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Sermon Notes 10-23-11 am
1 John 5: 18-21
Intro: Aaron & Israel’s Idolatry (Tell the Story)
“This is your god who brought you up from the land of Egypt”
- Offensive to God, Outrageous, Archaic….
- Long ago…. Or very far away…
We have a lot of problems, but Idolatry is not one of them!
1 John 5: 18-21
“Idols” = To see; a figure a copy; a kind of stand in to God.
Of What Is Old John Warning Us?
- The Idolatry of Pagan Worship in Greco-roman World
Ephesus – one of the Seven wonders of the Ancient World
Temple & Diana/Artemus fertility goddess(300 yrs old)
- Heart Devotion that shifts away from the Lord.
Paul says, “Greed is Idolatry”
We covet fame, wealth, beauty, celebrity… Idols
What I prize most, what I trust most utterly, what I should be
Most forlorn if I lost; what is the working aim of my life, and
The hunger of my heart — that is my idol.
Alexander MacLaren
- Re-defining Jesus; until He is Another Jesus.
Exp – the Anti-Christs, who were re-making Jesus in their
Own image… Like Araon… Behold your god!
ILL – Mr. Potato Head
App – Beware of Distortions of Jesus…. Idols!
False Worship offensive to God.
T/S – No antiquated concern… a few days ago the
Pastor of FBC Dallas in midst of media fire-storm…
… Can you Re-Define Jesus to your own Liking?
To worship a Jesus Re-Defined is NOT Christianity
(Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, even an Angel)
Little Children, Guard Yourselves from Idols
- “Guard” = Luke 2:8 – shepherds keeping watch over sheep (urgency)
- Little Children = affection and a note of our vulnerability
- Guard Yourselves = Each of us has a Responsibility
How Can You Spot an Extreme Jesus Makeover… Idolatry
- How to Identify an “Instead of” Jesus.
- Common Distortions of Jesus
Ill – Like Aaron & Company… “Fashioning” the Calf
The Moral Adjustment – A Jesus Who will Tolerate My Sin.
Vs. 18 – Jesus died/Lives to Deliver us from Sin… Set us Free!
n The idea that I can have new life, Eternal life, in Jesus and continue year after year in sinful patterns…Evil; Nonsense!
ILL – Grandma, “Isn’t he a mess!” (big smile)….Cute
App – SIN is Domination by the Evil One!
Eternal Life Is New Life!
The Cultural Adjustment – A Jesus Who will “Fit In”
Vs. 19 – John draws such Bright Lines… “World” not all bad!
The only way to make Jesus “Fit In” is to Modify Him.
John 15: 18-19
“Stranger” “Aliens” “Pilgrim People passing Through”
App – If you are following the Jesus of the Bible, you will
Be moving in a different direction… Against Current
The Theological Adjustment – God as I Know Him… Flexible
Vs. 20 – “We Know” (3x) – Sounds Arrogant… How Can you KNOW
“Son of God has given us understanding…”
John 14 – Seen Me, seen the Father!
Jesus, Son of God, Messiah (savior king)
Incarnation; Crucifixion; Resurrection
ILL – We toured Monticello while on Vacation…
Thomas Jefferson, great man, creative, intelligent,…
Founder of our Nation…
Produced his own version of NT…
… He liked Jesus’s Teaching, Mostly…
Made him Fit In by eliminating miracles, divinity
& Resurrection!
- the Truth about Jesus is an assault on our Pride. If He is Who the Bible claims, so am I. A helpless sinner in need of Rescue!
App – Whether you are Thomas Jefferson, a founder of our nation;
Joseph Smith, the founder of mormanism;
Charles Russell, the Founder of Jehovah’s witnesses…
Redefining Jesus Theologically is Idolatry
Conclusion: Beware the Moral, Cultural, Theological Adjustments
My Little Children, Guard yourselves from Idols
ILL – Jeremiah, spoke out in an age of Idoltry..
For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken
Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves
Cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water!
Dominated by Sin, Defined by a corrupt culture and groping in the darkness of where there is No Truth.
Jesus, the Way, The Truth, The Life.
October 23 Remarks concerning Building Recommendation
