MANAGING THE MATTER OF MAGNIFICATION

[MAKE MUCH OF JESUS]                  

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

JOB 7:17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” [John 3:30] He was not the only one to feel that way or to say something about it.

 

I. WHAT DOES GOD MAGNIFY?

 

1. God Magnifies His Servants [Josh. 4:14, 2 Chr. 1:1]

- Josh. 4:14 On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

-2 Chr. 1:1 AND Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

 

2. God Magnifies His Word [Ps. 138:2] I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 

3. God Magnifies His Son [Acts 19:17] And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

 

II. WHAT SHOULD WE NOT MAGNIFY?

 

1.  Do Not Magnify Yourself [Jer. 48:26, 42]

- Jer. 48:26 Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the Lord: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

- Jer. 48:42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the Lord.

2.  Do Not Magnify Your Sin [Ezra 9:6] And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

 

3.  Do Not Magnify Against Israel [Zeph. 2:10] This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.

 

III. WHAT SHOULD WE MAGNIFY?

 

1. We Should Magnify God’s Name [2 Sam. 7:26, 1 Chr. 17:24]

-And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.

-Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.

-Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

 

2. We Should Magnify God by Our Lips [Ps. 40:16, 70:4]

- Ps. 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.

- Ps. 70:4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

 

3. We Should Magnify God by Our Life [Ps. 35:27, Phil. 1:20]

- Ps. 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

- Phil. 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.