The Artistry of Idolatry
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Over the last several weeks we’ve been speaking about idols I believe God wants us to park right here for a while.
Idolatry is anything which cools your desires after Christ.
Oliver Cromwell
Is there anything cooling your desire to follow hard after God.
Man’s mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain.
John Calvin
Is there any superstitions in your life ?
If a broom touches your foot.
Don’t go under a ladder
If a black cat passes you
step on a crack break your mommas back
The way our minds are wired its prone to idolatry and supersituation
Story about Haiti there wiggy board
See an idol is anything that discredits Gods mind and Gods ways.
All who forsake the Word fall into idolatry.
John Calvin
The most basic sin found in the world is that of idolatry.
R. C. Sproul
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.
Paul is in Athens and all he could see is idolatry.
Athens was considered the cultural and intellectual center of the Roman Empire
Athens was also known for its magnificent art and architecture.
But the artistry that they would make were these structures of there gods and goddesses. And the the great architecture where buildings for pagan worship.
See the art of the Athens was a reflection of the peoples worship.
So there art reflected there worship.
Though they where known for this beautiful art work it was a distortion of true divinity.
Paul walked in the market places it was virtually lined with idols. Some called Herms, short for Hermes
Just imagine going into the market and you see these Herms right next to your eggs lol haha.
Does the art of your life reflect your worship to Jesus Christ?
vs 16 said that the city was full of idols
8 Their land is also full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands, That which their own fingers have made.
Because of the gross idol worship Paul was provoked.
He became angry, irritated by there heart being poured out to these idols.
The greek brings out that Paul was “infuriated” at the sight
8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—
Sometimes I wonder, is our souls provoked when we look out into our neighborhoods? When we go out to Baltimore. Curtain parts of Edgewood. And see people fugitively speaking painting there idols in the street.
Maybe our hearts aren't stirred up about these things because we are the ones that have our idols and painting them in the streets.
Could I be born again and still have idols in my life and the answer is yes.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Little children means “born ones”
This is not figurative language .
In the Greco-Roman world of John’s day, any moral compromise with worldly perspectives was likely to lead to some involvement with idolatry, since idolatry permeated pagan life at every level.
See idolatry can permeate your life at every level.
See all sin can point us to idolatry.
When you have idolatry in your life theres a moral laxness a moral indifference that happens in your heart.
Anything above God is idolatry.
Richard Sibbes
17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.
vs 17 Pauls Christian experience was beyond the four walls of the church. It was at the synagogues it was at the market place.
