1 00:00:05,208 --> 00:00:08,049 We're going to begin our children's sermon 2 00:00:08,049 --> 00:00:10,739 which several adults have told me 3 00:00:10,739 --> 00:00:13,518 that it's been very helpful to them. 4 00:00:13,518 --> 00:00:15,698 And what we're talking about, children, 5 00:00:15,698 --> 00:00:17,488 in the little handout that I've made 6 00:00:17,488 --> 00:00:18,667 and was given out - 7 00:00:18,667 --> 00:00:21,289 I probably need to give it out next week again - 8 00:00:21,289 --> 00:00:25,088 is we're talking about the glory of God. 9 00:00:25,088 --> 00:00:26,848 Everything that we do, 10 00:00:26,848 --> 00:00:28,646 we are to do for the glory of God. 11 00:00:28,646 --> 00:00:32,118 Now, we began with a question. 12 00:00:32,118 --> 00:00:34,860 What is the chief end of man? 13 00:00:34,860 --> 00:00:38,817 That means, why were you made? 14 00:00:38,817 --> 00:00:41,438 The 1689 London Confession 15 00:00:41,438 --> 00:00:44,990 and the Westminster Confession say this: 16 00:00:44,990 --> 00:00:49,556 You were made for the glory of God, 17 00:00:49,556 --> 00:00:53,415 to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 18 00:00:53,415 --> 00:00:55,204 Now what we're studying right now 19 00:00:55,204 --> 00:00:58,337 is how do you glorify God? 20 00:00:58,337 --> 00:01:00,367 And one of the things that we mentioned 21 00:01:00,367 --> 00:01:02,512 that's so very important is this: 22 00:01:02,512 --> 00:01:06,938 You must recognize the worth of God. 23 00:01:06,938 --> 00:01:09,028 You must recognize His worth. 24 00:01:09,028 --> 00:01:10,973 That is why as we go on, 25 00:01:10,973 --> 00:01:12,793 we're going to teach you, children, 26 00:01:12,793 --> 00:01:14,647 about the attributes of God. 27 00:01:14,647 --> 00:01:16,651 Do you know most adults that go to church 28 00:01:16,651 --> 00:01:18,638 and have gone to church all their life 29 00:01:18,638 --> 00:01:20,731 could not sit down and write out 30 00:01:20,731 --> 00:01:23,488 a list of what are the attributes 31 00:01:23,488 --> 00:01:25,451 or the characteristics of God? 32 00:01:25,451 --> 00:01:27,950 But we don't want you to be that way. 33 00:01:27,950 --> 00:01:30,719 Because the beginning of all knowledge, 34 00:01:30,719 --> 00:01:32,318 the greatest of all knowledge 35 00:01:32,318 --> 00:01:36,102 is knowledge of God. 36 00:01:36,102 --> 00:01:38,987 And if you understand how worthy He is, 37 00:01:38,987 --> 00:01:40,517 how valuable He is, 38 00:01:40,517 --> 00:01:43,639 then we won't have to psych you up. 39 00:01:43,639 --> 00:01:45,393 We won't have to send you off 40 00:01:45,393 --> 00:01:47,549 to some conference to get all psyched up 41 00:01:47,549 --> 00:01:48,817 for about a week or two, 42 00:01:48,817 --> 00:01:51,228 and then come back and die. 43 00:01:51,228 --> 00:01:54,956 If you know how wonderful He is, 44 00:01:54,956 --> 00:01:56,689 then you'll want to serve Him 45 00:01:56,689 --> 00:01:58,618 if He has worked in your heart. 46 00:01:58,618 --> 00:02:01,520 Now, last week, 47 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,288 we studied a few things 48 00:02:03,288 --> 00:02:05,258 that I want to look at. 49 00:02:05,258 --> 00:02:07,017 First of all, 50 00:02:07,017 --> 00:02:10,040 we discovered how valuable God is. 51 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,346 That if you took everything that's in the world 52 00:02:12,346 --> 00:02:15,457 and you put it on one side of the scale, 53 00:02:15,457 --> 00:02:17,959 and you put God on the other side of the scale, 54 00:02:17,959 --> 00:02:20,017 God would outweigh them all. 55 00:02:20,017 --> 00:02:22,077 He is worth more 56 00:02:22,077 --> 00:02:25,177 than all the universe combined. 57 00:02:25,177 --> 00:02:26,948 But not only did we learn that, 58 00:02:26,948 --> 00:02:30,868 we also mentioned that God was beautiful. 59 00:02:30,868 --> 00:02:33,369 That He was more beautiful 60 00:02:33,369 --> 00:02:36,648 than all the things He has made combined. 61 00:02:36,648 --> 00:02:38,528 Now I want you to listen to a verse. 62 00:02:38,528 --> 00:02:41,168 It's in Psalm 27:4 and it says this, 63 00:02:41,168 --> 00:02:43,967 "One thing I have asked of the Lord, 64 00:02:43,967 --> 00:02:45,978 that I shall seek, that I may dwell 65 00:02:45,978 --> 00:02:47,298 in the house of the Lord 66 00:02:47,298 --> 00:02:50,807 all the days of my life..." Why? 67 00:02:50,807 --> 00:02:53,237 "...To behold the beauty of the Lord 68 00:02:53,237 --> 00:02:55,496 and to meditate in His temple." 69 00:02:55,496 --> 00:02:58,368 And then in Psalm 96:6 it says this, 70 00:02:58,368 --> 00:03:01,517 "Splendor and majesty are before Him; 71 00:03:01,517 --> 00:03:05,488 strength and beauty are in His sanctuary." 72 00:03:05,488 --> 00:03:08,538 Have you ever seen something so beautiful 73 00:03:08,538 --> 00:03:10,608 that you just went (gasp)? 74 00:03:10,608 --> 00:03:12,126 It took your breath away. 75 00:03:12,126 --> 00:03:14,318 It was so beautiful. 76 00:03:14,318 --> 00:03:16,625 A sunset. 77 00:03:16,625 --> 00:03:18,996 A beautiful scenery in the wilderness. 78 00:03:18,996 --> 00:03:21,347 Maybe the trees turning their different colors 79 00:03:21,347 --> 00:03:22,857 or a magnificent sunset. 80 00:03:22,857 --> 00:03:25,956 You just literally thought it was going to take your breath away. 81 00:03:25,956 --> 00:03:27,969 Well, let me share with you something. 82 00:03:27,969 --> 00:03:30,508 Now children, listen to this. 83 00:03:30,508 --> 00:03:34,207 God is so beautiful 84 00:03:34,207 --> 00:03:37,138 that if He right now showed you 85 00:03:37,138 --> 00:03:40,019 just a glimpse of His beauty, 86 00:03:40,019 --> 00:03:43,328 that beauty would be so great 87 00:03:43,328 --> 00:03:46,631 that your mind would not be able to comprehend it. 88 00:03:46,631 --> 00:03:49,837 It would, in a sense, drive you crazy. 89 00:03:49,837 --> 00:03:52,409 It would be so magnificent, so big, 90 00:03:52,409 --> 00:03:55,648 so beautiful that it would almost 91 00:03:55,648 --> 00:03:57,360 explode your mind 92 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,187 and definitely explode your heart. 93 00:03:59,187 --> 00:04:03,276 That is why in order to be in Heaven 94 00:04:03,276 --> 00:04:05,669 and to catch a glimpse of God there, 95 00:04:05,669 --> 00:04:08,597 you must be supernaturally strengthened. 96 00:04:08,597 --> 00:04:10,369 You see, we're not serving God 97 00:04:10,369 --> 00:04:12,187 because we want to be religious 98 00:04:12,187 --> 00:04:14,026 or we like a bunch of rules. 99 00:04:14,026 --> 00:04:15,568 That's not why we serve God. 100 00:04:15,568 --> 00:04:20,609 We serve God because He's absolutely beautiful! 101 00:04:20,609 --> 00:04:22,980 Now adults, it might be a little bit difficult 102 00:04:22,980 --> 00:04:24,669 to explain this to your children, 103 00:04:24,669 --> 00:04:28,147 but here's something that you might want to think about. 104 00:04:28,147 --> 00:04:31,138 God is so beautiful 105 00:04:31,138 --> 00:04:36,676 that it is an act of condescension; 106 00:04:36,676 --> 00:04:39,836 it is an act of humility on the part of God 107 00:04:39,836 --> 00:04:43,267 to turn His eyes off of Himself 108 00:04:43,267 --> 00:04:46,197 to look at any other thing. 109 00:04:46,197 --> 00:04:49,289 He has to humble Himself. 110 00:04:49,289 --> 00:04:50,757 And it's one of the reasons, 111 00:04:50,757 --> 00:04:52,377 we can also get into this, 112 00:04:52,377 --> 00:04:54,488 that throughout all eternity, 113 00:04:54,488 --> 00:04:57,738 God has beheld His own beauty 114 00:04:57,738 --> 00:04:59,168 in great joy 115 00:04:59,168 --> 00:05:02,149 by looking into the face of His Son 116 00:05:02,149 --> 00:05:04,189 Who is the perfect reflection 117 00:05:04,189 --> 00:05:07,229 of the beauty of God. 118 00:05:07,229 --> 00:05:09,106 You see, it's marvelous! 119 00:05:09,106 --> 00:05:12,138 It's exciting! It's wonderful to know Him! 120 00:05:12,138 --> 00:05:13,578 I don't get up in the morning 121 00:05:13,578 --> 00:05:15,360 and read five chapters just because 122 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,069 I want to say I was able to read five chapters 123 00:05:18,069 --> 00:05:19,175 or ten chapters. 124 00:05:19,175 --> 00:05:21,455 I get up every morning in the same way 125 00:05:21,455 --> 00:05:25,159 that a miner gets up and goes down into the mine 126 00:05:25,159 --> 00:05:26,927 looking for gold; 127 00:05:26,927 --> 00:05:29,421 looking for precious jewels. 128 00:05:29,421 --> 00:05:32,250 So God is beautiful. 129 00:05:32,250 --> 00:05:34,467 Now, I want to say one more thing about God 130 00:05:34,467 --> 00:05:35,639 before we go on. 131 00:05:35,639 --> 00:05:37,957 Remember, we said that God was worth more 132 00:05:37,957 --> 00:05:39,488 than all the universe. 133 00:05:39,488 --> 00:05:41,949 We also said that God was more beautiful 134 00:05:41,949 --> 00:05:43,609 than all the universe. 135 00:05:43,609 --> 00:05:45,938 But now, I want you to also understand something. 136 00:05:45,938 --> 00:05:47,836 And children, this is very important. 137 00:05:47,836 --> 00:05:49,209 Parents, this is why 138 00:05:49,209 --> 00:05:50,835 before your child leaves the home, 139 00:05:50,835 --> 00:05:53,499 they should go through Proverbs with you 140 00:05:53,499 --> 00:05:56,088 at least 20 or 30 times. 141 00:05:56,088 --> 00:06:00,358 God is the smartest. 142 00:06:00,358 --> 00:06:02,098 He is the most intelligent. 143 00:06:02,098 --> 00:06:04,896 We've got students here today from Virginia Tech, 144 00:06:04,896 --> 00:06:06,328 and I asked each one of them, 145 00:06:06,328 --> 00:06:07,287 what do you do? 146 00:06:07,287 --> 00:06:09,307 And they're all just brainiacs. 147 00:06:09,307 --> 00:06:12,837 They're all engineers and things like that you know. 148 00:06:12,837 --> 00:06:16,468 All the things I shied away from in college. 149 00:06:16,468 --> 00:06:19,097 But as smart as they are, they're not smart, 150 00:06:19,097 --> 00:06:20,397 compared to God. 151 00:06:20,397 --> 00:06:24,709 Because the greatest wisdom in this world 152 00:06:24,709 --> 00:06:27,828 is dumb compared to God. 153 00:06:27,828 --> 00:06:29,748 Now, let me just say this. 154 00:06:29,748 --> 00:06:31,105 I've written something here 155 00:06:31,105 --> 00:06:32,298 in your little study. 156 00:06:32,298 --> 00:06:34,699 Imagine all the most intelligent men 157 00:06:34,699 --> 00:06:35,867 that ever lived 158 00:06:35,867 --> 00:06:37,629 were sitting in a room 159 00:06:37,629 --> 00:06:40,367 and talking about their great ideas. 160 00:06:40,367 --> 00:06:42,318 It would be amazing to hear 161 00:06:42,318 --> 00:06:45,089 all the great things they knew, 162 00:06:45,089 --> 00:06:47,588 but compared to God, 163 00:06:47,588 --> 00:06:49,638 they know nothing. 164 00:06:49,638 --> 00:06:52,828 Now, let me share with you something. 165 00:06:52,828 --> 00:06:54,889 A lot of young people think they know 166 00:06:54,889 --> 00:06:56,887 all the answers. 167 00:06:56,887 --> 00:06:58,167 Let me tell you something, 168 00:06:58,167 --> 00:07:02,088 you don't even know what the questions are. 169 00:07:02,088 --> 00:07:03,509 Okay? 170 00:07:03,509 --> 00:07:08,524 I desperately need God's wisdom. 171 00:07:08,524 --> 00:07:11,737 And I'm a lot older than you are. 172 00:07:11,737 --> 00:07:13,859 I study the book of Proverbs every day 173 00:07:13,859 --> 00:07:14,967 with my children, 174 00:07:14,967 --> 00:07:18,237 not simply for them, but for me. 175 00:07:18,237 --> 00:07:20,638 If I do what I think is right 176 00:07:20,638 --> 00:07:23,507 in my own eyes, 177 00:07:23,507 --> 00:07:24,598 I'm dead. 178 00:07:24,598 --> 00:07:27,556 And literally, I'm not kidding. I'm dead. 179 00:07:27,556 --> 00:07:29,479 It leads to death. 180 00:07:29,479 --> 00:07:32,010 To do what is right in your own eyes. 181 00:07:32,010 --> 00:07:34,668 You must do what is right 182 00:07:34,668 --> 00:07:36,959 according to God's Word. 183 00:07:36,959 --> 00:07:39,679 Let me just read something to you. 184 00:07:39,679 --> 00:07:43,418 In Romans 11:33-34, it says this, 185 00:07:43,418 --> 00:07:45,308 "Oh, the depth of the riches 186 00:07:45,308 --> 00:07:48,538 both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. 187 00:07:48,538 --> 00:07:51,038 How unsearchable are His judgments 188 00:07:51,038 --> 00:07:53,422 and unfathomable His ways. 189 00:07:53,422 --> 00:07:55,701 For who has known the mind of the Lord 190 00:07:55,701 --> 00:07:59,438 or who has become His counselor?" 191 00:07:59,438 --> 00:08:02,182 Now, you say, okay, Brother Paul, 192 00:08:02,182 --> 00:08:04,056 I want to listen to God. 193 00:08:04,056 --> 00:08:06,011 Well, let me ask you a question. 194 00:08:06,011 --> 00:08:10,173 Do you listen to your parents? 195 00:08:10,173 --> 00:08:12,481 Are you someone who listens quietly 196 00:08:12,481 --> 00:08:13,669 to obey your parents? 197 00:08:13,669 --> 00:08:15,248 Or are you someone that's always 198 00:08:15,248 --> 00:08:16,952 every time your dad speaks, you go, 199 00:08:16,952 --> 00:08:19,978 "yes, but..."? 200 00:08:19,978 --> 00:08:23,352 Like you've got a better idea? 201 00:08:23,352 --> 00:08:25,273 You ought to listen to your parents. 202 00:08:25,273 --> 00:08:27,873 And parents, if you speak 203 00:08:27,873 --> 00:08:30,331 out of your own authority, 204 00:08:30,331 --> 00:08:32,028 you're wrong. 205 00:08:32,028 --> 00:08:35,481 If you're going to claim parental authority, 206 00:08:35,481 --> 00:08:38,627 then you better know the Scriptures 207 00:08:38,627 --> 00:08:40,608 so that when you do command 208 00:08:40,608 --> 00:08:42,610 and give guidance to your children, 209 00:08:42,610 --> 00:08:45,708 it is not your human wisdom 210 00:08:45,708 --> 00:08:47,966 or something just handed down to you, 211 00:08:47,966 --> 00:08:50,988 but it's the wisdom of Scripture. 212 00:08:50,988 --> 00:08:52,497 The wisdom of Scripture. 213 00:08:52,497 --> 00:08:54,289 And so what do we know about God? 214 00:08:54,289 --> 00:08:55,767 He is beautiful. 215 00:08:55,767 --> 00:08:58,058 What else do we know? 216 00:08:58,058 --> 00:09:01,226 He's very smart. 217 00:09:01,226 --> 00:09:02,979 Let me share with you just one thing 218 00:09:02,979 --> 00:09:04,118 about how smart He is. 219 00:09:04,118 --> 00:09:07,537 When we say that God knows everything, 220 00:09:07,537 --> 00:09:10,899 we mean that He knows everything. 221 00:09:10,899 --> 00:09:12,759 We use the word "infinite." 222 00:09:12,759 --> 00:09:14,890 His knowledge has no end. 223 00:09:14,890 --> 00:09:17,196 His knowledge is infinite. 224 00:09:17,196 --> 00:09:19,928 It's exhaustive. 225 00:09:19,928 --> 00:09:23,047 And it's without effort. 226 00:09:23,047 --> 00:09:25,277 Now what do I mean? 227 00:09:25,277 --> 00:09:28,810 God doesn't have to think 228 00:09:28,810 --> 00:09:31,738 and try to figure out what's going on. 229 00:09:31,738 --> 00:09:35,837 He doesn't have to research a topic. 230 00:09:35,837 --> 00:09:37,438 He just knows it. 231 00:09:37,438 --> 00:09:40,998 It's instantaneous and without effort. 232 00:09:40,998 --> 00:09:43,010 That's amazing. 233 00:09:43,010 --> 00:09:46,739 He knows all things infinitely 234 00:09:46,739 --> 00:09:49,857 and without effort. 235 00:09:49,857 --> 00:09:51,348 When it talks about the books 236 00:09:51,348 --> 00:09:52,468 on the day of judgment 237 00:09:52,468 --> 00:09:53,728 and them being opened up, 238 00:09:53,728 --> 00:09:55,337 it's speaking metaphorically. 239 00:09:55,337 --> 00:09:57,558 He needs no book. 240 00:09:57,558 --> 00:09:59,308 He doesn't even need to remember 241 00:09:59,308 --> 00:10:00,990 or think. 242 00:10:00,990 --> 00:10:03,937 He knows. 243 00:10:03,937 --> 00:10:06,087 He knows. 244 00:10:06,087 --> 00:10:08,390 His knowledge was not gained. 245 00:10:08,390 --> 00:10:12,637 It simply was, is, and always will be. 246 00:10:12,637 --> 00:10:14,426 Now that's a great God. 247 00:10:14,426 --> 00:10:16,268 And that's the God that we follow, 248 00:10:16,268 --> 00:10:17,480 the God we love, 249 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,398 and the God we fear. 250 00:10:27,088 --> 00:10:28,889 Please visit our website at: 251 00:10:28,889 --> 00:10:30,857 heartcrymissionary.com. 252 00:10:30,857 --> 00:10:32,539 There, you will find information 253 00:10:32,539 --> 00:10:33,757 about the ministry, 254 00:10:33,757 --> 00:10:35,137 our purpose, beliefs, 255 00:10:35,137 --> 00:10:36,290 and methodologies 256 00:10:36,290 --> 00:10:37,997 and extensive information 257 00:10:37,997 --> 00:10:39,145 about the missionaries 258 00:10:39,145 --> 00:10:41,311 we are privileged to serve.