The City Was Full Of Idols

INTRO.- Name that song? Remember that TV show? They would play a tune and the contestant would try to name that song. Ok, here’s another version of that contest: NAME THAT IDOL! What? Please play along with me.

What’s the biggest idol that you’ve seen here in America? Let me help you with your selection. I John 2:16 says that the world is full of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Now, what’s the biggest idol you’ve seen in America? And, can you name the idols that you have seen in our town?

ILL.- Most of you know that I have a certain fondness for cars. Recently, while attending the Ozark Christian College Preaching and Teaching Convention, my friend Truman Brady and I went to eat lunch at a restaurant in my hometown of Webb City, MO, which is just a few miles from Joplin. After we ate lunch we drove by this used car dealership and Truman told me that he’d bought several cars from that dealership. That is, he told me he’d bought two different Chevrolet Corvettes from that dealership and for a decent price. I looked over as we drove by and noticed a silver Corvette setting on the lot and said, "Hey, let’s stop and take a look!" The place was called X-treme Powersports. Ah ha! Power cars! Sports cars! Right up my alley!

That Corvette was a 1978 model, silver color, red leather and looked to be in very good shape. I asked about the price and it was somewhere around $9000 but the more we talked to the guy, the more the price went down, "But you could buy it for $8000..." And then a lower price. I got the impression he wanted to sell it badly.

And then I noticed he had another car that was interesting. It was a blue, 1969 Pontiac Firebird and I once owned a 1968 Blue Pontiac Firebird. And it could be bought for only $9000.

What did John say was in the world? Lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and the pride of life. And the lust of the eye was coming my way. Temptation was coming at me at about 75%. Because I was interested but not totally. But as the price went down my temptation level went up! But then something happened to me. My spiritual side kicked in. You know how it goes: the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, both talking to you. Sort of. Kind of. Not exactly, but you get the idea.

My common sense side kicked in and I got to thinking, "Now even I could afford to buy either this Corvette or this Firebird, what am I going to do with them? When will I drive them? And will I ever be able to get my money out of them if I decide to sell them?" You see, I would probably only want to drive them on a good, warm sunny days and then where? Who would care that I had an old Corvette or an old Firebird? AH HA, THE PRIDE OF LIFE KICKING IN!

And then still another side of me made me think and I thought, "What a waste of God’s money this would be!" Wow! I’m actually surprised that I thought that way but I was very glad. Because when I started thinking that way my temptation level went way down. How far down? Like 10% or below and we drove away and I felt good about not spending the Lord’s money for something that I might regret later on.

Brothers and sisters, do you see what I’m talking about when it comes to idols in our world? THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. And they come in all shapes and sizes. And everybody is tempted to worship an idol in some form or another.

This sermon may not be so much about "name that idol" as it is "name your idol!" Whoa! Now that’s another story altogether or is it? DARE WE GO ON?

This is what Paul had to deal with in the city of Athens. And our modern cities are no different and in some ways, they are worse. We have more things today to distract us from church, Christ and God than ever before and often, these things become idols to us:Sports, hobbies, TV, movies, shopping, entertainment of all sorts, etc. Let’s be honest about this and think about our own idols that need to be put away!

What did Paul do when confronted with these idol worshipers? He wanted to teach them the truth about God the creator so they could be saved! And so must we today!

PROP.- What must we do when confronted with so many idols and idol worshipers?