The Idol of Me and a Call To Die Session 9 “I’m not much but I’m all that I think about.” - Pete McKenzie “You cannot address what you are not aware of.” Today we’re going to address idolatry, even that which we might be unaware of. I ask that you and I really examine, with the help of the Holy Spirit who searches the depths of our hearts, what IDOLATRY looks like in our lives. And then, we’ll look at the remedy for idolatry. Psalm 139:1–6, 23-24 [1] O LORD, you have searched me and known me! [2] You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. [3] You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. [4] Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. [5] You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. [6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it… [23] Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! [24] And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (ESV) “An idol isn’t always a bad thing. Many times, idols are good things we simply put in the wrong position. An Idol is anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life. Anything that you and I put above God for any reason becomes an idol and gets in the way of abiding in Him.” - Nate Sweeney Idols hinder our intimacy with Christ and therefore, also the peace that comes from Him. Starting from the beginning, Adam and Eve were lured and enticed away by the deceiver, and neglected intimacy with God in order to satisfy themselves and do the same thing. Every human being since then has struggled with the elevation of self at the expense of all others. All throughout scripture you can read about different false gods and religions, different idols set up in different ways for different things. Different methods of idol worship. Today it still is just as present, just with different faces. Psychology Today says this: “Anthropologists estimate that at least 18,000 different gods, goddesses, and various animals or objects have been worshiped by humans since our species first appeared. Today, it is estimated that more than 80 percent of the global population considers themselves religious or spiritual in some form…. Religious beliefs, spirituality, and the need to worship a deity of some kind are undoubtedly durable traits. Some gods were worshiped for very long periods and then virtually disappeared from the historical record. For example, the sun god Ra was worshipped by many different cultures for thousands of years and then completely disappeared. If historical precedent holds, many of the gods worshiped today will be forgotten and quickly replaced by others.” - from Gary L. Wenk, Ph.D. psychologytoday.com As I was studying this past week in Panera Bread, I read that and was reminded of a beautiful truth. When I look back at history, which God worshiped in the past hasn’t been forgotten or replaced by others like this article says? Which one has a name that has been worshiped, called upon, uttered from day one of creation, throughout all history, cultures, people groups, and still maintains His presence today? Which One has outlasted culture and tradition, persecution, tribulation, trial, disaster, war, life to-date? The One True God. El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) El Elyon (The Most High God) Adonai (Lord, Master) Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah) Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner) Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd) Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals) Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There) Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness) Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You) El Olam (The Everlasting God) Elohim (God) Qanna (Jealous) Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide) Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace) Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts) Romans 8:3–4 [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ESV) There is no other God worthy of my devotion than the one who rescued me from death, who healed me of the eternal and terminal disease in my soul. He has given me salvation, covered me with His righteousness, and forgiven me of all my sins! He will also raise me to life everlasting when my final breath on this earth is taken and I breathe in the atmosphere of heaven. But still, even though I know my Jesus, and call him Lord and Savior, I battle idolatry in various ways in my life. 1 John 5:21 [21] Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (ESV) What does the bible say about idol worship? Exodus 20:1–6 [1] And God spoke all these words, saying, [2] “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. [5] You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (ESV) God spoke to His people. Oh and how people are quick to forget. **SIN blinds us. That’s why the word says to KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS! The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life pull our attention off of Him who is our peace and onto the flesh. Humanity has a problem: the flesh. And, as Jesus said, John 6:63 [63] It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all… The flesh always tries to satisfy itself. It always looks for an idol. It makes itself an idol. Isaiah 40:18–20 [18] To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? [19] An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. [20] He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. Isaiah 44:14–20 [14] He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. [15] Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. [16] Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” [17] And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” [18] They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. [19] No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” [20] He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (ESV) God has something to say about the seriousness of idols and what we are to do with them. Deuteronomy 7:5–6 [5] But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. [6] “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 12:2–4 [2] You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. [3] You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place. [4] You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way. Exodus 34:12–17 [12] Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. [13] You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim [14] (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), [15] lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, [16] and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.[17] “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal. (ESV) God gave his people specifics as to destroying the things that capture a heart designed to be deficient without a relationship with its creator. Romans 12:1–2 [1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV) The pattern of this world leads us to idolatry. James 1:14–15 [14] But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. [15] Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (ESV) 1 Corinthians 10:14 [14] Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (ESV) 1 Corinthians 10:7 [7] Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” (ESV) So, what does it look like for me to be an idolater? What consumes my thoughts? My time? What takes my treasure and to what do I give my talents? What lures me away from God to my own desires? A biblical example: The gold that the Israelites fashioned the calf from. Do you remember where they got it from? They were impoverished slaves. How did they manage this golden calf? Exodus 12:35–36 [35] The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. [36] And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (ESV) They then took that gift God had given them and traded it in for a calf, which they worshiped and danced and played about. Sex. Given by God for GOOD! An amazing gift meant for His glory and our good. A great gift. A poor god. But yet it is a god that is served in shameful and unspeakable ways. Fame/Famous People. Pastors/Leaders. Listen, take people off of your pedestal. Nate’s not your savior! Neither am I, or Francis Chan, or whatever other religious voice you hear. Scripture warns us to test and prove according to God’s word, because… 2 Corinthians 11:13 [13] some men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. (ESV) Test all that is said against the purity of the word of God. That itself will be a guard against the enemy's attempt to engage us in idolatry of another. Money. Jobs. Travel. Kids. Spouse. Health. Self-help. Politics. Education. Our kids sports. Comfort. Security. Keeping up with the neighbors. Anything and everything we elevate and put in the place of God is an idol, and God tells us to flee from them. Romans 1:18–25 [18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [19] For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. [24] Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, [25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (ESV) So, how do we rid ourselves of these idols? “The Bible talks very little about self-control in comparison to the amount of text about us crucifying our flesh and dying to self. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, involves the will and emotions, and is a beautiful part of your salvation. Self- control is in the soul and decision-making arena not the flesh. You cannot control the flesh, you can only crucify it. When you give the flesh life, it will overtake you and lead you into sin. When you are an idol in your own life, your inward focus will dominate your spiritual development, and it will be stunted or digressed.” - Nate Sweeney. We must move past simply knowing Jesus as our Savior and surrender to him as Lord. “Salvation will cost you nothing. It is the free gift that God gives to everyone who believes. Discipleship will cost you everything. It is a call to die. You are no longer living for yourself. Taking up your cross is signifying that you are a dead person walking. Your life is not your own, but Christ’s.” - APOP Pg. 223. “When you come to Christ, you have been saved or justified. He washes away your past sins and then removes the required payment of them. You receive the righteousness of Christ, and you are norn again…After justification begins the process of sanctification. You will be in this process for the rest of your life until you are face to face with Jesus. Your redemption has been applied, and you are being saved. This is an active and present work in the life of a child of God. This work of “being saved” is the process of discipleship. This is allowing my old desires to die and be replaced with God’s desires with kingdom purpose. Ultimately, you will be saved, and this is called glorification. This is when your future redemption is fulfilled.” - APOP Pg. 230-231. Matthew 16:24 [24] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (ESV) Deny myself I prioritize God’s kingdom and surrender mine. I step off the throne. I offer my body as a living sacrifice to him as my ongoing act of worship. I deny the flesh any hold. I crucify my flesh. I confess and repent of sins quickly, I resist the enemy by the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I believe and act in faith that my life is not my own, that I was bought with a price. I steward all I’ve been given for His glory and the good of others. Take up my cross Philippians 3:7–11 [7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (ESV) To take up your cross means to consider yourself dead to sin and alive to Christ. Romans 6:11–14 [11] So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. [13] Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. [14] For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (ESV) Follow Jesus. Simply put: abide in Christ. Do what He did and what He says. Walk in obedience. Walk by faith. Personal Abandonment, Absolute Trust. Jeremiah 2:11–13 [11] Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. [12] Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, [13] for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. (ESV) But in Christ, Galatians 2:20 [20] I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (ESV) Take Aways: Prayerfully ask the Lord to reveal the idols in your life. Take time to repent of idolatry. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Are you a convert or a disciple? Read Matthew 16:24-26. Journal through this passage.