If you are an Astros fan, as most of you are, then you are pleased that our hometown team is advancing to the American League Championship Series after a stellar performance against the A’s. Amid much craziness, sports can be a nice diversion. I am a fan.
We are re-opening our 9:45am hour this Sunday, October 11, with Bible classes for all ages. All are welcome and we would love to see you there. We plan to operate a seven-week season through November 22 and reevaluate from there. Adults will have one class in the Gym taught by Jordan Black. All of our children’s and student classes will meet in their usual locations. Please follow our simple protocols here. As for children’s 9:45am hour directions, Joel Smith gives you a video tutorial here.
Our Student Ministry, under the direction of Kevin Porter, has also reopened regular Wednesday night outside gatherings. This past Wednesday was their first and they had a terrific night with an excellent turnout (54 students plus 13) and a rewarding, fulfilling, substantive night together. I am old enough now to say that two of my grandsons are in this group and were pumped about the Wednesday night gathering.
You are created for true and real connections with fellow believers. You are also made to praise and worship God. When these high ideals get hijacked, we tend to look to others to praise us and that is a recipe for self-imposed disaster and frustration. It’s called vainglory and it is a vice that sabotages the good life God wants for us.
Rebecca DeYoung defines it so well when she says that “vainglory is the excessive and disordered desire for recognition and approval from others.” That's an important reminder for us approval junkies, who tend to mold ourselves to please other people. It's called "Please Disease" whereby we spend so much of our life trying to please others. But there is never enough applause or approval is there? And in that horizontal search, you lose the pleasure of pleasing the only one who loves you the most. That’s our topic for this Sunday under the title “Image is Everything” as we find a better way forward.
Remember who you are as a follower of Jesus. You are a Christian first. Remember the great love of your life is Jesus Christ. Remember that God reigns and rules. Remember that the greatest virtue of all is love. Remember the gospel: Christ died for our sins to bring us to God.
