No other gods: Part 2 Modern Day Idolatry Inspired by Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
No other gods And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:1-6
Revival in Ephesus Acts 19:23-41 They saw there idols, burnt their books and experienced a great awakening and revival. There was great disturbance about the way. Paul convinced many in Ephesus to understand that man made gods are no gods at all.
Paul did 3 things He discerned the idols He exposed the idols He destroyed the idols This is why great transformation came to the people. Today s gospel has been so watered down, that people say the sinners prayer, but no change in their lives.
ἀγορά Ag-or-ah Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Acts 17:16-17 The place of assembly, for public debating, for elections, for trials, for buying and selling, for all kinds of business, market place, street. It would be like Harvard, Hollywood, and Wall Street. The center of the culture of the day.
Our society is filled with Idols Personal idols Religious idols Cultural idols Ideologies that are from human reason instead of grounded in scripture. The devil is the father of lies and false ideologies. Deeply hidden motivational idols. Power Acceptance
Anything can be an idol When you take a finite thing, a good thing and make it and ultimate thing, you are enthralled to an idol. Pagans had so many gods, because anything can be an idol, or can take on the role of deity in your life, or in the culture. Most people in USA believe in God, or maybe even go to church, but they have idols, they are in the arms and under the control of an idol.
What do you love, trust & obey? Love: Spiritual adultery, we love our false gods. It is like us cheating on God. Trust: what do we trust to save us to make us feel safe and secure? Obey or serve: whatever controls us is the master or Lord of our lives.
Wrong ideas or ideologies Love of money Relational idols Wrong idea - you will get power, love, fame or glory from money. Money will satisfy you. Wrong idea - Love partner will fulfill the longings of my soul and meet my every need. Religious Idols Wrong idea - I m ok because of the rightness of my belief instead of because Jesus died for me.
Religious idolaters Feel superior Will Judge others Unaccepting of those different Dogmatic Must reassure themselves that they are right Scornful, critical of opponents (Proverbs) Pharisees, Big Brother
Idols begin as wrong ideas Wrong ideas about God become wrong ideologies which become spiritual strongholds, which need to be violently torn down and destroyed. I need to earn God s favor. I trust in what I know and what I do. Instead of what Jesus did for me. I am a superior Christian because of what I know. Grace can never be earned. The ground is equal at the cross. Grace gives me a license to sin. Grace frees me from the power of sin.
Default setting What or who do you turn to when you are down? What is your default setting. What are you looking to for your source of life, satisfaction, fulfillment. Drugs Alcohol Porn Unlawful sex partner Entertainment, movies, internet Food
What is your nightmare? What do you fear to lose the most? Relationship Status Position Wealth Ministry This will help you discern and expose your idol.
Hope Zacchaeus -- Luke 19:1-10 Rich young ruler Naaman -- II Kings 5:1-15 Jesus came to deliver us from all idols. His love and grace will destroy the idols of our hearts. Once gone, then the liberating truth of the Gospel will set us free to live a life of love, joy and peace. He becomes our one and only source of life.
No other gods.for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God. Exodus 20:5 First love does not just mean loving Him more than other lovers. He wants no rivals, He wants you to be His bride. No idols, no other lovers, Just Jesus. That s why we teach Jesus + nothing = everything.
Pure in heart Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalms 51:10 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Psalms 57:7
He yearns jealously You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:4-8