What American Idol Do You Follow?
"I am the Lord God. You shall have no other idols before me." (Exodus 20:2,3)
Recently, American Idol pulled in over 60 million viewers and continues to be the number show on television. Many people long to find heroes to follow only to be disillusioned by folks like Katherine McPhee who was found to be addicted to bulima in order to maintain an ideal appearance in a quest to find acceptance and popularity.
One of the most convicting dedicatory hymns goes like this:
"The the dearest idol I have known. Whate’er that idol be. Help me to tear it from the throne and worship only Thee."
Paul wrote, "We renounce the hidden things of darkness." WE need to openly reject, repudiate and renounce all that is evil involved in the sins of omission, faulty dispositions, erroneous presuppositions as well as the overt sins of commission. Jesus did it in Matthew 4 with the word of God and triumphed every time.
In the Old Testament it is a mystery why so many of Israel’s kings drifted into idolatry. One would think that with all that God gave them they would remain humble learning from Job that "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord." It seemed that the deceptions of the world, the flesh and the devil were so enticing that nearly all of the northern kingdom’s leaders and only a mere handful of the southern kingdom’s rulers successfully refused to succumb to idolatry.
Let us examine some of the appeal of idols so we can learn from these errors to avoid:
1. PRIDE - Many of the kings longed to elevate themselves through a self-centered sense of satisfaction with their achievements, qualities or possessions. With an overbearing sense of their own importance they forgot God’s gifts, callings and sovereign hand of blessings. They allowed their sense of position to go to their heads and esteemed themselves greater than they really were.
The modern parallel to this can be seen in people who exalt themselves to a point where they have all kinds of detrimental assumptions about their own self-importance. It is little wonder that many need to be reminded of Paul’s admonition, "If anyone thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall." "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit but in humility do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. But think so as to have sound judgment as God has alotted to each a measure of faith." Let us always give credit where it is do, "Every good and perfect gift comes down from heaven." (Rom 12:3)(I John 2:15,16)(James 1:17)
2. POWER - Many people in the Old Testament wanted freedom from the any authority - both of God’s hand and the priests. Individuals wanted their faith to conform to their lifestyle instead of their way of life to fit their beliefs.
Today many folks do not want to submit to authority that is greater than them. Rather than revelling in power over other people we should enable people to find their chief authority through the Holy Spirit, His word and His will. Jeremiah wrote, "Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom. Let not a mighty man boast in his might, but let him who boasts boast of this that he understands and knows God." (Jer 9:23,24)
3. PRAISE AND POPULARITY - In the Old Testament many kings exchanged the awesome and holy nautre of God with gods that reflected human nature. As a result many idols reflected local cultures instead of the universally transcendant God of the universe. People fell into the subtle pattern of worshipping their own creations instead of the Creator who is blessed forever. They conformed to this world instead of being transformed by God and His word. The cultural gods did not need to sacrifices, praise of attention as commanded by the Lord God. Instead the cultural gods only required occasional appeasements in certain ceremonies.
Many modern parallels are seen in our celebrity culture that seems fascinated with what Tom Cruise or Carrie Underwood or Jessica Simpson is up to. Billions of dollars are spent on super-market tabloids to allow people to keep up with the latest buzz about entertainment’s celebrity happenings. As a result people see sacrifice and service to the Lord as a form of self-inflicted punishment that makes no sense to them. They watch American Idol as the number one program on television thinking success is worth pursuing at all costs. O the false allure of temporary popularity and praise.
Rather than seeking praise for ourselves we should find our greatest satisfaction in giving praise, honor and renown to the Lord God who is worthy of all worship. Jesus condemned the Pharisees when He said, "You seek the praises of men instead of the praise that comes from God so you are without understanding." (Luke 15:16)
4. PLEASURES AND POSSESSIONS - Many kings in the Old Testament held sensuality up without any remorse, guilt or sense of responsibility. Men lived out of the vicious and sensuous personalities of the gods they worshiped. They degraded themselves and their followers by seeking the approval of idols instead of the God who gave life and every good and perfect gift.
Today we see many people deifying pleasure following it at the expense of everything else. Jesus said, "Do not seek the food of this world that perishes but seek the eternal food that lasts forever. My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish HIS purpose." (John 4:34,35) It is said of Moses, "Choosing to endure affliction with the people of God rather to indulge in the passing pleasures of Egypt."
5. PASSION - Many of the leaders of Israel in the Old Testament period were reduced to the pursuit of flesly passions. No longer did the kings have to look at their people individually with unique concerns. Instead the people could be exploited financially, politically, sexually and morally.
Today we find similary allow their physical drives and passions to rule them. The Lord wants us to redirect our passions, desires and wills to what will edify, enrich and enable people to do His will above that of their own.
Even well meaning people like Tom Friedman who wrote the best seller "The World is Flat" says, "The key is using your PQ (Passion quotient) plus your CQ (Curiosity Quotient) to be greater than your IQ (Intelligent quotient) All the striving in the world will not do us any good unless we are abiding in Jesus. "Apart from Me you can do nothing, Jesus said. Abide in me and I in you for the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine." (John 15:5,6)
We need a Spiritual Quotient that makes it manifestly clear that we are empowered by the Spirit instead of by the flesh. That is why Saul lost favor with God because he was led by the flesh instead of the Spirit.
6. POOR PERSEPCTIVES - Many of the Old Testament kings lost their sense of heavenly perspective. Instead of looking at their responsibilities from the perspectives of the ten commandments, the kings became emeshed with politics, personal interest and subjective performance standards.
Many modern day decisions are based on subjective emotions instead of objective truth. It is easy to forget what Paul wrote to the Colossians:
" Since you have been raised to a new life in Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Do not dwell about things on earth but things in heaven... So put to death earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, lust and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things." (Col. 3:1-6)
7. PARANOIA - Many people are so afraid they succumb to some of the following fears:
Psychiatrists call the fear of certain things phobias.
There are people who fear heights (acrophobia) and people who fear closed-in places (claustrophobia). There are people afraid of water, dogs and even other people.
But there is one fear that drives out all other fears, and we find it in Psalm 112.
"Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments".v. 1
All kinds of fears are taken care of if we fear the Lord.
What are some of the fears?
Fear about family!
"His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed".v.2.
Commit your children to Him and you won’t have to worry about their lives.
Fear about finance!!
"Wealth and riches will be in his house".v.3.
This doesn’t mean we will all be millionaires.
It means we’ll always have what we need.
If we fear the Lord, we can let go of our financial fears.
Fear about falsehood!!!
"Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness".v.4.
Fear God and you’ll always have light when you need it.
You will have His guidance and direction.
"You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness".1 Thessalonians 5:5.
Fear about future!!!!
"Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance".v.6. God says, "Don’t be afraid of the changes that are going on around you or in you. I am the God of the universe. Fear Me, and I’ll take care of the changes."
Verse 7 reads, "He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." No news is bad if you’re walking in the will of God.
When you fear the Lord, every other fear is conquered.
Walk today in the fear of the Lord,trusting Him with your future.
Because-
He knows your future;holds your future and is your future! (From My Manna - devotionals)
8. PROBLEM-ORIENTATION
Some people are so obsessed with their problems that they have taken their eyes off of Jesus. We watch the news and get so discouraged when we see the negative reports on the evening news. WE become timid and hesitant to act just like the children of Israel who were intimidated by the Giants in the land of Canaan. Only Caleb and Joshua were bold enough and believing enough to enter in with confidence, courage and the calm trust in God’s ability to fight the battles for them. (Numbers 14) Turn over your problems to the Lord as He is greater than any problem. "Greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world." (I John 4:4) You can do everything God asks you to do with the help of Christ who gives you the strength and power." (PHil. 4:12,13)
Many of the ideas for this sermon comes from Tyndale’s Study Bible on page 537.
Let us live so dependent on God that we are not subtly relying on human idols to prop us up.
For example as David George wrote:
"We serve an awesome God. Don’t take Him and His creation for granted. The next time your electricity goes off, think of all the benefits we have because God created myriads of tools for man to use. Psalm 9:1 & 2 say (niv), “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O most high."
Conclusion:
It is my prayer today that everyone realize that there is nothing more important than having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As important as your day-to-day life is, the two indisputable facts
of this life are that 1) we will all die one day, and 2) we are all sinners.
The moment we die we will stand before God our Creator. At that moment, who you were in this life, all the things you did, how much money you had, none
of that will matter. The only thing that will matter is have you repented and placed your faith in Christ and His substitutionary payment for the forgiveness of our sins! That, and that alone will determine whether you spend eternity with the God who loves you so much, or spend eternity forever separated from your Creator. Make that decision today by turning from any idol to serve the living and true God before it is too late.
