For Glory & Good

Live for the glory of God and the good of others that some may be saved.

“Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered...He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the LORD’s temple...Put the sacred ark in the temple...It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel. Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves and prepare the lambs for your fellow Israelites, doing what the LORD commanded...Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand lambs and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle—all from the king’s own possessions." ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭35‬:‭1‬-‭27

Does God get the glory when you experience gain in your life? Are others blessed when you are blessed? Are you a funnel of God's love or a dead-end tunnel? As we look at the life of Josiah, we see that he saw his abundance as an opportunity to celebrate God through his generosity. The text says that he provided for all the lay people out of his own possessions. Do you have the same heart? Are you willing to let go of what you have been given so that others will taste and see that the Lord is good?

Josiah encouraged others to serve God, consecrate themselves, put the ark at the center of the temple, and prepare the lambs. God told them not to carry the ark on their shoulders, but to put it in its proper place. When Jesus is the center of our lives, generosity flows freely in response to all He has done for us. Have you prepared the lambs? Have you considered what you could give up for the good of others so that God would be glorified by your generosity? How you use what you have been given says everything about what you worship.

Think of how easy it would have been for the people to skip the celebration and go through the motions of an annual ritual. How often do we treat Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, or other traditions as just another day to do what we please? Josiah took a very different approach. He celebrated enthusiastically, extravagantly, and boldly. The text says they celebrated for seven days. At last count, we have seven days in our week. Is there not a reason to celebrate God every day?

“Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭102‬:‭1‬-28

A remarkable moment is revealed within what was written in this song. The author may be anonymous, but the truth within the text has universal application. The psalmist wrote that he was having a very hard time. He was suffering. He was crying out to God, but at his lowest point, he found a way forward. He found hope by looking at the God who is enthroned forever. Even though he was in deep pain, his prayer was that God would be glorified.

He said, may my testimony help other people turn to God. May my story help give God glory. He said, let this be written so that people not yet present may praise the Lord. It is much easier to be generous when you see yourself as a steward whose flesh will not survive and whose focus is on others being strengthened. The psalmist had died to self so that others might live. Is that your heart? Can you see that your tests will turn into a testimony that will lift up the Lord? Or are you too focused on what you have lost to see how what you are enduring could help others gain the solid footing of Christ as the foundation of their lives?

Consider how different this message is from contemporary culture. We live in a land of abundance, but often hear the message of increase. Our world tells us to get what we can while we can. The enemy of your life wants you to focus on what you can gather for yourself. God wants you to see how you can use what you have been given to become a blessing to others.

“I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved...I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love. Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples...His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes... My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come...show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. My beloved is mine and I am his” ‭‭Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭1-16

What is your identity? The bride calls herself a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley. Her identity is something beautiful. The area of Sharon is an area of fertile soil where the rose could bloom. The valley imagery often represents a place with more shadows. Yet the bride believed she could bloom in both because of the One who makes her beautiful. God wants you to know how He sees you and who you were made to be. Your beauty is never just for yourself. Your beauty is meant to point others to the One who made you and to inspire others.

Think of the connections to what Jesus wants to do in your life. He said He is the vine and we are the branches. The bride delights to sit near the tree and eat the fruit provided to her. She is strengthened by that fruit. Then, when it is time to rise, she is led to the banquet by a banner of love. The imagery here is something we would all do well to embrace. God wants us to change how we think about life with Him. He wants us to hear His voice, see His face, and know that we are His. Will you speak these words over your life so that you might learn to know how much you are loved? Will you allow yourself to experience the faithful embrace of Jesus? Will you allow Him to lead you and strengthen you today?

“Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre...‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” But you are a mere mortal and not a go...By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself...By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud...You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you...You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you...you sinned. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you...When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them...They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety...Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭28‬:‭2‬-26

Pastor Mark Batterson has said anything you do not turn into praise turns into pride. Contrast the king of Tyre with King Josiah. One king used his abundance to bless others and help build a community of worship. The other king used his gifts to grow his pride and line his pocketbook. Which more closely describes you? Are you someone whose heart is set on gain or set on glorifying God? How could you grow in your giving?

We have the option to dine at one of two tables. We can dine at the wedding banquet, at the covenant celebration of our relationship with God, where we are fed and, in turn, feed others. Or we can dine at the table of self, isolation, and individual gain. You cannot sit at two different tables at the same time. The king of Tyre chose self and forfeited the joy of giving. God said He would gather His people and be proven holy through them. The truth is, we, as followers of Jesus, have the ability to point people to God. Jesus said that we should let our good deeds be done so that others would glorify God. Pride tells us to keep all of our possessions and purpose focused on our personal gain. Our personal Savior tells us that one day each of us will be asked what we did with what we were given.

"Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters...The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it...flee from idolatry. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭33

Jesus loves to take our boundaries, our thought patterns, and our ways of thinking and redirect them to heavenly purposes. Paul said whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. What a simple, straightforward filter for living, yet who of us can say that we have done this all the time, with everything? Jesus has told us that our lives are not our own, but that we are to be crucified with Christ. We no longer live for ourselves, but we pour out our lives as a ransom for others, like Jesus did.

Consider all the connections in today's passages. Josiah provided the lambs out of his possessions so that others could worship God. The psalmist was willing to let his pain turn into something for God's purposes so that future generations would praise Him. The bride received and shared the goodness of God's love as she abided in the shade and walked toward the banquet. The wicked king lived for himself, to the destruction of his soul. Then Paul brought it all together, reminding us of the communion table, the bread and the wine, and the Last Supper so that we could see that we are simply following the example that Jesus set for us.

It always has been and always will be about Jesus. Jesus gave His life for the glory of His Father and the good of others. He did not hold anything back, and because of His sacrifice, we have a place at the eternal table. We can sit in His shade, enjoy the sweetness of His fruit, and rest in the security of His embrace. His banner over our lives is love. God is not asking you to do anything He has not already done. He comes to us where we are and calls us to live in response to the incredible love we have received.

Think about what happens when you know you are loved. Your ability to love others grows. Your thinking and your priorities shift. You see differently. The rains pass, and the season of singing comes. You begin to see your abundance as an opportunity to bless others. Your tests become testimonies. Like the rose of Sharon or lily in the valley, you can bloom where God has planted you. We begin to bear fruit not simply for our enjoyment, but so that we would nourish, encourage, and point others to God.

Today, start by knowing that you are loved, called, chosen, strengthened, and set free by Jesus. Whatever season you are walking through, He is with you and for you. Let His love lead you. You have a reason to celebrate every day because He is not going anywhere. He is the beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. He never changes, so we can endure every change as we build our lives on Him. He promises that He will help you bear the weightiest challenge and carry your burdens. He will not let you go beyond His grasp or let you fall when you feel weak.

So live as though you are fully loved. Live generously, love extravagantly, forgive freely, and look for opportunities to help others see the goodness of God by doing everything for His glory. Let your life be an expression of worship. Live for the glory of God and the good of others, that some might be saved. There is no greater purpose for your life than to know the love of Jesus and make His love known to others by how you use what you have been given.