Idols, Idols Everywhere

From Genesis to Revelation, man is caught in a struggle between worship of the world and worship of our Lord.
Genesis 20:4 – Do not make idols of any kind . . . You must never worship or bow down to them. (Moses restates the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5).

Luke 16:13 – No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
2 Kings 17:41 - Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.

Matthew 6:21 – Wherever your treasure is there your heart and thoughts will also be.

An idol is anything or anyone to which worship, adoration, admiration or devotion is attached and replaces our worship, adoration, admiration or devotion of and to Jesus and the pursuit of personal discipleship.

Some people worship others, including family members. Some people worship jobs and careers. Jesus knew that people would worship money and the personal pleasure it can bring. Some people worship status and influence. Some people worship themselves. Some people worship – in a really twisted way – the church as an institution. Some people worship homes. Some people worship activities or recreational involvement. Some people worship sports teams or entertainers or even television shows. Some people worship their cars. The list is endless. I look back on my life . . . there were days and weeks when I never spoke the name of Jesus to another person. Every decision was made based on how my life or how the life of my family would be improved on this Earth. I want to confess to you: I was the Prince of Looking Out For Number One. I still struggle, every single day, with the idols that creep into my life.

• Satan is constantly bombarding us with idols, or he is using the things and people we love deeply as distractions to faith.
• Jesus is constantly calling us to Himself, to pursue Him, and to lead all of those that we love closer to Him by guidance and by action.
• Satan is constantly working to distract us from The Cross.
• Jesus is constantly calling us to anchor our lives at The Cross.

It is a struggle for our lives and for our souls, and for the lives and souls of all the generations that follow us.

The sad part for me, personally, is that we all know this is true, but we rationalize our behavior. We make excuses.
I can testify to you that I’ve been making excuses for 52 years. And, as I personally come to the full reality of this conflict, it leaves me awake at night. I am personally convicted. I hurt deeply for those that I love. I hurt for all of us.
We are called to live in peace, joy, hope and faith. The worship of idols leaves us tired, stressed, frustrated, lonely, depressed, anxious, bitter, and confused.

That’s why Daniel 3:16-18 struck me so deeply this week: Three friends stood up against the King of The Known World, Nebuchadnezzar, and said, “O King, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue that you have set up.”

I want you to look at what gave them strength: First, they were committed to faith even though they worked, played and lived in an idol-based culture. They did not separate from the culture; they took a stand within it. Second, they stuck together. They were friends in faith, and they clung to that friendship. Third, they did not get their will ahead of God’s will for them – they were prepared to die even if God chose not to save them from the furnace. They knew He would rescue them in eternity.

What are the idols of your life? I am coming to grips with mine. And, it’s difficult. Only faith and the fellowship of believers can provide the strength I need to stay focused on the Lord and His plan for me and mine.

What do you worship, adore, and admire more than the Lord? Despite our words, what do our decisions, our calendar, and our online banking tell us? (I’m feeling sick at my stomach).

What changes will you make to more fully worship the Lord ahead of the world? Are you prepared for the changes that will bring to every corner of your life?

Are you prepared to say “no” to people that you love?

Are you making excuses to justify the worship of idols? (I am guilty as charged).

• We will worship the idols, but not really worship them.
• We may worship the idol right now, but in the big scheme of things, we do not. And, God knows that.
• We will worship the idol, but make it up to God at a later time by doing something for Him. 
• We will worship just this one time and then ask God to forgive us.
• There will be a time in my life when I can pay God back for not putting Him first right now. He understands.
• The world has authority over us; God will understand that I’ve got to obey the world when it asks us to worship idols.
• The world has been good to me; I owe it.
• We can follow this idol; it’s not as bad as following that idol. We’re bad, but not as bad as those people.
• We’re not hurting anyone by following this idol.
•  By following this idol, I can help a lot of people.
•  Everyone else is following these idols, and so it can’t be wrong.

My Life Application Commentary sums it up like this: “Although all these excuses sound sensible at first, they are dangerous rationalizations. To fall down and worship idols violates God’s commandments. To fall down and worship idols erases a person’s testimony forever. Never again can a person talk about the power of God above all other gods. What excuses do you use for not standing up for Him? Think about that . . . who is watching my living testimony? Am I pointing people to the cross or pointing people to the idols of their own lives? Is my life helping another person rationalize their own idol worship?