command One & Two | other gods

“no other gods”

initially, many of us think, “no idols, no other gods”,

I’m good

no little, gold, buddha-looking things in my crib

1-0, next

Insert an emergency brake hard pull, right here

Idolatry is looking to ANYTHING to give you what you already have been provided in Christ Jesus

we constantly look for peace, security, validation, identity, relief, and control in the creation, not the Creator

our hearts are idol factories, cranking out pseudo-saviors

we can look for comfort, control, and significance

in our jobs, careers, spouse, kids, Netflix, alcohol, porn, someone else’s spouse, favorite college football team, golf score, accomplishments, bank accounts, retirement funds, and fantasy football team…or is this just me?

do I need to keep going? not hard too

Jesus DIED (remember last Friday?) to reconcile us to God and has already given us abundant comfort, rest in His control, and the ultimate significance as a Child of the God Most High

when we break commandments 2-10, we have already broken command 1

when we sin at all we are also committing idolatry,

placing hope in something else other than god

no other gods

other gods lie to us, always over-promising and under-delivering

“Is this it?” Tom Brady, said after his first Super Bowl win

“I thought I would feel more fulfilled,” Bubba Watson said after winning the Masters

millionaires and movie stars are the least happy among us, by a mile

we suck at even knowing what we want

if I can just get out of this house and out from under parents and get out on my own, just get in and through college, just get a job, just get a better job, just get a spouse, just have kids, just have more kids, just get another spouse, just get these kids out of the house, just get enough money not to work and if I can just win the the shuffleboard league at my retirement complex, if I can just…..we live the book of Ecclesiastes

we either teether our hearts vertically, or collect treadmills horizontally

we can even make good things, idol things

a good thing, we make the ultimate thing, becomes a bad and sinful thing

and make no mistake, we are all worshippers

the World is not divided into worshippers and non-worshippers

the World is divided into those who worship the One God Jehovah

and those who worship other gods

Grindforth!…with no other gods

Litmus Test to get an idea of what may be competing with God for your affections?

If you prayed this prayer,

“God if you will just do this_____________ if you will just give me this_____________ then I would see you as God and serve you as God and see you as good.”

Whatever goes into those blank lines is more than likely a competitor with God for your central affections