WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:09.359 As I brought this statement up to a few people back home, it was met with, I don't really think I'm aware of any idol, any idols. 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:17.120 And you may be thinking the same thing, but I assure you, if you are here and you are breathing, you have idols. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:22.480 So before we dig into this very heavy topic, I am going to pray for us. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:27.199 Father God, we just commit to this time to you, God. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:32.000 This is um it's it's a simple topic, but a heavy one. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:43.920 As you reveal sin in our heart, Lord, it is it is not always easy to hear, but it is um so necessary for our freedom in Christ and to be able to live out the purpose that you have for us. 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:58.640 So I pray that you would just be with my words, Lord, that you would just come my heart and that my words would come from you and they would fall on hearts that are just ready to receive, Lord, so that we might leave here today, just ready to worship you in the way that we were designed to. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:04.239 So we just give this time to you, Lord, and we just ask for your spirit to go before us, Lord, in Jesus' name. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:05.120 Amen. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:11.359 So, in tackling this topic this afternoon, I want to make two thesis statements. 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:18.400 Number one, God has clearly stated our purpose here on earth when he gave the creation mandate. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:25.359 Number two, idolatry is a reversal of that purpose that is explained in the creation mandate. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:34.400 My hope for this session is that we would be equipped to tear down every stronghold or idol that sets itself up against our created purpose. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:44.879 This lesson today comes out of my own heart and my own journey in understanding my purpose and recognizing the idols of my heart that hindered me from living it out. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:55.200 As a pastor's wife and a biblical counselor, the need to deal with idols of the heart is ever before me and not just others' idols, but my own. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:02:02.000 So we're gonna do some review because if you're anything like me, and we talked about this before, you are a slow learner. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.079 I need to hear things over and over. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:10.080 Repetition is good, and many of you have said you've never heard about this topic before, and it's a lot. 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:13.360 We covered a lot, so I think repetition will be good for us. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:23.199 So if I were to ask you what the creation mandate is, I hope you're starting to go right to the imperative, the command. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:31.120 And the mandate is to be fruitful, to multiply, to fill the earth, subdue it, and take dominion over it. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:42.800 If I were to ask you what is the indicative or the truth or the motivator behind the command, I hope your mind would be going to, because we have been created in the image and likeness of God. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:45.439 That is why we are to fulfill this mandate. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:51.120 Genesis 1.26 tells us that God made man in his image to represent him. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.280 This verse encapsulates our purpose to image God. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:03:01.680 Scripture shows us in several places what our purpose is, but it's rooted in this truth that we are made in his image. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:07.439 We are image bearers, and bearing God's image rightly is the only way to truly glorify him. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:15.039 2 Corinthians 5 9 tells us, so whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:23.759 1 Corinthians 10 31 says, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:29.039 We glorify God by imaging him, by being like him. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.800 This is the very purpose for which we were designed. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.199 So we're going to go over the mandate again. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:36.800 Genesis 1 26. 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:50.560 Then God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:54.960 We talked about what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:00.960 There is a reason that God is sharing his communicable attributes with man. 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:02.560 There is a purpose. 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:07.360 Our entire existence is banking on us, understanding this truth. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:14.240 We learned that in the ancient Near East, a king would arise and he would want to conquer and control the known world at that time. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:17.920 As the king conquered lands, he would leave behind the nine-foot statue. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:20.800 We talked about that in every land he conquered. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:27.360 So remember, when Moses wrote these terms, image and likeness, the readers understood that implication and what it meant. 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:31.199 They would be thinking that image and likeness represented the great king. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:36.399 So when people looked at those statues, they were to represent the reign and rule of the great king. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:40.399 Those statues would show them ultimately who owns that land. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.800 The people were to represent the value system of the great king. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:54.720 So statues were visible reminders of the great king, a reminder of who the people represented and whose value system they represented. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:59.839 When God made Adam and Eve, he said, Let us make man in our image. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:05.759 There is one great king, the God who is the owner of all this land he created. 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:10.480 And he said, Let us make man in our image and likeness. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:12.959 So what was Adam and Eve's purpose? 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:22.319 Their purpose, just like those statues, and just like our purpose, is to represent God, the great king and his value system and his reign. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:30.079 Only they were not stone statues, they were living, breathing, visible representations of the invisible God. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:39.759 God owns the land and he made it, and he has co-rulers, us, to harness its potential and represent him in the midst of it. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:44.480 We are the visible representation of the invisible God. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.879 So when people look at us, they are supposed to see God and his value system. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:54.560 I know this is a lot of repetition, but I hope it helps to make the right connections. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:06:00.000 When I understood these implications, it radically changed the way that I think. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:08.399 And I know many of you did not hear the term creation mandate, but I'm sure most of you have heard that we were made in the image of God. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:14.240 I'm sure most of you understand that what it means to be made in the image of God is to be like him and to look like him. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:23.439 So we probably knew that before we came, but I think it's a truth that we just pass over and don't really think about what that looks like in everyday life. 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:28.000 So when people look at you, are you reflecting who you worship? 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.319 Am I reflecting who I worship? 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:36.160 Am I representing King Jesus and living out and showing others his values? 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:45.439 When we function the way that God designed us to function, as image bearers, he created us to be, what would you think would be the result of that? 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:50.879 If we truly represented God and his value system to the world, what would the outcome be? 00:06:50.879 --> 00:07:18.480 Well, we would be fruitful and we would multiply and we would subdue the earth and we would take dominion in righteousness and holiness, obeying the statutes that God gave us, and then the whole world would see the greatness of our great king and the righteous and holy value system he has, and others will worship him too, until, let's say it together, the whole earth is filled with his glory, right? 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:19.920 That's the goal. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:21.920 That is our purpose. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:28.560 As we know, Adam and the entire human race after him failed at their image-bearing task. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:35.040 But we know that God sent the one man, Jesus, who was able to accomplish this task perfectly. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:41.120 Jesus was the perfect image-bearer, the perfect visible representation of the invisible God. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:52.800 Because of what God has done, all who have placed their faith and trust in Christ are now able to once again carry out his purpose for us with the power he supplies. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:59.120 We are to be like him, to image him wherever we go, to be fruitful, to multiply. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:04.720 We are to subdue the earth, subdue the spaces we live in, and take dominion over them. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:12.000 We talked about what this would look like if we live by God's righteous standards and bring order to the spaces we live in. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:12.720 Why? 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:14.079 For what purpose? 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:19.120 So others will know him until the whole earth is filled with his glory. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:20.160 I want you to get that. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:25.680 If you go home and just think this is the so that the whole earth would be filled with his glory. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:31.279 To restore every human being back to his or her original design and purpose. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:33.279 That is why we are here. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:40.000 My hope this afternoon is to help us transition from the knowledge to the application a bit more. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:46.639 Being reminded of our purpose can bring clarity to so many situations that we deal with every day. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:49.440 Now you may be here thinking, yes, I get it. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:54.320 I know I'm designed to be an image bearer of God, to please him in all things, and to give him glory. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:57.759 I know this truth, and I try every day to live it out. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.000 Isn't that what Christians are supposed to do? 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:06.960 We make meals for people, we are kind, we serve, we share the gospel, we give good advice, we hold back harsh words. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:11.039 But do you sometimes feel that you're just going through the motions? 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:22.799 Do you find that oftentimes your good service does not come with an overwhelming attitude of overflowing joy that springs from your heart? 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:31.200 Do you sometimes feel that your righteous acts do not come as a result of your gratitude for what Christ has done for you? 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:37.120 Do you feel that your righteous deeds lack an awareness of God's grace toward you? 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:41.600 Or do you often feel like, well, I know it's the right thing to do? 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:50.240 My desire for myself and for all of us is to grasp the truths we learn to the point where it changes us from the inside out. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:58.799 If our knowledge is not applied, it just puffs us up, or it will frustrate us and it will not be useful or effective. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:06.000 If our heart does not obey out of faith in the person of Christ, we are not truly pleasing God. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:12.320 And I don't know about you, but I want to please God by living out his purpose in every aspect of my life. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:14.159 And yet I know I don't. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:16.720 And I'm guessing you don't either. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:26.559 And the good news is no matter where we are on our journeys, the principles that we will work through today will apply wherever we are in whatever situation we are in. 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:33.279 I heard one of our elders say, it is not so much about where you are, but where you are going. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.720 And I found that statement to be extremely encouraging. 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:42.960 So I've covered my first thesis point that our purpose here on earth is rooted in the creation mandate. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:50.879 And now I want to move on to the second thesis point, which is idolatry is a reversal of that purpose explained in the creation mandate. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:11:02.639 So now we're gonna dig a little bit more into the heart, and we're gonna explain what it means to deal with these idols of our heart. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:03.759 Hold on, I lost my spot. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:04.720 I'm so sorry. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:08.879 Okay, how many of you would agree with this statement by a show of hands? 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:12.080 Everything we do comes from the heart? 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:16.000 Okay, most of you. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.600 Everything that we think comes from the heart. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:20.240 Yes? 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:21.120 Okay. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:26.720 How about everything we feel, not physically, but emotionally? 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:31.120 Do you think everything we feel comes from the heart? 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:32.240 Okay. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:37.840 Maybe some of you just don't want to raise your hand, but we've got a few people. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:41.120 Maybe you're just confused and you think I'm asking trick questions. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:43.759 I'm trying to stump you. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:45.440 I'm not really trying to stump you. 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:50.879 We're gonna go to scripture to answer that for us in case you're worried that I don't know what I'm talking about. 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:58.399 Proverbs 423 says, Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:09.519 Luke 6.45 says, the good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:13.279 For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:16.879 So I think the answer to all of those questions is yes. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:23.679 Everything comes, everything we do, everything we think, everything, all of our emotion, all of it comes from our heart. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:29.519 So I want us to slow down and really think about how we have lived the Christian life. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:36.480 So often we focus on the imperatives, the things that we are to do, how we are supposed to obey. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:40.559 And we often get frustrated because we think obedience is hard. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:45.679 We may find ourselves doing the right thing, but not always with the right attitude. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:49.519 Or we do the right thing and wonder why we didn't have a good outcome. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:51.120 Has that ever been you? 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:56.159 Do you ever find yourself doing the right thing while grumbling in your heart? 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:09.519 As I go through some examples, I want us to reflect on our actions, our thinking, and our emotions in light of our purpose as image-bearers of God representing Him. 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:14.559 So think of yourself as a visible representation of the invisible God. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:21.679 I want you to think of how Jesus may act or think or emote differently in the same situation. 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:27.759 And I want to preface this by saying at one point or another, I have been guilty of every single one of these. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:31.759 So I'm not, I didn't pick examples that I thought you may be struggling with. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:37.279 I picked examples that I struggle with or have or still am currently struggling with. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:39.600 So here are some examples. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:47.759 So again, I want you to think about how you would act or think or remote versus how an image bearer of God would in the way Jesus would. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:55.440 So you are washing dishes while grumbling because someone left the dishes for you to wash. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.679 You I feel the identity there. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:02.879 We are women and we feel that, right? 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:10.240 You sign up to serve in an area of ministry and you feel frustrated because someone else isn't doing their part. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:15.440 Or you're frustrated because someone is in a position of ministry that you want to be in. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:22.000 Your friend tells you she is going on vacation with a mutual friend and you are not invited. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:28.080 You tell your friend you're happy for her, but in your heart, you are jealous and upset that you weren't included. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:38.480 You serve because you love Jesus, only to feel hurt when no one notices what you do, or someone else gets credit for something you did. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:44.080 You serve your family and you are frustrated because none of them are grateful. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:52.960 You are having a conversation with someone, and before you know it, you find yourself or the other person being defensive and you feel annoyed. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:58.960 You pick up dirty laundry off the floor and you are upset because it isn't yours. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:01.200 You felt that one too. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:01.919 I felt that. 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:05.600 I was like, I've these this is real deal, right? 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:13.360 Someone sins against you, you respond the right way, but you are hurt and aggravated with them. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:16.320 Your boss gives you an instruction. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:23.120 You do it, but inside you are grumbling either because you don't want to do it or because you think it is unfair. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:32.639 You complain over other sin or gossip to others about it, but you are unwilling to love your sister or brother in Christ and go directly to them. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:40.480 So I've tried to spend a lot of time speaking on the indicatives, the truth, or the why, the motivator behind the command. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:53.039 I do this because if we don't understand our purpose, if we don't understand why God created us, if we don't understand what Christ has done, we will never be able to obey this command without frustration. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:16:13.039 If we are not aware of our utterly sinful state before a holy God, if we are not completely enveloped in the love and grace of Christ, if we are not in awe of his forgiveness for us and how he rescued us from sin, we will never love God and love others in the way he designed us to. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:36.000 We may be theologically accurate in our churches, we may say the right things and do the right things, but are they are we truly caught up in the goodness and grace of God that our actions, thoughts, and feelings intuitively come from a heart of thanksgiving that is expressed in righteousness that brings glory to God? 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.080 Why is that not our response? 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:43.120 I'm gonna give you an opportunity to respond. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:44.639 The answer is what? 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:48.320 Yes, sin, idolatry, right? 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:50.879 Sin, and it comes from our hearts. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:56.799 Brent Oakwin, who was a pastor and biblical counselor, asked this question. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:00.399 Why do we do what we do? 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:05.599 Or you can say, why do we think what we think, or why do we feel what we feel? 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:09.839 James chapter 4, verses 1 and 2 gives us a little clue. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:13.440 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:16.880 Is it not this that your passions are at war within you? 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:19.680 You desire and do not have, so you murder. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:23.200 You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:26.160 You do not have because you do not ask. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:31.359 Brent Oaken says, We do what we do because we want what we want. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.119 It's that simple. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:35.759 And why do we want what we want? 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:41.039 Our behavior comes from the passions and desires of our heart. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:48.480 We want what we want because we are deceived into thinking that God is withholding good from us. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:59.759 We're gonna talk about how some of those things are not actually sinful things, but they oftentimes lead to sinful behaviors or responses. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:09.519 So if our desire determines our behavior and our behavior is sinful, then what needs to change? 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:11.119 Our desire. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:16.480 It is the desire of the heart that needs to change, not just our actions. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:18.000 Sounds simple, right? 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.920 We can go home now, we got it. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:22.240 If only it was that easy, right? 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:29.759 In order for this to happen, our desire has to be supplanted and overcome by another desire that is greater. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:33.200 So let's just think of some examples in everyday life. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:39.279 Have you ever seen a parent bribe a child into obeying by offering them something they really want? 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:44.480 I remember many years ago sitting around our table playing a game as a family. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.599 In a household of boys, there was a lot of sarcasm. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:50.720 You know, the kind of sarcasm that tears each other down. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:58.960 In every attempt I had to get one particular child to speak kindly, he just did not know how to offer words of encouragement. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.720 If sarcasm was a spiritual gift, this child had it. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:08.400 This actually became a source of contention because this child did not see the sin in it. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:11.119 And we were well into the teen years. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:16.799 If you don't see something as sin, you will never convince someone to change their behavior. 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:28.319 I so desperately wanted this child to stop that I offered him $50 if he could go 30 minutes straight without a sarcastic word, but only using words that were uplifting and encouraging. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:31.920 It was actually quite comical how he turned this scene around. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:37.920 For a solid 15 minutes, we were all in hysterics as this child spewed out encouraging words. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:42.799 It was so out of character for him that he's a bit of a ham, so he had us cracking up. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:48.799 What was interesting though was how many times he was about to say something sarcastic. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:54.640 And then, as it was very evident to us, he caught himself and then continued with his humorous encouragement. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:57.279 He really wanted that 50 bucks. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:03.039 For a short time, that desire for money was greater than his desire for sarcasm. 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:08.640 However, after 15 minutes, his true heart came out: sarcasm. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:14.240 What is interesting about it is that once I challenged him on it, he didn't agree that it was sarcasm. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:16.480 See, I couldn't convince him that it was sin. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:20.720 Ultimately, it was not the desire of his heart to be an encourager. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:22.079 That was the bottom line. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:25.359 At that point in his life, this child was a complainer. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.000 His heart would eventually come out. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:33.519 When we have a ruling desire in our heart, it will always find its way out. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:46.240 So if we want good behavior, we need new desires, and we can't force ourselves to just put off old behaviors and put on new ones, thinking that will offer us lasting change. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:48.240 The heart needs to change. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:50.480 The desire needs to change. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:54.799 And when it does, we will act out of those new desires. 00:20:54.799 --> 00:21:00.079 Do you sometimes find yourself saying, I did the right thing, but it didn't work? 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:05.920 Like I ate right and I exercised, and now I have a life-threatening disease. 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:11.680 Or I spoke kindly to my husband and I served him, and I was a good wife, but none of that worked. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:13.359 He still won't change. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.920 Or I raised my kids right, and now they have walked away from God. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:25.359 All of these examples show frustration in our hearts after what we would have considered obedience to God. 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:28.880 But isn't obedience supposed to bring us peace and joy? 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:33.119 In those scenarios, I thought I obeyed God, but I don't feel peace and joy. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:34.480 I feel frustration. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:36.000 Can you relate? 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:40.240 Doesn't God's word tell me if I obey, I will have joy. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:44.480 Let's look at John 15, 10. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:54.319 It says, If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love. 00:21:54.319 --> 00:22:01.759 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:08.559 So what do you hear in those verses that implies an inward joy or peace that comes from obedience? 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:13.680 Our joy is complete when we abide in Christ and obey his commands. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:22.000 Psalm 119, one through three says, Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:30.640 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong but walk in his ways. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:35.119 Another word for blessed is happy. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:38.880 So you can say, happy are those whose way is blameless. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:51.279 So what do you hear in those verses that imply an inward joy or peace that comes from obedience? 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.440 We see those blessed, right? 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:54.160 Happy. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:59.119 Happy are those whose way is blameless, happy are those who keep his testimonies. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:07.279 Jesus tells us in Matthew 11, 28 through 30, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:14.720 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:18.160 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:24.880 So what do you hear in those verses that imply an inward joy or peace that comes from obedience? 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:33.279 We see things like rest for your soul, my yoke is easy, my burden is light. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:36.400 So this is what obedience should bring about in us, right? 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:38.240 It should be joy in that. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:48.960 So what do we hear in these verses? 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:54.799 We hear his commands are not a burden, but don't you often feel that obeying God is a burden? 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:57.920 I know I do, and we're gonna talk about why. 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:07.759 So we can see from scripture that obedience leads to happiness, rest, and joy. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:12.559 Do you feel happiness, rest, and joy in some of the scenarios I read earlier? 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:18.400 Do you feel joy when you're picking up someone's dirty laundry or when someone treats you poorly? 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:21.440 What is the disconnect in our hearts? 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:27.279 Because Jesus tells us that obedience gives us joy, and I'm not feeling that sometimes. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:37.359 I want to propose that what we may think are acts of obedience may not be obedience completely due to the idols in our hearts. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:39.440 And that is the disconnect. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:44.720 I hope we will all leave here this weekend understanding this theology of idolatry. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:51.920 John Calvin says, Man's nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols. 00:24:51.920 --> 00:25:07.920 He continues to say, Man's mind, full as it is of pride and boldness, dares to imagine God according to his own capacity, as it sluggishly plods, indeed is overwhelmed with the crassest ignorance. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:12.319 It conceives an unreality and an empty appearance of God. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:19.519 Nothing is more dangerous than religious confidence in a fake God of our own imaging. 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:31.279 As we can see, and John Calvin's statement sums up our second thesis point, which is idolatry is a reversal of the created order explained in the creation mandate. 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:36.400 So if our purpose is to image God, then what is idolatry? 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:44.720 In idolatry, man makes gods into our own image rather than us being made in his. 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:49.440 The gods we make exist to serve or represent us. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:52.799 We were designed to serve and represent God. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:58.160 In idolatry, man lives to represent himself, not God. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:10.720 If we are designed to delight in God, idolatry reverses that delight and causes us to worship futility rather than an incomparable holy God who is our greatest delight. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.680 Idolatry hinders our ability to live out our purpose. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:21.759 When we are serving our idols, we are not representing, pleasing, or glorifying God. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:24.240 In fact, we are doing the exact opposite. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:27.599 We're wreaking havoc rather than creating order. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:32.400 You may say, wow, this sounds so serious, but I don't worship idols. 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:35.599 And what does it even mean to have idols at the heart? 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:42.559 When you think of idols, you might think of the Old Testament and how the Israelites worshiped idols and think, I don't worship idols. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:47.920 We may be familiar with scriptures such as Psalm 115, one through seven. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:56.240 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:59.039 Why should the nation say, Where is their God? 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:02.640 Our God is in the heavens, he does all that he pleases. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:06.559 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:21.440 They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see, they have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell, they have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk, and they do not make a sound in their throat. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:23.519 What is this scripture saying? 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:25.599 What are these idols referring to? 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:30.960 The direct context would be statues made by human hands that their gods inhabit. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:38.079 They believe that the spirit of their gods lived in these statues and that they created with their own hands. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:43.359 But what does it mean that they have mouths that do not speak and ears that do not hear? 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:49.039 Their gods were works of their hands, they were just wooden statues. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:58.160 But Israel's God was alive, he sees, he hears, he moves, he speaks, he is alive. 00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:06.240 Psalm 115, 8 says, Those who make them, meaning the idols, become like them. 00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:09.039 So do all who trust in them. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:11.279 So what is this verse saying? 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.440 What happens to those who make or trust idols? 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:17.759 It says they become like them. 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:19.119 In what way? 00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:21.680 They become blind and deaf. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:32.319 Ezekiel 14, 3 says, Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts and set the stumbling block of iniquity before their faces. 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:35.839 Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:42.880 So what do you think it means to set a stumbling block of iniquity before their eyes? 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:48.960 Besides physical outward idols, there are invisible inward idols of the heart. 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:59.039 Though we may not worship a foreign god or bow down to an idol statue, there are many things that still serve as idols in our heart, and we need to recognize them. 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:04.960 Tim Keller says, An idol is anything more important to you than God? 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:13.839 Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, and anything that you seek to give you what only God can give. 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:18.000 So, what is the solution to this problem of idols in the heart? 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:20.160 How do we even identify them? 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:23.519 And once we identify them, what do we do with them? 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:31.599 I'd like to propose a few things and spend the rest of our time being super practical about identifying and dealing with our idols. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:34.880 But first, we have to believe there is a better way. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:44.000 We will not give up our idols until we are offered something better, something better that is sustaining, not temporary, like 50 bucks. 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:55.039 John Piper said the root power of sin is severed by the power of a superior pleasure, a more compelling joy. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:58.720 This goes back to desire that we read about in James 4. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:00.640 Our desires are Are wrong. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:02.640 We need right desires. 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:06.000 Remember the example I gave of my son with sarcasm. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:13.119 True change from sarcasm to encouragement couldn't really happen until his heart had a new affection. 00:30:13.119 --> 00:30:20.720 The only thing that could motivate him is if his desire to encourage was greater than his desire to be sarcastic. 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:25.039 Even if the transition is not easy, and it's not easy. 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:32.559 The want to want to must be present, and the want to want to will not be present if we don't see the problem. 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:39.119 And if you don't know what I mean by the want to want to, it is a recognition state. 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:48.160 It's understanding I really, I really want that cookie and I want to eat it, but I want to want to not eat the cookie, if that may be. 00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:50.079 It's a recognition of I shouldn't want that. 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:51.039 That's a first step. 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:55.200 But if you don't even know that it's wrong, you're not even in the recognition state. 00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:56.160 That's where my son was. 00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:58.640 He didn't even see sarcasm was wrong. 00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:01.920 But once you see sarcasm is wrong, you can say, you know what? 00:31:01.920 --> 00:31:05.920 I want to be sarcastic, that's why I do it, but I don't want to be sarcastic. 00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:07.599 So that's the recognition state. 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:09.599 Now we have something to work with. 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:14.000 So here's another silly example of a change to desire that led to action. 00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:16.960 Not so much a spiritual one, but hopefully we'll get the point. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:21.759 When my son Jonathan lived at home, he did not have a clean room. 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:27.599 He did not care to have a clean room, and he saw it quite silly that I would even desire for him to have a clean room. 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:32.880 Now I go into his home and I can see he is very intentional about keeping a clean home. 00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:38.079 He's a good leader, he takes responsibilities in ways that I never saw him do at home. 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:39.039 Why? 00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:40.799 A new affection. 00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:44.640 He now has a wife that he loves and desires to please. 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:54.720 His desire to please his wife is greater than his love for TV, video games, or any other thing that kept him from cleaning his room when he lived at home, even his mother. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:32:00.240 Have you heard the saying, an expulsive power of a new affection? 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.920 Anyone heard that? 00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:07.599 The desire of our heart is a great motivator, for good or for bad. 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:12.880 What is it that we want so badly that we will do anything to get it? 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:16.160 The answer to that question reveals what is in our heart. 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:18.160 We'll get back to that in a little bit. 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:20.960 Again, why do we do what we do? 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:22.799 Because we want what we want. 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:24.480 And what do we want? 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:27.599 We want happiness, pleasure, peace. 00:32:27.599 --> 00:32:31.279 But we pursue these things with the wrong motive. 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:33.759 We'll get a little more into that. 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:39.200 The desiring and delighting of man has been woven into us by our Creator. 00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:42.640 When God made man, he placed him in the garden of Eden. 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:45.359 Did you know that Eden means delight? 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:53.759 God made mankind to be with him in a life-giving relationship where there is fullness of joy, delight. 00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:57.920 God actually wants to fulfill our desires and give us delight. 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:00.559 But there's only one way we can get it. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:08.640 We are keeping ourselves from that delight because we cling to lesser delights. 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:13.759 Psalm 1611 says, You make known to me the path of life. 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:16.880 In your presence there is fullness of joy. 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:20.559 At your right hand are pleasures evermore. 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:24.480 Our idolatry keeps us from this reality. 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:38.160 When mankind chooses a path that is separate from a life-giving and joy-filled relationship with God, he will seek to fill his existence with temporary pleasures that cannot finally and fully satisfy. 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:42.240 Does fullness of joy sound like what we really want? 00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:43.920 I know I do. 00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:51.599 But what is it that can captivate our heart and get rid of its love for all the deceitful and slaving desires that rule it? 00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:55.119 We need the expulsive power of a new affection. 00:33:55.119 --> 00:34:03.440 We need a superior pleasure, a more compelling joy, and that can only be found in Christ and in his righteous statutes. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:10.480 Jesus Christ is the only individual who only and ever delighted fully in God his Father. 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:16.000 All he knew from eternity past was the fullness of joy by his father's side. 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:24.719 Yet Jesus Christ on the cross was willing to forgo his greatest delight when his father's presence was taken away from him. 00:34:24.719 --> 00:34:30.159 He did this out of obedience to his father's will and out of his love for you and me. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:40.719 He forfeited the presence of his father on the cross so that we might have the eternal opportunity to be in the Father's presence in fullness of joy. 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:51.199 So when we think about Jesus on the cross, do we think that this act of obedience of Jesus dying on a criminal's cross bearing the wrath of God was joy to him? 00:34:51.199 --> 00:35:22.719 Hebrews 12, 1 through 2 says, Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which cling so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:32.800 Jesus died so we may have life, that we would have abundant life, that our joy may be full, and that gave him joy. 00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:38.719 He took joy in his death on the cross, knowing he would accomplish that for us. 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:47.679 How much do you think it grieves him to see his children not live in the purpose and reality of the fullness of joy that he died to give us? 00:35:47.679 --> 00:35:55.280 It should be a comfort to us and a joy, not a burden or begrudgery when we are called to obey the commands of God. 00:35:55.280 --> 00:36:05.280 It is only a burden because we have resisted his will in order to worship the idols of our hearts, thinking that they will give us pleasures every evermore. 00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:08.800 So how do we recog rectify this problem? 00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:12.000 I'd like to present two remedies for this. 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:24.880 Number one is beholding Christ's love, meditating on Christ's love, rehearsing the gospel to ourselves over and over, and then our desires will change, and ultimately so will our behavior. 00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:31.599 The only way we will overcome this battle of sin is by seeing the beauty and excellence of Christ. 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:37.039 We overcome sin by seeing something more attractive than the world, Christ. 00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:44.400 Beholding Christ and his love for us is the expulsive power to change the desires of our heart. 00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:46.719 He is the new affection. 00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:52.719 The blessings we have in Christ are incomparable to anything this world has to offer. 00:36:52.719 --> 00:37:00.320 The blessings we have in Christ are incomparable to any feeling of control we may have in any of the examples we talked about. 00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:09.039 Beholding Christ and living in his righteous statutes is the only means by which we are promised fullness of joy. 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:12.880 The second remedy is this. 00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:25.840 We see it when we look into the mirror of God's word. 00:37:25.840 --> 00:37:35.119 The Bible is very clear that when we erect false gods in our hearts, not only will they never satisfy, but we will become like them. 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:40.719 When we serve our idols, we have the stumbling block of iniquity before our eyes. 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:50.320