"Individualisticly"

A survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau asked young adults about the importance of various life transitions. Here's what the young adults said about transitions were "extremely important" to them: Completed formal schooling—62% Employed full-time—52% Capable of supporting a family financially—50% Financially independent from parents—43% No longer living in parents' house—26%Getting married—12%

Rod Dreher, "Forsaking The Family, Surrendering Civilization," comments Stunning. Less than half of Americans aged 18-34 say marriage and family are part of being an adult. All the other factors have to do with achieving personal autonomy. To be an adult, then, is to be free to exercise one's will independently of obligations to others, including spouse and children. To choose spouse and children—formerly the most distinctive marks of adulthood—is now considered ancillary to adulthood by most American adults.

Today what theses statistics are showing us is that nothing has changed… people still do what is right in their own eyes. What do you mean Scott? You know that feeling that you get deep down inside when somebody tells you what to do. You feel this need to do the exact opposite of what they said. You feel the need to disregard what they have to say. You feel the need to hold back the anger and frustration so that you don’t slap the toupe off his head. Why? Because… “nobody tells me what to do.”

Teenagers feel that they must have independence because parents just don’t understand. I am a tax payer and I pay your salary officer so I don’t think you should give me a ticket. This is America jack… its government of the people, by the people, for the people. You know what God… I don’t need you right now so just go back into the lamp and ill rub it when I need you.

Why in the world do we do this? In a culture where there is no God or where Christ is not honored it is only the practice of individualism that will give us purpose and meaning. And post-modern ideology founded in the philopshy of thinker like Niezthtze, Sartre, and Camus, assert that authority must be rejected in order for us to make our own decision and bring true authentic purpose in life. But you know what… we don’t need this anyway. This has always been a problem for us ever since the beginning. People during the time Judge were already rejecting authority and doing what was right in their own eyes. Because this is what we were doing even before that in the garden of eden. We have the knowledge of good and evil which essentially means that we will now decide what is good and what is evil, meaning that we will decide what is right and wrong for ourselves. Nobody, including God, can tell me what to do. No very becoming for those who profess Christ. An obvious trait and characteristic in atheists and atheistic ideals with agnostic methodologies, but why in the world do we this at work in the church? Because this is not a philosophical or phycological issue… it is a sin issue. And we know what is the wages of sin… it is death.

Is there any hope for us today? Let’s find out.

Judges 17:6 ESV

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Grass withers, the flower fades, but the world of our God stands forever.

God is Dead.

Always Right in our Own eyes.

Jesus is Alive

The first thing we will look at today is the context and background of a culture and society that does not nor will not honor and worship God because God is dead. The second things we will explore how we justify our what we want, when we want, and how we want and its always right in our own eyes. Finally, we can rejoice and we see why the resurrection of Christ gives us hope in light of our hopeless darkness of autonomy. Because Jesus is alive.

Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to see our individualism as our true saviour in life, it is the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the scriptures that will cause to see a life of inclusion in Christ is the life and life more abundant.

I. God is Dead.

- When the cat is away, the mice will play.

A. So within this chapter, it tells the story of Micah. Micah took 1,100 silver coins from his mom. His mom, obviously, was quite frustrated with this. It kind of sounds like she let everyone knew too, because Micah came back to her with a guilty conscience. “Hey mom, so you know how like are cursing that guy who stole your money. Well, now you’re going to think this is hilarious, I’m the one that stole it. Here, you can take it back now.” So Micah’s mom, probably after slapping the back of his head, forgives him and blesses him. She then dedicates the returned coin to the Lord, which is amazing. Then she has a silversmith turn the coins into an idol. Wait what? Hey God, I love you so much that I made this horrific creation that spits in your face to celebrate. This is why we say...When the cat is away, the mice will play

B. This is the example that illustrates … everyone did what was right in their own eyes. And they did because there was no king. There was nothing there to ensure the following of decrees and direction. There was nothing there to enforce the following of decrees and direction. There was nothing there to enlighten the following of decrees and direction. When the cat is away, the mice will play.

C. Do you remember in school… what would happen in the classroom when the teacher for some reason had to step out of the class room for whether reason. As soon as he door closed behind her it was like the restraints that were hold us down was automatically released and everyone just did what they wanted to do. When the cat is away, the mice will play.

D. In our culture today, unfortunately, even in the church, God is diminished, Christ is gone, who is the Lord anyway. Because now there is no eternal consequence, there is one watching. What is that we do. Who are we really when nobody is watching. Who are you when you leave the church. What are you like when you start work on Monday. See, we can smile and laugh along. That’s super easy. It’s hard to keep that smile after we’ve done our business. It’s a breeze to look the part with a halo on your head, but even easier to drive on the Highway of Hell the rest of the week. Do we think we have that right though? You might think we can… but we don’t… why?

E. Because the king of Israel is not dead. You might think no one is watching but I tell you that the eye of the king of kings is on everyday. You might think that we are getting away with it, but He is alive and keeping account of all that we have done and will do. You might think He looked away for a second, but I guarantee you, He HASN’T! The Lord saw you steal that pen. The Lord saw you cheat on that tax form. The Lord saw what you did with your neighbor’s wife. The Lord saw you “Fill in the Blank.” Mom didn’t see your hand in the cookie jar, but I guarantee you it will catch up to you, because Christ is an all knowing God. What poor souls we have if we do not see this. When the cat is away, the mice will play. But the Cat is looking at us right now.

II. Always Right in our Own Eyes.

- The race in our culture is only right hand turns.

A. This passage is also fascinating, because it’s kind of a play on what Moses talked about in...

Deuteronomy 6:18 ESV

And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers

It’s almost like the author wants to convey that following our own eyes is kind of… well… the exact opposite of what’s God wants! Following our eyes means finding other things besides Christ. Following our eyes means knowing God is not in our hearts. Following our eyes means rejecting everything God has given us. All His graces. See this is before the later kings that came. Kings like Jeroboam, Baasha, Zimri, etc. were not there to guide the evil. The time of Judges had people left to they’re own devices and they still rejected God. No one was there to cause problem and they just stood there thinking “Well dang if no one else is gonna do it. Might as well be me.”

B. Proving the point that we don’t have others to blame for our sin. There is no “Oh Satan made me do it.” No “Oh the government made me do it.” No “It’s God’s fault I’m like this...” We are responsible for our sins because it’s our own evil flesh telling us “Go ahead… do it.” And we ourselves go “Yeah, sounds fun.”

C. We are responsible yes, but we still reject it. We still don’t like it. So we need to find ways to justify the sin. Make the eyes right. It’s like an alarm clock. You set it for 6:00 in the morning, go to sleep then 6 comes around. You’re still exhausted and you do a bunch of math calculations in your head. So then you come to the conclusion alright I can snooze a little bit more. Then it rings again and you snooze it again. You snooze and snooze and snooze till you realize “Oh shoot, I’m late!” The race in our culture are only snoozes.

D.

Romans 1:18–21 ESV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Please understand this. An excuse cannot be found. So the sin comes up with ways to defend it. Culture understands that we are fallen. People of today’s culture will admit that they made some mistakes, but just mistakes. Not sin or grievances, just mistakes. Because if you say it like that then we’re fine, because we can fix mistakes. We can just slap some glue onto that and be fine. We can die and meet Jesus at the pearly gates of Heaven, and tell Him “Like cmon man. Remember that time I didn’t yell at that guy who beat me. Remember that time I gave the homeless man that pizza. Remember all those times I went to church...” Then Jesus rolls out a scroll that’s a mile long telling you of all your “mistakes.” That’s option 1. Diminishing your sin to the point that it’s nothing. Option 2, God is just dead, like we talked about before. The Nihilistic philosophy that creates a hole. A hole that our culture thinks we can fill. God no longer gives a purpose so we have to rise up and make our own purpose. But those purposes are lies. That hole is filled with riches, fame, being a decent person and it still needs to be filled more. Because all of that is fleeting vanity. Just like Ecclesiastes describes. Option 3, fake it till you make it. You can use God to hide behind. Do whatever you want to but at the end of the day as long you slap a Jesus bumper sticker on your car, you’re saved. I don’t have to read the Bible because I follow a Christian meme page on Instagram. Hey don’t tell me I’m wrong, God told me I was right. What an interesting conversation to see. “Hey, but you told me I was right in that.” “Just because you use a funny voice, does not mean I’m the one talking.”