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Friday, May 28, 2010

Memorial Day Thoughts

A Message for Cindy Sheehan - the Dixie Chicks - and Jane Fonda

Several weeks ago I read a book that was written in 1939 by a man named Daulton Trumbo, titled Johnny Got His Gun. The particular version of the book I read had a foreword written by Cindy Sheehan. Mrs. Sheehan's son Casey was killed in Iraq on April 4, 2004, and she got quite a bit of media attention when she camped out for 26 days in front of President George Bush‟s ranch in Crawford, TX. If you aren't familiar with Johnny Got His Gun, the identity of the person writing the foreword should tell you about all you need to know about it. According to Mrs. Sheehan, Johnny Got His Gun is one of the two most important books a person should read.

Johnny Got His Gun is a work of fiction about a man named Joe Bonham who was horribly maimed by a bomb during WW I. He lost both arms, both legs, and was left blind, deaf, and dumb, which is obviously a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude. From the perspective of literature, it was a fascinating story to read as Joe comes to an awareness of the extent of his injuries. And Trumbo does an outstanding job of describing Joe‟s battles to live and eventually communicate. I give full credit to Trumbo as a gifted author who has the ability to grab a reader, suck him into the book, and make him oblivious to time and meals and everything else. There are reasons why he won prestigious awards for his writing, but I disagree strongly with his overall point and the philosophy that underlies the book. Trumbo was eventually called before the House Un-American Activities Committee and ultimately fled to Mexico and Paris where he wrote under pseudonyms. To give you an idea of what this book is about, Johnny Got His Gun became a bestseller during the Vietnam War, and is the book Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland would quote from in their antiwar protests. There is a reason why Cindy Sheehan wrote the foreword of my copy.

If I had to distill the book into a single sentence, it would be this. Joe Bonham wanted freedom without cost. It is as simple as that – he wanted the benefits of freedom without paying for them. Listen to these several paragraphs and marvel at the self-centeredness. And pardon the language.

Lying on your back without anything to do, and anywhere to go, was kind of like being on a high hill far away from noise and people. It was like being on a camping trip all by yourself. You had plenty of time to think. You had time to figure things out. Things you'd never thought of before. Things like, for example, going to war. You were so completely alone on your hill that noise and people didn’t enter into your figuring of things at all. You figured only for yourself, without considering a single little thing outside yourself. It seemed that you thought clearer and that your answers made more sense. And even if they didn‟t make sense, it didn‟t matter because you were
n‟t ever going to be able to do anything about them anyway.

He thought, “Here you are Joe Bonham, lying like a side of beef all the rest of your life, and for what? Somebody tapped you on the shoulder and said, „Come along son, we‟re going to war.‟ So you went. But why? In any other deal, even like buying a car or running an errand, you had the right to say, „What’s there in it for me?‟ Otherwise, you‟d be buying bad cars for too much money, or running errands for fools and starving to death. It was a kind of duty you owed yourself, that when anybody said, „Come on son, do this, or do that,‟ you should stand up and say, „Look mister, why should I do this, for whom am I doing it, and what am I going to get out of it in the end?‟ But when a guy comes along and says, „Here, come with me and risk your life and maybe die or be crippled,‟ why then, you‟ve got no rights. You haven‟t even the right to say „yes‟ or „no‟ or „I‟ll think it over.‟ There are plenty of laws to protect guy‟s money even in war time, but there‟s nothing on the books says a man‟s life‟s his own.

Of course, a lot of guys were ashamed. Somebody said, „Let‟s go out and fight for liberty,‟ and so they went and got killed without ever once thinking about liberty. And what kind of liberty were they fighting for anyway? How much liberty, and whose idea of liberty? Were they fighting for the liberty of eating free ice cream cones all their lives, or for the liberty of robbing anybody they pleased whenever they wanted to, or what? You tell a man he can‟t rob, and you take away some of his liberty. You‟ve got to. What the hell does liberty mean anyhow? It‟s just a word like „house‟ or „table‟ or any other word, only it‟s a special kind of word. A guy says „house‟ and he can point to a house to prove it. But a guy says, „Come on, let‟s fight for liberty,‟ and he can‟t show you liberty. He can‟t prove the thing he‟s talking about, so how in the hell can he be telling you to fight for it?

No sir, anybody who went out and got into the front line trenches to fight for liberty was a damn fool and the guy who got him there was a liar. Next time anybody game gabbling to him about liberty – what did he mean next time? There wasn‟t going to be any next time for him. But the hell with that. If there could be a next time and somebody said, „Let‟s fight for liberty,‟ he would say, „Mister, my life’s important. I‟m not a fool, and when I swap my life for liberty, I‟ve got to know in advance what liberty is, and whose idea of liberty we‟re talking about, and just how much of that liberty we‟re going to have. And what‟s more mister, are you as much interested in this liberty as you want me to be? And maybe too much liberty will be as bad as too little liberty, and I think you‟re a damned fourflusher talking through your hat and I‟ve already decided that I like the liberty I‟ve got right here, the liberty to walk, and see, and hear, and talk, and eat, and sleep with my girl. I think I like this here liberty better than fighting for a lot of things we won‟t get and ending up dead and rotting before my life has even begun good, or ending up like a side of beef. Thank you mister. You fight for liberty. Me, I don‟t care for some.‟”

Aren‟t you glad that this kind of thinking wasn‟t prevalent over the last 200 years of our history? Where would we be as a nation today if this kind of selfish thinking was more widespread?

Joe Bonham‟s frame of reference for life was the United States of America in the 1940‟s. To him, that was an inalienable right. He had a job in a bakery where he worked hard and made a reasonable salary. He wasn‟t wealthy, but he had a job, he could make a living, he could put aside a little money each week, he could walk home after work without worrying about whether or not he was going to be stopped and forced to show his papers. He had a girlfriend. He had a voice in the political arena. In short, his life was good! It was simple, and it was hard, but it was good. And since it was all he had known, and since it was all his parents had known, he viewed it as the norm.

And then, along came the war, and with it, his horrible disfigurement – and his good life was taken away from him. He very eloquently talks about how desperately he wants to go back to work in the bakery, get a hamburger from the Hamburger Man on the way home, and then spend the evening with his girlfriend. Is that asking for too much? He doesn‟t want to be rich. He doesn‟t want to be famous. He doesn‟t want to be powerful and influential. He just wants to go back to the simple, good life. But now, war had taken that from him. And Trumbo‟s line of reasoning (along with that of Cindy Sheehan and Jane Fonda) is that war is the culprit. Or more precisely, the men who make the decisions to go to war are the culprit.

The fallacy of this kind of thinking is that the life and freedoms Daulton Trumbo and Cindy Sheehan and Jane Fonda, and the Dixie Chicks, and all the other Hollywood elites enjoy – that life and freedom has been graciously handed to them on a silver platter by heroic men and women who went to war and suffered tremendously and even sacrificed their lives. This is why we say that freedom isn‟t free – it is very costly. And to enjoy the fruits of our veteran‟s sacrifice, and to revel in the freedoms and affluence that accompany our military‟s selfless actions, and at the same time demean, denigrate, and diminish our government and military is the height of selfishness, arrogance, and ingratitude. Freedom isn‟t free, it is very costly, and to quote a phrase by Lynard Skynard in the song Red, White, and Blue, “if you don‟t like it, just get the hell out!”

Monday, May 17, 2010

Sunday Evening Class - Handout Answers

Lesson #2 – Growth In Christ

A group of tourists visiting a picturesque village walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, “Were any great men born in this village?” The old man replied “Nope, only babies.”
A simplistic question brought a profound answer. There are no instant heroes - whether in this world or in the kingdom of God. No great Christians have ever been born. Maturity takes time, effort, and the power of God in our lives. The question we must address is “How do followers of Christ grow in righteousness?”
In Godliness through Discipline, Jay Adams states: “There are only two kinds of life: the feeling motivated life of sin oriented toward self, and the commandment motivated life of holiness oriented toward godliness.”

There are several basic things that you need to understand in order to grow toward godliness.

I. You Must Understand Your new Position in Christ.

1. According to Eph. 2:1-3, what are five descriptions of your life before you became a Christian?
a. You were dead in trespasses and sins – v. 1
b. You were following the course of this world – v. 2a
c. You were following the prince of the power of the air – v.2b
d. You were following the passions of the flesh – v. 3a
e. You were a child of wrath – v. 3b

2. According to Eph. 2:4-6, what are three descriptions of your life now as a Believer?
a. We have been made alive by Christ – v. 5b
b. We have been raised with Christ – v. 6a
c. We have been made to sit with Christ in heavenly places – v. 6b
Teacher’s Note: The emphasis of these verses is that salvation radically changes a persons life – physically (following the course of this world and the passions of the flesh”) and non-physically (“dead in trespasses and sins and a child of wrath”).

3. How should we view ourselves as Christians?
II Cor. 2 Cor 5:17 He is a new creation Rom 6:11 We are dead to sin and alive to Christ
Romans chapter six teaches that we are no longer under the power of sin; nevertheless sinless perfection cannot be obtained in this life. The reason for this is that we still live in the “flesh” or “body” that has a sin nature (Rom. 6:12 – 7:25). While our inward nature has been changed (see 2 Cor. 5:17 and Rom. 6:11) and is dead to sin, our body is still alive to sin until it is changed at the resurrection (see 1 Cor. 15:42-44). Since the Believer still battles with sin, it is important that we understand the nature of temptation.

II. You Must Understand the Nature of Temptation.
1. Read the following passages and note the three sources of temptation.
a. James 1:13&14 Our own desires
b. 1 John 2:15&16 The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
c. 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:13 &14 Satan

2. Read Matt. 4:1-11. How did Jesus overcome temptation?
Unlike Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden, Jesus quoted scripture to Satan. Eve had a working knowledge of what God said, but actually added to what God said. Jesus simply quoted Bible verses, word for word.
Do we have the same resources for overcoming temptation? Absolutely!

3. Note four ways in which God’s Word is useful for overcoming sinful habits in 2 Tim. 3:16 & 17.
a. It is good for teaching (what is right)
b. It is good for reproof (what is wrong)
c. It is good for correction (how to get right)
d. It is good for training in righteousness (how to stay right)

4. What is God’s promise in 1 Cor. 10:13?
God will not allow you to experience a temptation that is greater than your ability to resist it with God’s help. By virtue of the fact that you are facing the temptation, you also know you can resist it.

III. You Must Understand God’s Purposes for the Believer in this Life.
While there are many purposes for the Believer – there are three primary ones, and even these overlap.

1. What is God’s purpose for the Believer in Rom. 8:28 & 29? To become conformed to the image of Christ
2. What is God’s purpose for the Believer in 2 Cor. 5:9? To live a life pleasing to God
3. What is God’s purpose for the Believer in 1 Cor. 10:31? To bring glory to God in all we do

It is important that we understand what God’s purposes are for us, otherwise our priorities in life will be wrong and we will misinterpret what God is attempting to accomplish in our lives. When we understand these things, what will our goal be according to Matt. 6:33?
To seek God and His kingdom first.

Lesson #3 – God’s Word

When a person becomes a child of God, he now has the Holy Spirit living within him. The Holy Spirit will enable that person to have the power to live the Christian life. Nevertheless,God’s Spirit does not act independent of God’s Word.
In order to overcome sinful habits, grow in godliness, and obtain guidance for everyday living, we must read and act upon God’s Word. Whenever God requires anything of His children, He provides instruction and power to meet those requirements through His Holy Word.

I. The Importance of God’s Word.

1. We must understand what the Bible is and what it can do in our lives.

a. Approximately thirty-nine men of God wrote the Scriptures under special inspiration over a period of 1500 years. According to 2 Tim. 3:16, Who specifically inspired these men? God
b. The word “inspired” means “God-breathed”. Although God used men as His instruments, who is the author of the Scriptures according to 2 Pet. 1:19-21? The Holy Spirit.
c. Read 2 Tim. 3:15-17. What is the most important thing the Scriptures teach us? (v15) They give us instruction leading to salvation. Because the Scriptures are God-breathed, they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. What does God’s word enable us to do? (v17) Be equipped for every good work.
d. From the following verses, note the attitudes we should have toward the Word of God.
Psalm 119:35 Delight Psalm 119:42 Trust Psalm 119:62 Thanksgiving Psalm 119:117 Respect, regard, focus Psalm 119:164 Praise Psalm 119:167 Love

2. We must understand the importance of obeying God’s word.

a. What will prove our love for Christ? (John 14:15, 21, & 23) Obedience b. Read John 15:4-10 and list three requirements that are necessary for bringing forth fruit.
#1. Abiding in the Vine – vv. 4 – 8
#2. Abiding in Jesus’ love – v. 9
#3. Obeying God’s commands – v. 10
c. According to Gal. 5:22 & 23 what is the “fruit” of the Spirit?
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,
d. What is commanded in James 1:22? To be a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only. e. When we show a willful desire for obedience, God enables us to obey. Read examples of this in Mark 3:1-5 and Luke 17:12-14.

II. How to Use God’s Word.

There are several ways we can develop a deeper understanding of God’s Word, and through the application of Scripture, develop lives that glorify and please God:

1. Listen to the Word of God as it is being taught.
a. Read Eph. 4:11-16. What obligation does God give pastor-teachers and evangelists today?
Equipping the saints and building up the body of Christ.
b. Timothy was a pastor in the early church. What instructions does Paul give to him in 2 Tim. 4:1 & 2?
To preach the Word of God, convince, rebuke, and exhort.

2. Reading and studying God’s word. a. By reading God’s Word we can obtain an over-all knowledge of the Bible. A few minutes each day reading and underlining can greatly aid in your knowledge of the Scriptures. You may want to make it you goal to read the Bible in a year. In order to do so you would have to read three chapters a day and five on Sunday.
b. After we have an understanding of the overview of the Bible we need to begin a more detailed study of God’s word. Note the content of the following verses: Heb. 5:12-14 Our understanding of God’s Word should progress from the “elementary teachings” to those that would characterize the knowledge of a teacher.
1 Pet. 2:2&3 Growing in our knowledge of God’s Word is a process that is similar to that of a child. He starts with milk, but as he matures, he moves on to other foods.
2 Tim. 2:15 God’s Word needs to be handled with precision.

c. We must study in order to “handle accurately” the Word of God. As we study, we should apply some basic principles of interpretation:

1.) Keep Scripture in its context. In the same way poetry is different from a newspaper article, Proverbs is different from Galatians. The Bible has several types of literature in it, which affects interpretation. The author’s purpose in writing is part of the context. These concepts will almost always throw much light upon its meaning.

2.) We must interpret the Bible as we would any other literature. This is known as “normal” interpretation. We do not try to read into, allegorize, spiritualize, or explain away what we read. Rather we take the words of Scripture at face value trusting God is communicating what He wants to communicate.

3.) Scripture interprets Scripture. The Bible does not contradict itself, therefore, an interpretation of a passage must agree with the teachings of the rest of the Word of God. When a passage is difficult to understand a basic rule is that obscure passages must give way to clear passages.

4) The Bible has only one meaning in one passage. A passage does not mean one thing to one person and another thing to someone else. The question is not,
“What does this passage mean to me?’ but “What did God intend for it to mean?” It is the purpose of Bible studies to discern this meaning.

3. Meditating on and applying God’s word.
We can meditate on the Scriptures by memorization (Psalm 119:9 & 11), by praying over what we have read, or carefully and quietly considering its impact. Whatever method we use the ultimate purpose is to apply God’s truth to our lives.
a. What does God promise if we delight in His commandments? Psalm 1:1-3
We will be fruitful and immovable
b. What four actions are mentioned in Psalm 119:15 & 16? 1. Meditation 2. Regarding (look, consider, pay attention) 3. Delight 4. Remember (not forget)
c. What is the commandment in Col. 3:16? To allow the Word of God to dwell in us richly.
d. What is the principle in James 1:22-25?
We need to be doers of the Word, not hearers only. If we do this, we will be blessed.

Meditation: Transforming God’s Word from head knowledge to heart knowledge by making concrete applications to bring about conformity to Jesus Christ.

Use this chart as a guide for Bible study, meditation, and application of the Word. Passage being Studied: James 1:22-25
1. What does the passage say? This is explanation.
2. What does the passage mean? This is interpretation.
3. What does the passage look like? This is illustration.
4. What does the passage mean to me? This is application.

As we study God’s Word we should do so in order to discover and apply truth to our lives for God’s glory. We should not go looking for an emotional lift, or some great experience that will immediately change our lives. The Word of God is not a magic wand that when read will erase all of our problems – rather, it is God’s instructions given to us to teach us how to live life. If we go to God’s Word for an “upper” or “zap,” we will grow weary of reading the Scriptures when these things don’t happen consistently. But when we go to the Word to learn how to live life God’s way, we are coming to a well that never runs dry.

The Idol of Respect - Part Two

The Idol of Respect - Part Two

Esther 3

Two weeks ago we started considering the idol of respect. We were in Ester chapter 1 and we read about the 6 month celebration King Ahasereus threw in honor of himself and saw a perfect example of someone who longed for acknowledgement because of his stature and accomplishments. For six months he displayed “the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty.” The idolatry of this is seen in that the Bible teaches that we are to “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Prov. 27:2 In 2 Cor. 10:18 we read, “For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.” In 2 Co 10:12 we read, “For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.”

Well, everyone in the kingdom was highly impressed with who he was and everything he had accomplished, except for his wife. And when she thumbed her nose at him he responded sinfully by banishing her. And that response is what lets us know an idol was being worshipped. What are the two questions that indicate the presence of an idol? “Do I sin to get what I want,” and “Do I sin when I don’t get what I want?” When he didn’t get the respect he wanted from his wife, instead of dealing with her disrespect in a godly way, he simply banished her.

We then spent some time considering the scriptural principle that is violated each time we worship at the idol of respect, and that principle has to do with a biblical understanding of man. Mankind really isn’t very significant in the big scheme of things, and when we long for, or demand acknowledgement for something we have accomplished or achieved, we are elevating ourselves beyond the biblical boundaries. Even though man is the pinnacle of God’s creative power, and even though he has an eternal soul that God has provided salvation for, in the big scheme of things, man isn’t very significant! This why we David says in Ps. 8, “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?”

Now this week as I was thinking about this idol, another example from the book of Esther came to mind, so I want us to look at chapter three. As we read through this, I want you to put a mark by each instance of the idol of respect you see. How does Haman demand and long for acknowledgement of what he has accomplished and become?

After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.3 Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why are you transgressing the king's command?" 4 Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. 7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king's laws, so it is not in the king's interest to let them remain. 9 "If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king's business, to put into the king's treasuries." 10 Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

Where in this chapter do you see the idol of respect being demonstrated first? In verse five. When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. Here is a clue. Any time you become filled with rage over a personal affront, you are worshipping an idol! He responded sinfully when he didn’t get want he wanted. It is a sinful response to not getting something you want.

Where else do we see the idol of respect? Right. In verse six. He wasn’t content to punish Mordecai alone, was he? He wanted to “destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai.” Here is another clue. Any time you move beyond legitimate discipline / punishment (Mordecai was disobeying the King) and into excessive retaliation, you are worshipping an idol. Haman responded sinfully when he didn’t get what he wanted.
Any other indicators of idol worship?

How about verse eight when he deceives the king by telling Ahaseresus that by killing all the Jews, it would be in the “kings interest?” Was Haman really interested in protecting the King’s interests? Not at all. He was sinning to get what he wanted. And as you read through the rest of the book Esther, you see two more principle about idols of the heart coming into play, and that has to do with 1) how idols never satisfy, and 2) with how God deals with idolatry. Look with me over at chapter five.

Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace in front of the king's rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And it happened when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. 3 Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it will be given to you." 4 And Esther said, "If it please the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him." 5 Then the king said, "Bring Haman quickly that we may do as Esther desires." So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6 And, as they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, "What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done." 7 So Esther answered and said, "My petition and my request is: 8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I shall prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says." 9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house, and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him, and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, "Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 "Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

Isn’t there something pathetic about verses 10 - 12? How did Haman deal with Mordecai’s disrespect? By forcing his poor family to listen to his list of accomplishments. Don’t you want to gag after about the fourth time someone makes you listen to their list of accomplishments? Can’t you almost see Haman’s family rolling their eyes and saying to themselves, “Here he goes again.” I wonder how many times they had heard this self-congratulatory list? But the principle this is illustrating is that idols never satisfy, as we see in verse 13. All his riches, and all his sons, and all his accomplishments, and all the king’s favor, and all the Queens’s attention were meaningless because Mordecai wouldn’t show him respect. Idols never satisfy.

And finally, we see God dealing very strongly with Haman’s idol in chapter six.

During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, "What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?" Then the king's servants who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him." 4 So the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. 5 And the king's servants said to him, "Behold, Haman is standing in the court." And the king said, "Let him come in." 6 So Haman came in and the king said to him, "What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?" And Haman said to himself, "Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?" 7 Then Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, 'Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.'" 10 Then the king said to Haman, "Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king's gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said." 11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, "Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor." 12 Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered.

God has a way of dealing strongly with our idols. This is why it behooves us to deal with them first. Haman’s was respect, and God publicly humbled him. I read recently about a church youth group that was filming a documentary about teenage runaways, and tragically, many girls who run away from home end up in prostitution. So as they were filming, they had one of the girls from the youth group pose as a prostitute, and while they were filming, one of the deacons of the church pulled up to her and propositioned her! And it was caught on video. God has a way of dealing with idols! Remember Rachel. “Give me children, else I die,” and she died in childbirth. “Mordecai won’t respect me,” and Haman ends up publicly leading Mordecai through the streets of the town honoring and honoring him.

Practical Application:

There are two special categories of people who need to exercise extra diligence in this matter of the idol of respect. First of all, if you are a man, this is a special weakness you are prone to. God has created men in such a way that by nature he is oriented toward accomplishment. Men like tasks. Men thrive when given something to conquer. This was established in the Garden of Eden and is fleshed out in the doctrine of vocation. And consequently, men like to be acknowledged when the task is completed. Cf. me bringing Nancy out to the wood pile after 7 hours of hard work. This is why the Bible teaches, “Wives, see to it that you respect your husbands.” When a man doesn’t get the acknowledgement he believes he deserves for something he has accomplished or become, bad things tend to happen if he doesn’t exercise special diligence against worshipping at the idol of respect. So the warning here is for men, because men have a tendency to worship the idol of respect.

Secondly, to all my fellow parents, we have a tendency toward this idol in regard to our children. Here’s what I mean. Children, whether we like it or not, are a reflection on their parents – for both good and bad. We don’t like this or think it is fair, but that is just the way it is. Our children reflect on us. Why do our hearts swell with pride when our child scores the winning goal in the soccer game? Because he is a part of me. I am somehow and to some degree a part of his accomplishment. At the same time, when my child does something really foolish or embarrassing, I share in his shame. Why? Because he is a reflection of and on me.
We see this phenomenon in the spiritual realm in the name “Christian.” In many cultures, the suffix “ian” means “son of.” I had a professor in college whose last name was Panosian. In his Armenian culture, his name meant “Son of Panos.” We see this in other ways like the term “Freudian.” That is the label we attach to a follower of Sigmund Freud. The Smithsonian Institute was named after James Smithson. So as Christians, or “Christ-ians,” we are sons of Christ, or followers of Christ. And our behavior as sons of Christ reflects on Jesus for either good or bad. When we behave well, it reflects well on Jesus. The term we use to describe this is that God is “glorified.” People’s estimation of Jesus goes up. When we behave badly, it reflects poorly on Jesus. How many of you have ever heart the derisive statement, “And he calls himself a Christian?” The world recognizes the disjunction in our lives when we don’t live like Christians. This dynamic is true in the human family as well.

Now, every parent wants to see his child succeed. Why? Primarily, it is because we want the best for our children, but down deep, and here is where we get to the idol level, we like our children to succeed because it reflects well on us as parents! Ted Tripp talks about this in his book on parenting teenagers (Age of Opportunity) and says that as parents, we tend to want to display our children as trophies on the mantle above the fireplace. Why? Because it reflects well on us. Another way we could put it is that parents have a tendency to long for their good parenting to be acknowledged, and the easiest way to get that is through well-behaved, successful children.

Here is the $64,000.00 question. How do you respond when your child blows it big time? Your response reveals the presence or absence of an idol. How do you respond when your son steals a car and goes for a joy ride with a friend, and in the course of the hot rodding, he wrecks the car and his best friend is killed? If your initial response to that scenario is on how it makes you look as the parent, you are worshipping the idol of respect. If your primary concern in this tragedy is that people are going to think less of you because of your son’s behavior, that is an idolatrous response. If your primary concern is that your status in the church is going to go down, that is an idolatrous response. As parents we tend to long for our parenting to be acknowledged, and now, look what he has done. So parents, we have to exercise special diligence in this area.

So what are some current illustrations of the idol of respect? Several weeks ago I shared with you the case of Dr. Amy Bishop, the scientist at the University of Alabama who shot and killed three colleagues when she was denied tenure yet another time. What was she after? Respect. She longed for her stature as a Harvard Ph. D. to be acknowledged. This is why when she attacked another woman in a restaurant for taking the last high chair, she repeatedly said, “I am Dr. Amy Bishop.” She didn’t say, “I was here first,” or “my child is smaller than your child and needs it more.” Just, “I am Dr. Amy Bishop.”

How else do we see the idol of respect demonstrated in real life? Here are some typical expressions:

 When an employee inflates his accomplishments on his resume
 When a student plagiarizes
 When a person dominates every conversation
 When a soloist will not sing on a Sunday morning if there is any other soloist singing
 When a member of a committee brings an idea to the table and the rest of the committee rejects it, so he resigns from the committee – could also be the idol of appreciation
 The three people in the counseling seminar who answer every rhetorical question, illustrate the teacher’s points, and feel compelled to elaborate on any subject that comes up
 When a wife gives her husband the silent treatment because he doesn’t acknowledge her sacrificial service to the family, or forgets a “special day”
 When a pastor gets up and announces the title of his message as, “An Investigation of the Hegelian Concept of Anthrocentrism Contrasted with the Augustinian System of Pre-Byzantine Anthropomorphism as Demonstrated by Paul in His Prison Epistles”

Conclusion: The idol of respect is an idol that is quite prevalent in Christian circles. Men have to be very careful, parents have to be very careful, people involved in ministry in the church have to be very careful. We need to remember that God is the source of everything we are and He is the One who has enabled us to achieve anything we have accomplished. As such, He is the one who should get the acknowledgment, not us. And when we don’t get the acknowledgement we want or even may deserve, we need to be very careful how we respond.

Let’s continue to be in prayer as a congregation as we follow this path. Let’s deal with the idols God reveals to us so we can come before Him with undivided allegiance.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Thoughts for Mother's Day

Today is Mother’s Day, and all across our country thousands and thousands of mothers are receiving a highly-deserved day of recognition and appreciation. I think Mother’s Day is an especially important day to celebrate because of the concerted effort of our culture to diminish motherhood. The radical feminists equate motherhood with legalized slavery. If you think that is an overstatement or even a misrepresentation of their position, then you haven’t read the novel The Color Purple or listened to Renee Zellwegger recently, because that is a word for word quote of hers from August of 2009. Now, I realize that many women in our culture don’t go that far; but generally speaking, our culture’s attitude toward motherhood is that to have as your life’s ambition the bearing, nurturing, and successful raising of children is an unfortunate squandering of your real potential as a woman. In the movie 101 Dalmations, the villain Cruella DeVille, upon hearing that the aspiring fashion designer Anita would leave her fashion house if she got married utters this line: “Marriage. More good women have been lost to marriage than war, famine, and disaster combined.” That is the attitude our mother’s are up against today, so when we have an opportunity to elevate motherhood and honor it, we need to take full advantage of it.

The gift of choice to give to Mothers is flowers. How many of you ladies received flowers sometime this weekend? As I was growing up, my Dad always got my Mom an orchid for Mother’s Day, and in church we always gave flowers to the Mothers (the oldest, youngest, most children, newest, etc). I would imagine that Mother’s Day is second only to Valentine’s Day for the florists in our country. Have you ever thought about why we give flowers at Mother’s Day? Well, in addition to the general truth that women love flowers, I believe flowers are the perfect gift for a mother because of the similarities between them. When you think of the qualities flowers are known for, you immediately think of beauty, delicacy, and fragrance. And isn’t that a pretty good description of a mother? So in keeping with the image of flowers for the Mothers on Mother’s Day, I have some flowers I’d like to present to each mother here today. These aren’t real flowers, but I’d like you to imagine them as such, and by the time we are finished this morning you will each have a nice bouquet of flowers to take home with you and keep for all time.

First of all, I’d like to present each Mother here with the Rose of Resilience. Let’s turn in our Bibles to 2 Cor. 4:7. When I think of a mother, this is perhaps the first character quality that comes to my mind. Mother’s are resilient. Mother’s have the ability to spring back into shape after anything life throws at them. Why is it that a woman can go through the physical trauma of childbirth and be on her feet and back on the job in a couple of days? Why is it that a woman can raise children, manage a household, hold a family to a budget, and administrate a family calendar? It is because of this quality of resilience. In this passage we are going to read, the Apostle Paul is speaking of his personal experience but I think it could equally well be a life verse for every mom. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [there is no career as significant as motherhood], that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves [you will never be the mom you need to be on your own ability]; 8 [now doesn’t this sound like the life of a mom?] we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” Motherhood is no easy task, and the ability to bend without breaking and to take a hard hit and get right back up and keep on going is part of what being a mother is all about. So for all you mothers, this morning I give you the rose of resilience. Nurture it and display it prominently.

Next, I’d like to give you the Pansy of Patience. Can you think of a quality more descriptive of a mother than patience? It’s hard for me to come up with one. From the first moment a woman feels the stirring in her womb and realizes she is carrying a new life, she has to demonstrate patience. She patiently endures nine months of fetal development. And then comes the next period of patiently nurturing that infant. Those are trying months. Endless feedings, diaper changings, baths, spit-ups, sleepless nights, ear infections – I can remember the relief I used to feel at being able to go off to work every morning! That is because it takes patience to be mother. And it is curious to me that I have never read of a baby dying of shaken baby syndrome where the perpetrator was the mother of the baby! Why is that? Because of patience.

In Gal. 5:22 we see that one of the Fruits of the Spirit is patience. That means that patience is a sign of being under the influence of the Spirit of God. It is a proof of being a child of God. So for the mothers here this morning I give you the pansy of patience for your Mother’s Day Bouquet. And again, it is something to display prominently and nurture as well.

The next flower I’d like to add to your bouquet is the Sunflower of Stability. Have you ever wondered why there are so many more single mothers than there are single dads? I’m sure that part of it is the biological connection between the mother and baby, but probably just as strong is her maternal drive to provide stability for her children. Part of being a mother is a desire to provide her children with a center. Somewhere a child can anchor his life. Something they can count on not to change from day to day. It can be as simple as mom always being at the end of the driveway when the bus drops off the children, to mom always being there when advice is needed, to mom always being there when we need a shoulder to cry on. Mothers bring stability to their family.

This quality of stability is something that the Apostle Paul prays for the Corinthian believers to develop in their lives in 1 Cor. 15:58. As we read it together, I want to change just one word, the word “brethren.” I want to change it to “mothers.” “Therefore, my beloved mothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” I can’t think of a better prayer for our mothers than that God would grant them the ability to be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord.

The next flower I’d like you to add to your bouquet is the Flax of Forgiveness. Being a mother is just asking to have your heart broken. If you want a life free of heartbreak, by all means, please stay away from motherhood. When I think of this truth, I think of the Angel talking to Mary in Luke 2. He had told her she was going to be the mother of Jesus, and then he told her that her child, Jesus, was “appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed, [and then he makes this statement that is so indicative of motherhood] and a sword will pierce even your own soul. As I explained to the class several Sunday night’s ago, the word for sword the angel was using referred to a huge, two-handed broadsword. The only other place this kind of sword is used in the NT is in the book of Revelation, and that is to describe the devastation and death that comes with the rider on the pale horse. The point the angel was making to Mary is that her motherhood was going to be a heart-breaking experience.

I doubt that there isn’t a mother here who has not been deeply hurt by the motherhood experience. If you haven’t, just wait. One of the problems of living in a sinful world is that it isn’t uncommon for that child you have invested your life in, and sacrificed tremendously for to defy all you have poured into him and pursue a life course that will not only bring him pain you grief. How are you going to handle your son coming home from college and announcing to you that he is gay? What is your response going to be when your 16 year old daughter tells you she is pregnant?

One of the things a mother has to get good at is forgiveness. Not forgiveness in the sense of overlooking or excusing the wrong behavior, but forgiveness in the sense that Jesus used it when He was being crucified and looked on the perpetrators of His agony and said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He was not excusing their sin. He was not exonerating them from the consequences of their actions. They had not repented and asked Him for forgiveness – He was simply declaring that their actions had not created an irreparable breach in the relationship. He still loved them. He still cared for them. He still desired a relationship with them. And that is the beauty of forgiveness. I broke my mother’s heart repeatedly as I was growing up, but last night on the phone as we were chatting away, you’d never know the pain I caused her. Why is that? Because of the quality of forgiveness.

The final flower I’d like to give each mother this morning is the Pansy of Prayer. I’ve saved the most significant flower for last because prayer is the mother’s most potent attribute. As a mother there may be many things you can’t do. You may not be as efficient as you’d like to be, or as tidy as you’d like to be, or as accomplished as you’d like to be. Multi-tasking may not be one of you strong points and household administration may be as foreign to you as Feng shui. But there is one thing you can do that will more than make up for any gaps in your mothering ability, and that is that you can be a prayer warrior for you children. In fact, prayer is so important that if you were the most accomplished Super-mom in the world but weren’t a prayer
warrior for your children, you’d be a failure when it comes to the important qualities of motherhood!

In James 5, we read this amazing promise about prayer. “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” Do you really grasp what James is saying? He is telling us that prayer can actually alter the natural order! That is pretty potent. Let me draw your attention to another passage on prayer that gives great hope to the mother. In Luke 18 we read a story Jesus told to illustrate an important principle of prayer. Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect man. 3 "And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' 4 "And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out.'" 6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night?”

There is a sense in which it is right for us to “bother” God, and that is with prayer. Do you suppose God has ever said to himself, “I am going to answer this mother’s prayer, lest by her continually coming she wear me out?” One of my precious memories of my high school years is how my mother spent her Saturdays. Not only was that her day to catch up on everything that had been put aside for the week, that was also her day to pray and fast for her son Murray. I can say with absolute certainty that I am where I am today because of a praying mother. Mothers, let me challenge you to be an intercessory prayer warrior for your children.

It isn’t easy to be a mother in today’s culture, but with resilience, stability, patience, forgiveness and mostly prayer, you can be everything God expects you to be.
Let us close in prayer. Our Father, we come before you this morning full of gratitude for our Mothers. When we think of them our thoughts usually turn to great character traits like sacrifice, servanthood, generosity and compassion. Thank you for gracing us with their presence. We acknowledge that our mothers have left an indelible imprint on our lives, and we publicly thank you for them.

At the same time we want to lift them up to you in prayer because we know their job is not an easy one. Our culture diminishes motherhood in many ways, some blatant but many others much more subtle. Because of this we ask that you would richly bless these moms standing before us this morning. May they sense your strong hand sustaining them through the tedious times, may they know reality of your presence during the heart-breaking times, and may they fully appreciate the magnitude of their role in life.

We ask that they would not grow weary in their role, that they would find You to be their greatest source of strength, and that You would minister to each one in a very special way. Thank you for their impact and may it continue to be strong and godly. Amen.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Idol of Respect

Last week we started looking in depth at the five idols, and the idol we focused on was the idol of control. Does anybody remember the definition of that idol? “When I am unwilling to let go of my agenda and let God do His work.” Even though God has created humanity to plan and strategize and motivate and initiate, we have to keep in mind that God is overseeing / superintending everything in our lives and “causing all things to work together for good.” It is because of this truth that we have to be willing to let go of our agendas, and let God do his work. Back in January, I presented Cornerstone’s 2010 Strategic Initiative. In it, I outlined for you the objectives the leadership of the church wanted to accomplish this year. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? It was good. But we hold on to our plans very loosely because God could have a different plan.

So how does one know if pursuing his plan / goal / objective is the idol of control or not? Let’s say for example that your plan is to get up early, pack the car, and be on the road headed for vacation by 8 AM. So the night before you leave, you sit the family down and explain to them exactly what your plans are. The next morning at 8:45, the car still isn’t packed and your wife is just getting out of the shower. You are frustrated and upset because she stayed up until 2 AM chatting on the internet with an old High School friend. Tell me some idolatrous responses.

 Leaving the house at 8 AM anyway, leaving her at home – sinning to get what you want.
 Driving 85 MPH for the first four hours to make up for lost time – sinning to get what you want.
 Berating her, either in private or in front of the children – responding sinfully when you don’t get what you want.
 Taking out your anger on the kids – responding sinfully when you don’t get what you want.
 Sulking for the first day of vacation – responding sinfully when you don’t get what you want.
 Declaring you will never take the family on vacation again – responding sinfully when you don’t get what you want.
 Ignoring her actions because of the conflict you know it will cause – responding sinfully when you don’t get what you want (idol of comfort as well).

The two questions we ask ourselves to see if we are worshipping an idol are, #1 – do I sin to get what I want? And #2 – do I sin when I don’t get what I want?

This morning we are going to look at the next idol, the idol of respect. Let’s start with the definition. The idol of respect is when I demand (overt worship of the idol) or long for (more of a covert worship of the idol) acknowledgement, because of my stature (who I am) or accomplishment (what I have done). That is rather wordy, but I want it to be comprehensive. When I demand or long for acknowledgement, because of my stature or accomplishment.

As far as a biblical example goes, I want us to turn to the book of Esther. We are going to read chapter one together, and as we go through it, look for the idol of respect.

Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital, 3 in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. 4 And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. 5 And when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace. 6 There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's bounty. 8 And the drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. 10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him. 13 Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times-- for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice, 14 and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom-- 15 "According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?" 16 And in the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes, and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 "For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.' 18 "And this day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. 19 "If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti should come no more into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. 20 "And when the king's edict which he shall make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small." 21 And this word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed.

How many of you saw the idol of respect in this story? Do you remember our definition? The idol of respect is when I demand or long for acknowledgement because of my stature or accomplishment. This idol is written all over this story. Did the king sin to get his stature and accomplishments acknowledged? Yes. Look back at verse four where we see his motive for throwing an extravaganza that lasted for 6 months! “And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. 5 And when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.” This man was sinning to get what he wanted. What was the sin? He was deliberately calling attention to himself. Let me give you three verses that describe how unwise that is. The Bible teaches in Prov. 27:2, “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” 2 Cor. 10:18 says, “For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.” 2 Co 10:12 says, “For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” So I think it is safe to say that King Ahasuerus was sinning to get what he wanted, respect. He was longing for people to acknowledge his stature and accomplishment.

But there is another way we see the idol of respect here, and it is found in verse 11 in his demand for Queen Vashti to present herself at the banquet. What was he after in this demand? The Bible says his motive was “to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful.” What was he after? He wanted to display his trophy wife! He wanted people to be wowed by his accomplishment. She made him look good. She was a beautiful woman, perhaps the most beautiful in the kingdom, and she belonged to him! He was longing for people to acknowledge his accomplishment.

How else do we know he was worshipping the idol of respect? How did he respond when Vashti refused to present herself? In other words, everybody else in the kingdom was acknowledging his stature – except her! And how did he respond when he didn’t get the respect he demanded? Verse 12 says “the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.”

“Anger” and “burning wrath” when you are personally affronted (as he was) are immediate indicators of idol worship. They are sinful responses, which alert us to the presence of an idol.

The final indicator of the idol of respect is that his ultimate response was to banish his wife and find a new one. What is a husband supposed to do when his wife sins (and I believe that Vashti was in the wrong to refuse her husband’s request, even though he was drunk)? Kick her out and find a new one, like Ahasuerus did? Not at all. One of the husband’s roles in the family is to sanctify his wife. Ahasuerus should have gently but firmly dealt with Vashti’s blatant defiance. So what we see in this response is that the king could not tolerate anyone who refused to acknowledge his stature – and so she was banished as a lesson to anyone else who would dare to withhold respect.

Now as we have been going through this story, what biblical principle is at stake? The idol of respect violates what? Why is this wrong? It is wrong because it is a warped understanding f the doctrine of man.

Let’s take a moment and look at some verses that show us with great clarity the true stature of man. Let’s start in the Psalms and look at Ps. 144:3. “O LORD, what is man, that Thou dost take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that Thou dost think of him? 4 Man is like a mere breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” Even though man is the pinnacle of God’s creative power, and even though he has an eternal soul that God has provided salvation for, in the big scheme of things, man isn’t very significant! This why we David utters the same basic thought in Ps. 8 and says, “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?” We see the same kind of thinking in James 4:13-14. “Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

In 1 Cor. 4, Paul is writing to a church that was very much into big names (do you see the respect in this? Longing for recognition because of your stature). According to chapter one, some of the people claimed to be followers of Paul, and some of Apollos, and some of Peter, and even some of Jesus. And in verse six, Paul cautions them against becoming arrogant because of their membership in a particular group. In verse seven he says, “Who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Paul’s point is that anything we do happen to posses, we posses only because God has graciously given it to us. And to demand or long for some kind of personal acknowledgement because of something we have become or something we have accomplished is ignoring the truth that God is the source of all and we are created from dust and will one day return to dust.

Who was ultimately responsible for Ahaserus being the king of Persia? God was. Who was ultimately responsible for his wealth? God was. Who was responsible for giving him a beautiful wife? God was. Was Vashti’s refusal to obey her husband primarily an affront to her husband or to God? God! The king’s response to that act of disrespect shows his idolatrous heart.

I think we see a great example of this idol in the movie “Fireproof.” How many of you remember the scene where the main character is in the kitchen yelling at his wife and telling her that everybody in the community respects him, and everyone at work respects him because he repeatedly puts his life on the line. And the only place he doesn’t get any respect in his own home and from his own wife. He was demanding acknowledgement for both his stature as the captain of the fire company as well as his accomplishments as a daring firefighter. His sinful response of anger and his sinful method of communicating with his wife shows us his idolatry.

Several weeks ago I shared with you the case of Dr. Amy Bishop, the scientist at the University of Alabama who shot and killed three collueges when she was denied tenure yet another time. What was she after? Respect. She longed for her stature as a Harvard Ph. D. to be acknowledged. This is why when she attacked another woman in a restaurant for taking the last high chair, she repeatedly said, “I am Dr. Amy Bishop.” She didn’t say, “I was here first,” or “my child is smaller than your child and needs it more.” Just, “I am Dr. Amy Bishop.”

There is a special category of people who need to exercise extra diligence in this matter of the idol of respect. Are you ready for this? If you are a man, this is a special weakness you are prone to. God has created men in such a way that by nature they are oriented toward accomplishment. Men like tasks. Men thrive when given something to conquer. And consequently, men like to be acknowledged when the task is completed. This is why the Bible teaches, “Wives, see to it that you respect your husbands.” But the warning here is for men, because men have a tendency to worship the idol of respect.

How else do we see the idol of respect demonstrated in real life? Here are some typical expressions:

 When an employee inflates his accomplishments on his resume
 When a student plagiarizes
 When a person dominates every conversation
 When a soloist will not sing on a Sunday morning if there is any other soloist singing
 When a member of a committee brings an idea to the table and the rest of the committee rejects it, so he resigns from the committee – could also be the idol of appreciation
 The three people in the counseling seminar who answer every rhetorical question, illustrate the teacher’s points, and feel compelled to elaborate on any subject that comes up
 When a wife gives her husband the silent treatment because he doesn’t acknowledge her sacrificial service to the family, or forgets a “special day”

The idol of respect is an idol that is quite prevalent in Christian circles. Men have to be very careful, parents have to be very careful, people involved in ministry in the church have to be very careful. We need to remember that God is the source of everything we are and He is the One who has enabled us to achieve anything we have accomplished. As such, He is the one who should get the acknowledgment, not us. And when we don’t get the acknowledgement we want or even may deserve, we need to be very careful how we respond.

Let’s continue to be in prayer as a congregation as we follow this path. Let’s deal with the idols God reveals to us so we can come before Him with undivided allegiance.