When I live free from idols

Good morning, everyone! Whether you're here with us in the room or joining online—listening live or later—we’re truly glad you're here. You're part of our extended spiritual family, and we're thankful for you.

Hey, if you’ve got kids with you this morning—now’s a great time for them to head to class. We’ve got an amazing team ready to welcome them and help them know Jesus in a way that makes sense to them

For the rest of us, grab your Bible, get comfortable, and get ready for what God has for you today. We are continuing today on our journey through our series called—Treason & Triumph: Exposing Idols and Embracing Christ…So let’s dig in together…

Now, for the last few weeks we have been discussing idolatry and the reality of that idolatry in our own lives. Something I’ve said is that most of us think of idols as something ancient, primitive, maybe even silly—like bowing down to statues of wood or stone in far-off temples. But here’s the truth: idols are alive and well today, and they don’t look like golden calves. They look like paychecks, careers, children, sports, phones, beliefs, being right, the approval of others, and even our own comfort.

We’ve talked about how idols are rooted in our hearts, and how our hearts are idol factories continuing to pump out new idols constantly in an effort to keep control of everything that goes on. However, we’ve also talked about the importance of putting God back on the throne of your heart instead of yourself, or whatever your favorite idols are.

I gave us a working definition of an idol from Brad Bigney. An idol is anything or anyone that captures our heart and affection more than God.

Imagine running a race with a backpack full of rocks. Every stone has a name—control, comfort, approval, success. You can still run, but every step is heavy. Freedom doesn’t come from running harder—it comes from laying the pack down.

This morning, I want to show you what life looks like when we finally drop the idols weighing us down and run free toward Christ.

Now when James, the brother of Jesus, talks about our fights and arguments doesn’t start with your spouse, your coworkers, or your circumstances—he starts with your desires. We’ve talked about this before…The real war isn’t out there; it’s in here. The idols of our hearts are what stir conflict, drain joy, and blur our vision of God. Let’s read

James 4:1–3 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

But here’s the hope—when you begin identifying and repenting of the idols of your heart, you start to see what true freedom looks like. Today we will look at three signs of an idol-free life. This is the goal, ok…So to start out our first sign of an idol free life is

You Start Living Free, Not Just Feeling Forgiven

Now this is important. You see, when you are focused on your idols you aren’t able to live stress free, are you? No, you will be frustrated—on edge—easy to offend—quarrelsome—you know you’re forgiven, but you aren’t actually experiencing the weight of that forgiveness.

However, when you start living free from those idols you are able to experience the freedom and forgiveness that has been promised through Scriptures. But how do you get there…that’s the real question isn’t it. How do you actually live a life that is actively free of idolatry? We all struggle with this in various ways at various times, but there is hope!

Let me tell you this…

Freedom begins when you lay down the weights that slow you down.

We’ve talked about this before, but listen—because Jesus Christ is both the source and the perfecter of our faith, the author of Hebrews calls believers to keep their eyes fixed on Him.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

We’ve taked about this before, but listen—Because Jesus Christ is the source and perfecter of the Christian faith, the author called on Christians to keep their eyes on Jesus. That means laying down anything that is keeping you from focusing of Christ. Just like the rocks in the backpack weigh down a runner, those things that keep you focused on self weigh you down in your spiritual life.

Living with idols is like trying to run with your hand in front of your face—you can move, but not effectively.

But when you lay them down, you finally start to run unhindered, with your eyes fixed on Jesus. And here’s the good news—you’re not running alone. The Holy Spirit empowers you to lay those weights down and keeps your eyes on Christ when your flesh wants to turn back.

In other words…

Freedom continues when you fix your gaze on Christ, not your guilt.

Listen to what the prophet Ezekiel said about idolatry—it really fits in this conversation this morning.

Ezekiel 14:3 ESV

“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?

The idols that you worship on a regular basis create the very issues that continue to frustrate you.

Look what vs 2 of Heb 12 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Just as Jesus endured the cross, the Christian should run the race fixing your eyes on the cross.

That’s because the cross not only forgives sin—it frees you from sin’s control in your life.

Remember, You don’t fight for victory; you fight from victory.

Then, as you start to live free, something beautiful happens—you begin to rediscover the wonder of the gospel that made it possible.

You See the Gospel as More Precious Than Ever

You’ll see your great need for the Gospel because when you get after idols of the heart, you start to see the sin BENEATH the sin… and you realize even more your desperate need to be rescued by a power greater than your own!

Let’s look at what Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

When you make the decision to fix your eyes on the cross…

You see the sin beneath the sin.

Here’s what happens…Idols don’t just reveal bad behavior—idols reveal broken worship.

In first century Rome the term “salvation” carried a tremendous about of meaning. At that time the emperor was looked on as a savior, so what the physician. Savior indicated someone who brought deliverance. To apply that to a Jew who was crucified was foolishness, but that is exactly what Paul is doing here. Paul is trusting the Gospel, meaning the death and resurrection of Jesus to reveal false and misplaced worship.

That same Gospel is at work today in your heart revealing to you your false and misplaced worship. Apart from the Gospel’s power, we remain enslaved to sin. We’re not good enough—but Christ is, and His righteousness is now ours through faith. When we truly recognize that, we stop trying to earn our way back and begin to place Jesus where He belongs—on the throne of our hearts.

When you see what’s really going on inside, you realize how desperate you are for a Savior—and how faithful Christ already is

That realization doesn’t leave you in despair—it fills you with gratitude. That is when

You see grace as your greatest treasure.

When your idolatry falls and you bring those idols down, that is when gratitude rises up. Gratitude for the life that Christ has actually given, and the desire to show and share that with everyone around.

The gospel stops being an abstract idea and becomes the heartbeat of your freedom.

And when you begin living from that place of gratitude, something shifts—you start seeing life, trials, and even pain through new eyes.

You Start Seeing Clearly and Standing Confidently

My goal as a believer is to be pleasing to God. That means that everything that I do, whether in secret or public has my desire of pleasing God. However if I am blinded my by own sin and idolatry then I am not being pleasing to God, and I am un able to be used by God in the lives of others.

Let’s read something Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 7:3–5 ESV

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

When you start to see the idolatry of your own heart, you begin to realize your depravity. So you need to recognize your own sin, your own depravity and idolatry – rather than constantly rehearsing the way other people have sinned against you or not met your ‘felt needs’ for love, acceptance, approval and affirmation.

Of course once you realize how ugly you are, and how far off your worship is, it’s time to put things back into order.

You see,

God gives you clarity about your sin—and compassion toward others.

Jesus said, “First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly.”

Christians are obligated to help each other grow in grace. We read that throughout the New Testament. However, when we don’t first judge ourselves according to Scripture, we are not able to accurately hold others accountable and help them grow.

Remember, the Pharisees judged and criticized others to make themselves look good. But Christians should judge themselves so that they can help others look good. There is a big difference—a complete reversal

Idols make us blind to ourselves and harsh toward others. It is when our sin and idolatry is exposed that we are truly able to see the depths of our own guilt.

And that changes how you see hardships.

You begin to see hardship as mercy.

Pastor John Piper once wrote, “If you should see a man shut up in a closed room idolizing lamps… you’d blow them out to show him the light of heaven.”

When you are in the depths of your own idolatry, you are the man shut up in a closed room idolizing lamps…Thankfully, God blows out our lamps so we can see His light and experience the glory of His grace.

And even in that painful process, His Spirit is right there—comforting, convicting, and reminding you that every movement is backed by love.

You see, there is something that I truly want everyone to understand today…The trials you experience aren’t there to destroy you—they destroy your idols and false worship.

In other words, the pain you feel is not punishment; it’s the grace of God prying your fingers off something that can’t save you.

Brad Bigney says it this way, “God will graciously bring trials into your life to expose and crush your idols, not to destroy you but to redeem you.”

Of course when you see that kind of grace—grace that frees, forgives, and refocuses—you start to realize what true freedom looks like. You start to experience the freedom of the Grace of God, and the freedom of having removed another idol from your heart.

I do want to just briefly mention that while you are examining your own heart, don’t fall for the temptation of eternal self-examination.

In other words, don’t only look at yourself, or you will become discouraged and defeated. You should look by faith to Jesus Christ and let Him forgive and restore you.

As a result of seeing your sin and your savior in the right way will result in you

Living Free and Fully Entrusted

True spiritual freedom is only found in Christ. Look at what Jesus said to the Jewish crowd

John 8:31–32 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The conversation continued and Jesus said in vs 36

John 8:36 ESV

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

An idol-free life isn’t a perfect life—it’s a free life. It’s a life that keeps running back to the cross, keeps repenting, keeps trusting. It’s a life where the gospel becomes more than words—it becomes your way of life.

And when we repent— we turn back to Christ, grace meets us right there. That’s sanctification—it’s not instant perfection, it’s ongoing transformation by the Spirit who never lets go.

Christ didn’t just die to forgive you—He died to free you. Every idol that promised joy has been exposed at the foot of the cross, and every sinner who turns to Him finds mercy, grace, and life.

If you’ve never trusted Him, today’s your day to lay down the weights in your life, and run to Jesus.

And if you’re a believer who’s been distracted by idols—approval, comfort, success—then remember this: you don’t have to fight alone. The same grace that saved you still sustains you.

Freedom isn’t a prize for the strong—it’s a gift for the surrendered. And when God removes those idols, He isn’t emptying your life—He’s making room for His purpose. What He chisels out, He fills with calling. That’s what prepares us for what comes next.

Right now we are going to watch a short skit that really speaks well to this concept. Some of you may recognize this—that’s ok.

Show Skit Guys: God’s Chisel

You know… every time I watch that, I’m reminded that God doesn’t chisel to destroy—He chisels to restore.

Maybe that’s where some of you are right now. You feel the pressure, the pain, the struggle—and it’s easy to think God’s against you. But He’s not. He’s for you. He’s shaping you. Every tap of His hammer, every stroke of His hand, is His love removing what’s been holding you back.

That’s what an idol-free life looks like—it’s not spotless, but surrendered. It’s a life that says, ‘God, I trust what You’re doing in me, even when I don’t understand it.’

And as He chisels, He’s also entrusting. The more He frees you from what doesn’t belong, the more He fills you with what does—His purpose, His power, His presence.

Next week, we’re going to step right into that idea in a new series called Entrusted. Because when you’ve been set free by grace, the question becomes, ‘Now what will I do with what He’s given me?’

Freedom isn’t the end of the story—it’s the beginning of stewardship.

Let’s Pray