisdom. Now this word is usually translated
praise. Let everything that hath breath
praise the Lord. Now letting off that wise man
glory in his wisdom. Now there are men who have some
wisdom, who have some knowledge that is such a blessing They
can invent things. They can invent cures for illnesses. There are men who have the gifts
to lead people in a good way, in a right way, and all these
blessings that come out of this wisdom and knowledge. If you've got it, don't glory
in it. Who gave it to you? What do you
have that you didn't receive? Who makes you to differ from
somebody else? Any wisdom, any knowledge you
have, what a blessing, but don't you dare blow it. God gave it
to you. How wicked to glory in what God has given you. He's
God. What you have is his gift. What about the mighty man? The
powerful man? I have to think that that word
really is not important. No such thing. All power belongs
to God, and any power men have, any influence men have, is borrowed. It comes from men. Men are his
pawns. When I hear people talking about
powerful men in politics and so on, I just go, please. No. God reigns. And what power you
have, what position you have, what help you have, what influence
you have, He gave it to you. Don't glory in that. Don't act
like this comes from you, that you're something special, better
than somebody else. You're not. What about the wealthy
man? Got a lot of money, but that
can be a blessing. It can be a curse, too. It can
be a curse. But don't glory in your wealth
as if it's something you've done to achieve this God-given Well,
I worked hard. Who gave me the grace to work
hard or the ability to work hard? God did. You are, I am in God's
hand. He says, don't glory in these
things. I repeat, who lets you to differ
from somebody else? And what do you have that you
didn't receive? God gives you. Now, if you received
it, why do you glory as if you didn't receive it, as if it came
from you? Verse 24, but let not the wise man glory in
his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not
the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glory. Now, we're going to glory in
something. Everybody in this room, we're going to glory in
something. Let him that glorieth glory in
this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercised
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For
in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Now if you're going
to glory, and everybody in here is going to glory in something,
you will. Here's the only proper ground
for glory. Let him that glorieth, glory
in this first of all, that he understands me. He understands and He knows me,
but first He talks about understanding. That in the glory of glory is
that He understands me. That means that you have some insight in
the character of God. some God-given insight into the
character of the true and living God. Very few have this. They
believe in a small G-God, a God that's like them. I think of
that verse of scripture in Psalm 50, thou thoughtest I was altogether
such a one as thyself. And the God they believe in is
nothing like the God of the Bible, It's a God that can please and
merit his favor. Now a God that can be pleased
by you, there's not much to it. There's just not much to it. But the fact of the matter is
that's a non-existent God. A God that you can please, that's
a non-existent God. It's the figment of your imagination.
It's a God that you made up. That God won't do anybody any
good, but what a blessing. to have some understanding of
the true and living God. He's eternal. He never began to be. He didn't
have a beginning place. He's utterly sovereign. This
is what the scripture teaches regarding this one. That means
He controls everything and everybody. He's sovereign over everything. Everything. If there's something
He's not sovereign over, He's not sovereign. But thank God
He is. He's holy. He's other. He's not like me and you. He's
absolutely wise. All wise. All knowing. He's omnipresent. He's not bound
by space or time. He's all powerful. He's got the
power to whatever He wills. That's who He is. He's just. He's love. He's gracious. He's merciful. What a blessing
to have some understanding of the true character of God. Now this understanding is the
understanding of faith. By faith, the writer of the Hebrews
said in Hebrews 11.3, by faith we understand. Not by intellect. Not by IQ. the worlds were framed by the
Word of God so that the things which are seen are not made by
things which appear. When we talk about this understanding,
that doesn't mean we intellectually grasp any of these incomprehensible
things of God. We understand that though. We
understand that. God is one God in three distinct We don't intellectually comprehend
it. I can't figure that one out, or anything else in the Word
of God, as far as an intellectual comprehension. But we believe
what God says in His Word concerning who He is. What a blessing to
have some understanding of the character of God. Note, this also, let him that
glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth. He understands. It's God-given
understanding. We understand by faith. We bow
to who He is in His Word. But not only do we understand,
we know this One. It's not just knowing things
about God, but knowing Him, having an intimate, personal relationship
with Him, where He knows me. If I mention His name, I'm not
name-dropping. He knows me. And I know Him. You have fellowship. You have
communion with Him. You love Him. And you love Him. What you understand, you love. You love Him. You love how He
is. You love how He's revealed in
His Word. You love all of his glorious attributes. We know
it. The word is first used with reference
to Adam knowing his wife Eve. The two became one flesh and
every believer knows him and is known of him in union with
the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how you know it, because
you are united to him. Before I formed thee in the belly,
I knew thee. Whom he did foreknow. Then he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his son. He said, I know my
sheep, and that known of mine. And this can't be said of everybody.
It would be unfair and untrue to say it would be. I think where
the Lord said, many, not just a few, but many shall say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name?
Have we not cast out demons in your name? In your name, have
we not done many? wonderful words, then shall I
say it to them. Notice he didn't say you never
knew me. That would have been true. That would have been true. But he said I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity, I never knew you. Now that you've known God, Paul
said that the relations, or rather, are known of God. John 17 3,
this is eternal life, that they might know thee. Not know about
you. Not be able to spout out accurate
things concerning what they've seen in the scripture. But I
may know you. Know you. If I don't believe in you, that
means I know God. That means He knows me. Let him that glorieth glory in
this, what a blessing that he understands and knows me. Let's go on reading. That I am the Lord, which exercise
loving kindness, Judgment and righteousness in the earth. Now the Lord is known by what
he does. Think about that. The Lord is
known by what he does. And he tells us what he does.
He uses this word exercise. I exercise. That's the same word
used with reference to what the Lord did in creation. He made the heavens and the earth. That's the word. It's what the
Lord does. It's God's action. This is what
he does. He exercises. Now look at the
first word that's used with reference to what he does. The first word
is loving kindness. He exercises loving kindness
in the earth. Now, this is who he is. And there's
no understanding of him apart from this. Now, what is this
thing of loving kindness? Well, you remember when David
wrote Psalm 51? And he said, have mercy upon
me, O God, according to what thy loving kindness. That's the first thing he mentions.
When he's talking about knowing God, understanding God, understanding
what he does, the first thing he mentions is his loving kindness,
his mercy, his grace. Now I'm thankful this is what
it said first because if it just said he He begins with this glorious
word. He exercises loving kindness. When God proclaims his own name
to Moses, this is the same word that's translated goodness and
keeping mercy. His loving kindness. It's his
steadfast, faithful, covenant love in Christ. I love what John
said. We love him and we do. I love
the Lord. We love him because, because
he first loved us. That's where we trace our love
to him. He first loved us. Jeremiah 31 three, behold, I
have loved you with an everlasting love. That's in every believer. God says, behold, I have loved
you with a love that has no beginning. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. The Lord Jesus said, as the Father
hath known me, or loved me, So have I loved you." Now, won't
you think about it? How did the Father love the Son?
You know, when I hear people talk about God's love being unconditional,
I don't know of anything that is much more annoying than that. Because God's love is not unconditional. Did He love the Son unconditionally?
No, He loves the Son because the Son's altogether lovely.
Altogether glorious. Altogether righteous. Altogether
holy. Oh, the beauty, the glory of
the son. The father looks at the son and
says, I can't help but love him. He's altogether lovely. You see, if you're a believer,
he sees you as altogether lovely. You see, you've been made perfect
and complete and righteous in Christ. And when he looks at
you, he looks at one his soul desires. You're beautiful in
his sight. You're perfect in his sight.
That's his life. That's his steadfast covenant. Now, I realize that most of the
time when we think of God, we think of intolerance. Or when
we think of Christ, we think of intolerance. Having loved his own, which were
in the world, he loved them to be in it. Let him the glory,
the glory of Israel, he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord,
which exercise, I like that word, which exercises, which makes loving kindness. And here's what
comes out of that loving kindness, Judgment. And this is who the
Lord is. First, He mentions His loving
kindness and grace, the perfection of His love. And what comes out
of that? Judgment. This is talking about
the judgment of the cross. Turn with me to Romans 8 for
just a moment. Verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation,
no judgment. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. for the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus. He made me free from the law
of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
that it would weep through the flesh. Problem with the law,
problem with us. God sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the
flesh. There's the judgment. That the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not
out of the flesh. Now because of this loving kindness, because of this
mercy, because of this grace, there is judgment. God so loved
the world that He gave. that took place on Calvary Street. The sins of God's elect were
judged and put away. Thirdly, here's what arises out
of this. Let him that gloryeth in this,
that understands and knows in me, that I am the Lord, would
have exercised loving kindness and His grace, the judgment of
the cross that took place, and righteousness. And I don't suppose there's a
verse in Scripture that is shrouded in more mystery than this. We quote it all the time. It's
so mysterious. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse
21. For he hath made it to be seen
for us through no sin that we might be made what? The righteousness of God. Now that is him pre-believing.
Like I said, that's traveling with history to think that I
can actually be the righteousness of God. That's what the Bible
teaches. I just believe it. Because of His loving kindness,
because of His grace, He accomplished judgment on Calvary's tree. And
because of that, everybody that He died for is the righteousness
of God. I love saying this, right now
the person you're looking at and the people I'm looking at
are religious. They're the righteousness of God. Not a righteousness that's
like God's, but the righteousness of God. Oh, that I can win Christ
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness. I don't
have anything to do with that which is of the law, but that
which is of the faithfulness of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God. By faith, that perfect righteousness
that Jesus Christ worked out, when He was made sin, He was
my sin, He was made to be. He became guilty of that sin.
He put that sin away and that perfect righteousness that He
worked out becomes truly mine. my personal righteousness. Now, let not Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him the
glory, the glory in this, that he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord, through which exercise, love, and kindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things
I delight. This is the delight of God. Now,
this is the verse of scripture that Paul was thinking of when
he quoted it in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Would you turn there?
1 Corinthians chapter 1. Now there is no knowing and understanding
of God apart from knowing and understanding this, that He's
the Lord that exercises such kindness. Judgment and righteousness in
the earth. Now, 1 Corinthians chapter 1
all quotes this. And it begins in verse 26 by
saying, see your calling brethren. Now, there's not any wise man
after the flesh, not any mighty, not many noble highborn are called. Now, I have no doubt that he's
talking about those three things that Paul's talking about here
in my mind. the riches, and the mind, and the wisdom of this
flesh. But he points out, you see, you're calling, brethren,
how not many mighty wives are in heavenly flesh. Not many mighty,
whom the world would call mighty. Not many noble, whom the world
would call noble. A couple of them, not many. Now,
I'm thankful it doesn't say not any. God does call some out of
those ranks, but not Not many. But, verse 27, God hath chosen. Not many of the wise of this
world are called, not many noble, not many mighty. They don't need
the gospel. But God hath chosen. That's the same word translated
elect. God had elected. Now let me remind
you of something that I... Election is a declaration of
God's character. It just says God is God. Election
is a declaration of man's sinfulness. Man is so sinful that he will
never be saved unless God chooses him to be saved. Election is a declaration of
what God did not promise. He was setting those that the
Father didn't. Election is a declaration of
the work of the Spirit of God, indensibly saving those that
the Father elected. Such a big election for us. I
love the God of election. I love the way he does this. God hath chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the
weak things of the world, the powerless things of the world,
this is talking about people, to confound the things which
are mighty, and base things of the world. and things which are
despised. Had God chosen, yea, and things
which are not, which are nothing, to bring nothing the things that
are. Now, when I thought about these
words, whom God has chosen to save, I couldn't help but think
about the future. I love to think about it. David
says, from this position of absolute power, the second, single, and
he's now the most powerful man on the earth. All of his enemies
have been destroyed. And he will represent the country,
the land of Jonathan, many years before. And he says, is there
any that are of the house of Jonathan, that I may show him
the, I mean the house of David, that I may show him the kindness
of God for Jonathan's sake? Have you heard of David Cumberland? And Simon speaks up and said,
there's one. There's one. His name is Mephibosheth. But there's a problem with this
man. He doesn't have any work to do. If you have mercy on him, he's
not going to be able to work no more. He's not going to be
able to fight for you. He's laying on both of his feet.
He's useless. He can't do anything for you. Thank you. This is who God sent us. The base things of the world,
the things which are despised have God chosen, yea, the things
which are nothing. I don't have one thing to bring
and take directly myself to God. Why? The things which are nothing. to bring to nothing the things
that are, verse 29. But no flesh should glory in
His presence. He's not going to have it. He's
not going to have it. He's glorying in His presence.
How offensive is that? To act like you're somebody and
something that you've contributed in this thing? He's not going
to have it. But no flesh should glory in
His presence. But But. What a precious word. But. But God. Which is read out, but knows
that grace is the answer to all. God saw him in that same group,
and God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, that
every imagination and the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,
but knowing. of Him are you in Christ Jesus. What being in Christ means is
you have been eternally united with Him. I love the way the Lord illustrated
this as the vine and the branches. The same stem that goes through
the vine goes through the branches and there's no connecting point. One. One within. When Levi was in the loins of
Abraham and Abraham paid those guys, Levi did this. When Christ
kept the law, everybody in him did too. When Christ died, everybody
in him did too. When he was raised from the dead,
everybody in him was raised from the dead. And that's what he's
talking about, that of him are you in Christ Jesus. In the ark. Everybody in the ark was saved.
Everybody outside of the ark was destroyed. In the house with
the blood over the door if you're in the house with the blood of
the door I don't care. What did he say you were saying? You were
secure you were saying If you were outside of the house with
the blood of the door, I don't care how good you thought you
were Of him are you in Christ Jesus? Who of God is made unto us. Now, that word made is the same
word Satan used to command that these stones be made of brick.
They were stones. You commanded them to be made
of something they altogether were not before that. It's the
same word that's used with regard to the Lord's first miracle when
the water was made wine. It wasn't water that takes the
life of a man. It wasn't water that smelled
like wine. It wasn't water that looked like
wine. It was wine. It was water. And it was made to be what it
was not. The water was made wine. Now keep that in mind as we look
at this verse of Scripture. This ought to be, and I believe
it probably is, one of our favorite verses of Scripture. But of him are you in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us." Who's the us? Everybody, every believer. Every
believer. If you're a believer, you're
a part of this great us, that God has made Christ to be these
things. But of him are you in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and
sanctification. and religion. Now, Christ has made to me wisdom
so that I am fit for fellowship and communion with God. You're looking at a very wise
man. Somebody said, well, I don't say it. Well, it doesn't take
away from the reality of the common Christ. Christ is my wisdom
before God, and I'm fit for fellowship with God. He's made into me righteousness. He is my personal righteousness
before God, so that God can look at me and see no sin, nothing
but righteousness. He's made into me sanctification
or holiness. He is my holiness before God.
You know, when David said, I'm holy, I remember I used to read
that in cringe because I think, I don't know if I can say that
about myself. Yeah, I can because Christ is my holiness before
God. He's made into me full, full, complete salvation. That
according to verse 31, according as it is written, Jeremiah chapter
9 that passage of scripture we just looked at that according
as it is written he that glory Let him glory in the Lord Lord, I ask in Christ's name
that you unite our hearts together to ask that we might be enabled
to glory in the Lord as our wisdom, as our righteousness, as our
sanctification, and as our redemption. Lord, this is above and beyond
the strength and energy of the flesh. do this for us and in
us. And Lord, how thankful we are
that we have been made to understand and know this, the Lord that
exercises loving kindness and judgment and righteousness in
the earth. And Lord, how we thank you that
you delight in those things. Now, bless this