idolatry
The Quest for Power, 28 February 2021
The Quest for Power
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:32-45
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve.
What comes to mind when you think of power? What is power? Is power good or evil? Yes!
It seems that some want power, some are afraid of power, some need power, …and we all have a certain measure of power, though all of us have limited power.
Andy Crouch has called power “the ability to make something of the world.” I think we all want to make something of the world…and so does God!
Last Sunday we returned to our study of Jesus from the book of Mark. The more we know about Jesus, the more we will know Jesus. He came to earth to create a path not for religion, but relationships. Do you know Jesus? He wants to be known, yet there are so many obstacles that stand in the way, most notably our other gods and idols we discussed last week, such as our love for money, sex, and power.
John Mark, the writer of this gospel or “good news,” tells us
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10:32)
The Passover celebration is near. Jesus is with his disciples and others. He had told them twice already that he would die, though they will seem to be clueless about the prophecies later. He tells them a third time…
“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34)
No wonder there was astonishment and fear. Jesus couldn’t be more clear about what was going the happen, and everything occurred exactly the way he predicted.
I understand there are skeptics who may think Mark simply took historical events and wrote Jesus’ words back into the story. While that may technically be possible, it is impossible for ancient prophets centuries earlier to rewrite the events. One of the greatest proofs of our faith is Jesus and the multiple prophecies he uniquely fulfilled. God knows the future. God is omniscient—all-knowing. The crucifixion was no accident. It was part of God’s plan, even though it didn’t make any sense at the time to the disciples.
This is true in our day, too. Josh Kaiser—pastor of OneHope Church—was telling me last week how one of his goals is to communicate God’s goodness to his congregation and generation. God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good!
“But how can God be good when I’m going through this…?” I don’t know, but your story is not over. As Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!”
God is good. God can be trusted. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel like it in this moment. You’ll see! In the meantime, faith fills in the gaps. “I believe, LORD. Help me in my unbelief.”
Now we move to a most interesting conversation.
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mark 10:35)
They want a blank check! Can you imagine?! What audacity! Jesus is willing to play along.
“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. (Mark 10:36)
They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:37)
Translation: we want the two best seats in heaven, in the next life. To be fair, James and John were two of Jesus’ three best friends, along with Peter. But this is quite the request.
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)
Jesus knows what lies ahead for himself…death. Following Jesus—being with Jesus—means following him everywhere…including the cross. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come alive. It’s not all fun and games. You take the good with the bad, the hard with the easy, the suffering with the comfort, the pain with the glory. But whatever price you pay in this life for following Jesus will be rewarded in the next…for eternity!
“We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Mark 10:39)
Jesus says they will suffer and die…and they did. It’s believed that all of the disciples died as martyrs except John…who was boiled in hot oil. Jesus doesn’t invite us to a life of pleasure and parties. The invitation is come and die…so you can truly live. Any sacrifice for Christ will be worth it…for eternity. James and John died for their faith…
but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10:40)
We don’t know who will sit beside Jesus…or if it really matters.
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:41)
Can you blame them? I would be angry, too! Now Jesus seizes this incredible teaching moment.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)
If you thought the lust for political power is a new thing, you haven’t been reading the Bible! Two thousand years ago, people were seeking to rule over others. They had agendas they wanted to implement, power they wanted to exert, and most likely people they wanted to oppress. This is the way of the world…money, sex, and power.
It’s easy to criticize politicians, but don’t you want power, too? Have you ever put someone else down so you could feel better about yourself? Have you ever silently thought you’re glad you're not like that person? Have you ever felt justified cutting in line or cheating because you felt better than another? Have you ever experienced a feeling of entitlement?
I thought so! Me, too! But Jesus says,
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43-44)
God’s Kingdom is upside down. Jesus turns the tables. In his world, the greatest serve. The first are last. The word “slave” here is not like our nation’s understanding of slave, but rather a bondservant, someone who is working off a debt for a specific time. They often owned property and could obtain freedom.
Jesus always backs up his words with action. He practices what he preaches!
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Here’s Jesus with his disciples on the way to his crucifixion. He has just told them exactly what would happen. He knows his life will be given for theirs, a ransom or payment for their sins…and ours. God became flesh and spent more than three decades serving. God served us! What kind of God would do that? Furthermore, God died for us! Show me any religion with that love, that mercy, that grace!
Only a God like You/could be worthy of my praise/and all my hope and faith
That’s our God! That’s our King!
So What?
In his book Playing God: Redeeming the gift of Power, Andy Crouch writes,
Power is all about image bearing—reflecting and refracting the creative power of the world’s Maker into the very good creation. And image bearing is for flourishing. But as idolatry fills the world with false images, and as those false images proliferate, the image bearers lose their capacity to bear the true image. The more the image bearers lose this capacity, the more creation itself is diminished, reduced to utilitarian means to bitter ends. Idolatry is the true failure of power.
This flows perfectly with last Sunday’s sermon on money. Our hearts are drawn to money, sex, and power…for our benefit. There’s actually nothing inherently wrong with any of them. Money can be used to bless others. Sex is one of God’s most wonderful ideas, a remarkable experience for a husband and wife in bonding and celebration of their relationship, to say nothing of procreation. Power can bring about freedom for the powerless and justice for the weak.
The issue is the heart. Why do you want money? Is it for yourself or others?
Why do you want sex? Is it for your personal pleasure or strengthening your marriage?
Why do you want power? Is it to bless or oppress others?
Andy Crouch adds,
Every Maundy Thursday, the night before Good Friday in the Western liturgical calendar, Christians around the world gather to wash one another’s feet. Two thousand years after the Teacher and Lord knelt with a towel around his waist, his followers, servants and messengers continue to imitate his example. There is no act of culture-making power more extraordinary than creating a ritual, an act that continues to bear witness to truth from generation to generation, long after the first persons who experienced it lay in the dust of death. The persistence down to this day of the act Jesus performed at that table, and the acts from that night that the other Gospels report—taking, blessing, breaking and giving the bread and wine—is the ultimate test and sign of his power. In this moment, Jesus creates culture, forever transforming the meaning of towel, loaf and cup, forever altering the way teachers and masters will see their roles, and the way their students and servants will see them.
Following Jesus means following his example of service, of washing feet, of daily sacrifice, of putting others first, of praying for one’s enemies, of blessing those who curse you. Could anything be more counter-cultural?
I wish I could say Christians model this well, that we never seek power, that we put others above ourselves, that we are content to go last, that we are known as servants.
The great theologian (!) Jimi Hendrix famously said, "When the power of love takes over the love of power, that's when things will change.”
Tony Campolo notes, “A basic sociological principle is you can’t express love and power at the same time. Whenever you love, you lose power. Love makes you vulnerable … We have a God who loves us so much he was willing to become vulnerable.”
I have to admit I’ve been embarrassed by so-called Christians who clamored for power, especially during this past political season, as if either candidate was the Messiah, the Savior, the answer to the world’s problems…and that somehow their guy would give them power. Washington’s got nothing on the Kingdom of God! I know politics is messy, but our allegiance must never be to a president but to a Priest, the great high Priest, who is also a Prophet, and King, Jesus Christ. His mission wasn’t to seek power for himself. He came with all authority on heaven and earth. He came for the world. In fact, he gave us his power and authority…for the sake of others.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
What does Jesus do with power? He sends his followers on a mission.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
One final passage from Andy Crouch:
There is no point in this story where Jesus gives up power—instead, it is the culmination and demonstration of his power. What Jesus gives up in this story is not power but privilege and status…
For those of us preoccupied with protecting our privilege and raising our status, this indifference of Jesus is terrifying. It prompts the kind of outburst that came from Peter. It is holy power, utterly purified, without an ounce of self-protection or self-regard. Jesus’ only use of power was to create, never to protect himself or to exalt himself. Perhaps this is the deepest explanation of his nonviolence. Violence, even when used in justifiable self-defense, does nothing to restore, redeem or create. It only damages in return. And Jesus simply never had a thought except to restore, redeem and create a new community among whom power would be used always and only for flourishing. In such a community, privilege and status can only be disdained and discarded. They are distractions from the real calling of image bearers: to be fruitful and multiply, far as the curse is found.
To follow Jesus means rejecting the world. It involves dying to self. It requires you to think—and act—differently. There’s no keeping up with the Joneses, giving them what they had coming to them, or even telling them to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. Some people don’t have bootstraps!
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. (Proverbs 31:8)
This includes the unborn, yes, but it also includes the marginalized, the forgotten, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the refugee. We all have a certain measure of power, given not for our own sake, but for the sake of others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. Everything we have—our money, time, talents, energy, power, influence, relationships—is a gift, on loan from God. We are to be good stewards and will one day given an account for what we did with what we’ve been given.
This is not a message about trying harder. It’s not a message about abusing yourself and being a doormat, either. Love your neighbor…as yourself.
It is a message of surrender, of letting go, of leveraging what you have for others, as Jesus did.
The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve, where the first are last, and where power is poured out for others as Jesus poured out his life—and blood—for us.
Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christian should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
One more thing…
I want to offer a final challenge to you today. Last week I said generosity kills the money monster, the temptation of greed. Likewise, there are three spiritual practices which kill the power monster, the temptation to selfishly use power. They are solitude, silence, and fasting. These classical disciplines—along with sabbath rest—allow us to disconnect from busyness, achievement, and striving and put our faith and trust into action. Dallas Willard’s classic The Spirit of the Disciplines and John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted are two recommended titles.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:32-45
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve.
What comes to mind when you think of power? What is power? Is power good or evil? Yes!
It seems that some want power, some are afraid of power, some need power, …and we all have a certain measure of power, though all of us have limited power.
Andy Crouch has called power “the ability to make something of the world.” I think we all want to make something of the world…and so does God!
Last Sunday we returned to our study of Jesus from the book of Mark. The more we know about Jesus, the more we will know Jesus. He came to earth to create a path not for religion, but relationships. Do you know Jesus? He wants to be known, yet there are so many obstacles that stand in the way, most notably our other gods and idols we discussed last week, such as our love for money, sex, and power.
John Mark, the writer of this gospel or “good news,” tells us
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10:32)
The Passover celebration is near. Jesus is with his disciples and others. He had told them twice already that he would die, though they will seem to be clueless about the prophecies later. He tells them a third time…
“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34)
No wonder there was astonishment and fear. Jesus couldn’t be more clear about what was going the happen, and everything occurred exactly the way he predicted.
I understand there are skeptics who may think Mark simply took historical events and wrote Jesus’ words back into the story. While that may technically be possible, it is impossible for ancient prophets centuries earlier to rewrite the events. One of the greatest proofs of our faith is Jesus and the multiple prophecies he uniquely fulfilled. God knows the future. God is omniscient—all-knowing. The crucifixion was no accident. It was part of God’s plan, even though it didn’t make any sense at the time to the disciples.
This is true in our day, too. Josh Kaiser—pastor of OneHope Church—was telling me last week how one of his goals is to communicate God’s goodness to his congregation and generation. God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good!
“But how can God be good when I’m going through this…?” I don’t know, but your story is not over. As Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!”
God is good. God can be trusted. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel like it in this moment. You’ll see! In the meantime, faith fills in the gaps. “I believe, LORD. Help me in my unbelief.”
Now we move to a most interesting conversation.
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mark 10:35)
They want a blank check! Can you imagine?! What audacity! Jesus is willing to play along.
“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. (Mark 10:36)
They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:37)
Translation: we want the two best seats in heaven, in the next life. To be fair, James and John were two of Jesus’ three best friends, along with Peter. But this is quite the request.
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)
Jesus knows what lies ahead for himself…death. Following Jesus—being with Jesus—means following him everywhere…including the cross. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come alive. It’s not all fun and games. You take the good with the bad, the hard with the easy, the suffering with the comfort, the pain with the glory. But whatever price you pay in this life for following Jesus will be rewarded in the next…for eternity!
“We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Mark 10:39)
Jesus says they will suffer and die…and they did. It’s believed that all of the disciples died as martyrs except John…who was boiled in hot oil. Jesus doesn’t invite us to a life of pleasure and parties. The invitation is come and die…so you can truly live. Any sacrifice for Christ will be worth it…for eternity. James and John died for their faith…
but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10:40)
We don’t know who will sit beside Jesus…or if it really matters.
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:41)
Can you blame them? I would be angry, too! Now Jesus seizes this incredible teaching moment.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)
If you thought the lust for political power is a new thing, you haven’t been reading the Bible! Two thousand years ago, people were seeking to rule over others. They had agendas they wanted to implement, power they wanted to exert, and most likely people they wanted to oppress. This is the way of the world…money, sex, and power.
It’s easy to criticize politicians, but don’t you want power, too? Have you ever put someone else down so you could feel better about yourself? Have you ever silently thought you’re glad you're not like that person? Have you ever felt justified cutting in line or cheating because you felt better than another? Have you ever experienced a feeling of entitlement?
I thought so! Me, too! But Jesus says,
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43-44)
God’s Kingdom is upside down. Jesus turns the tables. In his world, the greatest serve. The first are last. The word “slave” here is not like our nation’s understanding of slave, but rather a bondservant, someone who is working off a debt for a specific time. They often owned property and could obtain freedom.
Jesus always backs up his words with action. He practices what he preaches!
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Here’s Jesus with his disciples on the way to his crucifixion. He has just told them exactly what would happen. He knows his life will be given for theirs, a ransom or payment for their sins…and ours. God became flesh and spent more than three decades serving. God served us! What kind of God would do that? Furthermore, God died for us! Show me any religion with that love, that mercy, that grace!
Only a God like You/could be worthy of my praise/and all my hope and faith
That’s our God! That’s our King!
So What?
In his book Playing God: Redeeming the gift of Power, Andy Crouch writes,
Power is all about image bearing—reflecting and refracting the creative power of the world’s Maker into the very good creation. And image bearing is for flourishing. But as idolatry fills the world with false images, and as those false images proliferate, the image bearers lose their capacity to bear the true image. The more the image bearers lose this capacity, the more creation itself is diminished, reduced to utilitarian means to bitter ends. Idolatry is the true failure of power.
This flows perfectly with last Sunday’s sermon on money. Our hearts are drawn to money, sex, and power…for our benefit. There’s actually nothing inherently wrong with any of them. Money can be used to bless others. Sex is one of God’s most wonderful ideas, a remarkable experience for a husband and wife in bonding and celebration of their relationship, to say nothing of procreation. Power can bring about freedom for the powerless and justice for the weak.
The issue is the heart. Why do you want money? Is it for yourself or others?
Why do you want sex? Is it for your personal pleasure or strengthening your marriage?
Why do you want power? Is it to bless or oppress others?
Andy Crouch adds,
Every Maundy Thursday, the night before Good Friday in the Western liturgical calendar, Christians around the world gather to wash one another’s feet. Two thousand years after the Teacher and Lord knelt with a towel around his waist, his followers, servants and messengers continue to imitate his example. There is no act of culture-making power more extraordinary than creating a ritual, an act that continues to bear witness to truth from generation to generation, long after the first persons who experienced it lay in the dust of death. The persistence down to this day of the act Jesus performed at that table, and the acts from that night that the other Gospels report—taking, blessing, breaking and giving the bread and wine—is the ultimate test and sign of his power. In this moment, Jesus creates culture, forever transforming the meaning of towel, loaf and cup, forever altering the way teachers and masters will see their roles, and the way their students and servants will see them.
Following Jesus means following his example of service, of washing feet, of daily sacrifice, of putting others first, of praying for one’s enemies, of blessing those who curse you. Could anything be more counter-cultural?
I wish I could say Christians model this well, that we never seek power, that we put others above ourselves, that we are content to go last, that we are known as servants.
The great theologian (!) Jimi Hendrix famously said, "When the power of love takes over the love of power, that's when things will change.”
Tony Campolo notes, “A basic sociological principle is you can’t express love and power at the same time. Whenever you love, you lose power. Love makes you vulnerable … We have a God who loves us so much he was willing to become vulnerable.”
I have to admit I’ve been embarrassed by so-called Christians who clamored for power, especially during this past political season, as if either candidate was the Messiah, the Savior, the answer to the world’s problems…and that somehow their guy would give them power. Washington’s got nothing on the Kingdom of God! I know politics is messy, but our allegiance must never be to a president but to a Priest, the great high Priest, who is also a Prophet, and King, Jesus Christ. His mission wasn’t to seek power for himself. He came with all authority on heaven and earth. He came for the world. In fact, he gave us his power and authority…for the sake of others.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
What does Jesus do with power? He sends his followers on a mission.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
One final passage from Andy Crouch:
There is no point in this story where Jesus gives up power—instead, it is the culmination and demonstration of his power. What Jesus gives up in this story is not power but privilege and status…
For those of us preoccupied with protecting our privilege and raising our status, this indifference of Jesus is terrifying. It prompts the kind of outburst that came from Peter. It is holy power, utterly purified, without an ounce of self-protection or self-regard. Jesus’ only use of power was to create, never to protect himself or to exalt himself. Perhaps this is the deepest explanation of his nonviolence. Violence, even when used in justifiable self-defense, does nothing to restore, redeem or create. It only damages in return. And Jesus simply never had a thought except to restore, redeem and create a new community among whom power would be used always and only for flourishing. In such a community, privilege and status can only be disdained and discarded. They are distractions from the real calling of image bearers: to be fruitful and multiply, far as the curse is found.
To follow Jesus means rejecting the world. It involves dying to self. It requires you to think—and act—differently. There’s no keeping up with the Joneses, giving them what they had coming to them, or even telling them to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. Some people don’t have bootstraps!
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. (Proverbs 31:8)
This includes the unborn, yes, but it also includes the marginalized, the forgotten, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the refugee. We all have a certain measure of power, given not for our own sake, but for the sake of others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. Everything we have—our money, time, talents, energy, power, influence, relationships—is a gift, on loan from God. We are to be good stewards and will one day given an account for what we did with what we’ve been given.
This is not a message about trying harder. It’s not a message about abusing yourself and being a doormat, either. Love your neighbor…as yourself.
It is a message of surrender, of letting go, of leveraging what you have for others, as Jesus did.
The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve, where the first are last, and where power is poured out for others as Jesus poured out his life—and blood—for us.
Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christian should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
One more thing…
I want to offer a final challenge to you today. Last week I said generosity kills the money monster, the temptation of greed. Likewise, there are three spiritual practices which kill the power monster, the temptation to selfishly use power. They are solitude, silence, and fasting. These classical disciplines—along with sabbath rest—allow us to disconnect from busyness, achievement, and striving and put our faith and trust into action. Dallas Willard’s classic The Spirit of the Disciplines and John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted are two recommended titles.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Rich Young Ruler, 21 February 2021
The Rich Young Ruler
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:17-31
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Following Jesus involves total surrender, not just a one-time prayer.
Nearly four years ago we began a series called Mark, the Real Jesus. We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” the four biographies of Jesus that include Matthew, Luke, and John. The purpose of the series is to know Jesus…not just know about him, but to know him, to have a relationship with him, to become like him by the power of the Holy Spirit we talked about last Sunday.
Before we look at today’s text in Mark chapter ten, we’re going to go back—way back—to the second book of the Bible. In Exodus chapter twenty, God delivers His Top Ten List, the Ten Commandments. How many of them can you name?
And God spoke all these words: (Exodus 20:1)
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Exodus 20:2)
“You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
That’s the first one: no other gods. What is most important to you? Who is most important to you? What is the foundation of your life? What or who truly matters most?
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. (Exodus 20:4)
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, (Exodus 20:5)
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:6)
The second one is no idols. We often think of idols as religious statues, but it’s anything we love and worship more than God. Notice God makes incredible promises concerning these commands. He gives us great freedom, but there are consequences to both obedience and disobedience.
If you’re keeping score, the rest involve misusing the name of the LORD, sabbath, honoring one’s parents, and the “shall nots” of murder, adultery, stealing, false testimony, and coveting.
Today, though, our focus will be on the first two commandments as we look at the gospel of Mark.
Are you rich? Whether you feel like it or not, most of you are rich. Sure, we are all rich in God’s love, but I mean financially rich. You’ve heard of the one-percent, those wealthy Americans who are frequently demonized in the media (despite many create jobs and opportunities for others as business owners). To be in the top one percent in the USA, you need to earn about $500,000 a year. For the record, that is NOT me!!!
To be in the top one percent in the world, you need to earn about $60,000 a year. If you earn $45,000, you are in the top two percent, and if you only earn $38,000, you are in the top three percent of the richest people in the world. If you earn only $19,000 a year, you’re in the top ten percent.
Most of us are rich compared to the rest of the world. With blessings comes responsibility…and temptation.
We’re in the tenth chapter of Mark, beginning at verse 17.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)
This guy sounds sincere. He runs to Jesus, falls on his knees, proclaims him to be a good teacher, and asks what it takes to inherit eternal life.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (Mark 10:18)
Maybe the man realized Jesus was God!
Think for a moment about Jesus’ statement. If only God is good, we’re not. Sure, compared to some people we might be good, but we all sin. We are all deserving of eternal punishment for our wicked deeds. None of us is perfect, which is God’s standard for goodness, found only in Jesus, the sinless one.
You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19)
These are commandments 6-9 if you’re keeping score, plus “don’t defraud,” and then 5. He skips 1-4 and 10…for now!
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” (Mark 10:20)
That’s a pretty bold statement, but the man didn’t list all ten. Like us, he was self-deceived. He overestimated his goodness after Jesus told him only God is good.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
I always missed the first sentence. Jesus loved him. Jesus loves sinners. It’s out of love that Jesus addresses the commandments related to God first. no idols, and covetousness or greed.
N.T. Wright notes,
When Jesus says ‘You will have treasure in heaven’, he doesn’t mean that the young man must go to heaven to get it; he means that God will keep it stored up for him until the time when, in the Age to Come, all is revealed. The reason you have money in the bank is not so that you can spend it in the bank but so that you can take it out and spend it somewhere else. The reason you have treasure in heaven, God’s storehouse, is so that you can enjoy it in the Age to Come when God brings heaven and earth together at last. And ‘eternal life’, as most translations put it, doesn’t mean ‘life in a timeless, otherworldly dimension’, but ‘the life of the Age to Come’ (the word ‘eternal’ translates a word which means ‘belonging to the Age’).
(Mark for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press)
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:22)
The rich, young ruler had good feelings for God, but loved wealth more. It’s important to remember most of us have great wealth, too. The world says that’s good, but it can become an obstacle. Do you possess money or does your money possess you?
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23)
I’ve seen a number of people lately writing about downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives. The more we have, the more we must work to protect, insure, store, and steward. Some in our church family are homeless, which is not a popular or comfortable position to be in, but there are certainly benefits to its simplicity.
As I said, sometimes we demonize the rich, as if their success is somehow evil. Perhaps it’s actually envy that leads to such criticisms.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Proverbs 30. It reads,
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)
Do you recall someone teaching his friends to pray for daily bread? It’s in Jesus’ model we call the LORD’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3). It’s taken from these words by Agur son of Jakeh, a wise man indeed.
The rich are tempted to feel secure in their wealth and ignore God.
The poor are tempted to steal and dishonor God.
We are to pray for daily bread.
Back to Jesus,
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:24-25)
That’s a sobering statement, especially for USAmericans. We often think of the kingdom of God as a disembodied heaven, but rather it’s here on earth where God rules. Jesus taught us to pray for his kingdom to come now, on earth as it is in heaven. We don’t walk on streets of gold, but the Age to Come is emerging here and now, like a baby chick with its beak sticking through the egg shell, as N.T. Wright says. We are in-between.
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26)
Many in Jesus’ day thought wealth was a sign of God’s favor and blessing, and that a place in the Age to Come could be purchased somehow. If the rich can’t get in, who can?
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)
Many of you have heard that expression, “All things are possible with God.” But look at the context. It’s about salvation. It’s about the rich entering the kingdom of God. We are saved by grace. It’s a gift. Praise God we have hope because of Jesus, his death, and resurrection!
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28)
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29-31)
What a promise! This life—eighty years or so, on average—is so short compared to eternity. Why are we so attached to the cares of this world when it’s all so temporary? God’s kingdom is not of this world. It’s the upside-down kingdom. Jesus is saying anything we sacrifice for him will be worth it, both in the present age and in the age to come. He is inviting them—and us—to put away our idols and greed and follow him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. There’s a price to pay for following Jesus, but it’s worth it.
So What?
Is money evil? No. Money is a tool used for centuries, a means of exchange. It can be used for good or bad.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)
The love of money is dangerous. It is one of the most common idols in our culture. Most of us want more. In fact, one millionaire was asked how much money was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” That’s because money will never truly satisfy, especially if your goal is to hoard it.
Contrast that with generosity. I remember hearing a wise man years ago say his goal was to make as much money as possible and keep as little as necessary for himself. He delighted in giving.
During my five years here at First Alliance I’ve seen many examples of radical generosity. God has blessed us with some wealthy members, and although I don’t see who gives what, I know our budget is met through men and women who are good stewards of their wealth, making eternal investments through their tithes—ten percent-and offerings week after week. But I’ve heard stories of anonymous homeless people giving generously, too. The best way to destroy the money monster—the greed machine, the idol of wealth—is generosity. Giving is a gift. Paul instructed the church in Corinth,
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Do you want to be loved by God? Give! This isn’t a fundraising pitch, but an encouragement to share your wealth, invest your money, be generous. To those of you with little financial wealth, give something! If ten percent seems too much, start with one percent. Columbus takes seven percent! The federal government takes even more! What if you took a faith-filled risk and sowed some seeds, upped your giving, made a wild investment in God’s work, or simply began the godly discipline of generosity? Remember, everything we have belongs to God, not just ten percent.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
We can see from today’s text how money easily becomes an idol. It becomes more important than God. In fact, I believe the reason Christianity has been in decline in the western world for decades isn’t politics or technology or education, but simply wealth. We don’t need God. We have doctors when we’re sick, heaters when we’re cold (until we lose power!), iPhones when we’re lonely, and entertainment when we’re bored. Who needs God? Who has time for God?
It’s amazing how different things are in the developing world. When they are sick, they pray. For many, there is no plan B. For our brothers and sisters around the world without religious freedom, they have no power or rights, but they trust completely on God. Many of us are so comfortable that truly pursuing God seems like work or an obligation rather than a privilege to commune with the Creator of the universe!
Is God first in your life? What idols are between you and God? It might be money, but it could be your career, family, hobbies, or even religion. Anything more important to you than God is a sinful idol. Period. Those are God’s words…Old and New Testament!
Consider these words from the book of Hebrews:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Think about that for a moment. If we have God, what more do we really need? True contentment can only be found in God in the first place.
Listen to Paul’s instructions to Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2Timothy 3:1-5)
If this doesn’t sound like our country, I don’t know what does. But we’re called to be different! We’re called to follow Jesus, not the world. We’re called to live lives of contentment, peace, faith, hope, and love. We’re called to fully rely on God, not our 401k or bank account.
Conclusion
No other Gods. No idols. No covetousness or greed. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said the greatest commandment was:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
May it be said of each of us, “In God We Trust,” not the money upon which it is stated.
What is your foundation? What or who is your God. What is your first love?
We can build our lives on the stock market, but it can crash.
We can build our lives on a dream home, but a storm can destroy it.
We can build our lives on a career, but it can be lost in a pandemic.
“Build My Life”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:17-31
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Following Jesus involves total surrender, not just a one-time prayer.
Nearly four years ago we began a series called Mark, the Real Jesus. We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” the four biographies of Jesus that include Matthew, Luke, and John. The purpose of the series is to know Jesus…not just know about him, but to know him, to have a relationship with him, to become like him by the power of the Holy Spirit we talked about last Sunday.
Before we look at today’s text in Mark chapter ten, we’re going to go back—way back—to the second book of the Bible. In Exodus chapter twenty, God delivers His Top Ten List, the Ten Commandments. How many of them can you name?
And God spoke all these words: (Exodus 20:1)
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Exodus 20:2)
“You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
That’s the first one: no other gods. What is most important to you? Who is most important to you? What is the foundation of your life? What or who truly matters most?
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. (Exodus 20:4)
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, (Exodus 20:5)
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:6)
The second one is no idols. We often think of idols as religious statues, but it’s anything we love and worship more than God. Notice God makes incredible promises concerning these commands. He gives us great freedom, but there are consequences to both obedience and disobedience.
If you’re keeping score, the rest involve misusing the name of the LORD, sabbath, honoring one’s parents, and the “shall nots” of murder, adultery, stealing, false testimony, and coveting.
Today, though, our focus will be on the first two commandments as we look at the gospel of Mark.
Are you rich? Whether you feel like it or not, most of you are rich. Sure, we are all rich in God’s love, but I mean financially rich. You’ve heard of the one-percent, those wealthy Americans who are frequently demonized in the media (despite many create jobs and opportunities for others as business owners). To be in the top one percent in the USA, you need to earn about $500,000 a year. For the record, that is NOT me!!!
To be in the top one percent in the world, you need to earn about $60,000 a year. If you earn $45,000, you are in the top two percent, and if you only earn $38,000, you are in the top three percent of the richest people in the world. If you earn only $19,000 a year, you’re in the top ten percent.
Most of us are rich compared to the rest of the world. With blessings comes responsibility…and temptation.
We’re in the tenth chapter of Mark, beginning at verse 17.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)
This guy sounds sincere. He runs to Jesus, falls on his knees, proclaims him to be a good teacher, and asks what it takes to inherit eternal life.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (Mark 10:18)
Maybe the man realized Jesus was God!
Think for a moment about Jesus’ statement. If only God is good, we’re not. Sure, compared to some people we might be good, but we all sin. We are all deserving of eternal punishment for our wicked deeds. None of us is perfect, which is God’s standard for goodness, found only in Jesus, the sinless one.
You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19)
These are commandments 6-9 if you’re keeping score, plus “don’t defraud,” and then 5. He skips 1-4 and 10…for now!
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” (Mark 10:20)
That’s a pretty bold statement, but the man didn’t list all ten. Like us, he was self-deceived. He overestimated his goodness after Jesus told him only God is good.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
I always missed the first sentence. Jesus loved him. Jesus loves sinners. It’s out of love that Jesus addresses the commandments related to God first. no idols, and covetousness or greed.
N.T. Wright notes,
When Jesus says ‘You will have treasure in heaven’, he doesn’t mean that the young man must go to heaven to get it; he means that God will keep it stored up for him until the time when, in the Age to Come, all is revealed. The reason you have money in the bank is not so that you can spend it in the bank but so that you can take it out and spend it somewhere else. The reason you have treasure in heaven, God’s storehouse, is so that you can enjoy it in the Age to Come when God brings heaven and earth together at last. And ‘eternal life’, as most translations put it, doesn’t mean ‘life in a timeless, otherworldly dimension’, but ‘the life of the Age to Come’ (the word ‘eternal’ translates a word which means ‘belonging to the Age’).
(Mark for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press)
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:22)
The rich, young ruler had good feelings for God, but loved wealth more. It’s important to remember most of us have great wealth, too. The world says that’s good, but it can become an obstacle. Do you possess money or does your money possess you?
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23)
I’ve seen a number of people lately writing about downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives. The more we have, the more we must work to protect, insure, store, and steward. Some in our church family are homeless, which is not a popular or comfortable position to be in, but there are certainly benefits to its simplicity.
As I said, sometimes we demonize the rich, as if their success is somehow evil. Perhaps it’s actually envy that leads to such criticisms.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Proverbs 30. It reads,
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)
Do you recall someone teaching his friends to pray for daily bread? It’s in Jesus’ model we call the LORD’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3). It’s taken from these words by Agur son of Jakeh, a wise man indeed.
The rich are tempted to feel secure in their wealth and ignore God.
The poor are tempted to steal and dishonor God.
We are to pray for daily bread.
Back to Jesus,
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:24-25)
That’s a sobering statement, especially for USAmericans. We often think of the kingdom of God as a disembodied heaven, but rather it’s here on earth where God rules. Jesus taught us to pray for his kingdom to come now, on earth as it is in heaven. We don’t walk on streets of gold, but the Age to Come is emerging here and now, like a baby chick with its beak sticking through the egg shell, as N.T. Wright says. We are in-between.
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26)
Many in Jesus’ day thought wealth was a sign of God’s favor and blessing, and that a place in the Age to Come could be purchased somehow. If the rich can’t get in, who can?
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)
Many of you have heard that expression, “All things are possible with God.” But look at the context. It’s about salvation. It’s about the rich entering the kingdom of God. We are saved by grace. It’s a gift. Praise God we have hope because of Jesus, his death, and resurrection!
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28)
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29-31)
What a promise! This life—eighty years or so, on average—is so short compared to eternity. Why are we so attached to the cares of this world when it’s all so temporary? God’s kingdom is not of this world. It’s the upside-down kingdom. Jesus is saying anything we sacrifice for him will be worth it, both in the present age and in the age to come. He is inviting them—and us—to put away our idols and greed and follow him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. There’s a price to pay for following Jesus, but it’s worth it.
So What?
Is money evil? No. Money is a tool used for centuries, a means of exchange. It can be used for good or bad.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)
The love of money is dangerous. It is one of the most common idols in our culture. Most of us want more. In fact, one millionaire was asked how much money was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” That’s because money will never truly satisfy, especially if your goal is to hoard it.
Contrast that with generosity. I remember hearing a wise man years ago say his goal was to make as much money as possible and keep as little as necessary for himself. He delighted in giving.
During my five years here at First Alliance I’ve seen many examples of radical generosity. God has blessed us with some wealthy members, and although I don’t see who gives what, I know our budget is met through men and women who are good stewards of their wealth, making eternal investments through their tithes—ten percent-and offerings week after week. But I’ve heard stories of anonymous homeless people giving generously, too. The best way to destroy the money monster—the greed machine, the idol of wealth—is generosity. Giving is a gift. Paul instructed the church in Corinth,
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Do you want to be loved by God? Give! This isn’t a fundraising pitch, but an encouragement to share your wealth, invest your money, be generous. To those of you with little financial wealth, give something! If ten percent seems too much, start with one percent. Columbus takes seven percent! The federal government takes even more! What if you took a faith-filled risk and sowed some seeds, upped your giving, made a wild investment in God’s work, or simply began the godly discipline of generosity? Remember, everything we have belongs to God, not just ten percent.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
We can see from today’s text how money easily becomes an idol. It becomes more important than God. In fact, I believe the reason Christianity has been in decline in the western world for decades isn’t politics or technology or education, but simply wealth. We don’t need God. We have doctors when we’re sick, heaters when we’re cold (until we lose power!), iPhones when we’re lonely, and entertainment when we’re bored. Who needs God? Who has time for God?
It’s amazing how different things are in the developing world. When they are sick, they pray. For many, there is no plan B. For our brothers and sisters around the world without religious freedom, they have no power or rights, but they trust completely on God. Many of us are so comfortable that truly pursuing God seems like work or an obligation rather than a privilege to commune with the Creator of the universe!
Is God first in your life? What idols are between you and God? It might be money, but it could be your career, family, hobbies, or even religion. Anything more important to you than God is a sinful idol. Period. Those are God’s words…Old and New Testament!
Consider these words from the book of Hebrews:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Think about that for a moment. If we have God, what more do we really need? True contentment can only be found in God in the first place.
Listen to Paul’s instructions to Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2Timothy 3:1-5)
If this doesn’t sound like our country, I don’t know what does. But we’re called to be different! We’re called to follow Jesus, not the world. We’re called to live lives of contentment, peace, faith, hope, and love. We’re called to fully rely on God, not our 401k or bank account.
Conclusion
No other Gods. No idols. No covetousness or greed. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said the greatest commandment was:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
May it be said of each of us, “In God We Trust,” not the money upon which it is stated.
What is your foundation? What or who is your God. What is your first love?
We can build our lives on the stock market, but it can crash.
We can build our lives on a dream home, but a storm can destroy it.
We can build our lives on a career, but it can be lost in a pandemic.
“Build My Life”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Temple of Doom, 8 March 2020
Temple of Doom
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 7:1-15
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God wants our heart, soul, mind, and strength…24/7/365.
Are you superstitious? This Friday is Friday the…13th! That number is superstitious to some. On a recent trip overseas, I was surprised to see a thirteenth-floor button in the elevator!
People are superstitious about many things…black cats, rabbit’s feet, …even religious practices. Have you ever heard of people superstitious about a building, one which would offer absolute protection? It’s in the Bible, and you might be surprised at how you can relate.
My name is Kirk and last Sunday we began a look at the book of Jeremiah…not your friend, the bullfrog, but the prophet from long ago. God told Jeremiah to confront the Jews after they wandered away from God, pursuing things of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
I often say context is critical in understand the Bible…or any writing, for that matter. Here’s some additional background leading up to Jeremiah chapter 7:
God made a covenant with the Jews, promising to guide and protect them so long as they followed Him and not the gods of their neighbors. He wanted to be their king, but they insisted on a human king, so Saul became the first king of Israel, followed by David, Solomon, and a host of no-so-good kings who led the people away from God and into idolatry and other evil practices.
Josiah was a good king, concerned about his people. He was a godly king—one of the few—who had a wonderful relationship with God. By the time he had become king, the temple had become a shambles.
King Josiah initiated the cleansing and restoration of the temple and removed the idols. While doing so, the book of the law of God was found and the people began to return to God. Unfortunately, King Josiah was wounded in a battle with Egypt God warned him about and taken to Jerusalem where he died (2 Chron. 35:20-27).
Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was on the throne for three months before being replaced by his brother Eliakim who the Egyptian king named “Jehoiakim.” He reigned for eleven years, leading the people of Judah back into idolatry.
Josiah removed the idols and his son welcomes them back, bringing idolatry into the temple courts, making the LORD one of the many gods the people worshipped.
Although the people realized the error of their ways, they felt unstoppable because they thought nothing bad could happen so long as they were in the city of God’s holy temple. They were, after all, God’s chosen people, so they were invincible…or so they thought! They superstitiously believed the temple would protect them, even if they disobeyed God.
The first chapter of Jeremiah tells of God’s call to the prophet. He is to alert the people of their sin and God’s displeasure.
Chapters 2-6 record prophecies Jeremiah gave during the first 5 years of his ministry, beginning when he was around 20 years old. Chapter seven begins with a series of prophecies given after finding the law in the temple after it was cleansed under King Josiah’s rule.
I want to warn you, this is a challenging passage. Let’s begin:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Stand at the gate of the LORD’S house and there proclaim this message:
“ ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:1-2)
The focus of this prophecy is on the people, of course, and the temple. After restoring the temple, it became a center of activity, but not all of it was good.
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. (Jeremiah 7:3)
The people of Judah were returning to the temple, but it had no impact on their lives the rest of the week. It was nothing more than a religious activity, going through the motions.
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” (Jeremiah 7:4)
The people of Judah were excited about the temple, but not the LORD! It was like a giant good-luck charm or talisman to them. Buildings are great—I like ours—but they are merely one place where we worship, they are not what we worship.
If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. (Jeremiah 7:5-7)
That’s good, right? God is saying, “Change and everything will be okay. Return to me. Stop oppressing the foreigner, the orphan, the widow. Stop your violence and bloodshed. Most of all, get rid of your idols and worship of other gods.
But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. (Jeremiah 7:8)
The people thought they could do whatever they desired so long as they had—and visited—the temple. This seems crazy to us, but like so many things, it’s easy to get caught up in the culture, political-correctness, the leadership, in this case the evil king.
Jeremiah’s audience had a false security in
Does that sound at all familiar? Here we are gathered together wearing our “Sunday best,” doing our religious duty, giving God His hour or so, perhaps making mom or grandma happy,…so we don’t feel so guilty about what we do the rest of the week.
Don’t worry, I’m not talking about you…or am I?
This whole church thing, this whole God thing, this whole Bible thing is not about religion and ritual. It’s not about superstition or super-spirituality.
It’s about a relationship with your Creator. It’s about Jesus! Our faith is all about knowing, loving, and obeying Jesus.
That last one’s tough. Sure, we all want to know and love Jesus. He’s the most famous person to ever walk the earth. He loved people, healed people, and taught with great wisdom. He died and rose from the dead to forgive us of our sins. Who doesn’t like that? It’s easy to say, “Jesus, save me.”
But talk is cheap. See, Jesus wants to be your Savior, but also your LORD. That means he wants to change you…to become like him. He wants you to obey.
Our culture hates this. We want it our way, whatever makes us happy, whatever we feel or “identify” or led to do. Just when I think our society can’t get any more bizarre, I read of some radical new self-expression exalted on a pedestal that all of us are supposed to bow down to, have a parade for, celebrate, or honor with an award.
Family, that’s fine for the world. It makes sense for the world to act like the world, but we’re the people of God, which mean we are to obey God. We are to repent—turn away from our sin—and live not for ourselves and our pleasures, but for Christ. Jesus said,
The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Repent means to turn. Believe here means to do, to entrust, to take action. It’s not a nice thought in your head, but living proof that you are a follower of Jesus, no longer a slave to sin and selfishness.
The Jews thought if they went to the temple, they’d be saved.
Some people today mistakenly think if they go to church, they’ll be saved.
What God desired for them and what He desires for us today is one thing: relationship. That’s why we were created! If you have a child who constantly disobeys, it’s hard to have a right relationship with them. The same is true for our Heavenly Father. It’s not that He wants to spoil our fun with a bunch of rules, but rather that Daddy knows best. He knows how this life thing works. He wants us to experience the ultimate joy, peace, and satisfaction in life, which can only come from knowing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of true worshippers:
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7b)
Jesus referred to this text when he went postal on the money changers in the temple centuries later.
“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13)
The people of Jerusalem had done this, too. Jeremiah continues,
“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:9-11)
The people didn’t change their ways. They continued to sin, even following other gods!
They thought the temple would protect them, using it for their gain. Only God could protect them, for His glory.
They had broken at least five of the Ten Commandments, yet they were told the temple would bring them blessing and protection from God. This isn’t salvation, it’s superstition! The people were making the temple unholy rather than being made holy in the temple. God’s holy temple had become a den of thieves. It had become a temple of doom.
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Any theology that minimizes God’s holiness and tolerates people’s deliberate sinfulness is a false theology.”
God wanted the people to repent, to turn, to change, to flee their sin both to escape His judgment and the avoid the consequences of their sins. He didn’t want fake, empty worship. He didn’t want religion for an hour or two a week. He wanted 24/7 obedience, and that’s what He wants from us today.
We can all see how you behave here on Sunday morning. That’s easy.
How do you live at home?
How do you live at the office or school?
How do you live on social media?
Where were you last night?
How will you live out your faith this week?
Jeremiahs words don’t get any easier. God tells him,
“ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. (Jeremiah 7:12-13)
I wonder how many times I miss God’s calling. We live in a noisy world filled with distractions. There are so many messages bombarding us, whether it’s on a billboard, the radio, social media, television, or even our friends and family. Sometimes we get busy because we’re afraid of what we might discover if we are still and quiet.
Silence and solitude are two ancient spiritual practices or disciplines which quickly reveal the condition of our souls before God.
He is speaking. Are you listening? Remember, the primary way God speaks today is through the Bible. Are you reading? Are you studying? He’s got great news for you! His Word will set you free from fear and anxiety. The scriptures are packed with promises of His patient love for you. Those who seek Him will find Him, but those who ignore Him will find themselves distant (Matthew 7:7; 25:31-46).
God says,
Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’ (Jeremiah 7:14-15)
Archeologists believe the village of Shiloh was destroyed about 1050 BC, likely by the Philistines. God is saying what happened to Shiloh He would do to the temple.
In chapter 7, the LORD tells Jeremiah four things:
The people of Judah had abandoned God—even though they looked religious—and God was going to respect their choice and thrust them from His presence. What a tragedy!
So What?
It’s hard not to think about the Pharisees and religious leaders from Mark chapter 7 when reading about these people. They looked good on the outside, but their hearts were detached from their worship. The LORD became one of many gods.
What would God say to us? To you? To me? What is He saying?
I hope the application is obvious. Are you going through the motions, devoting an hour or two a week to God, or do you live for God…24/7?
I’m glad you’re here. I think God’s glad you’re here, too. But Sunday morning’s not enough. He wants all of you.
Some of you have given your whole heart to God, but you’ve lost your way. Maybe you’ve been attending here for fifty years but you’ve lost your first love. My guess is some of you have wandered off the path. You might be the only one who knows it. You might just now be aware of it. It’s time to recommit your life to Jesus. It’s time to return to your first love, Jesus.
Maybe you feel inadequate and unworthy to have a relationship with God. You are, which is why Jesus came and died…to reconcile you to the Father. His arms are wide-open to welcome you home.
As we said last week, God is looking for men and women who will say yes to God and His calling. It doesn’t begin by being a missionary in Africa or going to seminary. It starts with simply giving God your heart, …and your soul, mind, and strength. The greatest command? Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
I Give You My Heart
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 7:1-15
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God wants our heart, soul, mind, and strength…24/7/365.
Are you superstitious? This Friday is Friday the…13th! That number is superstitious to some. On a recent trip overseas, I was surprised to see a thirteenth-floor button in the elevator!
People are superstitious about many things…black cats, rabbit’s feet, …even religious practices. Have you ever heard of people superstitious about a building, one which would offer absolute protection? It’s in the Bible, and you might be surprised at how you can relate.
My name is Kirk and last Sunday we began a look at the book of Jeremiah…not your friend, the bullfrog, but the prophet from long ago. God told Jeremiah to confront the Jews after they wandered away from God, pursuing things of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
I often say context is critical in understand the Bible…or any writing, for that matter. Here’s some additional background leading up to Jeremiah chapter 7:
God made a covenant with the Jews, promising to guide and protect them so long as they followed Him and not the gods of their neighbors. He wanted to be their king, but they insisted on a human king, so Saul became the first king of Israel, followed by David, Solomon, and a host of no-so-good kings who led the people away from God and into idolatry and other evil practices.
Josiah was a good king, concerned about his people. He was a godly king—one of the few—who had a wonderful relationship with God. By the time he had become king, the temple had become a shambles.
King Josiah initiated the cleansing and restoration of the temple and removed the idols. While doing so, the book of the law of God was found and the people began to return to God. Unfortunately, King Josiah was wounded in a battle with Egypt God warned him about and taken to Jerusalem where he died (2 Chron. 35:20-27).
Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was on the throne for three months before being replaced by his brother Eliakim who the Egyptian king named “Jehoiakim.” He reigned for eleven years, leading the people of Judah back into idolatry.
Josiah removed the idols and his son welcomes them back, bringing idolatry into the temple courts, making the LORD one of the many gods the people worshipped.
Although the people realized the error of their ways, they felt unstoppable because they thought nothing bad could happen so long as they were in the city of God’s holy temple. They were, after all, God’s chosen people, so they were invincible…or so they thought! They superstitiously believed the temple would protect them, even if they disobeyed God.
The first chapter of Jeremiah tells of God’s call to the prophet. He is to alert the people of their sin and God’s displeasure.
Chapters 2-6 record prophecies Jeremiah gave during the first 5 years of his ministry, beginning when he was around 20 years old. Chapter seven begins with a series of prophecies given after finding the law in the temple after it was cleansed under King Josiah’s rule.
I want to warn you, this is a challenging passage. Let’s begin:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Stand at the gate of the LORD’S house and there proclaim this message:
“ ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:1-2)
The focus of this prophecy is on the people, of course, and the temple. After restoring the temple, it became a center of activity, but not all of it was good.
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. (Jeremiah 7:3)
The people of Judah were returning to the temple, but it had no impact on their lives the rest of the week. It was nothing more than a religious activity, going through the motions.
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” (Jeremiah 7:4)
The people of Judah were excited about the temple, but not the LORD! It was like a giant good-luck charm or talisman to them. Buildings are great—I like ours—but they are merely one place where we worship, they are not what we worship.
If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. (Jeremiah 7:5-7)
That’s good, right? God is saying, “Change and everything will be okay. Return to me. Stop oppressing the foreigner, the orphan, the widow. Stop your violence and bloodshed. Most of all, get rid of your idols and worship of other gods.
But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. (Jeremiah 7:8)
The people thought they could do whatever they desired so long as they had—and visited—the temple. This seems crazy to us, but like so many things, it’s easy to get caught up in the culture, political-correctness, the leadership, in this case the evil king.
Jeremiah’s audience had a false security in
- - The temple
- - Religious activities and rituals
- - Emotional experiences
- - Godly heritage
- - Knowledge of the scripture
- - Faith in God without true repentance (deceptive words)
Does that sound at all familiar? Here we are gathered together wearing our “Sunday best,” doing our religious duty, giving God His hour or so, perhaps making mom or grandma happy,…so we don’t feel so guilty about what we do the rest of the week.
Don’t worry, I’m not talking about you…or am I?
This whole church thing, this whole God thing, this whole Bible thing is not about religion and ritual. It’s not about superstition or super-spirituality.
It’s about a relationship with your Creator. It’s about Jesus! Our faith is all about knowing, loving, and obeying Jesus.
That last one’s tough. Sure, we all want to know and love Jesus. He’s the most famous person to ever walk the earth. He loved people, healed people, and taught with great wisdom. He died and rose from the dead to forgive us of our sins. Who doesn’t like that? It’s easy to say, “Jesus, save me.”
But talk is cheap. See, Jesus wants to be your Savior, but also your LORD. That means he wants to change you…to become like him. He wants you to obey.
Our culture hates this. We want it our way, whatever makes us happy, whatever we feel or “identify” or led to do. Just when I think our society can’t get any more bizarre, I read of some radical new self-expression exalted on a pedestal that all of us are supposed to bow down to, have a parade for, celebrate, or honor with an award.
Family, that’s fine for the world. It makes sense for the world to act like the world, but we’re the people of God, which mean we are to obey God. We are to repent—turn away from our sin—and live not for ourselves and our pleasures, but for Christ. Jesus said,
The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Repent means to turn. Believe here means to do, to entrust, to take action. It’s not a nice thought in your head, but living proof that you are a follower of Jesus, no longer a slave to sin and selfishness.
The Jews thought if they went to the temple, they’d be saved.
Some people today mistakenly think if they go to church, they’ll be saved.
What God desired for them and what He desires for us today is one thing: relationship. That’s why we were created! If you have a child who constantly disobeys, it’s hard to have a right relationship with them. The same is true for our Heavenly Father. It’s not that He wants to spoil our fun with a bunch of rules, but rather that Daddy knows best. He knows how this life thing works. He wants us to experience the ultimate joy, peace, and satisfaction in life, which can only come from knowing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of true worshippers:
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7b)
Jesus referred to this text when he went postal on the money changers in the temple centuries later.
“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13)
The people of Jerusalem had done this, too. Jeremiah continues,
“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:9-11)
The people didn’t change their ways. They continued to sin, even following other gods!
They thought the temple would protect them, using it for their gain. Only God could protect them, for His glory.
They had broken at least five of the Ten Commandments, yet they were told the temple would bring them blessing and protection from God. This isn’t salvation, it’s superstition! The people were making the temple unholy rather than being made holy in the temple. God’s holy temple had become a den of thieves. It had become a temple of doom.
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Any theology that minimizes God’s holiness and tolerates people’s deliberate sinfulness is a false theology.”
God wanted the people to repent, to turn, to change, to flee their sin both to escape His judgment and the avoid the consequences of their sins. He didn’t want fake, empty worship. He didn’t want religion for an hour or two a week. He wanted 24/7 obedience, and that’s what He wants from us today.
We can all see how you behave here on Sunday morning. That’s easy.
How do you live at home?
How do you live at the office or school?
How do you live on social media?
Where were you last night?
How will you live out your faith this week?
Jeremiahs words don’t get any easier. God tells him,
“ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. (Jeremiah 7:12-13)
I wonder how many times I miss God’s calling. We live in a noisy world filled with distractions. There are so many messages bombarding us, whether it’s on a billboard, the radio, social media, television, or even our friends and family. Sometimes we get busy because we’re afraid of what we might discover if we are still and quiet.
Silence and solitude are two ancient spiritual practices or disciplines which quickly reveal the condition of our souls before God.
He is speaking. Are you listening? Remember, the primary way God speaks today is through the Bible. Are you reading? Are you studying? He’s got great news for you! His Word will set you free from fear and anxiety. The scriptures are packed with promises of His patient love for you. Those who seek Him will find Him, but those who ignore Him will find themselves distant (Matthew 7:7; 25:31-46).
God says,
Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’ (Jeremiah 7:14-15)
Archeologists believe the village of Shiloh was destroyed about 1050 BC, likely by the Philistines. God is saying what happened to Shiloh He would do to the temple.
In chapter 7, the LORD tells Jeremiah four things:
- 1. “Their worship does no good” (1-15)
- 2. “Your prayers will do them no good” (16-20)
- 3. “Their sacrifices will do them no good” (21-26)
- 4. “My discipline and correction do them no good” (7:27-8:3)
The people of Judah had abandoned God—even though they looked religious—and God was going to respect their choice and thrust them from His presence. What a tragedy!
So What?
It’s hard not to think about the Pharisees and religious leaders from Mark chapter 7 when reading about these people. They looked good on the outside, but their hearts were detached from their worship. The LORD became one of many gods.
What would God say to us? To you? To me? What is He saying?
I hope the application is obvious. Are you going through the motions, devoting an hour or two a week to God, or do you live for God…24/7?
I’m glad you’re here. I think God’s glad you’re here, too. But Sunday morning’s not enough. He wants all of you.
Some of you have given your whole heart to God, but you’ve lost your way. Maybe you’ve been attending here for fifty years but you’ve lost your first love. My guess is some of you have wandered off the path. You might be the only one who knows it. You might just now be aware of it. It’s time to recommit your life to Jesus. It’s time to return to your first love, Jesus.
Maybe you feel inadequate and unworthy to have a relationship with God. You are, which is why Jesus came and died…to reconcile you to the Father. His arms are wide-open to welcome you home.
As we said last week, God is looking for men and women who will say yes to God and His calling. It doesn’t begin by being a missionary in Africa or going to seminary. It starts with simply giving God your heart, …and your soul, mind, and strength. The greatest command? Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
I Give You My Heart
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe