Resist the Idols

Introduction

Groups are getting started — girls pottery night, guys BP night

We’ll kick off guys groups, “Reasonable Faith” after Beach Retreat

Last week, started to answer the question…”How do we live as people of the Kingdom in a culture that’s increasingly hostile to the King?”

Talked about the importance of knowing identity

Tonight let’s turn to Daniel 3

Explanation

Idols are trying to steal worship that Jesus alone deserves. (v. 1-6)

It was possibly an obelisk, maybe a statue of a Babylonian god, maybe of the king

We think we don’t have anything like that

Surely there’s no statues that we’re tempted to bow to (or place oatmeal creme pies before), right?

Mentioned last couple weeks several things vying for your worship and promising joy in return (but failing to come through on that promise)

Idolatry test — What takes your free time? Thoughts? Money? Energy?

One wish from a genie that no one knows the answer to

If your standard is American “Christianity” instead of the Christ, you can be sure your worship will only be as sincere as Nebuchadnezzar's. (v. 7-15)

King Nebuchadnezzar is a false professor (2:47)

He’s angry because he was content to pay lip service to these guys’ God, why can’t they do the same for him?

Nebuchadnezzar wants to have “both/and” worship, and our culture will try to offer you the same.

Noah Lyles — “The 200 is my wife, and the 100 is my mistress”

With Jesus, you’re either completely in or completely out.

I can’t understand you lukewarm “Christians.” If Jesus is alive and you were baptized, you died to your old way of life. How are you still half-way in?

If you’ve never placed your faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, I certainly don’t expect you to live like a Christian. Keep coming and see if you believe what we do, but know that until you are baptized into Christ, you’re all the way out.

Why not tonight bow to the one true God?

The true Christian faith is about following Christ and Christ alone.

There is no place for Jesus + our pet idols.

Idols are idols no matter the pain integrity may bring. (v. 16-30)

“Even if”

So many of us have stories of what God has carried us through…but are you able to follow God even when there’s no happy ending?

What about when resisting sin doesn’t lead to immediate fulfillment?

What about when following Jesus wholeheartedly costs you your family? your friendships? your future?

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised…” — Hebrews 11:39

They had faith in God but because Christ hadn’t come, they were waiting for something greater

In many ways, we’re in the same boat…we’re waiting til his return to get all we’re promised.

Until then, are you willing to follow Jesus even when the outcomes aren’t what you hope?

Exhortation

Resist the idols.

When the world tells you to place your identity in and give your worship to others, worship Jesus alone.

The truth is, most of us here aren’t here for cultural Christianity, and we still recognized we’ve bowed down to idols, maybe even today.

Good news tonight is that even when we’ve fallen, Jesus never bowed to idols. He bowed to the Father in the garden. That’s why we can be forgiven, adopted into God’s family, and freed from sin & death.