Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Acts: Enlarging Our Vision

By Recognizing The Idols in our Lives 05/17/09

Sermon Series: Acts: Enlarging our Vision

Title: ‘By recognizing the idols in our lives’   Text: Acts 17:16-34

Introduction: In Exodus 20: 2-6 we read the following:

‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.’

The TV show, American Idol, pulls in over 60 million viewers and continues to be the number show on television. In fact there are at least 5 different shows on TV having something to do with American Idol. Here is something I found in the Asbury Park Press ‘Jersey Alive’ section on Friday.

I think the tendency is to think that an idol is a statue made of stone or metal, but that isn’t always the case. America is full of idols we don’t literally bow down to, but still worship.

God knows that we  are easily distracted by the things that surround us and especially those things involving our human nature.

·       For us, self-indulgence has always had a stronger pull than self-discipline..

I suppose that is why when God gave us the Ten Commandments He listed as Number One ‘You shall have no other gods before me.’ (Exodus 20:3)

Someone has said that the god of our day  is materialism. I can’t think of another generation that has spent more of their resources and time, to accumulate more stuff than we do today. More often than not, it is the reason many people go to school or choose the kind of work they do…to get bigger, better and more expensive….stuff.

But God tells us in 1 Cor. 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.’

We are to run away from anything that may be a distraction for us, that would cause us to no longer place God in the number one position in our lives.

·       That means if your favorite TV show causes you to misplace God in your life, turn it off

·       That means if a favorite hobby causes you to misplace God in your life, stop doing it.

This may seem drastic but God did not say ‘Therefore, my dear friends, don’t get too involved in dolatry’, He said to flee from it.

What is an idol? An idol is anything that takes our focus off God and puts it on something/someone else. What are some of the idol that we can put before God in our lives today?

With the prevalence of idols in our world today, is it any wonder God’s Word tells us  ‘Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.’

Transition: Open your Bibles to Acts 17:16 (pg. 846 in the Bibles under the chair in front of you) For it’s there we will discover we enlarge our vision of God by recognizing our idols.

I. Acts 17:16   Opening our eyes to the idols around us

Read: Acts 17:16

Athens was a beautiful city, even in Paul’s day. But Paul could not enjoy the beauty because he was deeply saddened by all the idols in the city. It has been estimated by archeologists and historians

that there were upwards of 30,000 idols in Athens.

That’s why the NIV says ‘the city was full of idols.’ But this is not perhaps the best translation. It is better translated ‘the city was wholly or completely given to idols.’ Do you see the difference?

·       The NIV gives the impression that there were just a lot of idols, statues in Athens.

·       The other translation describes how the people were consumed with worshipping idols

·       Not unlike how our country is consumed with the TV show ‘American Idol’ or with professional sports.

This preoccupation with idol worship broke Paul’s heart because he understood that the One True and Ever Living God was not getting the Worship He deserved by the very people He created and sustained by His good grace.

Pastor Adrian Rogers once said ‘An idol is anything you love more, fear more, value more, or serve more than you do Almighty God…you fill in the blank.’ Are your eyes open to what that could be in your life? (Steve Shepherd)

Transition: Paul couldn’t keep quiet so he looks for open doors of opportunity to tell people about the One True and Ever Living God.

II. Acts 17:17-21  Understanding the ‘idol’ philosophy

Read: Acts 17:17-21

Athens, while being a very beautiful city, was also an intellectual hub for that time period. Here philosophers, intellectual and students would gather to discuss the latest intellectual thoughts.

Paul begins as he always does in the Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath. But that was just one day of the week, the rest of the time he heads out to the local mall…ok the text says ‘marketplace’ but isn’t that a modern equivalent?

While doing some street preaching, Paul comes across some of the local philosophies of the day: Epicureans and Stoics…two very different schools of philosophy, two very different ways of life.

·       Epicureans: believed the main purpose in life was pleasure and happiness at all costs. Indulgence…eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die.

·       Stoics: believed in indifference…their main goal was not to care about anything, show no feeling, show no emotion.

·       The epicureans said ‘enjoy life’ the stoics said ‘endure life’.

Both, when they heard Paul speak called him a ‘babbler.’ You know, someone who rambles on with out saying anything of real substance. But, because he seemed to be teaching something they were not familiar with, they invited him to speak at the local lodge…the Areopagus. Areopagus means ‘Mars Hill.’

Notice, Paul had the opportunity to present the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people at the very center of ancient philosophy and culture.

Why? Because he was willing to speak for Jesus Christ in the marketplace….Wal Mart, Shop Rite, the food court at the Monmouth Mall…even the Lion’s Club Fair. God can take a little on our part and make it huge for Him…if we are willing.

Transition: What did Paul say? How would he address these philosophers and intellectuals?

III. Acts 2:22-31   Christian ‘Philosophy’

Read: Acts 17:22-23

A. Paul acknowledges their religious passion

·       Paul begins by acknowledging that the Athenians were serious about their worship, as seen in the many and diverse gods all around the city.

·       He even credited them with recognizing that there was a god that they didn’t know.

·       Paul knew his audience and spoke to them in a way they would understand and appreciate.

·       So He said…let me tell you about this ‘unknown god.’

B. Paul redirects their worship to the One True and Everliving God

Read: Acts 17:24-31

Paul reveal 7 simple but profound truths about this ‘unknown god’.

·       God is the creator of the universe. He made everything, so he can’t be placed in a temple or building.

·       God is the ruler of the nations. Because he made everything, he reigns supreme over all.

·       God is the sustainer of life. He gives life to all humanity. He is self-sufficient and needs no one to help Him.

·       God is the Father of us all. Since God is our Father, He can not be represented by some statue of an animal.

·       God wants to be your Savior. He created us and wants to be in a healthy and loving relationship with us. God is closer than we think, but He is not located in a statue or building.

·       God will one day judge the world. God has overlooked our sin in the past, our idol making, but no longer. There is a day set when God will judge all those who fail to worship him alone and He has appointed one Man to be the Judge…Jesus, whom God has raised form the dead.

·       God is calling all people, every where, to repent. So that you will avoid the wrath of God’s judgment that is coming to all who reject Him and Jesus, the One He has sent.

To organize Paul message another way:

·       Paul speaks of the Greatness of God: ‘…who made the world and everything in it…’

·       Paul speaks of the Goodness of God: ‘he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else’

·       Paul speaks of the Government of God: ‘he is Lord of heaven and earth’

·       Paul speaks of the Grace of God: ‘in the past God overlooked such ignorance…but now commands all people everywhere to repent.’

The heart of Paul’s message is that the Unknown God has made Himself known…and we can know Him through His Son, Jesus.

Transition: That’s was a lot to take for those ancient philosophers and intellectuals. How do they respond?

IV. Acts 17:32-34  Are idols removed?

Read: Acts 17:32-34

To the Greek it was ridiculous that a dead man can be raised to live forever…but, some didn’t want to close the door completely, so they invited Paul to speak to them again. And we read a few came to faith in Jesus.

Isn’t that the way it always is…some immediately reject Jesus’ claims, others want to keep their options open, and a relative few receive the Good News with gladness.

It is interesting that no church was started in Athens because of the hardness of the hearts of the philosophers and intellectuals who thought they knew too much to recognize the idols in their lives and devote their worship to the One True and Ever Living God.

Conclusion

How about you? Do you recognize the idols in your life? When all is said and done…

·       God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

·       God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

·       God won’t ask about the designer clothes you had in your closet, but He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

·       God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but He’ll ask if they controled your life.

·       God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

·       God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but He’ll ask how you promoted others.

·       God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but He’ll ask what you did to help others.

·       God won’t ask how many friends you had, but He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

·       God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

(Ray Ellis)

Have we closed our eyes to the idols in our lives?

Have we accepted our preoccupation with idols by rationalizing their existence in our lives?

Have we bought into the worlds obsession with idols?

Have we forgotten God’s Word which says ‘Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.’

We enlarge our vision of God by recognizing our idols.