You Might Be an Idolator

I preached on Isaiah 46 last week, on Israel’s idolatry and ours. Will we continue to choose idols, or turn to the Lord who brings His righteousness and salvation near to us, for His glory?

To identify our idols, I used Jeff Foxworthy’s joke format: “You might be a redneck/millennial/evangelical if….” So, “You might be an idolator….” Here is the list I gave. Things I might add if I were attempting to be totally comprehensive would be food and alcohol. If you have other thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

• If you carry around an idol and worship it, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are more loyal to your brand of computer than to your brothers and sisters in the Lord, then you might be an idolator.
• If you pick up your phone every morning before you reach for your Bible, then you might be an idolator.
• If you care more about your books and opinions than about the men and women God has set in front of you, then you might be an idolator.
• If you can’t wait to binge-watch the next season of whatever on Netflix, then you might be an idolator.
• If you know more Game of Thrones characters than apostles, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are surprised by the Hollywood sex scandals, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are wiling to yell at a coach or another kid if they get in they way of your kid, then you might be an idolator.
• If you can’t stand the idea that your brilliant child might get a B in school, then you might be an idolator.
• If you work to keep your kids from acting out because it might hurt your reputation, then you might be an idolator.
• If you rearrange your Sunday worship schedule to catch a football game, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are more offended by kneeling football players than by the deaths of people made in God’s image, like Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, and Eric Garner, then you might be an idolator.
• If you wish that we would sing the national anthem or hang the American flag in a worship service, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are more concerned with President Trump’s Twitter feed than with the state of his soul, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are willing to change your theology to accommodate the sinful behavior of a family member, then you might be an idolator.
• If you think you deserve the life you have because you’ve earned it, then you might be an idolator.
• If you think putting your opinions up on Facebook or Twitter counts as living justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God, then you might be an idolator.
• If you get mad at others’ Facebook opinions without seeking a conversation with them, then you might be an idolator.
• If you take every mass shooting as a chance to either defend gun rights or advocate for new gun laws instead of mourning the dead, then you might be an idolator.
• If you are too scared for your own safety and security and the security of a way of life to care for your neighbor who has fled actual war and trauma, then you might be an idolator.
• If you refuse to hear a brother or sister out when they express an opinion on something because you might have to change your mind, then you might be an idolator.
• If you believe any rumor that makes an opponent look bad, then you might be an idolator.
• If you refuse to believe any story that makes your allies look bad, then you might be an idolator.
• If you have one cable news channel on most of the day, then you might be an idolator.
• If you can justify spending money for yourself but can’t find the time or money to serve the poor, then you might be an idolator.
• If you refuse to give financially because, you know, retirement, then you might be an idolator.
• If you spend more time and energy on your boat or car than in service to others, then you might be an idolator.
• If your day revolves around finding ways to end the day with sex, then you might be an idolator.
• If you get angry when your spouse refuses to have sex with you, then you might be an idolator.
• If you can’t find a way to give up your pornography addiction, then you might be an idolator.
• If you think you are not good enough to receive the grace of Jesus, then you might be an idolator.
• If you think you are too good to need the grace of Jesus, then you might be an idolator.
• If you can see everyone else’s idols but can’t see your own, then you might be an idolator.
• If you plan to clean up your sins and get rid of your idols before you take them to God, then you might be an idolator.

Blessings,

Josh