The following information is courtesy of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Lakeville, MN and a sermon done on 1/24/2011 by Ryan Alexander. The stuff that is indented is some notes and thoughts of mine! I have been a Tim Keller fan for quite a while. Last week and this week Ryan hit Tim Kellers Gospel and Idolatry philosophy spot on. I also want to point you to the idea of moralism under the Our Religion Bullet. This is the topic in the next sermon. This may bend peoples brains a bit but I am not sure if you know Christians with a legacy of broken relationships. Read the John MccArthur quote below and it will explain why these broken relationships may come from a scripturally incorrect moralistic therapeutic deism that most (yes, most) people maintain today! Moralistic therapeutic deism is a major thief of the Gospel today!!!!
Here is a link to Tim Kellers Centrality of the Gospel Document: Link.
Here is a link to Ryans Sermon from Hosanna Church in audio form: Link
Below is the sermon outline and some thoughts and notes of mine.
Idolatry_________________________ is a universal human tendency.
Acts 14:8-20 (p. 664)
Insecurity_______________________ is a symptom of idolatry.
Idolatry is the opposite of true worship. Every human being – at the very center of their life, today and into eternity – is unceasingly doing either the former or the latter. – http://www.theresurgence.com
Idolatry ( a passion for something greater and more powerful than God in your life) and Insecurity (fear of not having or getting our idols) are opposite sides of the same coin
There is a lot of talk in secular counseling about attachment and intimacy disorders. At our core man has a worship disorder and we always break the 1st commandment (making God secondary) before we engage in the behavioral part of our sin. What we need is the expulsive, replacement, rejoicing of Jesus Christ as we examine the idols (functional gods) of our heart!!!!
Idolatry is anything more important to you than God…anything you seek to give you what only God can give you. Idolatry is anything you look at and say, “If I have that, my life has value.” – Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods
Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your god.
– Martin Luther
10 Commandments
Under every behavioral sin is the sin of idolatry. – Luther
Top 4 American Idol Contestants:
• Objects__________________________
Cars, house, money, sex, TV, Phones, games, sports
• Others___________________________
Pastors, Celebrities, Children,Spouse, Sex and Romance, (Turning Spouse and Children and good things into ultimate things)
God will never ask you to love your children or spouse less… but he will ask you to love Him more!!!!!!!!
• Ourselves_________________________
Lust for Power, Self assurance, Self-reliance, being our own god (man’s original sin), Sex
• Our Religion_______________________
Moralism (making morality the thing that makes yourself or another person acceptable to you)
Morality is the result of a relationship with jesus and not the way to a relationship with Jesus. Its not Jesus plus … Its Jesus period!
Religious rules being the main thing, our doctrine, Legalism
Part of this weeks sermon: Moralism brings persecution to Christians for all the wrong reasons! — John MccArthur.
Part of this weeks sermon: Moralism is if you obey your accepted but the Gospel says your accepted therefore you will strive to obey. All of scripture shows us the difference between the two. — Tim Keller
Have you ever know a very knowledgeable Christian with a legacy of broken relationships that also feels justified for all those broken relationships (I have). The chances are that this person has not been “acting in line” with the truth of the Gospel message and is engaging in moralistic therapeutic deism (ie moralism) that Jesus rebukes with the pharisees and Paul corrects Peter for in Galatians (Gal 2:14). Moralism is a major thief of the truth of the Gospel message where we make a persons moral or religious performance a requirement for that person to be acceptable to you — Jon Spadino
Idolatry is always the perversion of something good. – NT Wright
Questions for further reflection and discussion:
1. What are the idols that permeate and plague your life?
2. How are they creating insecurity in your life?
3. How can you live beyond your insecurities by exalting God more?
Test