Previously on Law
of Love & Liberty:
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If God can cause
the Red Sea to open up
00:00:43.84\00:00:46.57
and let His people
cross that thing on dry land,
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then God can move in your life.
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He's not only Sovereign
over the wind and the waves.
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He's Sovereign over what's
going on in your life, too.
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I was lost. With loving hands
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He reached for me.
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So tenderly
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He sought to give
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me victory.
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Here He's actually
saying: "Look, I did not come to
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destroy the law. I
came to magnify the law. "
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Soon this old life
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and all of its trials
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will be left behind...
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there's a new day a'dawning.
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The law is made for
the unrighteous we're told.
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That's what it's made
for... that's what it's for.
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Let the law do what
the law is supposed to do.
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Let the law convict you
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and let Jesus save you.
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I've got a mansion
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just over the hilltop
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For Thine
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is the kingdom,
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and the power,
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and the glory
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forever!
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God's
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glorious church!
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Oh, Amen,
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Amen!
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Well, hello and
welcome to 3ABN 2019
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Spring Camp Meeting:
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The Law of Love & Liberty.
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Are you being blessed?
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YES! Amen!
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And I'll tell you: we
are in for a special treat
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this hour. My dear
brother, my friend Ty Gibson,
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who is the co-director
for Light Bearers Ministry...
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He is also the pastor
of the Storyline SDA church
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in Eugene, Oregon. And
he is going to talk to us
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tonight on Make No Idols...
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commandment number two.
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But before Ty comes out
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we have Gene
McDonald back with us.
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And hasn't he been a blessing?
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Gene is, you know...
he's an anointed singer.
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He's got a real
heart for the Lord.
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And he is going to
sing How Big Is God?
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And then the next voice you
hear will be Pastor Ty Gibson.
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Though man may strive
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to go beyond the reach of space.
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To crawl beyond
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the distant glimmering stars.
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This world's a room
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so small within
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my Master's house.
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The open sky
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is but a portion of His yard.
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How big is God?
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How big and wide
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His vast domain?
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To try to tell
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these lips can only start!
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He's big enough
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to rule His mighty universe
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yet small enough
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to live within my heart.
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The winter's chill may cause
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the tiny seed to fall
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to lie asleep
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till waked by summer's rain
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The heart grown cold
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will warm and
drop with life anew
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The Master's touch
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will bring a glow again.
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How big is God?
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How big and wide
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His vast domain?
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To try to tell
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these lips can only start!
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He's big enough
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to rule His mighty universe
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yet small enough
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to live within my heart.
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How big is God?
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How big is
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God?
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AMEN! Hmm... what a blessing!
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That's a real man right there!
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That's a manly
voice that brother has!
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We've never had
the pleasure of meeting
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but thank you. Thank
you... what a blessing!
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I've said this before
when I've heard someone sing
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like that, that you know
if I could sing like that
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I'd max out my credit card
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and pay payments
until the second coming
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just to be able to do that.
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But I can't, so I'm
going to have to just preach.
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But I'm happy to be
here with you this evening.
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I've been assigned
the second commandment.
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It's an amazing
amazing word from God.
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And I want to
have a level of clarity
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that is not within
my power to achieve.
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And so I'm going to
ask you to pause with me
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and pray one more
time. Father in heaven,
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You are truly great!
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You're incredible; You're
beautiful beyond description.
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We try and we try to
portray You as You are
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and we come short.
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But Father, right now I
pray that You would help us
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to understand the
delicate relationship
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between our
perception of Your character
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and the impact
that perception has upon
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our actual lives
and relationships.
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In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen!
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Well some of you
are old enough to know
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that back in 1939
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when Gone With The Wind
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was on screens across America
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that something very
unexpected happened.
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Clark Gable, the
dashing lead in the movie,
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did something that
had never been done before
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on the screen. He
was wearing a kind of
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blousy shirt with
three buttons undone
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revealing that
there was no undershirt
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and undershirt sales dropped
precipitously across America.
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The two companies that
were in constant competition -
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Fruit of the Loom and Hanes -
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considered bankruptcy.
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People just
stopped buying undershirts!
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Apparently there's
something about us human beings
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that makes us
very impressionable.
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Apparently there is a vital
connection between what we see
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and what we do.
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More precisely, as human beings
there is a direct correlation
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between what we
idolize and what we become.
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Now the second commandment
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is getting to the heart of this
deep truth about human nature.
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There is a late
Stanford professor,
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a history
professor named René Girard,
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who has encapsulated this idea,
this truth about human nature,
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with a very interesting term
that he's wrapped around it.
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He calls it mimetic desire.
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In mimetic you hear to mimic.
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Mimetic desire is the
idea that we human beings
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for some reason we
are wired to mimic.
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To be like what it is
that we revere and exalt
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and look up to.
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We tend to take on
the characteristics
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of whatever it is
that we're giving focus to.
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That's why all
Canadians say "eh"
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as in: "Beautiful sunrise, eh? "
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That's why all
Southerners say "y'all" as in:
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"Let's go to a
buffet for dinner, y'all. "
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Right? That's why everybody
out West where I'm from
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for some reason
says "like" way too much.
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As in: "I like want to
have something yummy like
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for dinner like now.
Like what do you think?
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Do you like want to have
something like with me, too? "
00:11:03.22\00:11:05.89
That's West Coast.
00:11:07.56\00:11:08.90
For some reason
everybody's talking like that.
00:11:08.96\00:11:10.90
That's why
everybody here at 3ABN says
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over and over again
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"So excited! "
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Have you heard that?
00:11:20.44\00:11:21.78
Pay attention now. Pay
attention from this stage.
00:11:21.81\00:11:23.75
Everybody's so
excited that you're here...
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so excited for what
we're about to explore.
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And I want to get right
into it because I am so excited
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about what we're
going to be looking into.
00:11:34.52\00:11:36.32
So... so human beings
according to, you know,
00:11:36.52\00:11:39.69
René Girard, this historian,
00:11:39.89\00:11:42.06
this guy who's
looking at human history,
00:11:42.26\00:11:44.03
according to him human
beings for some reason...
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Now he doesn't know exactly why;
00:11:46.30\00:11:47.64
he can't put his finger on
it, he's just making an academic
00:11:47.80\00:11:50.64
observation. He's saying: "Hey,
human beings for some reason
00:11:50.84\00:11:53.38
are psychologically
emotionally wired
00:11:53.58\00:11:56.41
to mimic whatever it is
that occupies the most elevated
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position in their minds.
00:12:01.02\00:12:04.45
The entire advertising industry
00:12:04.65\00:12:07.09
is based on the
psychology of mimetic desire
00:12:07.29\00:12:11.59
or the fact that human
beings mimic what they see.
00:12:11.79\00:12:14.70
In 2019- just read this -
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In 2019 when the year is
done we in the United States
00:12:17.57\00:12:21.74
of America will have
spent 240.7 billion dollars
00:12:21.94\00:12:25.47
on advertising.
$240 billion dollars!
00:12:25.67\00:12:29.74
That is more than 160
00:12:29.94\00:12:34.02
countries' gross
domestic product combined.
00:12:34.22\00:12:37.92
All on
advertising... all to get people
00:12:38.45\00:12:40.82
to mimic, to copy, to do
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what others are doing.
00:12:43.96\00:12:46.70
We as human beings are
not really originators.
00:12:46.90\00:12:50.67
There's something about us,
00:12:51.80\00:12:53.64
and I'm going to tell
you what I think it is
00:12:53.84\00:12:55.54
according to Scripture.
00:12:55.74\00:12:57.14
There are only really
two categories to reality:
00:12:57.54\00:13:01.38
Creator and created.
00:13:01.58\00:13:03.58
I mean, that's
panning way out, right?
00:13:04.98\00:13:07.38
There are lots of other
sub-categories, but really
00:13:07.58\00:13:10.62
if you pan way out there are
just two categories to reality.
00:13:10.82\00:13:13.29
There's the
Maker and the "made. "
00:13:13.69\00:13:16.42
Creator and created.
00:13:16.62\00:13:18.49
And that means,
among other things,
00:13:18.69\00:13:20.96
that you and I
originate really nothing.
00:13:21.16\00:13:24.33
Everything that we
experience is derived
00:13:24.53\00:13:27.24
from pre-existing realities.
00:13:27.44\00:13:30.07
We're not original.
00:13:30.47\00:13:32.14
We were made by God in His image
00:13:32.54\00:13:36.08
in such a way that
through relationship with Him
00:13:36.48\00:13:39.21
we would become more
and more and more beautiful
00:13:39.41\00:13:41.92
in His image throughout
the ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:13:42.12\00:13:45.42
And if the fall of
humanity had never occurred
00:13:45.85\00:13:48.12
think of what would
have happened with you and I
00:13:48.32\00:13:50.03
in fellowship with one
another as human beings.
00:13:50.23\00:13:52.16
God's character is
so big - so oceanic -
00:13:52.56\00:13:56.06
I mean, think of all
that God is in His character.
00:13:56.26\00:13:59.57
We might think of
the word infinite.
00:13:59.97\00:14:01.47
God is infinite in
His love and His goodness
00:14:01.67\00:14:04.14
and His character, right?
00:14:04.34\00:14:05.67
So infinite, in fact, that
all of us... there are billions
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.41
of us... all of us
can be exactly like Him
00:14:08.61\00:14:11.61
in character and yet
completely uniquely different
00:14:11.81\00:14:15.48
in personality. So
you and I would have been
00:14:15.68\00:14:19.15
if the fall - this is
hypothetically - if the fall
00:14:19.35\00:14:21.19
had never occurred and sin
had never entered the picture
00:14:21.39\00:14:23.86
you and I would have been
essentially cross-pollinating
00:14:24.26\00:14:27.66
the beauty of God's character
00:14:27.86\00:14:30.27
among ourselves with one
another forever and ever.
00:14:30.47\00:14:33.00
We would have been taking
on one another's discoveries
00:14:33.54\00:14:37.71
about God. We would
have been having fellowship
00:14:37.91\00:14:40.84
and I would be
benefitted by what you know
00:14:41.04\00:14:44.81
and see in the character of God
00:14:45.01\00:14:46.72
and my character and personality
would flower even more.
00:14:46.92\00:14:50.99
I would grow and mature forever
through fellowship with you.
00:14:51.15\00:14:54.09
And you would grow and mature
forever in fellowship with me.
00:14:54.29\00:14:57.03
And all of us would
grow and mature forever
00:14:57.33\00:14:59.19
and ever through
fellowship with God.
00:14:59.39\00:15:01.76
Because psychologically
emotionally we were wired
00:15:01.96\00:15:05.67
for taking on the
attributes of God.
00:15:05.87\00:15:10.64
There's the
Creator, there's the created.
00:15:11.77\00:15:14.08
And this poses a danger
00:15:14.28\00:15:16.71
because once the fall
of humanity had occurred
00:15:17.11\00:15:20.48
now we were in a situation
00:15:20.88\00:15:23.18
where sponges that we are
00:15:23.39\00:15:26.32
we were in danger of taking on
00:15:26.52\00:15:29.39
the
characteristics of God's enemy
00:15:29.79\00:15:33.50
and taking on the
characteristics of one another
00:15:33.70\00:15:35.66
in our fallen condition.
00:15:35.86\00:15:37.47
And the second
commandment is getting at this.
00:15:37.63\00:15:39.40
But let's begin with the
first. James took us through the
00:15:39.60\00:15:41.60
first commandment, but the
first and second commandment:
00:15:41.80\00:15:44.11
they're kind of a continuum.
They just go straight together.
00:15:44.31\00:15:46.88
So in the first
commandment as James pointed out
00:15:47.38\00:15:49.91
it doesn't begin with a "Thou
shalt" or "Thou shalt not. "
00:15:50.11\00:15:52.81
It begins with:
"I am the Lord. "
00:15:53.01\00:15:54.65
"I'm Yahweh, I'm the Lord
who brought you out of the land
00:15:54.85\00:15:57.72
of Egypt out of
the house of bondage. "
00:15:57.92\00:15:59.29
So: "This is who
I am" God is saying.
00:15:59.49\00:16:01.79
"I'm a liberator kind of God. "
00:16:01.99\00:16:03.79
"I'm the kind of God
that doesn't want human beings
00:16:04.46\00:16:07.23
enslaved. I want
human beings free. "
00:16:07.43\00:16:11.03
"I'm not the kind of
person, the kind of character,
00:16:11.23\00:16:13.90
the kind of God who
keeps people in bondage. "
00:16:14.10\00:16:17.67
"I'm a liberator in
character... that's who I am. "
00:16:17.87\00:16:21.88
By the way, all false gods
00:16:22.51\00:16:24.95
in one way or another
to some degree or another
00:16:25.15\00:16:29.02
bring human beings into bondage.
00:16:29.32\00:16:31.85
You find throughout history
00:16:32.25\00:16:33.92
that really all the gods...
If you just, I don't know,
00:16:34.12\00:16:37.26
Google "the gods of history"
00:16:37.46\00:16:40.16
among the Greeks, the Romans,
the Egyptians, the Assyrians
00:16:40.36\00:16:43.47
what you'll find is a
bunch of names. Everything from
00:16:43.67\00:16:46.63
Dagon to Molech to Ishtar.
00:16:46.84\00:16:49.40
You'll find all kinds of gods,
false gods through history.
00:16:50.11\00:16:54.08
And if you just do a little
bit of thinking, a little bit of
00:16:54.48\00:16:56.54
study all of them fall
into three basic categories.
00:16:56.75\00:16:58.91
Three basic categories really.
00:16:59.31\00:17:00.85
The gods that were most
prominent for example among
00:17:01.58\00:17:04.89
the Romans and the
Greeks were the gods Mars,
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.39
the god of war or power,
00:17:07.79\00:17:09.76
and Aphrodite, the
god of sex or sensuality,
00:17:10.49\00:17:13.80
and Mammon or
Plouton, the god of money.
00:17:14.00\00:17:18.87
Well there you have it.
You have the complete trinity
00:17:19.07\00:17:21.67
of false gods in human history
00:17:21.87\00:17:24.81
are composed of
power, sex, and money.
00:17:25.01\00:17:29.04
This is what human
beings without God focus on
00:17:29.44\00:17:33.11
and exalt and become more and
more like in their characters.
00:17:33.31\00:17:37.85
So it doesn't matter
where you look in history
00:17:38.25\00:17:40.16
the one and only True God stands
over against or in contrast to
00:17:40.36\00:17:45.36
everything that
is ugly in the world.
00:17:45.56\00:17:48.56
God alone is beautiful, and
those who associate with Him
00:17:48.76\00:17:53.70
become beautiful in His image.
00:17:53.90\00:17:56.71
The first
commandment God simply says:
00:17:57.77\00:18:01.18
"I am a particular kind of God.
00:18:01.38\00:18:03.48
I'm a liberator kind
of God. I want you free;
00:18:03.68\00:18:05.95
I don't want you in bondage. "
00:18:06.15\00:18:07.48
I could put it to you this way:
00:18:07.62\00:18:09.15
if there's one thing
that God Almighty doesn't want
00:18:09.92\00:18:12.69
it's control. What God
wants is to nurture you and me
00:18:13.66\00:18:19.63
into healthy
responsible self-governance.
00:18:19.83\00:18:23.23
This is called The New Covenant.
00:18:23.43\00:18:25.07
This is where the law
isn't externally imposed
00:18:25.27\00:18:27.74
but internally
owned by each human being.
00:18:27.94\00:18:31.21
"I love Your law, God.
I've taken it on board. "
00:18:31.41\00:18:35.71
"I've taken it into my heart;
it's written inside of me. "
00:18:35.91\00:18:38.95
"It's a part of the
fabric of my own character. "
00:18:39.15\00:18:42.02
"You haven't made me
a slave with Your law...
00:18:42.22\00:18:44.55
Your law is a law of liberty. "
00:18:44.75\00:18:46.09
"The more I know You through
the paradigm, through the prism,
00:18:46.29\00:18:49.22
through the lens of Your
law the more free I am! "
00:18:49.42\00:18:51.99
God is a liberating kind of God.
00:18:52.69\00:18:55.56
So He says in the commandments
right at the beginning:
00:18:55.76\00:18:59.50
"I'm a liberator kind
of God. I set you free...
00:18:59.70\00:19:02.67
you shall have no
other gods before Me. "
00:19:02.87\00:19:04.67
Now this is really interesting.
The second commandment
00:19:04.87\00:19:07.18
follows that: "You shall
have no other gods before Me. "
00:19:07.38\00:19:10.88
Note the
language: "no other gods. "
00:19:11.08\00:19:12.81
And then it says this:
00:19:13.21\00:19:15.22
"You shall not make for yourself
00:19:15.62\00:19:18.49
a carved image... "
Note the word image...
00:19:18.69\00:19:21.46
"any likeness of
anything that is in heaven above
00:19:21.86\00:19:24.93
or that is in the
earth beneath... "
00:19:25.13\00:19:26.66
This is Exodus chapter
20, the Ten Commandments
00:19:27.06\00:19:29.96
verses 4 through 6...
00:19:30.37\00:19:32.47
"or beneath the earth
or that is under the water
00:19:32.67\00:19:37.14
under the earth...
" Now notice this...
00:19:37.34\00:19:40.14
"You shall not bow down
to them nor serve them. "
00:19:40.81\00:19:44.61
Back in verse 2:
"I want you free.
00:19:45.91\00:19:48.92
Those other gods?
They want you in bondage. "
00:19:49.32\00:19:53.56
God is saying to
us in this commandment
00:19:54.56\00:19:59.36
"I am here to free you;
they are here to enslave you. "
00:19:59.56\00:20:04.47
"Don't serve them. "
And then He says something
00:20:05.10\00:20:07.37
that can be taken wrongly. He
says: "For I the Lord your God
00:20:07.57\00:20:09.77
am a jealous God, visiting
the iniquity of the fathers
00:20:09.97\00:20:12.01
upon the children to the
third and fourth generation
00:20:12.21\00:20:13.98
of those who hate Me
00:20:14.18\00:20:15.88
but showing mercy to thousands
00:20:16.08\00:20:18.88
of those who love Me
and keep My commandments. "
00:20:19.08\00:20:20.95
Is God jealous in
an ego kind of way?
00:20:22.52\00:20:26.52
Is God an
egomaniac? Is He a narcissist?
00:20:26.72\00:20:28.99
Does He just want to
hear His name all day long?
00:20:29.19\00:20:31.46
"Say it again... say it again. "
00:20:31.66\00:20:33.19
"Tell Me how wonderful I am. "
00:20:33.40\00:20:34.90
No, God is in fact
00:20:35.10\00:20:37.60
jealous not for His ego
but jealous for your wellbeing
00:20:38.00\00:20:43.07
and mine. Amen! In those
other gods are attributes
00:20:43.27\00:20:47.41
character traits
that if you worship them
00:20:47.61\00:20:49.68
you will become gradually
"uglified" in their image.
00:20:49.88\00:20:53.78
But the one and only
True God is beautiful
00:20:54.98\00:20:57.79
and to worship Him
is to become beautiful.
00:20:57.99\00:21:00.42
It is in our best interest
to worship the one and only
00:21:00.62\00:21:04.49
True God. The second
commandment essentially
00:21:04.69\00:21:09.60
tells us that we were
born to a battlefield.
00:21:10.30\00:21:13.87
There's a war zone...
and it's planet earth.
00:21:14.37\00:21:17.81
How do we know this in the text?
00:21:18.01\00:21:19.87
Well, there are other
gods. Other gods? Really?
00:21:20.08\00:21:23.41
Is this a figment of
human beings' imagination?
00:21:24.38\00:21:28.18
How are there other gods?
00:21:28.38\00:21:29.92
There's rivalry, so
the great controversy
00:21:30.32\00:21:33.42
between good and evil is right
there embedded within the law.
00:21:33.62\00:21:37.36
"There are other gods
vying for your attention
00:21:37.56\00:21:40.00
and your worship but
I'm the only True God. "
00:21:40.20\00:21:43.50
But not only does
the second commandment
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.23
introduce us to the fact
that we live in a war zone
00:21:46.43\00:21:49.57
the second commandment
tells us, and this is crucial,
00:21:49.77\00:21:53.64
that the war is primarily
psychological in nature.
00:21:54.44\00:21:59.81
That is to say we become like
00:22:03.12\00:22:06.65
what we worship.
00:22:07.56\00:22:09.16
So the other gods...
Who are they? What are they?
00:22:09.79\00:22:13.86
Do they actually
exist? This is fascinating.
00:22:14.06\00:22:16.80
The first time that other
gods are mentioned in Scripture
00:22:17.30\00:22:20.47
in a way that
alerts us to the fact that
00:22:20.67\00:22:24.27
there's actually
something to this other than
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.94
little figurines on ancient
peoples' shelves in their tents.
00:22:27.14\00:22:32.55
There's something more to this.
In Genesis chapter 35 verse 2
00:22:32.75\00:22:36.48
"And Jacob said to his household
00:22:36.69\00:22:38.55
and to all who were with him:
00:22:38.75\00:22:40.09
'Put away the foreign gods. ' "
00:22:40.12\00:22:42.12
I want you to note the
language "foreign gods. "
00:22:42.32\00:22:44.66
These gods are somehow foreign.
00:22:45.06\00:22:47.20
They're associate with the
other nations. That's point #1.
00:22:47.40\00:22:51.00
Point #2: In
Exodus chapter 12 verse 20
00:22:51.40\00:22:54.40
God comes
against the gods of Egypt
00:22:54.80\00:22:58.87
to execute judgment on
them. And then He says:
00:22:59.07\00:23:02.51
"I'm the Lord. I'm the
one and only True God. "
00:23:02.71\00:23:06.11
The foreign gods are
masquerading deities.
00:23:06.82\00:23:10.79
These aren't merely
idols made of wood and stone.
00:23:10.99\00:23:15.79
Behind the idols
made of wood and stone
00:23:16.39\00:23:18.99
there's something going
on. Exodus chapter 15 verse 11
00:23:19.19\00:23:22.96
God is in
contrast to the other gods.
00:23:23.33\00:23:27.04
There's a question
posed. "Who is like You, O Lord,
00:23:27.24\00:23:30.57
among the gods?
" The other gods.
00:23:30.77\00:23:34.04
There's a pantheon of gods.
00:23:34.44\00:23:36.48
The nations have other gods
that the one and only True God
00:23:36.68\00:23:41.32
is warning Israel:
"Have nothing to do with those
00:23:41.52\00:23:45.05
other gods. " Well... why?
00:23:45.25\00:23:49.16
Well this is interesting.
00:23:49.36\00:23:50.89
Exodus 23 and verse 24 says...
00:23:51.29\00:23:54.30
note the language
here very carefully:
00:23:54.50\00:23:55.93
"You shall not bow
down to their gods. "
00:23:56.13\00:23:59.10
The foreign gods. The
gods of the Canaanite nations.
00:23:59.30\00:24:02.90
"You shall not bow down
to their gods nor serve them
00:24:03.10\00:24:06.74
nor do any of their works. "
00:24:06.94\00:24:09.44
Those gods are characterized
00:24:11.11\00:24:14.68
by certain kinds
of works or behaviors.
00:24:14.88\00:24:17.15
To worship those
gods is to take on board
00:24:18.02\00:24:21.42
into your life those
works... those behaviors.
00:24:21.62\00:24:26.53
That's the danger. So
Exodus 23 and verse 33
00:24:26.73\00:24:30.33
adds another word.
"For if you serve their gods
00:24:30.53\00:24:34.74
they will surely
be a snare to you. "
00:24:34.94\00:24:38.27
It's a trap to
lead you into adopting
00:24:38.47\00:24:43.91
character traits that are
foreign to the character of
00:24:44.11\00:24:47.62
the one and only True God.
Then in Deuteronomy chapter 32
00:24:47.82\00:24:53.96
this is so fascinating.
00:24:54.16\00:24:56.73
We're told
explicitly in verses 16 and 17
00:24:56.93\00:25:01.13
that the foreign gods
are none other than demons
00:25:01.53\00:25:07.44
masquerading as deities.
00:25:08.37\00:25:10.71
Deuteronomy chapter
32 verses 16 and 17.
00:25:10.91\00:25:13.58
So pan way out
for a minute here.
00:25:13.98\00:25:16.48
We've just mentioned the
fact that the first and second
00:25:16.98\00:25:20.28
commandments alert us to
the fact that we are born
00:25:20.48\00:25:22.58
to a battlefield. That
there is one and only True God
00:25:22.78\00:25:25.22
but there's
rivalry... there's a conflict.
00:25:25.42\00:25:27.76
There are other gods that
are trying to get our attention
00:25:27.96\00:25:31.39
and to command our worship.
00:25:31.59\00:25:34.50
Scripture tells us that we
are in fact engaged in a great
00:25:35.43\00:25:39.33
controversy and that there is a
covert and sometimes very overt
00:25:39.53\00:25:43.64
effort to displace God
00:25:43.84\00:25:46.74
not just from His
throne far away in heaven
00:25:46.94\00:25:50.48
but from the citadel
of human consciousness...
00:25:50.68\00:25:53.52
from the throne room of
our minds. Or as Shelley
00:25:53.72\00:25:56.99
told us today -
shared with us today -
00:25:57.19\00:25:58.89
that our minds
constitute the Most Holy Place.
00:25:59.09\00:26:01.92
The fact is that we're
engaged in a great controversy
00:26:02.66\00:26:06.46
between good and evil
00:26:06.66\00:26:08.63
and there's a lot at stake.
00:26:08.83\00:26:11.37
What's at stake is
our very identities.
00:26:11.57\00:26:15.80
Idolatry... an idolatry
crisis is an identity crisis
00:26:16.00\00:26:20.98
for the idolater.
00:26:21.18\00:26:22.78
To worship false gods
is gradually to take on
00:26:22.98\00:26:27.68
the attributes of those gods.
00:26:27.88\00:26:29.78
Now panning way out we
see that: "Hey, wait a minute!
00:26:29.98\00:26:32.65
These false gods
of the other nations
00:26:33.05\00:26:35.32
weren't merely the figments
of the peoples' imaginations
00:26:35.52\00:26:39.26
and then carved into little
statuettes on their shelves.
00:26:39.46\00:26:43.77
Behind each one of those little
idols made of wood and stone
00:26:43.97\00:26:48.87
was a demon masquerading
as a deity over a nation.
00:26:49.07\00:26:53.54
And this is why you
have in the Old Testament
00:26:53.74\00:26:56.51
a lot of territorial language.
00:26:56.71\00:26:59.45
When God comes to Israel
He says: "I've chosen you
00:26:59.65\00:27:02.02
as My peculiar
people and I have with you
00:27:02.22\00:27:05.82
staked out a
territory in the world...
00:27:06.02\00:27:08.46
this battlefield
that is planet earth. "
00:27:08.66\00:27:11.86
"I'm going to do
something through you,
00:27:12.26\00:27:14.40
but as I'm doing
something through you
00:27:14.80\00:27:18.23
the devil has jurisdiction out-
side of the parameters of Israel
00:27:18.43\00:27:24.21
to lead people into other
ways of thinking and feeling
00:27:24.37\00:27:28.51
and relating, so that
when you read about the works
00:27:28.71\00:27:33.42
or the behaviors
of the false gods
00:27:33.62\00:27:36.52
they are leading the people into
all kinds of horrific behaviors
00:27:36.72\00:27:41.92
that involve war, sex,
00:27:42.12\00:27:46.80
and the acquisition of
material goods, money. "
00:27:47.00\00:27:51.33
So the fact is that even though
we live in a modern culture
00:27:53.07\00:27:57.51
in Western culture where people
aren't making idols of wood and
00:27:57.71\00:28:02.54
stone and putting
them on their shelves
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.68
we live in an
extremely idolatrous culture
00:28:04.88\00:28:10.15
because we have
deified sex and money and power
00:28:11.42\00:28:15.39
in our culture. And
we are gradually watching
00:28:15.59\00:28:19.66
the corporate body of humanity
00:28:20.50\00:28:23.30
gradually morph and
become more and more like
00:28:23.50\00:28:26.43
the ugly attributes
of those enterprises.
00:28:26.63\00:28:31.97
So God is saying: "Listen,
behind every idol is a demon.
00:28:32.84\00:28:37.55
And behind all of
the idols is the ultimate
00:28:38.25\00:28:42.55
rival to the throne of God
and that is the devil himself
00:28:42.95\00:28:48.32
who is through idolatry
seeking to deflect worship
00:28:48.52\00:28:53.80
from the one and
only True God to himself.
00:28:54.00\00:28:56.23
How does he do this?
00:28:56.43\00:28:58.33
Now the next Bible
verse I want you to look at:
00:28:58.53\00:29:01.50
very quickly turn in your
Bible to Psalm 135 and verse 18.
00:29:01.70\00:29:05.81
This is the key text for
what we're talking about here
00:29:06.01\00:29:08.71
this evening. This
in one simple statement
00:29:08.91\00:29:12.85
is where David, under
inspiration, understands
00:29:13.05\00:29:16.35
the snare, the danger,
the psychology of idolatry.
00:29:16.55\00:29:22.36
He says: "Those
who make them... "
00:29:23.66\00:29:27.60
that is idols...
"those who make them
00:29:27.80\00:29:30.30
become like them. So do
all who trust in them. "
00:29:30.50\00:29:36.04
So God is warning
us against idolatry
00:29:36.60\00:29:40.31
again, not
because He is an egomaniac
00:29:40.71\00:29:43.98
who wants full,
undivided attention for Himself.
00:29:44.18\00:29:48.18
God is saying: "Listen,
listen: I'm the only One
00:29:48.65\00:29:51.65
who actually loves
you, and to worship Me
00:29:51.85\00:29:55.29
is to become like that love
00:29:55.49\00:29:57.73
in our relationship and
in all your relationships
00:29:57.93\00:30:00.50
with others. The
false gods, the other gods -
00:30:00.70\00:30:05.07
the gods of money
and power and sex -
00:30:05.27\00:30:08.74
those gods if you worship
them you will gradually become
00:30:09.14\00:30:13.07
like them. " Listen, what-
ever occupies the pinnacle,
00:30:13.27\00:30:16.71
the top of our value system
00:30:16.91\00:30:20.88
is going to gradually
change us into its image.
00:30:22.08\00:30:26.25
The secret behind all idolatry
00:30:26.45\00:30:29.12
is that ultimately
it is self-worship.
00:30:29.32\00:30:32.49
It is you and I as
human beings isolating
00:30:32.69\00:30:35.30
a character trait - a fallen
character trait - in ourselves
00:30:35.50\00:30:38.83
and then deifying it.
00:30:39.03\00:30:40.40
And focusing our attention
on something this world
00:30:40.80\00:30:44.71
has to offer
00:30:44.91\00:30:46.91
to the displacement of
the one and only True God
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.94
from our affections. So
it can be anything literally.
00:30:50.15\00:30:53.85
Anything in the
world can be idolized.
00:30:54.05\00:30:57.19
Anything can be exalted to
that position in our thinking.
00:30:57.39\00:31:01.82
This is the
psychology of idolatry.
00:31:02.02\00:31:05.93
This is God saying:
"Listen, don't worship
00:31:06.13\00:31:08.53
false gods because
it's dangerous to your very
00:31:08.73\00:31:14.10
make-up, to your
identity, to your character.
00:31:14.30\00:31:16.60
You will become like them. "
00:31:16.81\00:31:19.71
So the second
commandment essentially forbids
00:31:19.91\00:31:24.61
theological fiction.
00:31:24.81\00:31:26.75
The second commandment
says: "Don't... " God is saying
00:31:31.25\00:31:34.49
in the second commandment:
"Don't imagine Me differently
00:31:34.69\00:31:37.83
than I actually am. " Amen!
00:31:38.03\00:31:40.93
Don't concoct
theological schemes
00:31:42.56\00:31:46.94
that diminish me in the
eyes of the worshipers. "
00:31:47.77\00:31:52.41
The second commandment is
warning us against the danger
00:31:54.84\00:31:59.11
of becoming like our
own theological systems
00:31:59.31\00:32:04.45
that defame the
character of God.
00:32:04.85\00:32:07.06
And the result according
to the second commandment
00:32:07.26\00:32:09.26
is dangerous and generational.
00:32:09.46\00:32:11.63
God says: "Don't worship
idols because there will be
00:32:13.03\00:32:16.70
a generational effect to
the 3rd and 4th generation.
00:32:16.90\00:32:22.47
You and your children
will be adversely impacted
00:32:22.87\00:32:28.04
by false worship systems. That
is to say false theologies. "
00:32:28.24\00:32:32.21
Now there is overt idolatry
and there is covert idolatry.
00:32:32.41\00:32:37.52
The children of Israel
00:32:37.95\00:32:39.69
oftentimes thought they
were worshiping the one and only
00:32:39.89\00:32:42.49
True God, but by attributing
character traits to Him
00:32:42.69\00:32:46.56
that did not belong to Him
00:32:46.76\00:32:48.13
they were idolators nonetheless.
00:32:48.33\00:32:52.00
So when we come to
the New Testament -
00:32:52.40\00:32:54.40
this is fascinating -
Jesus takes up the matter
00:32:54.60\00:32:58.51
of idolatry in a
very fascinating way.
00:32:58.71\00:33:00.74
Turn in your
Bibles to John chapter 8.
00:33:00.94\00:33:02.71
Look at John chapter 8
and starting with verse 32.
00:33:02.91\00:33:07.02
Jesus is teaching
the people in general
00:33:08.08\00:33:10.69
but now He's having a con-
versation with religious leaders
00:33:10.89\00:33:13.09
and He says: "Listen,
you shall know the truth
00:33:13.29\00:33:16.66
and the truth
shall set you free. "
00:33:16.86\00:33:19.03
Two things here: the context
00:33:19.23\00:33:21.50
here is what James
broke down for us this morning
00:33:22.30\00:33:25.13
in John chapter 8
verses like 1 through 14.
00:33:25.53\00:33:28.44
The way that Jesus treated
the woman caught in adultery
00:33:29.17\00:33:33.74
was a manifestation
of the character of God.
00:33:34.14\00:33:37.71
Jesus then comes along
because the religious leaders
00:33:38.78\00:33:42.02
are scandalized by the way
that He treated this woman.
00:33:42.22\00:33:45.19
They wanted
judgment and condemnation
00:33:45.39\00:33:47.22
and He gave
mercy and forgiveness.
00:33:47.42\00:33:49.42
And Jesus comes along
following that incident
00:33:50.16\00:33:52.73
with the woman
caught in adultery
00:33:52.93\00:33:54.86
and He says to the people:
"You shall know the truth
00:33:55.06\00:33:57.30
and the truth
will set you free. "
00:33:57.70\00:33:59.03
Here in the
language that is used
00:33:59.57\00:34:02.64
is "the truth" singular.
It's not a list of doctrinal
00:34:02.84\00:34:06.64
points. It is the
truth of the character of God
00:34:06.84\00:34:09.31
that is perfectly embodied
in the person of Christ.
00:34:09.51\00:34:12.71
It is "the truth" singular!
00:34:13.01\00:34:15.08
It is known in Scripture
with various different language.
00:34:15.28\00:34:19.45
The singular truth of Scripture
00:34:19.65\00:34:21.79
is the everlasting covenant.
00:34:21.99\00:34:23.99
The singular truth of Scripture
is the everlasting gospel.
00:34:24.39\00:34:28.03
The singular truth, the
one truth to rule them all
00:34:28.43\00:34:32.30
that encompasses
all other truths,
00:34:32.50\00:34:34.64
is the profound truth
that God is love: full stop.
00:34:34.84\00:34:38.21
You say: "Wait a minute.
God's other things, too. "
00:34:39.07\00:34:40.78
No, God isn't anything else.
00:34:40.98\00:34:42.94
God is love, period...
00:34:43.95\00:34:45.68
and everything else
that is true of God is
00:34:45.88\00:34:47.42
true of God because God is love.
00:34:47.62\00:34:49.35
Say: "Wait a minute,
Ty. No, God is love AND
00:34:49.55\00:34:51.45
God is just. " No,
God is just precisely
00:34:51.65\00:34:54.69
because God is love. Amen!
00:34:54.89\00:34:57.23
God is whatever God
is because God is love.
00:34:57.43\00:35:00.60
If a parent speaks the truth
00:35:01.36\00:35:04.50
or disciplines a child
that's not a break from love.
00:35:05.13\00:35:09.60
God is love, and
that is the one truth
00:35:11.41\00:35:14.91
that embodies all other truth.
00:35:15.11\00:35:16.44
Sometimes I'll have an
experience where somebody
00:35:16.61\00:35:18.61
that I don't know
sitting on an airplane
00:35:18.81\00:35:20.75
or somewhere just
interacting with people:
00:35:20.95\00:35:23.75
"Hey, so you're a
Christian; you're a SDA? " Yeah.
00:35:23.95\00:35:26.82
"So what do you believe? "
"Well I have just one belief.
00:35:27.02\00:35:29.22
I just believe one
thing... I'm a simple guy.
00:35:29.42\00:35:32.19
I believe one thing... I
have one fundamental belief:
00:35:32.59\00:35:36.03
God is love. "
00:35:36.23\00:35:38.93
Amen! "Well you don't
believe anything else? "
00:35:39.13\00:35:40.94
"No, not really... no... uh-um.
00:35:41.10\00:35:44.07
That's what I believe, that's
the whole thing right there. "
00:35:44.27\00:35:47.98
"But if you have a few minutes
I can share with you how that
00:35:49.14\00:35:51.85
pans out and approximately
28 other things that... "
00:35:52.05\00:35:55.85
"There are 28 other
things that magnify that thing
00:36:00.16\00:36:04.39
but there's just that thing. "
00:36:04.89\00:36:06.59
There is... According to
Jesus there is a singular truth
00:36:07.10\00:36:10.43
and that truth is the
truth that God is love.
00:36:10.83\00:36:14.84
And in that He is completely
other than all other gods,
00:36:15.04\00:36:20.21
all other
philosophies, belief systems,
00:36:20.41\00:36:23.14
and everything the
world has to offer.
00:36:23.35\00:36:25.28
Now there's another way to
encapsulate the distinction
00:36:25.48\00:36:28.78
between this one singular truth
00:36:28.98\00:36:30.75
and all the lies, all the Theo-
logical fictions in the world.
00:36:31.92\00:36:35.89
And it's simply like this:
00:36:36.29\00:36:37.99
God is love...
that's the one truth.
00:36:38.39\00:36:41.16
Everlasting covenant...
that's the one truth.
00:36:41.36\00:36:43.26
Everlasting?
That's the one truth.
00:36:43.47\00:36:44.93
Salvation by grace
through faith in Christ alone:
00:36:45.13\00:36:47.50
that's the one truth.
00:36:47.70\00:36:49.17
Now every other
false... every false system
00:36:49.37\00:36:54.44
is essentially some
configuration of the salvation
00:36:55.31\00:36:59.01
by works program.
00:36:59.21\00:37:01.48
Really there are only two
belief systems in the world.
00:37:02.15\00:37:05.52
Really there are only
two religions in the world.
00:37:06.49\00:37:08.82
There is salvation by grace
through faith in Christ alone
00:37:09.22\00:37:14.80
and then there
is everything else
00:37:15.00\00:37:18.03
which is just so many different
wrong mathematical equations
00:37:18.23\00:37:22.84
that essentially equate to
some version of the salvation
00:37:23.87\00:37:27.74
by works paradigm. Amen!
00:37:27.94\00:37:30.45
So Jesus says: "If
you know the truth -
00:37:30.85\00:37:33.35
the one singular truth
- you will be set free.
00:37:33.55\00:37:35.65
You will be liberated. "
And then this... it's amazing.
00:37:35.85\00:37:38.59
And then Jesus says in verse 37:
00:37:39.29\00:37:41.52
He says: "But I know that
you are Abraham's descendants
00:37:41.92\00:37:46.19
but the problem is you're
a part of the right nation
00:37:46.96\00:37:51.73
denomination. You're a part
of the right thing outwardly. "
00:37:51.93\00:37:57.31
"I know you're Abraham's
descendants... " verse 37...
00:37:57.51\00:38:00.44
but you seek to kill Me.
00:38:00.84\00:38:03.91
So there's a disconnect
00:38:05.01\00:38:07.42
between your national heritage
00:38:07.62\00:38:12.25
and how it's panning out
in the way you're behaving. "
00:38:12.45\00:38:17.49
Verse 38: "I speak
00:38:17.69\00:38:19.96
what I have seen with My Father
and you do what you have seen
00:38:20.36\00:38:25.33
with your father. "
Now He's starting to play
00:38:25.53\00:38:27.10
with their minds. They're
like: "Father, father, father...
00:38:27.30\00:38:29.64
what are we supposed to
say when that comes up? "
00:38:29.84\00:38:31.27
Well, they know
what to say. Verse 39:
00:38:31.47\00:38:33.11
"They answered and said:
'Abraham is our father. '
00:38:33.31\00:38:35.31
And Jesus said:
'If you were actually
00:38:35.51\00:38:39.21
Abraham's children you
would do the works of Abraham.
00:38:39.41\00:38:43.39
But now you seek to kill Me,
a Man who has told you the truth
00:38:44.79\00:38:49.39
that I heard from God.
Abraham... ' He says...
00:38:49.59\00:38:51.96
'didn't do this so
your behaviors, your actions
00:38:52.16\00:38:56.93
are not aligning with your
theological profession. ' "
00:38:57.13\00:39:02.94
And then, verse 41: "You do
the deeds of your father... "
00:39:03.44\00:39:09.04
The whole time they're
thinking: "Well, father... yeah.
00:39:09.24\00:39:11.35
Abraham's our father. " "You
do the deeds of your father... "
00:39:11.55\00:39:13.88
And they said to
Him: 'We have one father
00:39:14.18\00:39:17.65
and it's God. " So
just check this out:
00:39:17.85\00:39:21.12
according to their perception
of themselves they are
00:39:21.92\00:39:25.06
worshipers of the
one and only True God.
00:39:25.73\00:39:28.40
And Jesus said
to them, verse 42:
00:39:28.60\00:39:30.87
"If God were your
father you would love Me
00:39:31.27\00:39:33.74
for I proceeded
forth and came from God.
00:39:35.17\00:39:37.61
Nor have I come of
Myself but He sent Me. "
00:39:38.01\00:39:42.41
"You actually...
" He says, verse 44:
00:39:42.81\00:39:45.68
"are of your father the devil
00:39:46.08\00:39:49.42
and the desires of
your father you will do. "
00:39:49.62\00:39:54.42
There's René
Girard's mimetic desire.
00:39:54.92\00:39:58.13
You're simply
following through logically
00:39:58.39\00:40:00.76
with your belief system.
00:40:00.96\00:40:02.30
You have bad theology and it's
panning out in your behavior.
00:40:02.33\00:40:06.17
Jesus is saying: "You're
of your father the devil. "
00:40:06.90\00:40:09.50
This is amazing. Think
about this for a minute.
00:40:09.70\00:40:12.14
Essentially Jesus is
saying: "You are worshiping
00:40:12.64\00:40:15.94
the devil under
the name Yahweh. "
00:40:16.14\00:40:19.25
"You imagine yourselves to be
worshipers of the one and only
00:40:22.05\00:40:26.45
True God but you are
idolators. You are actually
00:40:26.65\00:40:30.16
devil worshipers because
you are attributing to God
00:40:30.36\00:40:33.03
characteristics that
don't belong to Him. "
00:40:33.23\00:40:35.76
Idolatry happens
whenever a person attributes
00:40:36.67\00:40:40.47
characteristics to God that are
foreign to the character of God.
00:40:40.67\00:40:45.07
And that's what they're doing.
00:40:45.27\00:40:46.84
The Israelites, they are in
the process of putting the devil
00:40:47.04\00:40:50.91
in the place of God
while retaining the right name
00:40:51.11\00:40:53.98
on the surface. In
really really academic
00:40:54.18\00:40:57.85
technical terms this is
called "a big switcheroo. "
00:40:58.05\00:41:01.59
They have actually
undergone a process
00:41:03.16\00:41:07.03
of imbuing the name Yahweh with
characteristics of the devil
00:41:07.23\00:41:11.97
and the devil is actually
enthroned in their theological
00:41:12.17\00:41:15.70
system... and they
don't even know it.
00:41:15.90\00:41:20.51
Then Jesus goes on and
He says: "Listen, listen,
00:41:20.81\00:41:23.21
the devil: he was a
murdered from the beginning.
00:41:23.41\00:41:25.78
So this impulse
that you have to kill Me
00:41:25.98\00:41:29.95
is coming from
him. You're carrying out
00:41:30.15\00:41:33.46
the character... you're follow-
ing through with the character
00:41:33.66\00:41:37.03
of your true
father... and it's not God. "
00:41:37.23\00:41:41.26
Verse 44: "When he...
the devil... speaks... "
00:41:41.46\00:41:45.13
"he speaks... "
in the Greek, now...
00:41:45.33\00:41:47.67
This won't show up very clearly
in most of our English versions.
00:41:47.87\00:41:51.07
"When he, the devil,
speaks he speaks the lie... "
00:41:51.27\00:41:54.68
singular... "and
he is the father of
00:41:54.88\00:42:00.08
the lie. " It,
singular, in verse 44.
00:42:00.28\00:42:03.62
So Jesus there is
one singular truth
00:42:04.02\00:42:06.29
and that one singular
truth is the everlasting gospel.
00:42:06.49\00:42:09.12
It is the love of
God... it is the LAW of God.
00:42:09.52\00:42:13.16
One truth is THE
TRUTH that Jesus personified
00:42:13.93\00:42:19.87
in Himself. And then Jesus
says: "And there's one lie.
00:42:20.07\00:42:23.87
A singular lie, and it's
everything that is contrary
00:42:24.07\00:42:26.78
to the gospel, everything that
is contrary to the love of God.
00:42:26.98\00:42:30.45
And this impulse toward murder
00:42:30.65\00:42:33.11
is a derivative of that
one lie that you are guided by
00:42:34.12\00:42:39.25
right now. " Now
this is interesting.
00:42:39.45\00:42:41.39
When He comes to the end of
this little discussion with them
00:42:41.79\00:42:44.56
He says in verse 50: "Hey,
and by the way, I am God. "
00:42:44.76\00:42:47.76
"I am the I AM. I'm the One who
00:42:50.50\00:42:53.70
had all those
interactions with Abraham
00:42:54.54\00:42:57.01
who you claim is your
father in the Old Testament. "
00:42:57.21\00:42:59.67
"If anybody knows who I
am it's Me because I'm Him. "
00:43:00.54\00:43:03.51
"And I'm not like what
you have made Me out to be
00:43:04.48\00:43:07.58
in the way that you
treated that woman earlier in
00:43:07.78\00:43:10.72
the context of this chapter
that James walked us through
00:43:10.92\00:43:13.62
this morning. " Amen!
00:43:13.82\00:43:15.56
"You have deified
your own fallen characters
00:43:16.26\00:43:20.93
and you're calling it God. "
00:43:21.13\00:43:23.00
So John 16 is
fascinating in this connection.
00:43:23.40\00:43:27.24
So skip over to John 16 now.
00:43:27.44\00:43:29.07
Now we're going to move in the
direction of the eschatological
00:43:29.47\00:43:33.58
or final events
implications of idolatry.
00:43:33.78\00:43:37.21
Now we all know that Matthew,
those of us who are familiar
00:43:37.98\00:43:42.08
with Scripture and have
spent any time really looking at
00:43:42.28\00:43:44.75
Scripture, we know that Matthew
has a chapter that is devoted
00:43:44.95\00:43:48.16
to the final events
of human history, right?
00:43:48.79\00:43:52.83
Matthew 24. We all
know that Luke has a chapter
00:43:53.53\00:43:57.77
that is devoted to the
final events of human history.
00:43:57.97\00:44:00.34
John has a section that is
devoted to the final events
00:44:00.74\00:44:03.51
and we think you know: "John,
he was just a little different.
00:44:03.71\00:44:06.47
He is not one of
the synoptic gospels.
00:44:06.68\00:44:08.91
He is writing and he's on his
own wavelength; he doesn't have
00:44:09.11\00:44:11.38
a final events treatment...
he never addresses final events.
00:44:11.58\00:44:14.98
John DOES address final events
00:44:15.78\00:44:18.42
but he does it in a way
that Matthew, Mark, and Luke
00:44:18.62\00:44:23.29
do not. He deals with final
events from the standpoint of
00:44:23.49\00:44:27.83
idolatry,
theology, and psychology.
00:44:28.03\00:44:32.03
Chapter 16 of John...
this is John's treatment
00:44:32.73\00:44:36.84
of final events in two verses.
00:44:37.14\00:44:40.11
Verse 2: "The
time is coming... "
00:44:40.31\00:44:42.44
eschatology... final events...
00:44:42.84\00:44:45.01
"The time is coming
when whoever kills you
00:44:45.21\00:44:48.65
will think that he is
doing God's service. "
00:44:48.85\00:44:53.32
And then Jesus
explains what's going on here
00:44:55.56\00:44:58.63
in verse 3: "And these
things they will do to you
00:44:58.83\00:45:02.76
because they have not
known Me nor My Father. "
00:45:02.96\00:45:07.20
But they think
they're doing God's service
00:45:09.77\00:45:11.77
so these are believers...
these are worshipers.
00:45:11.97\00:45:14.91
These are people who are in
churches on a regular basis.
00:45:15.51\00:45:19.78
Jesus is saying: "If
you want to understand
00:45:19.98\00:45:21.98
what's going to
happen at the end of time,
00:45:22.18\00:45:24.49
people are going to act out
a false picture of God. " Amen!
00:45:25.15\00:45:29.42
The final
events of human history
00:45:29.62\00:45:31.39
will simply be the outworking
of everybody's theology.
00:45:31.59\00:45:36.70
Every person will
finally be who they really are.
00:45:37.80\00:45:41.84
When the pressures come to bear
00:45:42.47\00:45:44.61
all of us will act
out our picture of God.
00:45:44.81\00:45:48.71
Amen! So idolatry ultimately
00:45:48.91\00:45:52.81
will lead us to
Revelation chapter 13.
00:45:53.01\00:45:57.09
Revelation chapter
13 might be looked at as
00:45:57.42\00:46:01.69
simply the final manifestation
of climactic idolatry
00:46:01.89\00:46:07.13
in human history.
00:46:07.33\00:46:08.66
This is when the final image,
the final false picture of God,
00:46:09.06\00:46:13.27
is set up for all
the world to worship.
00:46:13.47\00:46:16.10
In Revelation
chapter 13 and verse 3
00:46:16.50\00:46:20.08
"And all the world marveled
and followed the beast. "
00:46:20.38\00:46:24.08
Now don't get tripped
up over the word beast.
00:46:24.28\00:46:25.85
It sounds like
something horrible.
00:46:26.05\00:46:29.28
But this is a grand masquerade.
00:46:29.48\00:46:31.85
The way that this beast
manifests itself on the surface
00:46:32.35\00:46:35.12
in the actual world
the way we encounter it
00:46:35.52\00:46:37.56
it's not a horrible, ugly,
disfigured kind of creature.
00:46:37.96\00:46:42.10
It is a word... The
word beast here is a word
00:46:42.50\00:46:45.43
for system. It is
a religious system.
00:46:45.63\00:46:49.97
It looks good on the surface.
00:46:50.17\00:46:51.81
It's a religious
system that is in "cahoots"
00:46:52.21\00:46:55.31
with the state.
That's what's happening
00:46:55.51\00:46:58.35
in Revelation chapter 13.
00:46:58.55\00:47:00.12
The text goes on and says:
"Listen. What's going to happen
00:47:00.52\00:47:03.18
is there's going to be a
lethal combination between
00:47:03.59\00:47:07.96
two elements. Verse
4: "So they worshiped
00:47:08.16\00:47:11.19
the dragon who gave
authority to the beast
00:47:11.39\00:47:13.90
and they worshiped the beast. "
00:47:14.10\00:47:15.43
So the first element
in the lethal combination
00:47:15.46\00:47:18.50
is worship. Now something's
about to be added to worship
00:47:18.70\00:47:22.70
here, and that is
the power of the state
00:47:22.90\00:47:26.31
to enforce worship
00:47:26.51\00:47:29.24
because the text goes on to
tell us how this pans out...
00:47:29.91\00:47:34.22
this system pans out finally
00:47:34.58\00:47:36.69
is that the worship...
Verse 14: "And he deceived those
00:47:36.89\00:47:40.19
who dwell upon the
earth by means of the signs
00:47:40.39\00:47:43.49
which he is granted to
do in the sight of the beast
00:47:43.69\00:47:46.09
telling those who dwell
on the earth that they should
00:47:46.29\00:47:47.83
make an image to the
beast... " This is verse 14:
00:47:48.03\00:47:50.17
"who was wounded by
the sword and did live.
00:47:50.87\00:47:53.10
And he was granted power to give
breath to the image of the beast
00:47:53.30\00:47:56.67
that the image of the beast
should both speak and cause
00:47:56.87\00:48:00.44
that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast
00:48:00.64\00:48:04.15
should be killed. " What
did Jesus say in John 16?
00:48:04.35\00:48:07.42
"The day is coming... "
Jesus said: "Let me just
00:48:07.62\00:48:10.09
explain to you how this thing's
going to go down in history. "
00:48:10.29\00:48:13.12
"People... " Jesus says...
"are going to actually use force
00:48:13.86\00:48:17.53
and coercion. They're
going to attempt to kill you
00:48:17.69\00:48:20.70
in the name of Jesus.
They're going to actually
00:48:20.90\00:48:23.63
in the name of Christendom
00:48:23.83\00:48:26.00
there's going to
be a colossal system
00:48:26.20\00:48:27.87
that is going to
bring to bear upon the world
00:48:28.07\00:48:30.14
a lethal idolatrous combination
00:48:30.34\00:48:34.48
of worship and coercion. "
00:48:34.68\00:48:36.98
Worship and force.
00:48:37.81\00:48:39.35
So we might say it
like this: the climactic act
00:48:40.22\00:48:43.55
of idolatry in human history
00:48:43.75\00:48:45.92
will occur when the
forces of church and state
00:48:46.42\00:48:51.39
unite to form an image
00:48:51.59\00:48:55.13
that all the world
is obligated to deify
00:48:55.33\00:48:59.03
and to worship. So we
might look at it like this
00:48:59.23\00:49:02.40
stated from another angle:
00:49:02.60\00:49:04.51
the final events equation...
00:49:04.91\00:49:07.38
I mean, this is
the book of Revelation
00:49:07.58\00:49:09.34
summarized for you
in a simple equation.
00:49:09.54\00:49:11.08
This is Revelation 101.
00:49:11.28\00:49:13.08
The final events of human
history boil down to this:
00:49:13.82\00:49:16.35
worship minus love plus force
00:49:16.95\00:49:21.19
equals the mark of the beast.
00:49:21.39\00:49:22.72
What's going to pan out
in history as things unfold
00:49:23.43\00:49:27.46
is a fulfillment of what
Jesus foretold in John 16
00:49:27.66\00:49:31.73
which He laid the groundwork
for in John chapter 8.
00:49:32.20\00:49:35.30
There is one truth
- one singular truth -
00:49:35.50\00:49:37.87
and that one singular
truth is that God is love.
00:49:38.07\00:49:41.44
There is one lie,
and that one singular lie
00:49:41.84\00:49:45.58
which was manifested
in the religious leaders
00:49:45.78\00:49:47.72
of the time of Jesus was the
impulse to kill for religion.
00:49:47.92\00:49:52.75
And then Jesus in John 16 said
00:49:54.56\00:49:56.93
that's exactly what
happened in John chapter 8:
00:49:57.13\00:49:59.26
"Microcosm will take
place on a global scale macro.
00:49:59.46\00:50:05.33
The big thing will look
exactly like the small scenario
00:50:05.53\00:50:11.07
that I went through
with the religious leaders
00:50:11.27\00:50:13.54
in John chapter 8. "
00:50:13.74\00:50:15.18
"Their impulse to kill in
the name of God will pan out in
00:50:15.38\00:50:18.45
a colossal final
events of human history
00:50:18.65\00:50:21.88
in which people will act
out their picture of God.
00:50:22.08\00:50:26.89
Idolatry will finally
manifest itself in such a way
00:50:27.09\00:50:30.93
that every person will
move in one of two directions.
00:50:31.13\00:50:36.90
Every person will move in the
direction of a picture of God
00:50:37.90\00:50:41.47
that is oriented
toward coercion and force
00:50:41.67\00:50:44.81
and a union of church and state
00:50:45.01\00:50:46.61
or in the direction
of a non-coercive love
00:50:47.41\00:50:52.55
that embodies the character
of God in the person of Christ.
00:50:52.95\00:50:56.22
Said another way:
Human history will end
00:50:56.62\00:51:00.76
with people acting out
either the salvation by grace
00:51:00.96\00:51:05.49
picture of God or the salvation
by works picture of God.
00:51:05.69\00:51:09.96
All of human history
will come to a conclusion
00:51:10.47\00:51:14.17
on the premise of
that single factor
00:51:14.37\00:51:19.11
in human thinking
and worship with God.
00:51:19.31\00:51:22.94
So now come back to where
we began in our time together.
00:51:23.14\00:51:26.55
The psychology of idolatry is
what we're trying to understand
00:51:27.62\00:51:30.89
this evening.
00:51:31.09\00:51:32.42
When God says:
"Don't make an idol...
00:51:32.45\00:51:34.52
don't make and
worship an idol...
00:51:34.72\00:51:37.53
it's not a matter of
God being an egomaniac
00:51:37.93\00:51:41.53
who wants to hear His
name over and over again.
00:51:41.73\00:51:43.77
It's God saying: "I am
the one and only True God
00:51:43.97\00:51:47.44
and My character
taken into your heart
00:51:47.64\00:51:53.07
is what is best for you. "
00:51:54.18\00:51:57.18
So when we come
down to the bottom line
00:51:58.21\00:52:01.95
every person in the
world has a decision to make.
00:52:02.78\00:52:05.89
Human beings are by
nature worshiping creatures.
00:52:07.09\00:52:10.09
Back in 1972 Bob
Dillon was converted to Christ
00:52:11.06\00:52:14.73
and he sang "You've
gotta serve somebody.
00:52:14.93\00:52:17.43
It may be the devil
or it may be the Lord
00:52:17.63\00:52:20.47
but you're gonna
have to serve somebody. "
00:52:21.07\00:52:22.90
Timothy Keller gets
at this when he says:
00:52:23.10\00:52:26.01
"You don't get to
decide to worship or not.
00:52:26.21\00:52:30.01
Everyone worships something.
00:52:30.41\00:52:32.75
The only choice you get
is who or what to worship. "
00:52:32.95\00:52:37.59
The human being is by
nature a worshiping creature.
00:52:38.05\00:52:42.69
You're going to
fasten your affections
00:52:42.89\00:52:45.63
upon something, someone.
00:52:45.83\00:52:48.83
You're going to have a
focal point that will determine
00:52:49.03\00:52:53.17
your own
identity as a human being.
00:52:53.37\00:52:57.64
Idolatry is
worshiping anything...
00:52:58.04\00:53:02.38
anything that ought to be used
00:53:03.68\00:53:06.82
and idolatry is using anything
that ought to be worshiped.
00:53:07.22\00:53:12.72
Anything in the world
00:53:13.79\00:53:16.26
that is for utilitarian purposes
00:53:16.46\00:53:19.33
that we exalt: money,
00:53:20.06\00:53:23.26
the exertion of power
00:53:23.47\00:53:25.63
in every relationship
that we have as human beings
00:53:25.83\00:53:28.27
as husbands and wives,
00:53:28.47\00:53:29.80
parents and children,
00:53:30.24\00:53:32.17
fellow church members.
00:53:32.57\00:53:34.04
At every given
moment under pressure
00:53:34.24\00:53:38.31
you and I are manifesting
whether or not we are
00:53:38.51\00:53:41.45
in factor idolators
00:53:41.65\00:53:42.98
or worshipers of the
one and only True God.
00:53:43.15\00:53:45.25
To the degree that
in my marriage I exert
00:53:45.65\00:53:49.52
the pressures of manipulation
and force I'm acting out my
00:53:49.72\00:53:53.06
theology and I
am preparing myself
00:53:53.26\00:53:56.43
to be one of those who
receives the mark of the beast.
00:53:56.63\00:53:59.00
It's just a logical
outcome of what I've been doing
00:53:59.20\00:54:02.40
all along in my belief system.
00:54:02.60\00:54:05.54
Every single person
at every given moment
00:54:05.94\00:54:08.74
is simply acting in accordance
with what their theology
00:54:08.94\00:54:13.68
dictates. Dr. Bruce Alexander
00:54:13.88\00:54:18.39
is a remarkable researcher
in the field of addiction.
00:54:19.39\00:54:23.06
He's the one that did
a number of a years ago
00:54:24.46\00:54:26.90
what we called the
rat park experiment.
00:54:27.10\00:54:29.66
And the rat park
experiment revealed something
00:54:29.86\00:54:31.77
very interesting.
Rats that were confined
00:54:31.97\00:54:35.54
became junkies. They went to
the water that had the drugs.
00:54:35.74\00:54:38.51
Rats that had freedom to move
00:54:38.91\00:54:42.21
even though the water
with the drugs was provided
00:54:42.41\00:54:45.51
chose the pure water
and did not become junkies.
00:54:45.71\00:54:49.15
He draws some very interesting
conclusion from his studies
00:54:49.35\00:54:53.52
regarding human
addiction and he says:
00:54:53.72\00:54:56.22
"We as human beings need
00:54:56.62\00:54:59.46
by nature addictive commitment
00:54:59.66\00:55:02.40
because it is deeply essential
to what we are as human beings.
00:55:02.60\00:55:06.60
So addiction... " he says...
"can be a window to shed light
00:55:06.80\00:55:10.04
on the dual nature of
human beings... " Which is this:
00:55:10.24\00:55:14.38
He says: "The dual
nature is that we are beings
00:55:14.58\00:55:18.85
who need both
independence and devotion,
00:55:19.05\00:55:24.29
both freedom and commitment. "
00:55:24.49\00:55:26.76
The only God
available to human beings
00:55:29.22\00:55:34.00
that will guard your freedom
00:55:34.20\00:55:36.30
is the God revealed in
the person of Jesus Christ.
00:55:37.57\00:55:41.40
Amen!
00:55:41.60\00:55:42.97
The God of Scripture
is the God of liberation
00:55:43.17\00:55:45.54
because He is a God of infinite
other-centered self-giving love.
00:55:45.74\00:55:49.94
He is the God of covenant.
00:55:50.15\00:55:52.78
And if you give
your heart to Him,
00:55:53.18\00:55:55.52
you know what He does with it?
00:55:55.72\00:55:57.35
He cleans it
up; He sets it free;
00:55:57.75\00:55:59.35
and He gives it
right back to you. Amen!
00:55:59.55\00:56:02.02
He allows you to
be exactly who you are
00:56:03.22\00:56:07.70
in His image. Can
you imagine anything
00:56:07.90\00:56:11.20
more delightful or beautiful
00:56:11.40\00:56:12.87
than for us to spend all
of eternity in fellowship
00:56:13.07\00:56:15.47
with one another and
in fellowship with God?
00:56:15.67\00:56:18.87
Cross pollinating the
beauty of His character
00:56:20.04\00:56:22.68
and maturing more
and more and more.
00:56:22.88\00:56:25.71
Here's what you're going
to experience in this life
00:56:25.91\00:56:28.08
in my opinion: your heart's
going to be broken over and over
00:56:28.28\00:56:32.05
and over again
until it remains open
00:56:32.25\00:56:35.12
or closes beyond
ever opening again.
00:56:35.32\00:56:38.93
Every single one of us is
in the process of becoming
00:56:39.59\00:56:42.06
a flower that opens to God
00:56:42.26\00:56:46.00
or a rock that is
forever hardened against Him.
00:56:46.20\00:56:49.07
Every one of us is in
the process of becoming like
00:56:49.77\00:56:54.54
what we worship.
00:56:54.74\00:56:56.68
"You shall have no
other gods before Me. "
00:56:56.88\00:56:59.68
"You shall not
make any carved image
00:56:59.88\00:57:03.79
of any likeness of
anything in this world
00:57:03.99\00:57:06.45
and exalt it to the place
of ultimacy in your opinion
00:57:06.65\00:57:11.59
in your estimation. "
00:57:11.79\00:57:14.30
God alone is
worthy of our worship.
00:57:14.50\00:57:17.37
And in worshiping Him
we will become beautiful
00:57:17.57\00:57:20.20
in His image.
Father in heaven, thank you
00:57:20.40\00:57:23.34
so much this evening
for the second commandment
00:57:23.54\00:57:26.57
that reminds us that
we should not formulate
00:57:26.78\00:57:29.24
any theological fictions
00:57:29.44\00:57:30.78
that are not worthy
of Your true character.
00:57:30.91\00:57:33.68