Chasing Glory - Part 2

WELCOME

“Everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory. I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.”—Isaiah 43:7

Yesterday, we discussed what it means to be created for God’s glory. What a compelling picture of sport and competition! But unfortunately, we often find ourselves occupied with someone else’s glory: our own. Sports occupies a lofty position in our culture; there’s much to be made in the realm of popularity, fame, reputation, and finances at almost every level of competition. All of those are morally neutral depending on how we respond. We have the choice to reflect the glory to whom it belongs, or we can absorb it and internalize it, which leaves us hungry for more. We will spend this session exploring where this insatiable desire for my glory originates.

WORKOUT

In Romans 1:20-21, Paul hones in on the glory issue: “For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.”

In other words, although we were created for God’s glory, we reject Him and turn the focus back on ourselves. This turning inward results in a death spiral where the more glory we seek for ourselves, to more we need. Paul goes on in verse 23 to say, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.” We have exchanged being the image of God, of beholding His glory, for the worship of idols. It’s unlikely that any of us bow down to images of four-footed animals or reptiles, but I’m confident we are tempted to worship other false gods. A certain coach, player, team, or championship? A bigger salary? Better performance?

• Take a moment to reflect on your journey. Where are you most tempted to turn to idols?
• What happens when you face these temptations? Do you have a “go-to move” that helps you repent and refocus on God?

The ideas of glory, worship, and idolatry are tightly bound together, and we would be wise to understand how and why our hearts work the way they do. When we worship something, we are glorifying it, giving it glory. When we worship anything other than the sole being in the universe who is weighty enough to be worshipped, we have turned that person or thing into an idol. The trouble with idols is that they cannot bear the weight of our worship. They will ultimately leave us empty, lonely, darkened, and dangerous to the people around us. Romans 3:23 tells us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, and the power of sin beckons us to focus on our desires, our cravings, our idols, and our glory. In the world of sports, that can manifest itself in so many destructive ways.

• Where do you see idolatry wreaking havoc in sport and competition?
• Take a minute to think through the connection between idolatry, worship, and glory. During the next opportunity for corporate worship, reflect on these connections and the ways you have struggled. Use that worship time to confess, repent, and refocus on worshipping God in Christ through the Spirit.

WRAP-UP

In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo wrote “And so we men, who are a due part of your creation, long to praise you – we also carry our mortality about with us, carry the evidence of our sin and with it the proof that you thwart the proud. You arouse us so that praising you may bring us joy, because you have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you" (emphasis mine). Augustine gets at the heart of the struggle. We were created for God’s glory, yet because of the curse of sin, our natural inclination is to chase after idols that feed our glory, which never satisfies us. But take heart! In our next meeting, we will explore God’s final answer to our deepest problem.

• Chasing My Glory: In our rebellion against God’s goodness and His design for creation, we quickly turn from glorifying Him to seeking our own glory.