America, Where Are Thy Gods That Thou Hast Made

JER. 2:26-30 "AMERICA, WHERE ARE THY GODS THAT THOU HAST MADE?"

A) America is without question the richest nation on Earth! * No one can argue with that!

* She has the strongest and largest churches in the world! * America has more preachers than

any other country in the world!

* She has more Christian colleges, more Christian universities, more Bible schools than any

other country! * Yet, in spite of all these things, sin is in our midst!

B) The devil is making an attack upon this nation that we cannot fail to see!

* He would like to destroy everything worthwhile! * He would like to destroy every soul winning

church, every outreach, every Christian school & every preacher who preaches the Word of God!

C) Multitudes have turned to modernism! * But the Bible still says, "Be ye holy ......."

* Only a small percentage - 12 to 15 % attend church on Sun. morning in America.

* Maybe not that many at times! * Sun. nights, even a smaller percentage!

D) Almost none at all for our Wed. night prayer meeting!

* Our text comes from the book of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet.

* Jeremiah looked upon the people of Israel with amazement and tears!

E) He was amazed that they had turned away from the eternal God!

* He was in tears as he pled for their return to God! * He gives the message of God to Israel:

* "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings ......." Jer. 3:22

F) Three separate thoughts I will try to join together in this brief message:

(1) THE DUMB GODS OF MAN!

* The people of Israel turned away from the living God to the dumb gods of man!

A) They had turned to mountains and hills for salvation!

* It says in v.28 "The number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah."

* They turned away to false gods, to idols!

B) Our mind goes back to the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel & the prophets of Baal!

* They were standing and prophesying & Elijah said, "Build your altar, set it afire with your

prayers." * "I’ll build an altar & set the fire with my prayers!"

C) The prophets built the altar! * They prayed - nothing happened!

* Dumb gods! * But God answered the prayer of Elijah!

D) Man is a worshipper! * He has to worship something or someone, no matter who!

* And he often worships himself because he thinks he can do all things!

* They say, "I have my own way." * My dear friend, the only way is the Bible way!

E) Being a Christian, one who believes the Word of God & accepts it as that is the way to go!

* This is the Bible, God’s Holy Word! * We stand for this!

* But many have turned away and refused to receive it!

F) Man worships objects! * Money, houses, and land - things!

* Jesus gave the parable in Lk.12:16-21 about the rich fool saying of this one, "Thou fool ......."

* And again we have the story in Lk.16:19-31 "There was a certain rich man ......."

* Man worshipping objects, worshipping things!

G) Man worships his own inventiveness! * He feels that he can work it out!

* In his foolishness he says, "Look what I’ve done, look what I’ve built!"

* Nebuchadnezzar - Dan.4:29-30 "At the end of the 12 months he walked in the palace ......."

H) Friend, you can worship a helpless god as did the worshippers of Baal.

* You can worship a god that cannot hear you! * You can worship a god who can never help

you in your time of need! * That god is a failure & your life is also a failure!

* What a waste it is when people fall for false worship of this world!

I) I want you to see this, this morning! * Think of your life for a moment:

* Are you worshipping God or do you worship the things of the world?

* Are you falling for some of the sinful things of the world?

* Are you falling for the money, for the riches, for the power, for the things of this world,

* The dumb gods that cannot answer prayer nor do things for you?

J) If you fall for these gods, you’ll have an empty life!

* Our hope is not in the things of this world! * "My hope is built on nothing less than ......."

(2) THE DANGER ZONE OF MAN! * Today, we fear certain things! * For example:

A) We fear price inflation! * There’s a lot of talk about that, especially gasoline prices!