Week of 11/17/24 and Thanksgiving Potlunch and Baskets

Dear Church Family,
One of the reasons given for the decline of showing honor to the older generation in our culture is the focus on individual pursuits. We only have so much time and energy and if we are spending it on ourselves we can't spend it elsewhere. It follows that we act this way because we don't see how giving honor away actually makes us richer. Our lives and relationships are enriched by carrying the weight of honor. Honoring life in all its forms gives us and those around us life. Our culture has forgotten that.
The same is true for glory, which is much like honor.
Glory pursued as an end in itself is short-lived. But glory given away ultimately frees us from the futile pursuit of it and brings joy. Glory is relational. God is worthy of all glory and he has made a way for us to glorify him and enjoy him forever. So how do we glorify him?

Home Enjoyment
We will get to the question of how we glorify God, but I don't want to ignore the text or the questions it raises. Read 1 Samuel 4:12-22
In these two stories, how did relational loss compare to the loss of the ark?
Why was the ark so significant?
Eli's sons, and Eli himself were glory-deniers in a sense, not giving God the glory(weight) he deserved. How did that impact the people of Israel? Their family?
How does it impact the people around us when we deny God the glory he deserves?

We know we are supposed to give glory to God, but a specific cookie-cutter, do these 4 things and God will be glorified is not typically how it works.
It starts with, do you believe Jesus alone is worthy of glory?
(Life groups consider assigning different readings)
Read Daniel 7:13-14, John 1:14, Colossians 1:15-23, Revelation 4:8-14.
Why does he have 'weight' others don't have? How far does that weight go and how have we come to experience it?
How did Jesus want us to experience his glory? Read John 17:20-26.
Why doesn't it work to reduce glorifying God to a few steps or activities?
Read 1 Corinthians 10:31.

I want to end this by simply inviting you to ponder the greatness of what you have been invited into; glorying in God and love He showed in order to remove your sin and make glorifying him possible! Glory!

Extra Enjoyment Reading Link - How Do I Glorify God In My Daily Life?

Announcements
Thanksgiving Basket Goods are due this Sunday!
Thanksgiving Potlunch this Sunday, please bring a dish big enough to feed yourself or your family and company!
Worship/Jam Session after potlunch @1pm - for those who want to sing praise and make music after the potlunch in the Youth Room!

In Christ,
Pastor Phillip

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