Indeed he has done great things. I'd like for us to consider 6 of God’s greatest things.

Read Genesis 1:26,27

We are God's greatest creation - the only creatures made in His image. Not even angels have that claim. Man alone speaks. Man alone possesses personality, morality, and spirituality. Man alone has spirit and free will. We were given dominion over all other things on earth. Mankind was and is his greatest creation and we caused his greatest hurt.

Read Genesis 3:6-11

God yells out, "Where are you Adam? Why are you hiding? What did you do?" Chuck Smith, the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, wrote, "'Where art thou?' is the cry of a heart-broken father. God knew that Adam and Eve were the victims of their choice and that they were now in bondage to death and darkness." God had given them all they could want and warned them to stay away from that one tree. Don't eat that one thing. But they did.

I want Jordan to stay out of the street. I could give him a tree house, a swing set, a sand box, and a pool and even warn him to stay out of the street. But oh how it would sting to look out one day and see him there in the middle of the street struck down by a car. Oh it would tear me up. I would do anything to swap places with him for that moment.

That’s exactly how God felt. And, being God he could do just that, so to prevent our death he gave us his greatest gift – his Son.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

His son was given to mankind and by his own words in Luke 19:10 "came to seek and to save that which was lost". He gave his life for ours. John 15:13 declares, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." That's what Jesus Christ did for us and in that final selfless act of love was arguably His greatest accomplishment and victory.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Perhaps the greatest moments for us might well have been one of the worst for God – the crucifixion of His Son. During the crucifixion, John 19:30 records, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." Jesus had refused to drink the cheap wine to dull his senses earlier (Mark 15:23) but now he accepts a sip of that bitter vinegar to wet His parched lips and soothe His dry throat so He can make one final triumphant announcement to the world. So with a "great cry" he utters His final word. "It is finished!" is the cry of a winner – not a loser. Jesus had finished what he had set out to do. Like a tired runner who holds his arms up high in victory but holds his head down in exhaustion, He then bowed His head to rest after a job well done; he didn't drop his head in defeat. Finally he gave up His spirit: no one took it but he laid it down. He laid it down because he had achieved what he set out to do. And three days later he took His life up again. He conquered death and hell for us to give us the greatest victory.

And the angels broke open the champagne and started shouting, "Glory, Glory, Glory to God!" The son was coming home his job complete and so it was left to man. God was confident man could choose the right way this time. One earth Jesus declared God's confidence in man's ability and paid the greatest compliment.

It is found in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The boy had it made but he chose himself over the father and things went down hill. Finally he ends up in the muck of sinful rebellion. "But when he came to himself" he realized at home with the father was where he needed to be. (Luke 15:17) Man can come to his senses. Man can see his wickedness and turn back to the Father. And he must if he is going to return to his high potential of being in God’s image. But Romans 10:14 asks, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" And so to those who find the way, to those who come to their senses, God gives a great task of continuing his work. He gives to them the greatest commission.

Read Mark 16:15-20

Go into all the world – tell every creature!

In 1991 21% of America was unchurched. Now in 2004, 34% are unchurched. We're losing ground people. A recent Harris poll shows 7 out of 10 people in the US and Canada are unsaved. Jesus left the 99 for the 1. If 99% was unacceptable to him, should 30% be acceptable to us? And yet according to statistics published in 2000, 92% of southern Baptists will never share their faith with another person – not a stranger, not a friend, not even a family member – no one. Out of 100 people that means only 8 love God - only 8 love others - enough to share the greatest news of the greatest story.

God has done great and mighty things for us. We should be shouting it from the rooftops and proclaiming it in the streets.

Psalm 126:3 - The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
1 Samuel 12:24 - Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Serve him with all your heart for the great things he has done. Serve him because he made you his greatest creation even though you'd cause him the greatest hurt. Then He gave you the greatest gift and achieved the greatest victory and paid us our greatest compliment. And he left us with the greatest commission simply to tell others of his greatness. Just tell.

To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Hath Done
To God be the glory! great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his son,
Who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Chorus
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the father through Jesus the son;
And give him the glory - great things he hath done.

Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the son:
But purer and higher and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see!

Repeat Chorus