what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
William MacDonald teaches that all we have—our abilities, knowledge, and achievements—are gifts from God, and therefore we should humbly give Him all the glory.
In this teaching sermon, William MacDonald explores the profound truth that everything we possess—our talents, knowledge, and authority—is a gift from God. He challenges believers to recognize their dependence on God's grace and to reject pride and boasting. Drawing from Scripture and historical examples, MacDonald encourages a humble heart that gives God all the glory for any good in our lives. This message calls Christians to deepen their understanding of God's sovereignty and to find true glory in knowing Him.
Text
“…what hast thou that thou didst not receive?…” (1 Cor. 4:7)
This is a good question because it reduces us all to size. We do not have anything that we did not receive. We received our physical and mental equipment through birth. What we look like and how brainy we are is something too far beyond our control to justify pride. It is an accident of birth.
All that we know is a result of our education. Others have poured information into our minds. Often when we think we have had an original thought, we find it in a book we first read twenty years ago. Emerson said, “All my best thoughts were stolen by the ancients.”
What about our talents? Some talents definitely run in the family. They are developed by training and by practice. But the point is that they did not originate with us. They were given to us.
Pilate was inflated by the authority he wielded, but the Lord Jesus reminded him, “You would have no authority over Me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11, NASB).
In short, every breath man draws is a gift from God. That is why Paul goes on to ask in 1 Corinthians 4:7 (Phillips), “If anything has been given to you, why boast of it as if it were something you had achieved yourself?”
And that is why, for instance, Harriet Beecher Stowe refused to take any credit for writing Uncle Tom’s Cabin: “I, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin? No, indeed, I could not control the story; it wrote itself. The Lord wrote it, and I was but the humblest instrument in His hand. It all came to me in visions, one after another, and I put them down in words. To Him alone be the praise!”
The constant realization that we have nothing that we did not receive delivers us from boasting and self-congratulation, and leads us to give God the glory for anything good that we are or have done.
So, “let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord” (Jer. 9:23, 24).
Sermon Outline
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I
- All we have is received, not self-made
- Physical and mental traits are gifts beyond our control
- Education and talents are given and developed
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II
- Authority and abilities come from God
- Pilate’s example of authority given from above
- Every breath is a divine gift
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III
- Boasting is misplaced when we forget God’s gifts
- Harriet Beecher Stowe’s humility in authorship
- Giving God glory for all good
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IV
- True glory is in knowing God
- Jeremiah’s call to glory in God’s character
- God delights in loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness
Key Quotes
“What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” — William MacDonald
“You would have no authority over Me unless it had been given you from above.” — William MacDonald
“I, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin? No, indeed, I could not control the story; it wrote itself. The Lord wrote it, and I was but the humblest instrument in His hand.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- Recognize and acknowledge that all your abilities and achievements are gifts from God.
- Avoid pride and boasting by giving God the glory for every good thing in your life.
- Seek to know God personally and glory in His character rather than in worldly accomplishments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'what hast thou that thou didst not receive?' mean?
It means that everything we have—our talents, knowledge, and abilities—are gifts from God, not something we earned or created ourselves.
Why should we not boast about our achievements?
Because all good things come from God, boasting ignores His grace and leads to pride instead of humility.
How does this teaching affect our view of authority?
It reminds us that any authority or position we hold is granted by God and should be exercised with humility.
Who was Harriet Beecher Stowe and why is she mentioned?
She was the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin who humbly credited God for her work, illustrating the sermon’s point about giving God glory.
What should we glory in according to Jeremiah 9:23-24?
We should glory in understanding and knowing God, who exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness.