Central Thought:
Man was created to glorify God.
Text: Psalm 8:1-9; John 7:18
Introduction:
The Almighty God, who made the heavens and the earth is a glorious God. When He had finished creating the heavens and the earth (including animals and plants both in the seas and on the land). He proceeded to create man in His own image and likeness to have dominion over all other creatures that were created. God said unto the man “Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”, Genesis 1:28. Thus, man was exalted over all other creatures on earth. He also had the privilege of fellowshipping with God and naming all that were created, Genesis 3:8, 2:20, as an intelligent being.
Unfortunately, man could not keep this exalted, glorious, position as he disobeyed God and thus fell from His grace. This fall of man resulted in the break of communication and fellowship with his Creator, diseases, sickness, poverty and even the fear of other creatures he was supposed to subdue and rule.
However, God remained unshaken in His desire for man to continue in his glorious position to subdue and rule over the earth. To achieve this purpose, He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to redeem man from his lost state so that he might fulfill the purpose of his creation. Therefore, any sinner who receives Christ as his Lord and personal Savior enjoys the privilege of being restored to his original estate.
Furthermore, being restored to his original estate puts a responsibility on man to fully display and manifest God’s sovereignty and supremacy over the earth just as Christ did when He walked upon the face of the earth. He is also expected to continue to seek God’s glory in his daily living no matter the situation. When the believer is steadfast in seeking God’s glory, he attracts His blessings in all ramifications.
Lesson Objectives:
- To understand what it means to “seek His glory”.
- To highlight why the believer should seek God’s glory.
- To know what the attitude of the believer should be in seeking God’s glory.
- To identify what the believer should do in seeking God’s glory.
- To discover how God’s glory can be given to another.
Bible Truth:
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What does the phrase “seek His glory” mean?
According to Reader’s Digest Great Illustrated Dictionary, to seek means to try to locate or discover or search for. It also means to endeavor to obtain or reach. The work glory means exalted honor, praise, or distinction accorded by common consent. It could also mean adoration, praise, and thanksgiving offered in worship. Furthermore, it means the splendor and bliss of heaven; a state of perfect happiness; or a height of achievement, enjoyment, or prosperity.
To seek God’s glory, therefore, means to endeavor to use every opportunity in our daily living to exalt, honor and praise the name of our God. On no account should the believer relent in seeking God’s glory in his walk with Christ, secular work and human relationships. He must seek to please and give glory to the Almighty God in every area of his life to attract His blessings. When this spiritual state is attained by the believer, God allows him to experience the splendor and bliss of heaven while on earth. It is therefore important for every believer to seek to say or do those things that will bring glory to God. This is our ultimate goal on earth.
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Why should the believer seek God’s glory?
There are numerous reasons why the believer should seek God’s glory. Some of them are enumerated below.
First and foremost, man was made to be God’s representative on earth. After He had finished creating the heavens and the earth (including all that are in them). God proceeded to create man in His image and likeness to have dominion over all creatures, Genesis1:27-28. Man had the rare privilege of naming all the animals that were created by God. Also, he was created to have fellowship with his Creator, Genesis 3:8.
Another reason why the believer should seek God’s glory is that when man fell from the exalted position of being God’s ambassador, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for mankind to restore him to his original state. It is God’s desire that man should continue in this exalted position of being His ambassador.
Furthermore, all that man needs and hope to achieve are in God and can only manifest when he seeks to please and glorify Him in all his ways.
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What should be the attitude of the believer in seeking God’s glory?
When a sinner turns to God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Savior, he must do so with an open heart, not holding back anything; so that the Holy Spirit will accomplish the work of regeneration unhindered and take him (the believer) to the next level of brokenness (yeildedness). Thereafter, it is necessary for the believer to seek to please God and glorify Him in his daily walk and in his secular life. To successfully accomplish this, his attitude must be that of absolute loyalty, commitment and determination, Romans 2:7; Hebrews 10:36.
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What should the believer do to glorify God?
Anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Savior cannot seek to please or glorify God in any manner. Such an individual must first of all come to God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is only then, he is prepared to seek God’s glory. No one can claim to seek God’s glory when he has no cordial relationship with Him.
When a cordial relationship is established between an individual and God, he (the individual) must constantly desire the sincere milk of the word of God so as to grow, 1 Peter 2:2. As he receives more of God’s revelation, he is “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”, 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:13. The believer who seeks to glorify God should be prayerful, participate in evangelism, consistent in fellowship with other believers, be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk daily in the Spirit. He should not only trust and wait patiently on God, Psalm 37:3-7, he must do good, love mercy and show kindness to people at all times. Also, he must walk humbly before God, not boasting but allowing God to have His way in every aspect of his life, Micah 6:8.
Furthermore, the individual who seeks to glorify God must be holy in all ramification. He must not pay lip service to the issue of holiness but must be seen as a living epistle of Christ.
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Discuss how God’s glory can be given to another and its consequences. Exodus 20:3-5; Daniel 4:28-33; Acts 12-20-23
There are many ways individuals can give God’s glory to human beings or even idols. Some of these ways are discussed in this lesson.
In Daniel 4:28-33, we read an account of king Nebuchadnezzar who accorded God’s glory to himself and was humiliated and reduced to the level of a beast for seven years until he acknowledged God’s sovereign rule over all earthly kingdoms.
One day, as he walked in the royal palace of Babylon in pomp and pride, he said, “Is not this gret Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?”, Daniel 4:29. This statement attracted God’s instant judgement and immediately, king Nebuchadnezzar became insane. His understanding and memory were gone, and all the faculties of a rational being broken. He went naked and on all fours like a brute and ran wild into the fields and woods. He was made to eat grass like cattle. He remained in the forest for seven years until he acknowledged God as sovereign.
There is also another account of King Herod in Acts 12:20-23. It was recorded that the men of Tyre and Sidon had offended Herod and he was highly displeased with them. The offenders truckled. They submitted and were willing to make peace with the king because they depended on his country for their food supply. The day the people of Tyre and Sidon came to make public submission to the king and promised never again to offend, he appeared in the best royal robe and sat on the throne. King Herod made a beautiful speech to the people of Tyre and Sidon, who applauded him saying, “it is the voice of god and not a man”, Acts 12:22. Immediately, because Herod did not give the glory to God, and angel of the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms and he died. These under praises he accepted was the sin that led to his untimely death. He said nothing, did not rebuke the people for their flattery, did not give praise to God but allowed that he should be thought of as a god and have divine honors paid him. He failed to realize the fact that God cannot share His glory with any man, no matter how highly placed.
However, the believer should realize that God is his source and whatever he is or has should be attributed to Him. Without god in our lives we are nothing but mere clay.
Daily Living Application:
The Almighty god made man in His own image and after His likeness. When man fell from his first state, God sent His only begotten Son to save him (man) with His precious blood. Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Savior should seek to glorify God in all his activities. As a believer, do you seek to glorify God in all that you do? If your answer is no, as for His forgiveness, promise Him, from now onward that you will do your best to glorify Him, daily.
Memory Verse:
John 7:18 – “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh His glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him”