Idols of the Heart

I recently watched a sermon by Tim Keller called The Gospel and Idolatry. It goes over Acts 19: 21-41 and how Paul looks at and deals with the idols of his time. He also talks about how we can compare them to idols of our time and how we must see these idols and deal with them as Christ would deal with them. Here is what God word say in Act 19:21-41.

²¹ Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. ²⁶ And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

²⁸ When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”²⁹ So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. ³⁰ But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ And even some of the Asiarchs,^[e] who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater.³² Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice,“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky?^[f] 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you seek anything further,^[g] it shall be settled in the regular assembly. ⁴⁰ For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” ⁴¹ And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

The fact is this, as sinful people we love to make things our idols. We put things above God because we like to put whatever gives us satisfaction on earth about Him. To be completely honest with you, and I, are idol worshipers. We may not be on a knees praying to some statue, but we do give our lives over to "worshiping" the idols of our hearts, minds, and flesh.

The question that pastor Keller bring up is this. You know something is an idol in your life if you cant live without it. So what I what cant you live without? could you live without your parents or children? could you live without your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend? Could you live without social media, internet, cell phone, TV? could you live without money, a car, a house?

You may seem easy to say that you could live without those people or things. But really think about it, would it "ruin" your life? would it hurt who you are as a person? would it dramatically change you to for the worse or  to mediocrity? Would you be upset with God if he took the "non idols" out of your life? would you be able to look at Him and say "you are holy, you are good"?

I will come up with a list of my idols and post them on this post later. But I want you to also to pray and think and to come up with a list of idols that you "cant" live without. Now obviously you can live without anything but its the how you react to the idol being gone that Im talking about. So come up with a list of things that you "cant" live without.

Know this, God is good. He is the only thing that give you and me true satisfaction in life. Not your wife, not your kids, not a car, or house, or even money. All of that is fleeting with time. All of that will hurt and will end disappointing you. Only Christ will fulfill you, love you, and satisfy you. God is the only God. He deserves all of us and no one and no thing should ever take our hearts and our love more than Christ.

You are in my prayers. Keep me in yours. You are loved!