You become what you worship

Introduction

"Hipster effect” (MIT Technology Review, 2019)

Studied how nonconformists usually act unconventionally in the same way - to end up being exactly the same.

(Read account)

Two peas in a pod. Like father, like son. Like mother, like daughter. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

When Israel built a golden calf

Who knows what happened to Moses (the plague bringer, Red Sea Parter)

Make us gods (32.1)

They rose early, worshipped, feasted, rose up to play (laugh, casual attitudes), music, dancing

Partying, so loud Joshua thought it noise of war (32.17)

Aaron’s response, “You know the people, that they are set on evil” (32.22)

What are the people?

They worshipped a young bull

“quickly turned from the way” (32.7) - “stiff-necked” (32.9)

“had broken loose” (32.25) - Moses gathered them together (32.26)

They became the bull that they worshipped.

Though they named it “Yahweh”

We are creative, but we are not creators.

We are imaging creatures, like copiers.

Goth, cyberculture, emo, gamer, hip-hop, hipster, skaters

Jeremiah 10:23–24 “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.”

Message

Worship must focus on who God is (Psalms 135.1-14).

The Psalmist’s focus

“The Lord is good. Chooses relationship with His people” (1-4)

“Sovereign. Controls all reality” (5-7)

“Killed the firstborn of the wicked. Killed mighty kings. Delivers his people” (8-12)

“Destroys the unjust. Has compassion on his people” (13-14)

Preachers must preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20.27).

Our songs/prayers must exalt all of God, limiting sentimentality.

All of our needs, desires, and dreams are offered to God in worship (Psalms 135.15-17).

We are skilled at creating security and happiness.

We work knowing that the tv, games, hobbies… await.

We make our budgets, get our skills, plan our retirements.

If we are not careful, these can become the sum of our security and happiness.

Some find security in religious dogma, some in the world’s dogma.

Matthew 15:14 “Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.””

Everything besides God is powerless. Short-lived. Ends in shame.

Mute, blind, deaf, lifeless.

True worship transforms us into the character of God (Psalms 135.18).

Psalm 135:18 “Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.”

Psalm 115:8 “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”

Isaiah 44.9-20

The god of atheism via mindless evolution

As valuable as pebbles, humans are (in his right hand)

Equity, justice, goodness, freewill, logic, democracy (in his left hand)

“Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

This god of animals is producing a culture of animals.

The god of false religion

If I do a handful of things I will be saved (in right hand)

God is love, wants a relationship, wants all of our being (in left hand)

Produces Christians that can fight and play just like the world.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Praise. Praise.Praise.Praise.Praise (Psalms 135.19-21).

Conclusion

Matthew 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

Luther - “idolatry is trusting in something other than God for your ultimate security and happiness.”

J.A. Motyer - “the idol is whatever claims the loyalty that belongs to God alone.”

Children are little copy machines.

Every parent sees themselves in their little child. Did you teach them to speak?

The young have minds of clay.

G, PG, PG-13, R - the world knows

Don’t expose them to nonsense, vulgarity, hatred, for they will quickly assimilate.

The old have rocks for brains.

Doesn’t mean we are right, just comfortable

We have chose our lot - our source of security and fulfillment.

Pray to God to form the hearts of our youth and to break the hearts of the old.

Everything you set your mind on changes you.

Set your minds on things above, on Christ (Colossians 3.1).

Worship.

Illustration

Right after the article was published, MIT Technology Review promptly received an email from someone who claimed he was the man in the photo and hadn't given his consent. He accused the publication of slandering him and threatened legal action, writing:

"You used a heavily edited Getty image of me for your recent bit of click-bait about why hipsters all look the same. It's a poorly written and insulting article and somewhat ironically about five years too late to be as desperately relevant as it is attempting to be. By using a tired cultural trope to try to spruce up an otherwise disturbing study. Your lack of basic journalistic ethics and both the manner in which you reported this uncredited nonsense and the slanderous unnecessary use of my picture without permission demands a response and I am of course pursuing legal action."

Lichfield, the study’s author, and his team quickly checked to see if the model in the photo signed a model release. They contacted Getty Images, which found that the person who signed the model release was not the person who wrote the angry email.

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, the man responded by saying to Getty Images, "Wow, I stand corrected I guess. I and multiple family members, and a childhood friend pointed it out to me, thought it was a mildly photo-shopped picture of me. I even have a very similar hat and shirt, though in full color I can see it's not the same. Thank you for getting back to me and resolving the issue."