EXPOSING IDOLS....What Makes Something an Idol?
Notes
Transcript
Over the last several weeks…with the exception of mothers day.
WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OFFENSE
WE HAVE EXPOSED THE ENEMY’S SCHEME OF OFFENSE
HIS PLAN TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER THE CHILDREN OF GOD
IF HE CAN CAUSE YOU TO BECOME OFFENDED WITHOUT RESOLVE
HE CAN DIVIDE YOU FROM THE BODY OF CHRIST
HE CAN CAUSE YOU TO GIVE UP ON GOD
HE HAS YOU…OFFENSE IS A TRAP OF THE DEVIL
THE BIBLE CALLS IT.....THE SNARE OF THE ENEMY
THIS MORNING I WANT TO EXPOSE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT IS DESTROYING GOD’S PEOPLE.
IDOLS!!!!
WE ARE GOING TO BE EXPOSING SOME DIFFERENT IDOLS IN OUR LIVES.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT...
TODAY I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT AN IDOL IS
OR WHAT MAKES SOMETHING AN IDOL
I WILL TRY MY BEST TO KEEP TODAY SERMON SHORT AND TO THE POINT
BUT I DO FEEL LIKE IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO ASK GOD TO SOFTEN YOUR HEART BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THIS MESSAGE
.....OPEN IN PRAYER....
WHAT IS AN IDOL?
AN IDOL IS WHEN SOMETHING OR SOMEONE BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT TO US THAN GOD
BY THIS DEFINITION EVEN GOOD THINGS CAN BECOME IDOLS
GOOD THINGS BECOME IDOLS WHEN WE MAKE THEM THE ULTIMATE THING IN OUR LIVES
ANYTHING, OR ANYONE, CAN BECOME AN IDOL IF WE PLACE THE VALUE FOR THAT THINGS/PERSON ABOVE OUR VALUE FOR GOD
I LOVE WHAT TIME KELLER, IN HIS BOOK COUNTERFEIT GODS DEFINES IDOLS AS....
AN IDOL IS ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN GOD, ANYTHING THAT ABSORBS YOUR HEART AND IMAGINATION MORE THAN GOD, AND ANYTHING THAT YOU SEEK TO GIVE YOURSELF WHAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE.
LETS TURN TO EXODUS FIRST....
LET’S LOOK AT THE FIRST COMMANDMENT SPOKEN AND PUT INTO PLACE BY GOD HIMSELF
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
SO, OBVIOUSLY....
HAVING NO OTHER GOD’S BEFORE THE ONE TRUE GOD IS IMPORTANT
MAKING SURE WERE NOT CREATING IDOLS
AND PUTTING OTHER THINGS BEFORE GOD IS VITAL...
NOT ONLY TO YOU BUT TO YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.
AS WE READ THESE PASSAGES
WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT PAUL IS NOT TALKING TO
GENTILES OR PEOPLE OF THE WORLD
HE IS CLEARLY TALKING TO CHRISTIANS
HE IS TALKING TO THE CHURCH
THE BODY OF CHRIST
21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. 22 What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?
WE CAN SEE THAT PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WERE STRUGGLING WITH IDOLS.
THEY WERE PURSUING THINGS THAT WEREN’T GLORIFYING GOD
OH COME ON CHURCH...
I’M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT NORMAL SINFUL OR IMMORAL THINGS
I’M TALKING ABOUT GOOD THINGS THAT BECOME IDOLS
GOOD THINGS THAT CAN BECOME BAD THINGS...
WHEN THEY BECOME THE THINGS YOU PURSUE MORE THAN GOD
PAUL SAYS,
MY DEAR FRIENDS,
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CANNOT EAT FROM THE WORLDS TABLE AND THE TABLE OF THE LORD
YOU CAN’T DRINK FROM THE WORLDS CUP AND LORDS CUP
OH COME ON SOMEBODY.
IF WE’RE NOT CAREFUL
IT IS EASY TO BECOME SO BUSY PURSUING AND PROVIDING AND BUILDING AND FEASTING ON THE THE THINGS THAT GOD INTENDED FOR GOOD....
THAT WHAT WAS MEANT FOR GOOD
AND CREATED FOR OUR PLEASURE
CAN QUICKLY BECOME THE REASON WE DON’T GIVE GOD OUR VERY BEST
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIE CLIPS IS FROM FACING THE GIANTS
WHERE THE COACH HAS A GUY ON THE TEAM
ATTEMPT A DEATH CRAWL
LETS WATCH.......
......DEATH CRAWL VIDEO.......
THE ENEMY WANTS TO...
BREAK YOU DOWN
WEAR YOU OUT
HE WANTS YOU EXHAUSTED
WE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN WITH ......LIFE
THEN WE STRUGGLE TO GIVE GOD OUR VERY BEST
AND INSTEAD HE ENDS UP GETTING OUR LEFT OVERS
THESE ARE IDOLS CHURCH
IF WERE NOT CAREFUL,
WHAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD THING
CAN QUICKLY BECOME AND IDOL
WORKING OVERTIME IS GOOD SOMETIMES (EXPLAIN)
SOMETIMES IT CAN BE AN ANSWER TO PRAYER
TO HELP YOU PAY FOR THAT FAMILY VACATION
BUT.......
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD
BECAUSE YOU TOO EXHAUSTED FROM THE OVERTIME YOU’VE BEEN WORKING
BE CAREFUL
BECAUSE YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH AN IDOL
IF YOU DON’T MAKE IT TO CHURCH BECAUSE YOUR “TOO SICK”
BUT YOU PULLED YOURSELF TOGETHER TO GO TO WORK
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG CHURCH
CLEARLY YOU AREN’T GIVING YOUR BEST TO GOD....
CLEARLY HE’S GETTING WHATS LEFT OF YOU
AND IF THERE ISN’T ANYTHING LEFT OF YOU TO GIVE TO GOD....
THEN YOU HAVE IDOLS IN YOUR LIFE
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
I LIKE THE WAY THE NLT READS IT.
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
STATISTICS SHOW....
1 IN 4 CHURCHGOERS ARE STILL MISSING FROM THE RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC
PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR GOD...
THEY DON’T HAVE TIME FOR CHURCH
IDOLS HAVE TAKEN GOD’S PLACE IN THEIR LIVES
I WANT TO GIVE YOU 3 THINGS THAT I THINK WILL HELP US DEFINE...
WHAT MAKES SOMETHING AN IDOL IN OUR LIFE
It Glorifies Yourself Instead of God.
AN EASY WAY TO TEST WHETHER SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE IS AN IDOL.....ASK YOURSELF.....
“DOES THIS MAKE ME LOOK GOOD, OR DOES IT MAKE GOD LOOK GOOD?”
ULTIMATELY, EVERYBODY WORSHIPS ON OF TWO BEINGS
GOD
OR THEMSELVES
ALL FALSE GODS, RELIGIONS AND IDOLS...
ARE TOOLS PEOPLE USE FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES
A PERSON MAY OWN A MANSION, BUT IF THEY USE IT TO GLORIFY GOD INSTEAD OF THEMSELVES
IT’S NOT AN IDOL
IT’S A TOOL
YOU KNOW WHAT’S CRAZY.....
PEOPLE WHO USE THINGS THAT APPEAR GODLY
LIKE A MINISTRY POSITION
OR A SPIRITUAL GIFT
AND THEY USE IT TO HONOR THEMSELVES
IN THIS CASE...
THE PERSON HAS TURNED THE TOOLS GOD PROVIDED
INTO IDOLS!
AN EXAMPLE OF THIS....
WHEN THE ISRAELITE'S WHO BROUGHT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT INTO BATTLE
USED WHAT GOD ORIGINALLY GAVE TO HONOR HIM
THEY USED IT TO HONOR THEMSELVES INSTEAD
WRITE THIS DOWN....
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GODLY TOOL AND AN UNGODLY IDOL IS...
THE ONE WHOM IT SERVES
2. It Consumes Your Thoughts
ANY PERSON OR THING THAT CONSUMES YOUR
THOUGHTS
WORDS
TIME
ENERGY
OR MONEY
OTHER THAN GOD
IS AN IDOL!
SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY THAT...
AS LONG AS THEY DON’T WANT SOMETHING
MORE THAN GOD
THEN THE LOVE OF EARTHLY POSSESSIONS IS OKAY
THIS IS NOT TRUE!
GOD DOES NOT WANT TO BE THE MOST LOVED THING IN YOUR LIFE.
HE WANTS TO BE THE ONLY LOVED THING IN YOUR LIFE
WHOA PASTOR CHRIS
THAT’S NOT TRUE
HE TELLS TO LOVE OTHERS AS WE LOVE OURSELVES
I KNOW THIS SOUNDS HARSH
IT SHOULD
IT SOUNDED HARSH TO THOSE WHOM JESUS SAID,
“YOU MUST HATE YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER AND FOLLOW ME”
IT SOUNDED HARSH TO THE RICH YOUNG RULER WHEN HE WAS TOLD BY JESUS...
HE COULD NOT FOLLOW CHRIST UNLESS HE SOLD EVERYTHING HE OWNED
WHEN WE READ THESE SCRIPTURES
IT MAY SEEM LIKE GOD WANTS US TO LOVE THINGS LESS
BUT IT’S ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE....
HE WANTS US TO LOVE THINGS MORE!
UNDERSTAND THIS....
THE ONLY WAY TO TRULY LOVE AND ENJOY ANYTHING
IS BY LOVING AND ENJOYING GOD FIRST
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS....
THROUGH FINDING ALL OF OUR SATISFACTION IN HIM
WHEN THIS HAPPENS,
EVERYTHING WE DO BECOMES WORSHIP TO GOD
3. You Use It To Gain What Can Only Be Gained From God
EVERY IDOL IN OUR LIFE IS...
A FAILED ATTEMPT TO FIND IN CREATED THINGS
WHAT WE CAN ONLY FIND IN THE CREATOR
IT’S NO WONDER THAT EVERY ETHNICITY HAS IT’S OWN FALSE GODS AND IDOLS
GOD DESIGNED PEOPLE FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
IDOLS REPRESENT THE SUBSTITUTE OF GOD WE MAKE FOR OURSELVES
HERE’S THE THINGS THOUGH...
NO STONE STATUE
NO BOYFRIEND
NO SPOUSE
NO BIG LIFTED TRUCK
WILL EVER BE GOOD ENOUGH TO SATISFY YOU
THEY ALL FAIL AS IDOLS
GOD IS TO BE WORSHIPED AND PURSUED
AND HONORED AND GLORIFIED
ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE IN YOUR LIFE
LET ME PUT IT EASY FOR ALL THE COUNTRY FOLK LISTENING....
GOD WILL NOT PLAY SECOND FIDDLE IN YOUR BAND....
......WORSHIP TEAM JOIN ME.......
AS CHRISTIANS WE THINK THAT WE CAN CONTINUE DOING AND PURSUING THINGS LIKE WE DID BEFORE CHRIST
IT DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY....
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
I’M TELLING YOU CHURCH....BE CAREFUL
YOU SAY....
PASTOR CHRIS…I’M ABLE TO PURSUE WEALTH AND SUCCESS AND OTHER THINGS AND ALSO PURSUE GOD
I WOULD ASK YOU THIS....
ARE YOU GIVING GOD YOUR VERY BEST?
THINK ABOUT IT
GOD IS NOT CONTENT TO SHARE HIS TEMPLE
WITH ANYTHING OR ANYTHING
GOD CANNOT USE HANDS THAT ARE ALREADY FULL WITH WORLDLY TREASURES
THE BIBLE SAYS...
WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS...
THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO
WHAT DO YOU TREASURE IN YOUR LIFE?
MONEY
JOBS
SUCCESS
RELATIONSHIPS
LOVE
HAPPINESS
WHATEVER YOU TREASURE...
THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE…IT MAY BE AN IDOL IN YOUR LIFE
MAYBE NOT
MAYBE YOUR TRUSTING AND RELYING ON GOD ALONE FOR THESE THINGS
AWESOME
DOES IT CONSUME YOUR THOUGHTS?
YOUR DECISIONS
YOUR EMOTIONS
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT....
I WANT TO EXPOSE THE IDOL IN MY LIFE
I WANT TO PURSUE AND DESIRE GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE
I WANT TO CREATE A LIFESTYLE OF GIVING GOD BY VERY BEST IN EVERYTHING
I WANT MY THOUGHTS TO BE CONSUMED WITH THE THINGS OF GOD
........STAND TO YOUR FEET.....
I’M WANT TO ASK YOU THIS MORNING
AS I WAS PREACHING
DID YOU THINK OF ANYTHING
THAT MIGHT QUALIFY AS AN IDOL IN YOUR LIFE
ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CONSUME ALL OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY
REMEMBER, EVEN GOOD THINGS CAN BECOME IDOLS
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE THAN GOD
FAMILY?
JOB?
HOBBY?
RELATIONSHIPS?
TODAY IS THE DAY TO REPENT AND TURN BACK TO GOD
IF WERE HONEST ALL OF US STRUGGLE WITH IDOLS IN THIS DAY AND AGE
IT’S IMPORTANT TO CONSTANTLY BE CLEANING HOUSE
ALWAYS BE CHECKING YOUR HEART
YOUR MOTIVES
AS THE WORSHIP TEAM PLAYS...
THESE ALTARS ARE OPEN
WOULD YOU COME TODAY