Glory Junkies

 KEY TEXT

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 (NKJV)

2 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

4 I made my works great, I built myself ^fhouses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.

9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.

I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,

For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;

And ^jthis was my ⁷reward from all my labor.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done

And on the labor in which I had toiled;

And indeed all was ^kvanity and grasping for the wind.

There was no profit under the sun.

                                                INTRODUCTION

• Glory and Life

• Background of Key Text

Verses 3-8 – Solomon letting the glory of the 4 Ps captivate his heart:

# 1 -PLEASURE

3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom….

Drunkenness – sensual pleasure

8“the delights of the sons of men” (verse 8)

Erotic pleasures

8“Iacquired male and female singers, and musical instruments of all kinds

Pleasure of entertainment

#2 – PROJECTS

– A catalog of monumental achievements: palaces, gardens, labor system

4 I made my works great, I built myself houses [architecture] and planted myself vineyards[viticulture]. 5 I made myself gardens[landscaping]and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them[horticulture]. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove[hydrologist]. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house [human resource manager].

# 3- POSSESSIONS

“Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces” (verses 7-8)

Wealth accumulation

# 4 – POWER

9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.

Solomon pursues all these 4 Ps without withholding anything back:

10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.

I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,

For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;

And this was my ⁷reward from all my labor.

Crushing Conclusion?

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done

And on the labor in which I had toiled;

And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.

There was no profit under the sun.

Vanity – all is chasing after the wind

• Title

“GLORY JUNKIES”

Outline:

1. THE DEFINITIONS
2. THE PLAGUE OF GLORY ADDICTION
3. THE SIGNS OF GLORY JUNKIES
4. THE SOURCE AND THE ANTIDOTE FOR GLORY JUNKIES
5. THE ULTIMATE TRUE GLORY

MAIN POINTS

(I) THE DEFINITIONS

What is the meaning of the word “junkies”?

It has a few related meanings, depending on context.

Slang

A junkie is someone who is addicted to drugs, especially heroin or other narcotics.

Figuratively

A junkie is one who is obsessively or excessively enthusiastic about something.

What is the meaning of the word “glory”?

Noun

• Very great praise, honor or distinction by common consent; renown
• Something that is a source of honor, fame or admiration
• Adoring praise or worshipful thanksgiving [Give glory to God]
• Resplendent beauty or magnificence [the glory of autumn]

Verb

• To exult in triumph; rejoice proudly
• To boast

Hebrew

• The Hebrew word “kavod” comes from the root word meaning “weight” or heaviness”

• It conveys the idea of IMPORTANCE, HONOR AND MAJESTY – something that carries great weight of value.

Greek

• The Greek word “doxa” means “brightness, splendor or honor.”

• It can refer to FAME, RECOGNITION, OR DIVINE RADIANCE

“ Solomon loves the GLORY of building monumental PROJECTS.”

• The RECOGNITION OR ADMIRATION he gets from others when he succeeds in building big.

• The PRIDE OR SATISFACTION he feels personally for the achievement.
• Possibly the STORYTELLING, the boasting and bragging rights or the moment of triumph that comes with completing a big building project.

In this context, “glory” refers to:

• THAT EMOTIONAL HIGH

• THAT REWARDING FEELING – whether it is EXTERNAL (like praise from friends) or INTERNAL (like feeling proud of your skill or success).

What then is a“GLORY JUNKIE”?

A glory junkie is someone who:

• Craves approval, applause, attention or recognition.
• Feels insecure or empty without constant affirmation
• Seeks to glorify self rather than God
• Addicted to the emotional high or rewarding feeling from created things

Simply put – He is an addict to human praise, attention, achievement, approval and pleasures from created things.

It is not just a personality trait – IT IS A HEART ISSUE.

(II) THE PLAGUES OF GLORY ADDICTION

We all live for the glory in some way.

Vaping

ETOMIDATE=“space oil”;“k-pod”;“zombie vapes” or “zombie spice”

“We all live for glory in some way.”

Statement about HUMAN NATURE.

It means:

• Most people, in some form or another, are driven by the DESIRE TO FEEL IMPORTANT, ADMIRED, SUCCESSFUL OR MEANINGFUL.

• “Glory” in this sense doesn’t always mean fame or public recognition – it can be:
• External validation
• Internal pride
• Legacy
• Spiritual or moral glory

In simpler terms:

WE ALL WANT TO MATTER – TO FEEL SIGNIFICANT, SEEN OR VALUED – AND THAT DESIRE SHOWS UP DIFFERENTLY IN EACH OF US.

Some live for glory in their career, some through parenting, art, athletics, religion, activism or even social media likes.

The expression highlights how deep the drive or the addiction for MEANING, AFFIRMATION OR PURPOSE is in human life.

Created Glory

 All of the glories of the physical creation would serve this ONE PURPOSE – TO REMIND US OF AND POINT US TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

Never meant…..

• to live for EARTHBOUND GLORY
• to seek PEACE AND SATISFACTION OF HEART here
• to offer the DESIRES AND ALLEGIANCE OF OUR HEARTS to what God made.

The PHYSICAL WORLD IS WONDERFULLY GLORIOUS, but it was never meant to be our STOPPING POINT any more than the SIGN that points to something that is meant to be the end of the journey.

Signs

THE SIGN IS NOT THE THING

The sign points you to THE THING.

PHYSICAL CREATION ISNOTTHE THING that you were made to live for.

It was made to POINT YOU TO THE THING YOU WERE MADE TO LIVE FOR.

And THAT THING IS ……….

GOD AND GOD ALONE

How sad it is when a person looks for what can’t be found in something that cannot deliver!

But many, many people do this every day.

THEY LOOK TO CREATED GLORY TO FIND WHAT CANNOT BE FOUND THERE.

Yes, God has filled your life with glories of many kinds.

There is never a day when you aren’t greeted by those glories.

But remember:

The glories that surround you every day in the world that God made are not meant to be your STOPPING POINT, because you were CREATED TO LIVE FOR A GREATER MORE GLORIOUS GLORY – THE GLORY OF GOD.

(III) SIGNS OF GLORY ADDICTION

• Parading Righteousness

• Talking Too Much About Ourselves

• Feeling Self-Important

• Caring Too Much

• Caring Too Little

• Being Defensive

• Envy

• Control

(IV) THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE ANTIDOTE

The Source of the Problem in A Nutshell

Self-Glory over God’s Glory

A MISPLACED IDENTITY AND DISORDERED WORSHIP

Root Causes

• Idolatry of Self

Putting self at the center instead of God.

“They exchanged the glory of God for images….” (Romans 1:23)

• Insecurity and Identity Crisis

Looking for WORTH and VALIDATION in the opinions of others.

“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:43)

• Pride and the Fear of Being “Small”

A refusal to be unknown, overlooked, or humble

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

• Misunderstanding of Glory

Seeing glory as personal achievement instead of God’s character revealed.

The Antidote

Self-Glory to God-Glory

• Death to Self-Glory

Jesus calls us to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34-38) – including surrendering the desire for human praise.

• Repentance and Reorientation

Recognize the “puddles” we’ve mistaken for the OCEAN OF GLORY – success, applause, recognition – and confess that they fall short.

• Boast only in the Lord

Paul reminds us we are “nobodies” – but God, like a master “junk artist,” transforms us into something beautiful by His grace.

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:13)

• Be Glory Reflectors, Not Manufacturers

We aren’t here to create glory ourselves. Like the moon reflects the sun, our lives are to reflect God’s glory – especially through humility and community.

• Trust in Christ Alone for Lasting Glory

Approval from others is fleeting, but the Cross points us to the infinite, eternal glory found only in Christ.

Craving human praise and seeking God’s glory in Jesus cannot coexist – faith in Christ alone satisfies our glory hunger.

Celebrate what He has done in your life, not what you have done.

• Corporate Worship

Corporate worship every Sunday reminds us that we were created to live for the glory of God.

Corporate worship helps you see once more that it is only when you live for God that your heart finds the peace, satisfaction, and security that it seeks.

And it is only God’s glory that has the power to rescue you from all the earth-bound glories that so easily capture your heart.

(V) THE ULTIMATE ONE TRUE GLORY

We are all glory junkies.

We reject the glory of the cross, wanting crowns without crucifixion.

The gospel doesn’t eliminate OUR CRAVING FOR GLORY – it REDIRECTS IT TO THE ONE WHO IS WORTHY.

Jesus didn’t chase after any glory from man or from the things of this world.

Unlike Solomon, JESUS, OUR GREATER AND BETTER SOLOMON denied Himself for the joy set before Him.

Where Solomon tried to fill his soul with the glories of earthly things, Christ EMPTIED Himself to fill us with what truly satisfies. 

At the cross, TRUE GLORY was revealed.

The world sees weakness but God sees REDEMPTIVE GLORY – “Father, glorify your name…” (John 17:1).

Jesus saw the cross as the MOMENT OF DIVINE GLORY.

In Christ, therefore today, we are freed from self-glory.

We are crucified with Him – OUROLD GLORY-HUNGRY SELVES DIE (Galatians 2:20).

Our worth is no longer defined by all the created glories of God from this world – like our reputation, applause, achievement – but in……BEING LOVED, CHOSEN, AND SECURED IN CHRIST.

The gospel cure for glory addiction is to BE CAPTIVATED BY A GREATER GLORY – THE GLORY OF GOD.

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

CONCLUSION

When we see Christ as our ULTIMATE GLORY, we stop trying to steal glory for ourselves and start living to display His worth.

We become REFLECTORS of Christ’s glory and not manufacturers.

“We all…. beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed…. from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Our aim now – Let the one who boasts, boasts in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).

In Christ, our desire for greatness or for meaning is satisfied not in being glorified but in GLORIFYING HIM.

MY TESTIMONY

Parenting tips

Do not glory as parents in your children’s performances but in their:

• Efforts
• Attitudes
• Persistence
• Strategy and problem solving
• Improvement

Performance based parenting …

• Creates fear of failure;
• Encourages perfectionism
• Promotes a fixed mindset (believing abilities are unchangeable).

Glorying effort…..

• builds a growth mindset – the belief that ability grows through hard work, strategies and learning.

Glory in the fact that your kids fear the Lord above all else.

REDIRECT YOUR CRAVING FOR GLORY TO THE ONE WHO IS WORTHY.

YOUR WORTH (VALUE) CAN ONLY COME FROM THE OUTSIDE. YOU CANNOT GET IT BY YOURSELF OR WITHIN YOURSELF. SOMEONE FROM THE OUTSIDE MUST GIVE IT.

WE CANNOT GENERATE TRUE, LASTING WORTH FROM WITHIN OURSELVES – IT MUST BE GIVEN TO US BY THE ONE WHO CREATED AND REDEEMED US.