How God Glorifies Himself

Nov 26, 2023 
GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor

How God Glorifies Himself
Acts 12:20-25

1. Whoever you depend on has power over you, v. 20b

2. We must understand what motivates God, v. 21-23

The glory of God is the total manifestation of all of His attributes.

Three things about the glory of God…

a) the glory of God is God’s highest motivation
b) the glory of God is intrinsic and extrinsic
c) God will not share His glory with another

“I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
             -Isaiah 42:8

“For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.”
             -Isaiah 48:11



3. The Gospel is unfazed, v. 24

“If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”
                    ― Augustine


4. God acts now in light of then, v. 25

Mental worship…

When you don’t depend on God, who/what do you depend on and what do you depend on them for? 
Can you feel when people are thinking too much of you and how do you respond? 
Does the way you live right now make your kids eager to get to this phase of life?
Do you feel most loved by God when God makes much of you, or when he enables you to enjoy making much of him forever?
Do you ever blame God in the hopes that this will obligate him to do your will?
What is currently increasing in you?