Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Explore the concept of idolatry, not just as the worship of physical idols, but as anything that takes the place of God in our lives, and to guide us in identifying, eliminating, and finding freedom from such forms of idolatry.
Good morning, beloved family in Christ. Today, we're going to tackle a topic that is as old as humanity itself and yet, it is as current as the news on your phone. We'll be talking about idolatry. Now, you might be thinking, "Idolatry? Isn't that about bowing down to golden calves and such? I don't do that." But the truth is, idolatry isn't just about carving images and bowing to them. Idolatry is anything that takes the place of God in our lives.
Our main scripture texts for today are from 1 Corinthians, Colossians 3:5, 1 Peter.
The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:14, "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry."
In 1 Corinthians 8:4, he also reminds us that "an idol is nothing at all in the world" and there is no God but one.
In Colossians 3:5, Paul urges us to "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."
And in 1 Peter 4:3, Peter speaks of the time past of our life when we "walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries."
That's heavy stuff, isn't it? But there's a reason why the Bible repeatedly warns us about the dangers of idolatry. It's not just an Old Testament thing; it's a human thing. It's a heart thing.
As Timothy Keller rightly said, "When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an 'idol,' something you are actually worshiping."
Let's start with a word of prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, as we delve into Your Word, we ask for Your guidance and wisdom. Help us to identify and eliminate any forms of idolatry in our lives. Let nothing in this world take Your rightful place in our hearts. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
So, buckle up, folks! We're in for an enlightening journey today as we explore the temptation of idolatry, the consequences of idolatry, and most importantly, the freedom from idolatry. Let's get started!
The temptation of idolatry is an issue that we all grapple with, often without even realizing it. It's a cunning adversary that disguises itself in the most ordinary aspects of our lives. It's not just about bowing down to graven images or worshipping false gods, as we often imagine when we hear the term 'idolatry'.
In our modern context: idolatry takes on a more insidious form. It could be our careers, our relationships, our possessions, our ambitions, or even our self-image. Anything that we place above God in our lives, anything that we give ultimate importance to, can become an idol.
Our careers: There's nothing wrong with wanting to succeed in our chosen fields. In fact, the Bible encourages us to work diligently and to use our God-given talents to the best of our abilities. However, when our careers start to consume us, when our pursuit of success becomes an obsession that leaves no room for God, that's when it becomes idolatry. When we start to derive our self-worth and identity from our job titles and paychecks, when we start to neglect our spiritual growth and our relationships because we're too busy chasing after promotions and accolades, that's when our careers have become idols.
Our relationships: There's nothing wrong with wanting to love and be loved. God Himself is love, and He created us to be in relationships with one another. But when we start to find our ultimate fulfillment and happiness in our relationships, when we start to depend on our partners or our friends or our children to give us the love and acceptance that only God can give, that's when our relationships have become idols. When we start to compromise our faith and our values to please others, when we start to live in fear of losing someone's love and approval, that's when we've allowed our relationships to take God's place in our lives.
Our possessions: We live in a consumer-driven society that constantly tells us that we need more to be happy. We need the latest gadgets, the fanciest cars, the biggest houses. But the Bible warns us that "life does not consist in an abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15). When we start to find our security and satisfaction in our material wealth, when we start to hoard and obsess over our possessions instead of using them to bless others, that's when our possessions have become idols.
The Bible is clear that idolatry is a serious offense against God, and it carries severe consequences ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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