When the Pope visited Los Angeles - a few years ago - it seems that he had a unusual request. At the airport, he was getting into his limousine and he said to the driver. “I’ve never driven a limousine. In fact I never get to drive. Someone else is always driving me around. Do you think I could drive for a while?”

Well, whose going to say no to the Pope. So the limo driver got in the back and the Pope drove the limo.

Pretty soon the Pope noticed the familiar red light of a LAPD motorcycle officer. After they pulled over - the police officer came to the drivers window - where the Pope was sitting - and said something like, “You were going 50 in a 35 zone - I need to see your license and registra..... oh, excuse me. your holiness.” Of course, who’s going to give a speeding ticket to the pope?

Later that day, some of the officers were bragging about all the famous and important people they’d pulled over. One officer said, I gave a ticket to Zsa Zsa Gabour. Another said he’d pulled over the mayor.

Finally, the one officer said, “I don’t know who the person was I pulled over. But he was so famous and important that he had the Pope as his chauffeur.”

This morning we want to look at the things we boast about - things we’d like other people to notice - to remember - about us. As I’m reading Jeremiah 9:23,24 - think about what God says is worthy to boast about.

Jeremiah 9:23,24: Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory - or boast - in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight says the Lord.”

One thing we all have in common is birth. Whether we’re Kessabtzies or Halebtzies or San Franciscotzies - at some point we were all born. Our lives follow similar patterns - regardless of where we grew up. We learn to crawl and walk. We grow up and go to school.

Especially for Armenians, education is really important. It’s always amazed me that no matter where Armenians are - no matter what the circumstances - some incredibly difficult circumstances - Armenians always seem to find a way to get an education.

We are always trying to better ourselves and to provide for our families. We look up to doctors and lawyers and successful businessmen or women. We place a value on our families and family life.

So, for many of us - we get married. I don’t mean to say that those who are not married do not value family life. Singles have a very special role in family life. Especially as Aunts and Uncles - often as the one person that a child can really talk with.

Family life is important. We have children. We learn - or try to learn - to balance family and work and community and church and taking our kids to piano lessons and little league.

And then we watch our children have children.

Time passes. Someplace in our heads a voice says, “This doesn’t go on forever.” The people who research this type of thing say that at the age of 30 we begin to think about death. I was amazed, that at exactly the age of 30 - that little voice said to me, “Steve, one day you will die. This doesn’t go on forever.”

The point of all of this - is that at some point - maybe after we’re retired - when the kids have gone on with their own families - after we’ve stood at the graves of our parents - and maybe a spouse - we begin to ask, “Where has all this gone? What have I accomplished? What am I leaving behind?”

And at that point in our lives - the question of what we valued - the things we boasted in - wanted other people to notice - and remember about us - on that day we ask ourselves were these things really important?

In considering what God says in Jeremiah 9 - and speaking to the senior generation - with my generation listening in - it is important to see what is worthy of our boasting - what God says is important.

First: What we should not boast about - verse 23 - “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom.” Why not? Well, because our wisdom is always a partial wisdom. We never see the whole story - the whole picture and everything that’s involved.

We think we find solutions to things and realize in a few years that the solution only created a bigger problem. The industrial age - the improving of the quality of life - has led us to pollution. And warfare - and all the other problems that confront us today. Our wisdom is not enough. Its tunnel vision - partial wisdom.

T.S. Eliot put it this way:

Second: “Let not the mighty man boast in his might.” Why not? We often call the President of the United States the most powerful man in the world - a man with great power and authority - with great power at his command. Why not boast?

Because his might is directed only at material things. What real power does a “mighty man” have over ideas - or a moral value - or the soul of a man?

During the Vietnam war, President Nixon ordered the carpet bombing of North Vietnam. Saturation bombing. Bomb after bomb - dropped from untouchable B52’s - scorching the earth - destroying everything. Its hard to imagine how anyone could survive that kind of bombardment. Who could oppose that kind of power? But when we were through the North Vietnamese kept coming. When it was all over the ideas motivating the North Vietnames remained.

Third: “Let not the rich man boast in his riches.” Why not? Because riches can buy only a very limited number of things. Jesus spoke of the deceitfulness of riches.

Riches give us a feeling of power that we really don’t have. They give us a feeling of being loved when we’re not. Of being respected - when we’re not respected. Riches can’t buy love and joy and peace and harmony. Time after time we hear about rich people that would give everything they own for just a few moments of peace or joy.

And yet, so many people is this life are trying to be wise in the ways of this world - to have power over others and seemingly over their own destinies - and to accumulate wealth to glorify themselves.

In verse 24, God tells us what really is important - what lasts - what is worth boasting about. “But let him who boasts - boast in this - that he understands and knows me.”

Jeremiah - boast in this - that you know me - and you have available to you my wisdom - true wisdom. And you have my might at your disposal - greater than anything the world knows about. And you have riches beyond compare - the riches of love and peace and joy and grace and mercy and truth - that money can’t buy. Boast in this Jeremiah.

It would be easy to think that all this relates to someone else. But we all really need to hear this today. Can I talk on behalf of my generation - for a few minutes. Talk to our parents and the generations ahead of us.

We really appreciate all that you have done for us. And we don’t say that often enough. By the way - I hope my generation and the generations following us heard that. We need to say thank you more often. In fact - today - find one senior member of this congregation and make it a point to say thank you to them.

You all have given a tremendous part of yourselves for us - and sacrificed so that we could have the best start in life. And we know - that you’re always thinking of us - your children. How to provide for our future - even when you’re not with us anymore.

And this church - how this church has survived is a miracle. I’ve heard stories of how Calvary got started - and what it was like here in the depression. They had nothing - and our parents and grandparents started and kept this church going. And I remember the church on the avenues. How you all ever did those Bazaar’s in that basement and in that little kitchen is hard to imagine.

To see this building - the sanctuary - the classrooms - the social hall - standing and paid for. To have these facilities - the use and enjoyment of them - the potential to use them for God’s glory - all this is amazing for us. The endowments - the desire to see a stable financial base to continue the ministry - for the concerns you have for the future - for us.

My generation will never fully understand all of what you have accomplished. But, for all of us - thank you.

But it would so easy to boast in these things. So easy to think that these material things should be your legacy. All this is important. But its not the most important.

Speaking for my generation - and the generations that are following - what we desire and need most from you - is godliness. Men and women who understand God - who have an intimate and deepening relationship with Him. Who have given everything to serve Jesus Christ.

Which is more enduring? What would you rather pass on?

Let me read again the words of God to Jeremiah.

(Jeremiah 9:23,24) Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory - or boast - in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight says the Lord.”