1 John 5.21
I was listening recently to a lecture on idolatry as it related to ministers. In the middle of his comments the speaker referred to 'comfort foods'. It wasn't a major point but something he mentioned in passing. He said something like, 'I thought Jesus already sent Someone to comfort us – the Holy Spirit.' The Spirit used that passing remark to get me thinking. It's out of that nudge that I wrote today's sermon. This morning we're going to take a look at idols. We're going to do that because idols are real and they affect us as we work at following Jesus. I sincerely hope that the Spirit will use His Word to deal with your idols as He is doing that to deal with mine.
When the language of idols pops up most people think of statues and bowing and all of that. That won't do if we're going to make progress in this area. Let's return to the language of gaps that I used in another sermon. We live in a fallen world. Because of that nothing works the way that it's supposed to . Nothing. And especially not us. We were created to enjoy the Father and His good gifts and in this way to be challenged and satisfied. We are, in so many ways, challenged, but we are not satisfied – and we won't be. Not here. There is a gap. On the one side is the way things were intended to be and on the other, where we live, is the way that things actually are.
Work is supposed to be stretching, refreshing, joyous, fulfilling and exciting. All of work. All of the time. It's not. It may, at times, be more like that than at other times, but it never achieves the goal of what it was meant to be. There's a gap. Relationships are supposed to be invigorating, completely open, revelatory and safe. All relationships. All the time. They're not. Again, we do better at times, but our relationships are never what they're supposed to be. There's a gap. Life in all its different aspects is supposed to be the experience of perfection that amazes and fulfills. But it isn't, and we feel it. We feel it everywhere. We live in a fallen world. Everything is broken. And the gap between what is and what ought to be, the gap that frustrates us so, is never going to close as long as this fallen world exists.
Now, how do we deal with the gap? In a way, that question summarizes life. How do we deal with the different gaps that confront us? This gets us back to that comment about comfort foods. Mondays are my day off. This past Monday I was plotting out my day. What would I do? I had planned to be on Peach Street to buy something at the Mall. And the thought occurred to me, 'I can get a Wegman's sub and have it for lunch. What a great idea. They are so good!' Now, that sounds innocent enough. But let me tell you what was going on in my heart. One theme of my life is a kind of boredom. It comes from being alone. It's a gap that separates me from life as intended. If real life, life according to the original plan, is in vivid color, then boredom is a drab and depressing gray. Now, how do I deal with that gap? From my youth food has functioned as a gap-filler. It has been a way for me to create some color when life got a little too gray. That's what my plan for a Wegman's sub was about. I will deal with the gray by adding the pleasure of a particular food. I will gain comfort from a sub. Now, here's the point: When I do something like that, I become an idolater. I am dealing with the gap, but I am dealing with it in the wrong way. I am forgetting about Jesus.
Now, is food somehow evil? Absolutely not. And this is what makes this whole issue of idolatry so difficult. Food is a gift from God. It's more than just fuel for the body. It is, in fact, intended to give pleasure, to add color to life. But it is not to be something that we grasp at as a way to deal with the gap. Jesus has told us that He will fill the gap, every gap. He will take what is drab and fill it with color. No more boredom. No more gaps. That's why He's come. And He has many ways to do that. He may, in fact, provide a good meal that gives pleasure. But here's the key: when we feel the gap, how will we respond? Will we look to Jesus to fill that gap in a way that He thinks best, or will we grab one of His gifts – food or anything else – and try to fill that gap on our own as we think best? We become idolaters when we expect some bit of creation to fill a gap that we sense instead of trusting Jesus to do that. We worship the creation – look to it, hope in it, expect it to fix things – instead of worshiping the Creator by entrusting ourselves to Him.
Consider something that the Apostle Paul has to say. 'Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.' Do you see Paul's point? When we say, 'If only I had that then I'd be okay' – whether we're talking about a Wegman's sub, a different job, a soul-mate, a new computer game, whatever – we express the idolatry of our hearts. We look to this created something to fill the gap instead of looking to Jesus. Jesus has come to fix a broken world. He, and only He, can deal with the gaps. Only He can make it possible for us to live as He originally intended. Hoping in something else to deal with the gap is worshiping an idol.
So, how does Jesus fill the gap? He uses a variety of ways. As it turns out, in my case on Monday, after an enjoyable time of golf, Jim invited me to join him for lunch. So, he raided his fridge, and we ate. I didn't have a Wegman's sub, but what I did have – some food with friends – filled the gap nicely. It was much better than a Wegman's sub. There is, of course, the 'however' here. My life wasn't suddenly emptied of gray and filled with color. Jesus dealt with the gap, but it was not completely filled nor was it permanently filled. Let me make clear that your experience of the gap can be reduced as mine was on Monday. More color can be added to our lives, pushing back the gray, but the gaps will still exist.
And that leads to this. Jesus' promise to fill the gap will not be fully and finally kept until He returns. That means that we will all experience that sense of a gap – actually, lots of gaps – for the rest of our lives. We will, every day, face this question: 'Will I trust Jesus to deal with the gap that is confronting me at this moment, or will I take matters into my own hands to try to fill it myself? Will I worship Jesus or some aspect of His creation?' This is so very difficult because the world, the flesh and the devil tempt us with so many things to use as idols - including good things like a Wegman's sub. Wrestling with this is hard. It's part of Christian suffering that the Bible talks about.
This highlights, again, the importance of our choices. Remember, we don't stand still as Christians. Our walk with Jesus is either improving or deteriorating. So, consider what happens when you choose an idol to deal with a gap. It will work – at least for a while. But over time our idols won't satisfy like they once did. A Wegman's sub might work for a time but after a while something more will be needed. The idolatry grows, and as it does it enslaves more and more. But choosing to trust Jesus to fill the gap creates some change also. Choosing to worship Him instead results in those gaps being filled. You begin to notice that there really is more color in your life. And persisting in this kind of choosing results in a growing ability to trust Him more to finish the job completely. Our choices in this really matter. All of this is simply an application of what Jesus was getting at when He said, '...with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.' Life is not static. It is dynamic. We will either grow as worshipers of Jesus or descend into the abyss of idolatry.
Now we're ready for our text. 'Little children, guard yourselves from idols.' It's not one of those complicated parts of the Bible. John offers a simple exhortation. 'Be careful. There are idols everywhere. Watch out for them.' I'd like to look at this exhortation in terms of two questions: 'Why?' and 'How?'
So, why should we guard ourselves from idols? It will take some effort. Why should we expend that effort? The most important reason is not about our well-being. The most important reason shows up in a place like Isaiah 42. 'I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.' When we worship some idol we rob Jesus of the glory He deserves. Remember our purpose for living: to make Jesus look good. Any idolatry not only fails to do that, but it actually makes Him look bad. Professing Jesus as Savior, but depending on something else to help you make it through the day is hypocrisy. It is a hypocrisy that makes Him look bad. Guarding ourselves from idols is of great benefit to us. But it is not the first reason why we do that. If pursuing our well-being becomes our first motivation, then, ironically, we have fallen into idolatry. The first reason for guarding ourselves from idols is that Jesus deserves no less.
Now, to the second question. How do we do this? There are several things to do. This isn't complicated, but that doesn't mean that it will be easy. The first thing to do is to admit to yourself that you have idols. You are an idol worshiper. That should be very sobering. Our God is quite clear about this. He hates idolatry. And you don't have to look for some out-of-the-way text to know that. This is the Second Commandment. '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. 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...' Our idolatry is a very serious matter. But though we should be sobered by this we should not despair. Remember the Gospel. Jesus has come to save idolaters like us. He has come to rescue us from our idolatry and all of its consequences. So, the first step is to be honest and admit to yourself, 'I worship idols.'
Now, if you would be rescued from your idolatry, your heart will need to be changed. After all, what's wrong with eating a Wegman's sub? It all depends on what's going on in the heart. Idols reside in the heart. If you would be freed from idols, your heart will need to be changed. At this point, it's important to remember that you cannot change your own heart. Seeing that is actually very helpful. It reinforces the fact that being rescued from your idols is a Gospel issue. It's something you can't do, but it certainly is something the Spirit can do. And that's encouraging. The Spirit is a gift from Jesus. He has work to do in your life, things like dealing with your idols. And He will deal with them. That's the Gospel. It really is a Gospel of grace.
However, this does not mean that there is nothing for you to do. There is much for you to do, but it is done in preparation for or in response to what the Spirit does.
So, first, you need to get lots of Bible into your soul. You need to listen to sermons, be involved in Bible studies, read your Bible alone and in with your family, listen to the Bible on your iPod, think about the stuff you learn from your Bible. You want to give the Spirit lots to work with, lots of Bible to work with. Now, no one here can spend every waking hour getting lots of Bible. That, actually, would be a bad thing. We have different situations, different schedules, different abilities. So, you should aim for what's right for you. But keep the goal clearly in mind: lots of Bible. The Spirit will use it to reveal idols that you never knew you had, things like Wegman's subs.
Then, you'll need to interact with others about these things. You're going to need to talk about all that Bible that you're getting. This is something for husbands and wives to do and for families to do. Dinnertime, when the family is re-united, is a great time to talk about Bible. This is something that you'll want to discuss with the other folk in the church. This makes for good discussion at the monthly luncheon or after worship. All you need to do to start is say something like, 'Can I tell you what I've been seeing from the Bible'? And you really do need to do this because getting more Bible is something that you can't do alone, not well anyhow. No one can see all of the Bible. The Spirit uses other people to help us see more of it. Remember, this sermon started in my soul as I listened to someone talk about the idolatry of comfort foods. We can't do this alone.
And then, you'll want to pray. You'll want to pray about getting more Bible into your soul. Getting it into your mind is relatively simple. That just takes discipline. But getting it into your soul is a different matter. You'll need to pray about that. And then, you'll want to ask that your idols be revealed to you. That's a little scary but not terribly. Our God is actually very gentle with us.
And all of that will come to a climax when the Spirit points out some idol. He will put His finger right on it. There will be no doubt. You'll feel the nudge. You'll almost hear words: 'You have sinned. You have robbed Jesus of some glory. You have worshiped some idol. You've worshiped this idol.' And that is so very serious. At that point, you'll need to return to the basic theme of the Gospel: repentance and faith. Repent of your sin. Admit it. You looked to an idol to deal with the gap instead of looking to Jesus. Be honest, and say it clearly, in black and white. 'I worshiped an idol; this one.' But don't stop there. Never stop there. Come again to Jesus. And there is no need to be afraid. He isn't angry at you. He will welcome you and receive you gladly. Come to Him for forgiveness and for change. He will give you both. And then, rejoice. Jesus is at work in your soul. You've taken another step in the right direction – by His grace. And the day will dawn when He will be finished with His work in you. No more gaps. No more drab gray. No more idols.
I was listening recently to a lecture on idolatry as it related to ministers. In the middle of his comments the speaker referred to 'comfort foods'. It wasn't a major point but something he mentioned in passing. He said something like, 'I thought Jesus already sent Someone to comfort us – the Holy Spirit.' The Spirit used that passing remark to get me thinking. It's out of that nudge that I wrote today's sermon. This morning we're going to take a look at idols. We're going to do that because idols are real and they affect us as we work at following Jesus. I sincerely hope that the Spirit will use His Word to deal with your idols as He is doing that to deal with mine.
When the language of idols pops up most people think of statues and bowing and all of that. That won't do if we're going to make progress in this area. Let's return to the language of gaps that I used in another sermon. We live in a fallen world. Because of that nothing works the way that it's supposed to . Nothing. And especially not us. We were created to enjoy the Father and His good gifts and in this way to be challenged and satisfied. We are, in so many ways, challenged, but we are not satisfied – and we won't be. Not here. There is a gap. On the one side is the way things were intended to be and on the other, where we live, is the way that things actually are.
Work is supposed to be stretching, refreshing, joyous, fulfilling and exciting. All of work. All of the time. It's not. It may, at times, be more like that than at other times, but it never achieves the goal of what it was meant to be. There's a gap. Relationships are supposed to be invigorating, completely open, revelatory and safe. All relationships. All the time. They're not. Again, we do better at times, but our relationships are never what they're supposed to be. There's a gap. Life in all its different aspects is supposed to be the experience of perfection that amazes and fulfills. But it isn't, and we feel it. We feel it everywhere. We live in a fallen world. Everything is broken. And the gap between what is and what ought to be, the gap that frustrates us so, is never going to close as long as this fallen world exists.
Now, how do we deal with the gap? In a way, that question summarizes life. How do we deal with the different gaps that confront us? This gets us back to that comment about comfort foods. Mondays are my day off. This past Monday I was plotting out my day. What would I do? I had planned to be on Peach Street to buy something at the Mall. And the thought occurred to me, 'I can get a Wegman's sub and have it for lunch. What a great idea. They are so good!' Now, that sounds innocent enough. But let me tell you what was going on in my heart. One theme of my life is a kind of boredom. It comes from being alone. It's a gap that separates me from life as intended. If real life, life according to the original plan, is in vivid color, then boredom is a drab and depressing gray. Now, how do I deal with that gap? From my youth food has functioned as a gap-filler. It has been a way for me to create some color when life got a little too gray. That's what my plan for a Wegman's sub was about. I will deal with the gray by adding the pleasure of a particular food. I will gain comfort from a sub. Now, here's the point: When I do something like that, I become an idolater. I am dealing with the gap, but I am dealing with it in the wrong way. I am forgetting about Jesus.
Now, is food somehow evil? Absolutely not. And this is what makes this whole issue of idolatry so difficult. Food is a gift from God. It's more than just fuel for the body. It is, in fact, intended to give pleasure, to add color to life. But it is not to be something that we grasp at as a way to deal with the gap. Jesus has told us that He will fill the gap, every gap. He will take what is drab and fill it with color. No more boredom. No more gaps. That's why He's come. And He has many ways to do that. He may, in fact, provide a good meal that gives pleasure. But here's the key: when we feel the gap, how will we respond? Will we look to Jesus to fill that gap in a way that He thinks best, or will we grab one of His gifts – food or anything else – and try to fill that gap on our own as we think best? We become idolaters when we expect some bit of creation to fill a gap that we sense instead of trusting Jesus to do that. We worship the creation – look to it, hope in it, expect it to fix things – instead of worshiping the Creator by entrusting ourselves to Him.
Consider something that the Apostle Paul has to say. 'Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.' Do you see Paul's point? When we say, 'If only I had that then I'd be okay' – whether we're talking about a Wegman's sub, a different job, a soul-mate, a new computer game, whatever – we express the idolatry of our hearts. We look to this created something to fill the gap instead of looking to Jesus. Jesus has come to fix a broken world. He, and only He, can deal with the gaps. Only He can make it possible for us to live as He originally intended. Hoping in something else to deal with the gap is worshiping an idol.
So, how does Jesus fill the gap? He uses a variety of ways. As it turns out, in my case on Monday, after an enjoyable time of golf, Jim invited me to join him for lunch. So, he raided his fridge, and we ate. I didn't have a Wegman's sub, but what I did have – some food with friends – filled the gap nicely. It was much better than a Wegman's sub. There is, of course, the 'however' here. My life wasn't suddenly emptied of gray and filled with color. Jesus dealt with the gap, but it was not completely filled nor was it permanently filled. Let me make clear that your experience of the gap can be reduced as mine was on Monday. More color can be added to our lives, pushing back the gray, but the gaps will still exist.
And that leads to this. Jesus' promise to fill the gap will not be fully and finally kept until He returns. That means that we will all experience that sense of a gap – actually, lots of gaps – for the rest of our lives. We will, every day, face this question: 'Will I trust Jesus to deal with the gap that is confronting me at this moment, or will I take matters into my own hands to try to fill it myself? Will I worship Jesus or some aspect of His creation?' This is so very difficult because the world, the flesh and the devil tempt us with so many things to use as idols - including good things like a Wegman's sub. Wrestling with this is hard. It's part of Christian suffering that the Bible talks about.
This highlights, again, the importance of our choices. Remember, we don't stand still as Christians. Our walk with Jesus is either improving or deteriorating. So, consider what happens when you choose an idol to deal with a gap. It will work – at least for a while. But over time our idols won't satisfy like they once did. A Wegman's sub might work for a time but after a while something more will be needed. The idolatry grows, and as it does it enslaves more and more. But choosing to trust Jesus to fill the gap creates some change also. Choosing to worship Him instead results in those gaps being filled. You begin to notice that there really is more color in your life. And persisting in this kind of choosing results in a growing ability to trust Him more to finish the job completely. Our choices in this really matter. All of this is simply an application of what Jesus was getting at when He said, '...with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.' Life is not static. It is dynamic. We will either grow as worshipers of Jesus or descend into the abyss of idolatry.
Now we're ready for our text. 'Little children, guard yourselves from idols.' It's not one of those complicated parts of the Bible. John offers a simple exhortation. 'Be careful. There are idols everywhere. Watch out for them.' I'd like to look at this exhortation in terms of two questions: 'Why?' and 'How?'
So, why should we guard ourselves from idols? It will take some effort. Why should we expend that effort? The most important reason is not about our well-being. The most important reason shows up in a place like Isaiah 42. 'I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.' When we worship some idol we rob Jesus of the glory He deserves. Remember our purpose for living: to make Jesus look good. Any idolatry not only fails to do that, but it actually makes Him look bad. Professing Jesus as Savior, but depending on something else to help you make it through the day is hypocrisy. It is a hypocrisy that makes Him look bad. Guarding ourselves from idols is of great benefit to us. But it is not the first reason why we do that. If pursuing our well-being becomes our first motivation, then, ironically, we have fallen into idolatry. The first reason for guarding ourselves from idols is that Jesus deserves no less.
Now, to the second question. How do we do this? There are several things to do. This isn't complicated, but that doesn't mean that it will be easy. The first thing to do is to admit to yourself that you have idols. You are an idol worshiper. That should be very sobering. Our God is quite clear about this. He hates idolatry. And you don't have to look for some out-of-the-way text to know that. This is the Second Commandment. '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. 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...' Our idolatry is a very serious matter. But though we should be sobered by this we should not despair. Remember the Gospel. Jesus has come to save idolaters like us. He has come to rescue us from our idolatry and all of its consequences. So, the first step is to be honest and admit to yourself, 'I worship idols.'
Now, if you would be rescued from your idolatry, your heart will need to be changed. After all, what's wrong with eating a Wegman's sub? It all depends on what's going on in the heart. Idols reside in the heart. If you would be freed from idols, your heart will need to be changed. At this point, it's important to remember that you cannot change your own heart. Seeing that is actually very helpful. It reinforces the fact that being rescued from your idols is a Gospel issue. It's something you can't do, but it certainly is something the Spirit can do. And that's encouraging. The Spirit is a gift from Jesus. He has work to do in your life, things like dealing with your idols. And He will deal with them. That's the Gospel. It really is a Gospel of grace.
However, this does not mean that there is nothing for you to do. There is much for you to do, but it is done in preparation for or in response to what the Spirit does.
So, first, you need to get lots of Bible into your soul. You need to listen to sermons, be involved in Bible studies, read your Bible alone and in with your family, listen to the Bible on your iPod, think about the stuff you learn from your Bible. You want to give the Spirit lots to work with, lots of Bible to work with. Now, no one here can spend every waking hour getting lots of Bible. That, actually, would be a bad thing. We have different situations, different schedules, different abilities. So, you should aim for what's right for you. But keep the goal clearly in mind: lots of Bible. The Spirit will use it to reveal idols that you never knew you had, things like Wegman's subs.
Then, you'll need to interact with others about these things. You're going to need to talk about all that Bible that you're getting. This is something for husbands and wives to do and for families to do. Dinnertime, when the family is re-united, is a great time to talk about Bible. This is something that you'll want to discuss with the other folk in the church. This makes for good discussion at the monthly luncheon or after worship. All you need to do to start is say something like, 'Can I tell you what I've been seeing from the Bible'? And you really do need to do this because getting more Bible is something that you can't do alone, not well anyhow. No one can see all of the Bible. The Spirit uses other people to help us see more of it. Remember, this sermon started in my soul as I listened to someone talk about the idolatry of comfort foods. We can't do this alone.
And then, you'll want to pray. You'll want to pray about getting more Bible into your soul. Getting it into your mind is relatively simple. That just takes discipline. But getting it into your soul is a different matter. You'll need to pray about that. And then, you'll want to ask that your idols be revealed to you. That's a little scary but not terribly. Our God is actually very gentle with us.
And all of that will come to a climax when the Spirit points out some idol. He will put His finger right on it. There will be no doubt. You'll feel the nudge. You'll almost hear words: 'You have sinned. You have robbed Jesus of some glory. You have worshiped some idol. You've worshiped this idol.' And that is so very serious. At that point, you'll need to return to the basic theme of the Gospel: repentance and faith. Repent of your sin. Admit it. You looked to an idol to deal with the gap instead of looking to Jesus. Be honest, and say it clearly, in black and white. 'I worshiped an idol; this one.' But don't stop there. Never stop there. Come again to Jesus. And there is no need to be afraid. He isn't angry at you. He will welcome you and receive you gladly. Come to Him for forgiveness and for change. He will give you both. And then, rejoice. Jesus is at work in your soul. You've taken another step in the right direction – by His grace. And the day will dawn when He will be finished with His work in you. No more gaps. No more drab gray. No more idols.
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