5
Does It Honor God?
Question 1:
What’s the greatest honor you or someone you know has received?
THE POINT
God’s voice always leads us to glorify Him and accomplish His purposes.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
When we gaze at a piece of art, we don’t marvel over the canvas. We don’t get excited about a particular shade of blue in the painting. We marvel over the artist.
Take the sculpture David by Michelangelo. It’s considered one of the finest sculptures in all the world. But no one walks into the La Galleria dell’ Accademia di Firenze in Florence, Italy, and marvels over how white the marble is. While it is an exceptional piece of white marble, everyone’s amazement is drawn to what Michelangelo did with it. We marvel how a 26-year-old young man painstakingly chiseled such incredible detail in marble. And at almost 17 feet tall, this was no weekend project. Michelangelo worked for two years on his sculpture.
We don’t glory in the sculpture; we glory in the sculptor. It’s not simply David; it’s Michelangelo’s David. We can’t look at this sculpture and not think of Michelangelo. As God’s creation, our lives are to point to the glory of our Creator. God calls us to live for His glory—and it’s in His glory we find out greatest purpose.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
John 17:1-3
1 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. 3 This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.”
This passage comes at the end of Jesus’s upper room discourse that began in John 13. The Passover meal was over, and Judas had departed to betray Him. Jesus “looked up to heaven,” which was the traditional way to pray. People typically prayed with their eyes open, while looking heavenward. Jesus prayed to His “Father,” which was His preferred term for God when He prayed. In the model prayer, Jesus taught us to call upon God as a loving Father who is generous and pleased to answer us (Matt. 6:9-13; 7:7-11).
Jesus noted that “the hour has come.” He was keenly aware of divine timing. He didn’t ask God for anything too soon or too late, but exactly in God’s perfect time. Jesus prayed that God would glorify the Son. To some, this might appear to be self-centered. However, it’s an extremely God-centered request. The way the Father was going to glorify the Son was to have Him crucified. It would be on the cross that Jesus would bring the greatest glory to His Father. By praying for His time on the cross to come, Jesus was accepting His Father’s will, even though it meant excruciating torture on a cross.
The word “glorify” can also mean “magnify” or “lift up.” Jesus was asking His Father to lift Him up on a cross so people could take a close look at Jesus and come away with a higher view of God the Father. Within that prayer is something we should pray as well: “God, let people take a close look at my life, particularly when I am suffering, so they be drawn to glorify You.”
Question 2:
How does honoring God with our lives help lead others to Christ?
Jesus prayed that His Father would glorify Him on the cross so He could provide life to everyone His Father had given to Him. Jesus’s prayer was unselfish. He prayed that by going to the cross, He would glorify His Father and bring eternal life to those who believe.
Jesus explained what eternal life is. It involves knowing “the only true God” and Jesus Christ, who the Father sent. God is not one of many. He alone is God. He is not a fake God, propagated by false prophets and deceivers. There is only one true God and only one God who can give eternal life. Eternal life doesn’t merely describe the length of your life, when you live forever in with Christ in His glory; it describes the quality of your life, as you live in relationship with God the Father and God the Son. Eternal life doesn’t come from a casual or intellectual relationship, but from a bond that is intimate and loving. Eternal life begins the moment you become a Christian. The quality of our lives as Christians ought to be dramatically superior to the life lived by unbelievers. This isn’t because Christians earn more money, live in nicer houses, or drive fancier cars. It’s because, when we abide in Christ, His joy fills us to overflowing (John 15:11) and His peace guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:6). Eternal life means we live each day with a keen awareness of our close relationship with God.
John 17:4-5
4 “I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.”
Jesus declared He had glorified His Father. He did so by “completing the work you gave me to do.” Jesus’s assignment wasn’t easy. He spoke to large crowds, He healed countless people, He trained His disciples, and He traveled everywhere by foot. He faced constant criticism and opposition. Nevertheless, the climax of His work was when He died on a cross. Had He quit before going to the cross, His previous efforts would have been for nothing. For His work to glorify His Father, He had to complete it.
God is not glorified merely by our starting a work or by working hard for a while. He is glorified when we complete the work He gives us to do. The apostle Paul urged the Galatians, “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up” (Gal. 6:9). At times, our obedience to God’s will can be costly. We may face opposition. We may endure loss. In such cases, we may be tempted to quit in discouragement. It can be tempting to leave a challenging assignment for one that is less demanding. If we leave before we’ve finished the work God had for us, we’ve only partly obeyed, and partial obedience is disobedience.
I was with my father when a man approached him and told how, many years before, God had called him to be a pastor. However, during his first pastorate, some church members had treated him terribly. He had resigned as pastor and vowed never to be a pastor again. Eventually, he had taken the course, Experiencing God, and God had reminded him that He had never rescinded His call on the man’s life. In tears, the man told my father, “I’m a pastor again!” He was now determined to complete what God had begun in his life.
Jesus prayed that, as a result of the completion of the work the Father had given Him, He would be glorified with the same glory He enjoyed before the world began. Jesus didn’t consider His exalted position as something to be grasped. Instead, He emptied Himself and became a man, dying on a cross (Phil. 2:5-11). As Jesus completed His work on earth, He looked forward to returning to the Father and sharing in His glory once more. When we finish the work God gave us, God receives glory, and we enjoy fellowship with our Lord.
Question 3:
What are some obstacles that keep us from prioritizing God’s work?
John 17:6-9
6 “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, 8 because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. 9 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours.”
In verse 6, Jesus began praying for His disciples. He had revealed God’s name to them. That is, He had taught them what God’s character was like. He had done this through both His teaching and example. Jesus had prayed all night before selecting His disciples (Luke 6:12-13), and now He was praying for them again. Because Jesus knew His Father had given Him these men, He had been diligent in teaching them about God’s character and leading them into their own personal relationship with God.
Question 4:
Who are some people God has used to disciple you?
Jesus recognized that His disciples had come from the world. That’s why they often acted like the world. When James and John asked Jesus for positions of honor, they were acting the way the world does, coveting what the world treasures (Mark 10:35-37). In the process of discipling these men, Jesus gave the disciples the words God had given, and now He declared that “they have kept your word.” The disciples knew that everything Jesus had given them had come from the Father. How wonderful it is when people can tell that your words and beliefs come from God! The disciples had realized this because what Jesus said was always affirmed in Scripture, and those words were backed with God’s power.
Jesus prayed for those His Father had given to Him. He knew they would be scattered by fear into the night. He foresaw that Peter would deny knowing Him. Satan would do everything he could to destroy the church before it was successfully launched. There is tremendous comfort for believers in knowing that Christ continues to intercede for us even today. We can also honor God as we intercede for others and disciple them as Jesus discipled His followers.
Question 5:
How can our group help one another better disciple others?
GLORIFYING GOD
Choose the image below that best reflects how you take joy in glorifying God. Then tell why you chose the image you did and write a prayer of praise giving glory to God.
My Prayer:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
JOHN THE BAPTIST
LIVE IT OUT
God’s voice always leads us to glorify Him and accomplish His purposes. How will this truth impact your life? Choose one of the following applications:
List. Make a list of things you know God has told you to do. Mark a large F beside each one you have finished. Mark a U beside those yet unfinished. Then pray and ask God for direction in completing those things.
Intercede. Pray for others. Pray for them by name, asking God to work in their lives in a way that brings glory to God.
Disciple. You can honor God as you disciple and lead others to a deeper walk with Christ. Ask God to lead you to the individual you can disciple. Let God use you for His glory in the life of another.
Just like Michelangelo’s David, each of us are masterpieces being worked on by none other than the God of heaven. Let’s make sure we are submitting to God’s good work and bringing glory to Him.
Teachers Notes:
When we look at the sculpture of David by
Michelangelo. We don’t marvel at the white marble stone. We marvel at what
Michelangelo did with the marble stone. We marvel how a 26-year-old young man
painstakingly chiseled such incredible detail in a chunk of marble. And at
almost 17 feet tall, this was no weekend project. Michelangelo worked for two
years on his sculpture of David.
We don’t glory in the sculpture; we glory in
the sculptor.
EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR lives is to point to our
Creator - Everything.
All we have, all we possess, and all we’re
capable of are from His hand and out of His grace.
God’s voice always leads us to glorify Him and
accomplish His purposes.
NFL players Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts are
both outspoken Christians who try to keep God at the center of everything they
do.
These two men publicly thank God for allowing
them to do what they do and recognize that without God, they would not be where
they are today. They honor God by playing to the best of their abilities.
As Christians, we should seek to glorify God
with our actions and all that we are called to do.
Jesus prayed for God to be glorified in the
disciples, for unity to exist among them, and for the fullness of His love to
be demonstrated in and through them. This session will focus on the first theme
found in John 17:1-9; that is, bringing honor and glory to the Father by
becoming more like Jesus.
John 17:1-9
This entire chapter is Jesus’ prayer.
From it we learn that the world is a tremendous
battleground where the forces under Satan’s power and those under God’s
authority are at war. Satan and his forces are motivated by bitter hatred for
Christ and His forces.
This passage comes at the end of Jesus’s upper
room discourse that began in John 13. The Passover meal was over, and Judas had
departed to betray Him. Jesus “looked up to heaven,” which was the traditional
way to pray.
John 17:1-3
Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven,
and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may
glorify you, since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give
eternal life to everyone you have given him. This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God,
and the one you have sent — Jesus Christ.”
What does Jesus say is eternal life?
Jesus says by knowing God the Father Himself
through His Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering a personal
relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
There is only one true God and only one God who
can give eternal life. Eternal life doesn’t merely describe the length of your
life, when you live forever in with Christ in His glory; it describes the
quality of your life, as you live in relationship with God the Father and God
the Son. Eternal life doesn’t come from a casual or intellectual relationship,
but from a bond that is intimate and loving. Eternal life begins the moment
you become a Christian. The quality of our lives as Christians ought to be
dramatically superior to the life lived by unbelievers. This isn’t because
Christians earn more money, live in nicer houses, or drive fancier cars. It’s
because, when we abide in Christ, His joy
fills us to overflowing (John 15:11) and
His peace guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:6). Eternal life means we live each day with a keen awareness of our close
relationship with God.
We honor God when we share about the eternal
life Christ offers.
John 17:4-5
“I have glorified you on the earth by
completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me in your presence
with that glory I had with you before the world existed.”
What was this work God had given Jesus to
complete?
Jesus’s assignment wasn’t easy. He spoke to
large crowds, He healed countless people, He trained His disciples, and He
traveled everywhere by foot. He faced constant criticism and opposition.
Nevertheless, the climax of His work was when He died on a cross. Had He quit
before going to the cross, His previous efforts would have been for nothing.
For His work to glorify His Father, He had to complete it.
What is an example of work God has called you
to complete?
How do we identify the specific work God has called
us to do?
We honor God when we continue the work, He has
given us.
God is not glorified merely by our starting a
work or by working hard for a while. He is glorified when we complete the work,
He gives us to do. The apostle Paul urged the Galatians, “Let us not get tired
of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up” (Gal.
6:9). At times, our obedience to God’s will can be costly. We may face
opposition. We may endure loss. In such cases, we may be tempted to quit in
discouragement. It can be tempting to leave a challenging assignment for one
that is less demanding. If we leave before we’ve finished the work God had for
us, we’ve only partly obeyed, and partial obedience is disobedience.
John 17:6-9
“I have revealed your name to the people you
gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have
kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you,
because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and
have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent
me. “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have
given me, because they are yours.”
If our words and actions do not align, how can
this impact the work we do for the Lord?
How do we honor God in all we do?
To honor God means first and foremost that you recognize Him as the highest authority in heaven
and on Earth. He is the One who created
the universe, from the largest planet to the tiniest grain of sand, and no
person, power, spirit, or force can contend with His greatness and might. Another
key revelation to honoring God is recognizing
that we, as humans, are sinners, therefore, we need the mercy, grace, and power
of a loving Savior to love, protect, and guide us on our life journey. Honoring God also means that we submit to His ways and know that He has a good
and wonderful plan for our lives (John
10:10). This requires that we walk in obedience with Him and trust His ways,
even when we don’t understand why bad things are happening to us. Lastly, and
most importantly, to honor God means to not only respect Him for what He does for us but to love Him for who He is.
Honoring God is a daily commitment. Consider
the following ways you can:
Honor God with Your Heart
- Honoring God begins first and foremost in our hearts (Proverbs 3:5). It is a
conscious decision we make to put Him first and foremost in our lives. It is
the ultimate declaration of love towards our Father and a commandment from
Jesus! (Matthew 22:37-38). Having a heart attitude towards God also means that
we constantly practice gratitude for all that He has done in our lives (1
Thessalonians 5:18).
Honor God with Your Lips
- God in all His majesty deserves our praise. Therefore, honor God by verbally
expressing your gratitude for His goodness (2 Chronicles 20). Additionally,
lift your voice in song and worship Him (Psalm 95:1; Colossians 3:16). There
are many types of Christian music that are available on platforms such as
Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, and more. You can even tune into Christian
radio stations. Furthermore, honor God with your words (Proverbs 18:21). Love
others as God loves us by choosing to speak kindly and positively to people. Also
refrain from expressing profanities, including taking the Lord’s name in vain.
Finally, don’t be afraid to give testimonies to others of God’s goodness (Psalm
22:22).
Honor God with Your Life
- You may be the only Bible that someone will ever read, so try and live a life
that reflects God’s love and teachings. Show kindness to others (Ephesians
4:32), serve the church your community (Philippians 2:4), and help the needy
and the oppressed (Psalm 82:3). Instead of glorifying yourself through the
pursuit of self, glorify God (John 3:30). On a personal level, live a daily
life that honors God. Spend time with Him daily in prayer and worship. Read the
Bible to grow in the knowledge of God’s teachings that will increase your faith
and solidify your trust in Him (James 4:8). Try and implement God’s teachings
into your life by walking in love, obedience, and trust. Forgive others, just
like God forgave you. In your home, treat your spouse with biblical reverence
and respect (Ephesians 5:22-23) and teach your children God’s ways in order
that they may grow up to be formidable men and women of Christ (Proverbs 22:6).
Also, the Bible calls us to respect governing authorities, for they have been
established by Him (Romans 13:1-2). We may not always agree with our leader’s
policies or find them personable, but we should not break the law in defiance of
their leadership. Lastly, honor God with your body. When you pray and worship,
adopt a stance of obedience and humility by bowing down, kneeling, or raising
your arms. If we can raise our arms and jump around at a football match or
concert, then surely, we can physically express our honor to God!
As part of honoring God with your body, look
after your nutrition, exercise, and refrain from abusing your body with
addictive substances, as well as engaging in immoral sexual activities (1
Corinthians 6:18-20). The Holy Spirit resides in us; therefore, we should
strive to keep our bodies as a temple to honor Him with.
Honor God with Your Finances
- Everything you have — your car, your house, your job — has been given to you
by God. Therefore, show Him that you are grateful for His provision by offering
Him a tithe of your earnings every month. Contrary to some Christian’s opinions
on this subject, tithing is relevant under the New Testament (Matthew 6:21;
Luke 11:42). Furthermore, the undeniable fact remains that nothing belongs to
us — it belongs to God, who graciously provides. Therefore, is it not only
fair, that we honor Him by answering His call (Malachi 3:10) to give back a
tenth of that provision in gratitude? After all, God graciously states that we
can keep the rest. All things considered, God Himself gave the ultimate
offering to us — His Son Jesus. If God can give up His Son so that we can live
in eternal righteousness with Him, how difficult can it be for you to give up a
tenth of your finances for Him?
Honor God by Sharing His Word with Others - As children of God, we have all been called
to spread the Word of God to others (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, ask God what
you can do to share His Word with others. Ministering can take the form of
using your God-given talents to serve others, to give financially, to go on
missions, or even to open your home to host a Bible study group. Additionally,
you can help your neighbors, ring a friend who’s feeling isolated, or buy a
homeless person a cup of coffee. It’s not always about what you say, rather
it’s about showing the love of God that is in your heart. It is this love that
others will see and respond to.
We honor God when we pray and disciple others.
In verse 6, Jesus began praying for His disciples.
He had revealed God’s name to them. That is, He had taught them what God’s
character was like. He had done this through both His teaching and example.
Jesus had prayed all night before selecting His disciples (Luke 6:12-13), and
now He was praying for them again. Because Jesus knew His Father had given Him
these men, He had been diligent in teaching them about God’s character and
leading them into their own personal relationship with God.
Jesus recognized that His disciples had come
from the world. That’s why they often acted like the world. When James and John
asked Jesus for positions of honor, they were acting the way the world does,
coveting what the world treasures (Mark 10:35-37). In the process of discipling
these men, Jesus gave the disciples the words God had given, and now He
declared that “they have kept your word.” The disciples knew that everything
Jesus had given them had come from the Father. How wonderful it is when people
can tell that your words and beliefs come from God! The disciples had realized this because what Jesus said was always
affirmed in Scripture, and those words were backed with God’s power.
Jesus prayed for those His Father had given to
Him. He knew they would be scattered by fear into the night. He foresaw that
Peter would deny knowing Him. Satan would do everything he could to destroy the
church before it was successfully launched. There is tremendous comfort for
believers in knowing that Christ continues to intercede for us even today. We
can also honor God as we intercede for others and disciple them as Jesus
discipled His followers.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
JOHN THE BAPTIST
Jesus prayed for His disciples, including those
of us who follow Him today. He prayed that God would keep His chosen believers
safe from Satan’s power, setting them apart and making them pure and holy,
uniting them through His truth.
Conclusion
God’s voice always leads us to glorify Him and
accomplish His purposes.
Just like Michelangelo’s David, each of us are
masterpieces being worked on by none other than the God of heaven. Let’s make
sure we are submitting to God’s good work and bringing glory to Him.
