Father’s Day Thoughts
How many of you men celebrated “National Man Day” last week? For those of you who were not aware of it, it apparently took place last Tuesday. To participate in it, one was supposed to “stand up and do manly things.” Things like watching Rocky movies, sitting in your favorite chair and scratching yourself, and blowing things up, or shooting an animal. You are supposed to ignore the salad bar and light salad dressings, and instead, order the 20 oz. steak. More than a few people followed this on Facebook, in fact over 250,000 guys signed on in support of it.
Last year on Father’s Day I shared with you that manhood has fallen on hard times in our culture. There is obviously a lot of ignorance about what being a man is all about. For many, being a man is all about muscles, or procreative ability, or stoic indifference. The popular media portrays men as bumbling dolts. And as I analyze the list of things to do for National Man’s Day, there is a new layer of opprobrium being spread on men and now we see that an expression of manhood is to focus primarily on the gratification of a personal desire. Now, in fairness to the two brothers who started this I will say that they eventually they started advocating bringing flowers to you wife and being an honest and God fearing man, but after scattering these crumbs to their critics, all the ways to celebrate National Man Day were very self oriented.
As I think in general terms about what the Bible teaches about manhood, I see that a man is characterized primarily by self-denial, not self-gratification. A real man, a biblical man does the right thing in every situation, and I have learned that doing the right thing is almost never the easy thing. In fact, you could almost say that whenever you are faced with a choice where one course of action is hard and the other one is easy, the easy course of action is almost always going to be the wrong thing to do. Biblical manhood is all about doing the right thing.
What I want to share with you men this morning is three things that it is right for you to do. It is right for a man to provide for his family. It is right for a man to protect his family. And it is right for a man to shepherd his family. Turn with me to 1 Tim. 5:8 and we will see the first point.
I. It Is Right For A Man To Provide For His Family – 1 Tim. 5:8
In 1 Tim. 5:8 Paul tells us that “if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.” What is Paul after here? Obviously, I think we can make the assumption that he is talking about the physical provision that a man is supposed to make for his wife and children. In the immediate context, Paul is telling the church how to provide for the physical needs of widows, and then we come to this verse. So it is pretty clear to me that as man, I have a biblical responsibility to provide for my family.
It is the husband’s responsibility, before God, to bring home the bacon, not the wife’s. This is why I have a problem with “stay at home dad’s.” I knew a guy who stayed at home and raised the four children while his wife went off to work every day. She was glad to do this because she was very capable and could earn more money than her husband could. But that kind of a setup results in a role reversal in the home which always carries with it bad consequences. God gave Adam the job of tending the garden, and then He created Eve to help him out. Adam was the provider, Eve was the helper. That act of creation set the model for all time, and here in 1 Tim. 5:8, we have Paul affirming this setup.
But there is more going on in this verse than simply a command for men to be in the work force and bring home a paycheck every week. “Providing” for your family involves much more than giving them food, clothing, and shelter. The word Paul uses that is translated as “provide” literally means to “think in advance.” It has the idea of “foresight.” A man who is going to provide for his family has to have the ability to look down the road and see what is coming, and then get his family ready for it.
There are many ways we could make application here, but I want to focus on one in particular. Men, you need to be actively involved in the training and raising of your children. Do not make the mistake of thinking that just because you work hard and bring home enough money to pay the bills that you have fulfilled the biblical command to provide for your family – because that activity is just the beginning of your responsibility to provide.
I was speaking recently with a young man that had been married for several years, and he and his wife had a couple of children. That got us into a conversation about child rearing, so I told him about a very influential book I had read that radically changed my philosophy of parenting. The book is called “Shepherding the Heart of Your Child,” and so I mentioned it to him. He interrupted me and said, “Oh yeah, I know about that book. In fact, I bought it and gave it to my wife to read.” That is the attitude I’m talking about here. Guys, providing for your family is much broader than simply financing them. So I told the guy, “Don’t buy that book for your wife to read, buy it for yourself to read!”
So as we think about what it means to be a man in the biblical sense, we see first of all that it is right to provide for your family. The second thing I want to call to our attention is that part of being a man is that it is right to protect your family. Turn with me next to Eph. 6:11-12.
II. It Is Right To Protect Your Family – Eph. 6:11-12
When we think of protecting our family, our thoughts usually immediately go to the idea of physical protection. That is legitimate and certainly biblical. We see this concept taught in Eph. five where husbands are told to love their wives just like Christ loves the church, and then Paul gives the standard to which a husband must be willing to aspire in his love – even to the point of giving his life for her, just like Christ did for the church. Because this truth is self evident, we aren’t going to spend a lot of time developing or defending it. What I want us to do instead is think about another kind of protection a man is supposed to provide for his family, and that protection is seen here in Eph. 6:11-12.
Paul lets us in on a critically important truth when he says that we are to “put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Men, one of the easiest things to do in life is to protect our family in the physical realm. It comes naturally to us. There is nothing that arouses the fight in a man more quickly than when his flesh and blood is threatened. But Paul tells us in this passage that our battle isn’t with flesh and blood. Did you see that? Rather, our battle is with “spiritual forces of wickedness.” Do you know what that means? It means that Satan and all his demonic forces are invisibly and insidiously (that is the significance of the phrase “heavenly places”) trying to destroy your family. And just because you can’t see him doesn’t mean he isn’t engaged in a full scale firefight with you.
Let me share with you the three venues Satan uses primarily to attack your family. The public school system, television and popular media, and the computer and other personal electronic devices. Now, I’m not saying that if you work with in a public school, or if your child attends one, that you have aligned yourself with Satan and are committed to the destruction of the Christian family. What I am saying is that the public school is a six lane super-highway bringing your adversary into your home. The television and Hollywood does the same thing, as does the computer. And part of being a biblical man involves protecting your family in these three arenas.
We don’t have time to develop this point and talk in depth about how we can protect our families in these three areas (maybe we need to have a separate session some day), but the point I want to drive home is that if you are going to be a biblical man, you are going to have to protect your home from these three insidious influences. And I will warn you again that doing the right thing is not the easy thing. It never is, but being a biblical man is all about doing the right thing.
So as we continue to think about what it means to be a biblical man, we have seen that it is right for us to provide for our family and to protect our family. Let’s finish our time together this morning by looking at the importance of being the spiritual leader of your family.
III. It Is Right To Shepherd Your Family – Eph. 5:25-27; 6:4
At the end of Eph. 5, Paul is telling men how they are to love their wives, and then he sets this amazingly high standard – we are to love our wives like “Christ loved the church.” We have already looked at the truth of loving to the point of giving our lives for their protection, but in verses 26 and 27, Paul introduces a new element to the husband – that of sanctifying your wife. “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.”
One of the roles Christ plays in the life of the church (all us followers of Christ) is that of sanctifier. What that means is that it is His objective to “cleanse us” (v. 26) through the use of the Bible (“the washing of water with the word” – v. 26) with the result that one day He will be able to present us to God as His holy and blameless wife who has neither “spot nor wrinkle (v. 27).” The fact that Paul elaborates on this matter of Christ sanctifying the church in the middle of his teaching on the relationship of the husband to wife is not accidental. He is telling us men that one of our responsibilities to our wives is to promote spiritual growth in their lives. That is the concept behind sanctification.
Now keep that idea in the back of your mind and look at chapter six and verse four. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” This verse is addressed to fathers, not mothers! So it is pretty obvious that Paul gives the responsibility of the spiritual instruction of the children to the father. Men, we need to lead our family in the things of God. Your wife’s spiritual growth and maturity is your responsibility. Your children’s spiritual growth and maturity is your responsibility. Part of being a biblical man is shepherding your family.
Let me give you two quick ways you can shepherd your family. First of all, set the example. Men, we need to live in a way before God that we can say to our children, “follow my example.” Don’t expect your kids to go to church if you don’t go to church. Don’t expect your kids to have a clean mouth if you have a foul mouth. Don’t expect your kids to honor their mother if you don’t honor your wife. Set the example. It’s part of being a biblical man.
Second, take the initiative. What I mean by that is your wife shouldn’t lead the family in prayer before a meal. Your wife shouldn’t be the one praying with the children before they go to bed. Your wife shouldn’t be the one getting up early on Sunday morning to get the kids ready for church while you sleep in and get up at the last minute. Men, we are the ones who should be demonstrating initiative in this matter of shepherding our families and teaching spiritual truths to our children, and our wives. Don’t delegate this responsibility to your wife.
Do you remember how I said at the beginning of the message that the right thing do is never the easy thing to do? Being a biblical man is all about doing the right thing. It is right to provide for your family. It is right to protect your family. It is right to shepherd your family. And doing each of these things is hard. I have discovered that it is never convenient to provide for my family in the biblical way. Or to protect them from our adversary, or to shepherd them in the things of God. But being a biblical man is all about doing the hard things. May God give us men the grace, the strength, and the tenacity to do what we have been called to do.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
In Honor of My Father
Since tomorrow is Father’s Day, I thought it would be appropriate to share some thoughts about Fathers.
My first thought centers on my dad, Norman. Many of you have met him and know him to be a great man. He has been involved in Christian Ministry all his life, sometime full-time, but usually in a bi-vocational way. He celebrated his 74th birthday in April, and he is still actively serving at Beulah Baptist Church in Sopchoppy, FL, as the Associate Pastor.
I can say with full honesty that there is not a single undesirable trait in my Dad’s life – no caveats, no qualifications, no asterisks directing you to the fine print at the bottom of the page. I would like to be like him in all ways. He probably has an old sin nature somewhere, but I’ve never seen it. He is the human product of my Grandfather, Everett Mayfield, another great man, but that will have to come in another column.
I realize full well that there are many men who were not blessed with good Fathers. The stories I hear are heart-breaking. Because of this, I thank God for graciously blessing me with my Dad. He was good to us growing up, and he could also be severe. I still remember a time in the seventh grade not wanting to dress out in the locker room because of the bruises on my butt from a paddling I richly deserved.
It is often said that children develop their sense of God based on their human father, which is probably why I have never struggled with God’s goodness and severity (Rom. 11:22). I fully expect Him to provide for and take care of me (1 Pt. 5:7), and to discipline me in love when I need that as well (Heb. 12:6), because that is how I grew up.
As I think about being a father myself, I focus on the truth that it is an impossible task apart from God’s gracious intervention. No man has it within himself to be a really good dad. Each of the virtues necessary to excel at fatherhood are either unnatural to man (patience, gentleness, meekness, kindness, etc.) or contorted by him (drive, ambition, discipline, etc.). Only God has the ability to infuse a man with the attributes necessary to be a godly father.
I see my failures as a father with great clarity. I have a tendency toward selfishness and laziness, both of which are detrimental to godliness in general and good fathering in particular. The remedy for failure as a father is found in contrition (Ps. 51:2-3) and resolution (Ps. 51:10, 13). Our Heavenly Father has promised to empower the humble father who desires to be a godly father. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9).”
Any man who wants to be a godly father has a tough row to hoe. Our culture doesn’t support him, our media belittles him, and our adversary targets him. The important things in life are difficult to achieve and costly to maintain. As we contemplate this thought, let’s remember Paul’s admonition in 1 Cor. 15:58. “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
My first thought centers on my dad, Norman. Many of you have met him and know him to be a great man. He has been involved in Christian Ministry all his life, sometime full-time, but usually in a bi-vocational way. He celebrated his 74th birthday in April, and he is still actively serving at Beulah Baptist Church in Sopchoppy, FL, as the Associate Pastor.
I can say with full honesty that there is not a single undesirable trait in my Dad’s life – no caveats, no qualifications, no asterisks directing you to the fine print at the bottom of the page. I would like to be like him in all ways. He probably has an old sin nature somewhere, but I’ve never seen it. He is the human product of my Grandfather, Everett Mayfield, another great man, but that will have to come in another column.
I realize full well that there are many men who were not blessed with good Fathers. The stories I hear are heart-breaking. Because of this, I thank God for graciously blessing me with my Dad. He was good to us growing up, and he could also be severe. I still remember a time in the seventh grade not wanting to dress out in the locker room because of the bruises on my butt from a paddling I richly deserved.
It is often said that children develop their sense of God based on their human father, which is probably why I have never struggled with God’s goodness and severity (Rom. 11:22). I fully expect Him to provide for and take care of me (1 Pt. 5:7), and to discipline me in love when I need that as well (Heb. 12:6), because that is how I grew up.
As I think about being a father myself, I focus on the truth that it is an impossible task apart from God’s gracious intervention. No man has it within himself to be a really good dad. Each of the virtues necessary to excel at fatherhood are either unnatural to man (patience, gentleness, meekness, kindness, etc.) or contorted by him (drive, ambition, discipline, etc.). Only God has the ability to infuse a man with the attributes necessary to be a godly father.
I see my failures as a father with great clarity. I have a tendency toward selfishness and laziness, both of which are detrimental to godliness in general and good fathering in particular. The remedy for failure as a father is found in contrition (Ps. 51:2-3) and resolution (Ps. 51:10, 13). Our Heavenly Father has promised to empower the humble father who desires to be a godly father. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9).”
Any man who wants to be a godly father has a tough row to hoe. Our culture doesn’t support him, our media belittles him, and our adversary targets him. The important things in life are difficult to achieve and costly to maintain. As we contemplate this thought, let’s remember Paul’s admonition in 1 Cor. 15:58. “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Idol of Success
This morning we are going to be finishing up our examination of the five specific idols we all struggle with. I hope this has been as profitable a study for you as it has been for me. Understanding what the common idols are and how they manifest themselves in day to day living has really changed how I view life. This two year process has fundamentally changed how I live, how I minister, and how I relate to my family. As a result of this study I have seen what my main idol is (it has probably been pretty evident to everyone else) and I’ve taken steps to pull that idol down.
As a result of this study, I have modified how I parent. Several months ago, two or our children weren’t getting along with each other very well and I interrupted their conflict and asked the question, “What idols are being worshipped right now?” It was a good question to ask and it went a long way in resolving the situation biblically. So being aware of idols is an important part of our lives as followers of Christ.
I also want to say that I’ve really appreciate the positive feedback I’ve been receiving. Somebody came up to me recently and said, “I just realized I’ve been worshipping the idol of appreciation all my life.” Someone else shared with me that he was actively working on the idol of comfort because he really struggled there. Those statements are good to hear because it indicates a sensitive heart and a desire to what is right. I believe God will bless that kind of willingness to deal with idols.
This morning’s idol is the idol of success. We have studied control, respect, appreciation, and comfort; so now let’s think about the idol of success. Here’s the definition I want you to remember for this idol. The idol of success is when I view personal achievement as the pinnacle of the human experience. I have really struggled with this definition, and I’m not sure it is comprehensive enough, so here is another one. The idol of success is when I view personal achievement as [not so much as a pinnacle, or objective] a barometer by which all else is measured. I really like the concept of the barometer, and I got it from a Jewish educator with the last name of Zeplowitz. That is all I know about him. So I don’t know if I like the idea of pinnacle or barometer better. Pinnacle has the idea of goal, or objective, while barometer has the idea of a measuring device. Both concepts come into play, so hopefully you see the idea.
We know the Bible teaches that “whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might.” In other words, as followers of Christ we aren’t supposed to lackadaisical in our efforts at anything – whenever we set our hands to something, we are to do it to the best of our ability and for God’s glory. Unfortunately, we many times leave God entirely out of the picture and focus primarily on self. That is where the idol of success come into play. The idol of success is when I view personal achievement as the pinnacle of the human experience, or the barometer by which all else is viewed, and leave God completely out of the picture.
We see a good example of this in Luke 12:15-23. As we read this story of a successful farmer, note how he gives no thought to God in his endeavors and focuses instead only on his personal achievement. And then to help us see his idolatry more clearly, we are going to contrast him with another very successful person in the Bible and how that man viewed his accomplishments.
15 And He [Jesus] said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." 16 And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive. 17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' 18 "And he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21 "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 22 And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. 23 "For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.
Several things about this story are worth mentioning. First of all, note the value he placed on his successful crop. I don’t know if we could say he viewed it as the pinnacle of his endeavors, but he was pretty pleased with what he had accomplished as we see in verse 19. “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come, take your ease – eat, drink, and be merry.” Why was he comfortable with taking a break for the next few years? Because he had a measurable amount of food. He could look out his window and see new barns that were larger than his old ones. He had empirical evidence that he was successful.
The other thing I want to call to your attention is the absence of God in his evaluation of his achievement. No mention of God being responsible for his bounty, in spite of the fact that the Bible teaches in Hebrews 6:7, “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.” No thought of sharing his abundance with those who were less fortunate, even though the Bible teaches in Prov. 14:21 that “happy is he who is gracious to the poor.” In Prov. 19:17 we read, “He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” God had no part in this farmer’s plans or evaluation of his situation, and part of the idol of success is when we leave God completely out of the picture. Who played the largest part in his success? He did! How do we know? Because twelve times in three verses he uses the personal pronouns “I” or “my!”
What a contrast we see when we look at another successful man in the New Testament. Turn with me to Philippians 3 and let’s look at how Paul viewed his accomplishments.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, [here is where I really want us to pay attention and start making the contrast with the wealthy farmer] 4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. [In other words, if Paul wanted to, he could measure his personal accomplishments and be viewed as a human success.] If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.7 But whatever things were gain to me [verses 5 and 6 – an impeccable pedigree], those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish [the KJV uses the word “dung” which is much more descriptive] in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
What was important to Paul? Or, let me ask it this way. What was Paul’s barometer for measuring accomplishment, according to verse 8?
Your annual salary?
The number of acres you own?
The name of the college you have a degree from?
Is it the number of degrees you have?
The square footage of you home?
The number of awards you have framed and hanging on your office wall?
The make of the vehicle in your driveway?
The location of your vacations?
Whether or not you have been appointed to a prestigious professional group?
Paul’s barometer for measuring success was “knowing Christ Jesus his Lord and gaining Christ.” What was the pinnacle of Paul’s existence according to verse 10? What is it he was aspiring to? An intimate knowledge of Jesus, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and conformity to His death. As Paul reflected on his accomplishments during his lifetime, he placed very little value on what he had done in the human realm or on his standard of living. What a huge contrast to the rich farmer – Paul’s focus was not on ease because of what he had accomplished, but on laboring because of what was still out there.
This contrast alerts us to the issue that is at stake every time we worship at the idol of success. To quote Jesus in Luke 12, “not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions [and we can legitimately insert the word “achievement” for “possessions”]." Achievement is not what life is all about. Or, as Jesus says in verse 22, “Life is more than food.” Remember, the parable really has nothing to do with food or crops or farming, its all about what we consider to be important in life. Life is bigger than achievement, and the rich farmer’s physical accomplishments had no effect on his soul’s safety!
Several years ago I heard a sermon by the dean of students at a Christian College. He told about a pre-med student he had a meeting with who was very serious about his studies, and his GPA reflected his intelligence and work ethic – he was a straight A student. The reason he was in conference with the dean was because for the first time in his collegiate career, he had received a B in a class, and he felt like the professor should have given him an A. After talking with the professor to no avail, he was now appealing to the dean of students. The dean asked him several very revealing questions, the first of which was, “Most students in school here would be thrilled to get a B in this class. Why is it so important for you to get an A?” Isn’t that a great question? That is the kind of question that will reveal your heart. The young man’s answer was, “I need to get into medical school, which is very expensive. Scholarships are based on GPA, and I need every bit of financial help I can find to get through med school.” That sounds like a pretty good answer to me, but the next question the dean asked was even more incisive, even more revealing. He said, “What if it is God’s will for you to get a B in the class, and not an A?” The student looked the dean of men right in the eye and said, “I refuse to accept that.”
What do you call it when a person makes the acquisition of personal desire a higher goal than the accomplishment of God’s will? Idolatry! It can be the idol of comfort, or respect, or appreciation, or control, or even success, as we see in this story. It probably isn’t God’s will for every pre-med student to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. A 3.9 is nothing to be ashamed of.
Practical examples of this idol in everyday life:
1. The father saying to his future Son-in-law: “All I expect of you is to get a good paying union job with good benefits and retirement, and I’ll be happy for my daughter to be your wife.” How is he measuring success?
2. Why does Japan have the second highest suicide rate in the world among industrialized nations? By some ways of reckoning, it is around 100,000 people per year. Why is it not uncommon for students to commit suicide when they are denied entrance to the prestigious universities? How does that particular culture in general measure success?
3. The wife who is always after her husband to leave his job as the school custodian and get a “real” job that will provide more for them? How is she measuring success?
4. The church board who asks the pastor to resign, because after five years of his leadership the church hasn’t grown numerically. How are they measuring success?
5. The student who sacrifices everything, because both of his older siblings were the valedictorians of their class. How is he measuring success?
Do you see the idol of success in each of these? Do you see how these examples view personal achievement, if not as the pinnacle of the human experience, certainly close to it? Or, do you see how achievement is being used as a barometer by which all else is measured? As followers of Christ, there is another standard we should pay more attention to. Let’s go back to each of these illustrations and let me ask you a question that will highlight where our focus should be.
What difference does having a union job with good benefits make in eternity?
What difference does getting into a prestigious university make in eternity?
What difference does working as a janitor make in eternity?
What difference does the size of a church make in eternity?
What difference does being the valedictorian of your graduating class make in eternity?
That is the point Jesus made in Luke 12. “But God said to [the successful farmer], 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself [focuses on success], and is not rich toward God." Our barometer needs to be eternity, not some tangible, measurable standard here on earth.
Let me make a quick qualification here. I don’t want you to hear something I am not saying. I am not saying it is ungodly to have a union job. I’m not saying that getting into a prestigious university is a sinful aspiration. I’m not saying that the only holy job is to work for minimum wage as a janitor. I’m not saying that a large church is indicative of a selfish, proud, success oriented pastor. I’m not saying that working hard and having a goal of being the valedictorian is sinful. I’m saying that our focus in life is to be on things that have eternal consequences.
Listen to how Solomon expresses this very same concept in Ecclesiastes 2.
17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. 18 Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. 20 Therefore I
completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil.
Solomon’s point is that our focus in life should not be on the acquisition of physical, material goods. Why? There are two reasons, one stated and the other implied. The stated reason is because we can’t take them with us! We have to leave them here for people who have not worked for them and there is a good chance they will squander the fruits of our hard labor. That is the stated reason. The implied reason we shouldn’t focus on the acquisition of material goods is that they will do us absolutely no good in eternity. That is the thought behind Solomon’s use of the words vanity, or emptiness, which literally means “vapor,” or “breath.” Solomon is referring to is the worthlessness of material goods in heaven.
I want us to close by turning to Matt. 6:19-21. In this passage, Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, [why would He say something like that?] where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "Rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Our barometer for success, as a follower of Christ, should be the eternal consequences of my actions. Let me challenge you to get into the habit of asking yourself this question before you make decisions: “What difference will this make in eternity?” If we asked ourselves this question on a daily basis, do you suppose it would make a difference in how we live?
As a result of this study, I have modified how I parent. Several months ago, two or our children weren’t getting along with each other very well and I interrupted their conflict and asked the question, “What idols are being worshipped right now?” It was a good question to ask and it went a long way in resolving the situation biblically. So being aware of idols is an important part of our lives as followers of Christ.
I also want to say that I’ve really appreciate the positive feedback I’ve been receiving. Somebody came up to me recently and said, “I just realized I’ve been worshipping the idol of appreciation all my life.” Someone else shared with me that he was actively working on the idol of comfort because he really struggled there. Those statements are good to hear because it indicates a sensitive heart and a desire to what is right. I believe God will bless that kind of willingness to deal with idols.
This morning’s idol is the idol of success. We have studied control, respect, appreciation, and comfort; so now let’s think about the idol of success. Here’s the definition I want you to remember for this idol. The idol of success is when I view personal achievement as the pinnacle of the human experience. I have really struggled with this definition, and I’m not sure it is comprehensive enough, so here is another one. The idol of success is when I view personal achievement as [not so much as a pinnacle, or objective] a barometer by which all else is measured. I really like the concept of the barometer, and I got it from a Jewish educator with the last name of Zeplowitz. That is all I know about him. So I don’t know if I like the idea of pinnacle or barometer better. Pinnacle has the idea of goal, or objective, while barometer has the idea of a measuring device. Both concepts come into play, so hopefully you see the idea.
We know the Bible teaches that “whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might.” In other words, as followers of Christ we aren’t supposed to lackadaisical in our efforts at anything – whenever we set our hands to something, we are to do it to the best of our ability and for God’s glory. Unfortunately, we many times leave God entirely out of the picture and focus primarily on self. That is where the idol of success come into play. The idol of success is when I view personal achievement as the pinnacle of the human experience, or the barometer by which all else is viewed, and leave God completely out of the picture.
We see a good example of this in Luke 12:15-23. As we read this story of a successful farmer, note how he gives no thought to God in his endeavors and focuses instead only on his personal achievement. And then to help us see his idolatry more clearly, we are going to contrast him with another very successful person in the Bible and how that man viewed his accomplishments.
15 And He [Jesus] said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." 16 And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive. 17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' 18 "And he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21 "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 22 And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. 23 "For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.
Several things about this story are worth mentioning. First of all, note the value he placed on his successful crop. I don’t know if we could say he viewed it as the pinnacle of his endeavors, but he was pretty pleased with what he had accomplished as we see in verse 19. “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come, take your ease – eat, drink, and be merry.” Why was he comfortable with taking a break for the next few years? Because he had a measurable amount of food. He could look out his window and see new barns that were larger than his old ones. He had empirical evidence that he was successful.
The other thing I want to call to your attention is the absence of God in his evaluation of his achievement. No mention of God being responsible for his bounty, in spite of the fact that the Bible teaches in Hebrews 6:7, “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.” No thought of sharing his abundance with those who were less fortunate, even though the Bible teaches in Prov. 14:21 that “happy is he who is gracious to the poor.” In Prov. 19:17 we read, “He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” God had no part in this farmer’s plans or evaluation of his situation, and part of the idol of success is when we leave God completely out of the picture. Who played the largest part in his success? He did! How do we know? Because twelve times in three verses he uses the personal pronouns “I” or “my!”
What a contrast we see when we look at another successful man in the New Testament. Turn with me to Philippians 3 and let’s look at how Paul viewed his accomplishments.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, [here is where I really want us to pay attention and start making the contrast with the wealthy farmer] 4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. [In other words, if Paul wanted to, he could measure his personal accomplishments and be viewed as a human success.] If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.7 But whatever things were gain to me [verses 5 and 6 – an impeccable pedigree], those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish [the KJV uses the word “dung” which is much more descriptive] in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
What was important to Paul? Or, let me ask it this way. What was Paul’s barometer for measuring accomplishment, according to verse 8?
Your annual salary?
The number of acres you own?
The name of the college you have a degree from?
Is it the number of degrees you have?
The square footage of you home?
The number of awards you have framed and hanging on your office wall?
The make of the vehicle in your driveway?
The location of your vacations?
Whether or not you have been appointed to a prestigious professional group?
Paul’s barometer for measuring success was “knowing Christ Jesus his Lord and gaining Christ.” What was the pinnacle of Paul’s existence according to verse 10? What is it he was aspiring to? An intimate knowledge of Jesus, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and conformity to His death. As Paul reflected on his accomplishments during his lifetime, he placed very little value on what he had done in the human realm or on his standard of living. What a huge contrast to the rich farmer – Paul’s focus was not on ease because of what he had accomplished, but on laboring because of what was still out there.
This contrast alerts us to the issue that is at stake every time we worship at the idol of success. To quote Jesus in Luke 12, “not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions [and we can legitimately insert the word “achievement” for “possessions”]." Achievement is not what life is all about. Or, as Jesus says in verse 22, “Life is more than food.” Remember, the parable really has nothing to do with food or crops or farming, its all about what we consider to be important in life. Life is bigger than achievement, and the rich farmer’s physical accomplishments had no effect on his soul’s safety!
Several years ago I heard a sermon by the dean of students at a Christian College. He told about a pre-med student he had a meeting with who was very serious about his studies, and his GPA reflected his intelligence and work ethic – he was a straight A student. The reason he was in conference with the dean was because for the first time in his collegiate career, he had received a B in a class, and he felt like the professor should have given him an A. After talking with the professor to no avail, he was now appealing to the dean of students. The dean asked him several very revealing questions, the first of which was, “Most students in school here would be thrilled to get a B in this class. Why is it so important for you to get an A?” Isn’t that a great question? That is the kind of question that will reveal your heart. The young man’s answer was, “I need to get into medical school, which is very expensive. Scholarships are based on GPA, and I need every bit of financial help I can find to get through med school.” That sounds like a pretty good answer to me, but the next question the dean asked was even more incisive, even more revealing. He said, “What if it is God’s will for you to get a B in the class, and not an A?” The student looked the dean of men right in the eye and said, “I refuse to accept that.”
What do you call it when a person makes the acquisition of personal desire a higher goal than the accomplishment of God’s will? Idolatry! It can be the idol of comfort, or respect, or appreciation, or control, or even success, as we see in this story. It probably isn’t God’s will for every pre-med student to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. A 3.9 is nothing to be ashamed of.
Practical examples of this idol in everyday life:
1. The father saying to his future Son-in-law: “All I expect of you is to get a good paying union job with good benefits and retirement, and I’ll be happy for my daughter to be your wife.” How is he measuring success?
2. Why does Japan have the second highest suicide rate in the world among industrialized nations? By some ways of reckoning, it is around 100,000 people per year. Why is it not uncommon for students to commit suicide when they are denied entrance to the prestigious universities? How does that particular culture in general measure success?
3. The wife who is always after her husband to leave his job as the school custodian and get a “real” job that will provide more for them? How is she measuring success?
4. The church board who asks the pastor to resign, because after five years of his leadership the church hasn’t grown numerically. How are they measuring success?
5. The student who sacrifices everything, because both of his older siblings were the valedictorians of their class. How is he measuring success?
Do you see the idol of success in each of these? Do you see how these examples view personal achievement, if not as the pinnacle of the human experience, certainly close to it? Or, do you see how achievement is being used as a barometer by which all else is measured? As followers of Christ, there is another standard we should pay more attention to. Let’s go back to each of these illustrations and let me ask you a question that will highlight where our focus should be.
What difference does having a union job with good benefits make in eternity?
What difference does getting into a prestigious university make in eternity?
What difference does working as a janitor make in eternity?
What difference does the size of a church make in eternity?
What difference does being the valedictorian of your graduating class make in eternity?
That is the point Jesus made in Luke 12. “But God said to [the successful farmer], 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself [focuses on success], and is not rich toward God." Our barometer needs to be eternity, not some tangible, measurable standard here on earth.
Let me make a quick qualification here. I don’t want you to hear something I am not saying. I am not saying it is ungodly to have a union job. I’m not saying that getting into a prestigious university is a sinful aspiration. I’m not saying that the only holy job is to work for minimum wage as a janitor. I’m not saying that a large church is indicative of a selfish, proud, success oriented pastor. I’m not saying that working hard and having a goal of being the valedictorian is sinful. I’m saying that our focus in life is to be on things that have eternal consequences.
Listen to how Solomon expresses this very same concept in Ecclesiastes 2.
17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. 18 Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. 20 Therefore I
completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil.
Solomon’s point is that our focus in life should not be on the acquisition of physical, material goods. Why? There are two reasons, one stated and the other implied. The stated reason is because we can’t take them with us! We have to leave them here for people who have not worked for them and there is a good chance they will squander the fruits of our hard labor. That is the stated reason. The implied reason we shouldn’t focus on the acquisition of material goods is that they will do us absolutely no good in eternity. That is the thought behind Solomon’s use of the words vanity, or emptiness, which literally means “vapor,” or “breath.” Solomon is referring to is the worthlessness of material goods in heaven.
I want us to close by turning to Matt. 6:19-21. In this passage, Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, [why would He say something like that?] where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "Rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Our barometer for success, as a follower of Christ, should be the eternal consequences of my actions. Let me challenge you to get into the habit of asking yourself this question before you make decisions: “What difference will this make in eternity?” If we asked ourselves this question on a daily basis, do you suppose it would make a difference in how we live?
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Idol of Comfort
Let’s turn in our Bibles this morning to Gen. 25. We are going to be continuing our series on the “Idols of the Heart.” So far we have looked at the idols of control, respect, and appreciation. The idol of control is when I am unwilling to let go of my agenda and let God do His work. We have to remember that God is always at work, causing all things to work together for the good of those who love God. The idol of respect is when I demand or long for acknowledgement for what I have accomplished or become. Whatever I have accomplished in life, or whatever I have become as a person, I have accomplished or become only by the grace of God, which means He should get the credit, not me. And the idol of appreciation is when I function for any reason other than to bring glory to God. As followers of Christ, we have a sole motivation in life, and that is to bring glory to God. We do what we do, not because we want people to recognize it, or appreciate us, but because we want God to be glorified in what we do.
This brings us up to where we are this morning, and today we are going to be considering the idol of comfort. As far as a definition goes, the idol of comfort is when I indulge fleshly desires beyond biblical limits. In order for us to really understand this definition, let me clarify two things. First of all, what do I mean by “fleshly desires?” Fleshly desires, as I am using it, is not to be understood in the sense of 1 John 2:16 where John says, “For everything in the world [the anti-God system ruled by Satan]--the cravings of sinful man [lust of the flesh], the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.” That is not what I’m talking about here. The “fleshly desire” of our definition is a legitimate physical appetite. What are some of them? Food. Sleep. Sexual gratification. Relaxation. Beauty and serenity. Community. Each of these are legitimate desires, placed in the human by God, and have a physiological effect on the human body.
For instance, food is fuel, and to deprive the body of food leads to serious consequences. But it is much more than fuel, because when we eat our body releases chemicals into our bloodstream that cause a sensation of comfort. Sleep is necessary, and if you don’t sleep, you will suffer negative health consequences. What about something like beauty and serenity, do humans have an appetite for these things? Is a desire for beauty and stillness something God has created in us? Absolutely. How do we know that? Because God appreciates beauty, and we are created in His image. How do we know God appreciates beauty? Because when He gave instructions to Moses on how to build the tabernacle, there was an emphasis on esthetic appeal. The colors were not dull and drab, they were vibrant – crimson, purple, blue, and violet. And the building materials were gold and silver and brass and iron and bronze and fine twisted linen and exotic hardwood. On top of this, only highly skilled craftsmen were allowed to do the work. They were real artisans, and none of this was coincidental – God’s appreciation of beauty was reflected in what the tabernacle looked like.
We are created in the image of God, which means that we appreciate beauty; and when the human being is deprived of beauty (just like when he is deprived of food or sleep), there are negative physical consequences – primarily sociological consequences. This is why civilizations that do not have art do not flourish. On a smaller scale, why are prisons incubators for all kinds of sociological ills? It is because when you take a human and remove him from all sources of beauty, his soul withers.
So the point I want us to appreciate is that as people created in the image of God, we have inclinations / desires / appetites that are physical (as opposed to spiritual / emotional / mental) in nature, and they were given to us by God. As such, they are holy and beautiful and wonderful.
The second item of clarification for this definition is that not only has God placed these desires in us, He has also placed limits on them! For instance, what do we call the unlimited desire for the legitimate need of food? Gluttony. What is the unlimited desire for sleep or relaxation? Sloth. What is the unlimited desire for sexual gratification? Fornication. God has placed two limits on our desire for sexual gratification - marriage, and your spouse. What about beauty? Has God placed any limits on our appreciation of beauty, or is that something we don’t have to worry about? Absolutely not! Lust is a mental activity that is beauty oriented. I have had multiple guys tell me over the years that they really enjoy looking at beautiful women. They just like to look at them and appreciate their beauty. I get nervous every time I hear that statement because lust is a mental activity that is beauty driven – we don’t lust after hideous people, do we? I believe there is a reason Job said in Job 31 that he had made a covenant with his eyes. And then he asks the question, “How then can I think about a young girl?” There is a connection between the eyes, beauty, and lust. If you are a man and you appreciate beauty, in particular, female beauty, the Song of Solomon outlines a beauty appreciation program in chapter four. In those verses Solomon describes in explicit detail the beauty of his wife, starting with her face and working his way South. What that tells us men is that our appreciation for beauty has a limit, and that limit is our wife.
And even though we didn’t talk about the idea of community, the human desire for community has limits on it. God has created us as social creatures (which is also reflective of the Godhead) who thrive in community and wither in isolation, but community has God imposed limits. We see this in the command of God that when a husband takes a wife and they become one flesh, what is that man supposed to do? Leave his mother and father. What was the impetus behind God confusing the languages at Babel? Violating the limitations on community.
So with this explanation of the idol of comfort, and understanding how God has placed limits on each of man’s basic physical appetites, let’s look at a biblical example of this idol in action. In Gen. 25 we have the story of Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of stew. In the first half of this chapter, we read the background to the story. Isaac gets married to Rebecca, and she conceives and has twin sons. The firstborn, Esau, was an outdoorsman, and the second born, Jacob, was more of indoorsman. We’ll pick the story up in verse 27.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
How many of you see the idol of comfort here? It’s actually somewhat tricky, isn’t it? I think the reason we may be inclined to waver a little bit about labeling this as the idol of comfort is because his hunger was legitimate. The Bible says he was famished (“to be exhausted, or faint”) because of his trip. And how can the desire for something to eat when you haven’t eaten for a while be understood as indulging a fleshly desire beyond it’s biblical limits? Esau’s thinking is what shows us the idol. Remember the Biblical principle – “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Let’s analyze his thinking.
Why was he willing to give up his inheritance? Why was the inheritance meaningless to him? He thought he was about to die, which made the inheritance superfluous. When you are dead, the family farm doesn’t do you much good. Well, guess how long it takes you to die from starvation? A long, long time! It is highly unlikely that Esau was really about to die! But in addition to this, if I am about to die from starvation, but a meal will save my life, then the inheritance will be of some value to me after all, won’t it? Do you see how Esau’s thinking was all messed up here. Does it sound familiar when I say that idols distort our perception of reality?
What we see in Esau’s thinking is the typical rationale of an addict. When an addict is in the throes of craving to feed his addiction, he thinks he will die if he doesn’t get what he wants. But reality is that he may be in withdrawal if he doesn’t get it, or he may be in agony if he doesn’t get it, or he may be impossible to live with if he doesn’t get what he wants, but he isn’t on the brink of death like he feels he is. In addition to this, the addict doesn’t care what he has to give up to satisfy his craving. This is why drug addicts will prostitute their young daughters for drugs. They don’t care what they have to give up. They don’t care who they lie to or who they steal from - they don’t think beyond themselves and their immediate craving.
Idols, and in this scenario the idol of comfort, which is the basic idol associated with all addictions, distort our perception of reality. So what we see in Esau’s thought process is classic idolatrous thinking, even though it may not technically be worshipping the idol of comfort since he was legitimately hungry.
So with this example of the idol of comfort, let’s think a little while about what is at stake in the idol of comfort. In other words, why is this wrong? What biblical principle is being violated each time we indulge the flesh beyond biblical limits? The answer is found in Eph. 5:18. So let’s turn there and think about the principle of Spirit control.
In Eph. 5:18, we read, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but [rather] be filled with the Spirit.” Is it a sin to drink wine? I don’t believe it is. Where does the sin lie when it comes to drinking alcohol? When the alcohol exerts its influence on me to the extent that I am no longer under control. A drunk person is controlled by the alcohol. His tongue doesn’t articulate his words very well because there is something else controlling the muscles of his tongue. His legs are not steady because there is something else controlling his motor skills. His bladder does not hold its contents because there is something else in his system overriding his normal ability to hold his bladder.
The sin of drunkenness is that there is a foreign object controlling the drinker – which is a direct violation of what Paul teaches in Eph. 5:18. We are to be “filled” with the Spirit of God, and to help us understand what that looks like, Paul uses the drunkenness analogy. For the follower of Christ, God’s Spirit is to fill us, just like alcohol fills the drunk person. And in the same way that alcohol controls the drunk person, God’s Spirit is to control the follower of Christ. And it is this principle that sets the pattern for the idol of comfort. Every time we allow a fleshly desire to exert control over us, we are being controlled by something other than the Spirit of God. Our desires for food, or sleep, or sexual gratification, or relaxation, or community, or beauty – while they are given to us by God, they are not to be participated in without restraint. Our physical appetites have to be under the control of God’s Spirit, and when they aren’t, we are worshipping the idol of comfort.
As we have done with each of the other idols, let’s see if we can come up with some illustrations of what this idol looks like in everyday life. Who has an example for us?
Not going to church on Sunday morning because you were up late on Saturday night? As humans, we need sleep, right? That is choosing the comfortable over the critical.
Missing a significant church activity because your favorite football team has a televised game during that time? Relaxation is legitimate, right?
Exploding at your wife for crunching the back fender of the car, and now that $500.00 you had set aside for a new rifle will have to be used as the deductible to fix the car?
Being irritable and short-tempered every day when you get home from work - until you get a nap and have supper?
Refusing to get a full time job because it will jeopardize your state funded insurance benefits?
Buying a new pair of Nike shoes every time you don’t have a date on Friday night?
Being irritable and short-tempered every morning when you wake up – until you have had your first cup of coffee?
Refusing to challenge your teenager’s sinful behavior because of the conflict you know it will cause in the family? Cf. 1 Sam. 2 and 4
To say that the idol of comfort is prevalent in Christian circles is quite an understatement, and it manifests itself in myriad ways. Addictions, obesity, sexual promiscuity, laziness, our preoccupation with sports and entertainment and hobbies and amusement all are illustrations of our propensity toward comfort. What a difference it makes to be a follower of Christ who is under the control of the Spirit of God. When we make choices based on what we believe God would have us to do instead of what our flesh would have us to do, it makes a huge difference in how we live.
As we come before this Communion Table, aren’t you glad Jesus said “no” to His fleshly desire to escape the rigors of the cross? It is a little bit of an understatement, but the cross was not a comfortable place to be. Which is why Jesus said at one point during the night, “Father, if it is at all possible, let this cup pass from me.” But then, it’s as if He catches himself and says, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.” Can you appreciate this morning that our eternity is secure in heaven because Jesus chose the critical over the comfortable?
This brings us up to where we are this morning, and today we are going to be considering the idol of comfort. As far as a definition goes, the idol of comfort is when I indulge fleshly desires beyond biblical limits. In order for us to really understand this definition, let me clarify two things. First of all, what do I mean by “fleshly desires?” Fleshly desires, as I am using it, is not to be understood in the sense of 1 John 2:16 where John says, “For everything in the world [the anti-God system ruled by Satan]--the cravings of sinful man [lust of the flesh], the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.” That is not what I’m talking about here. The “fleshly desire” of our definition is a legitimate physical appetite. What are some of them? Food. Sleep. Sexual gratification. Relaxation. Beauty and serenity. Community. Each of these are legitimate desires, placed in the human by God, and have a physiological effect on the human body.
For instance, food is fuel, and to deprive the body of food leads to serious consequences. But it is much more than fuel, because when we eat our body releases chemicals into our bloodstream that cause a sensation of comfort. Sleep is necessary, and if you don’t sleep, you will suffer negative health consequences. What about something like beauty and serenity, do humans have an appetite for these things? Is a desire for beauty and stillness something God has created in us? Absolutely. How do we know that? Because God appreciates beauty, and we are created in His image. How do we know God appreciates beauty? Because when He gave instructions to Moses on how to build the tabernacle, there was an emphasis on esthetic appeal. The colors were not dull and drab, they were vibrant – crimson, purple, blue, and violet. And the building materials were gold and silver and brass and iron and bronze and fine twisted linen and exotic hardwood. On top of this, only highly skilled craftsmen were allowed to do the work. They were real artisans, and none of this was coincidental – God’s appreciation of beauty was reflected in what the tabernacle looked like.
We are created in the image of God, which means that we appreciate beauty; and when the human being is deprived of beauty (just like when he is deprived of food or sleep), there are negative physical consequences – primarily sociological consequences. This is why civilizations that do not have art do not flourish. On a smaller scale, why are prisons incubators for all kinds of sociological ills? It is because when you take a human and remove him from all sources of beauty, his soul withers.
So the point I want us to appreciate is that as people created in the image of God, we have inclinations / desires / appetites that are physical (as opposed to spiritual / emotional / mental) in nature, and they were given to us by God. As such, they are holy and beautiful and wonderful.
The second item of clarification for this definition is that not only has God placed these desires in us, He has also placed limits on them! For instance, what do we call the unlimited desire for the legitimate need of food? Gluttony. What is the unlimited desire for sleep or relaxation? Sloth. What is the unlimited desire for sexual gratification? Fornication. God has placed two limits on our desire for sexual gratification - marriage, and your spouse. What about beauty? Has God placed any limits on our appreciation of beauty, or is that something we don’t have to worry about? Absolutely not! Lust is a mental activity that is beauty oriented. I have had multiple guys tell me over the years that they really enjoy looking at beautiful women. They just like to look at them and appreciate their beauty. I get nervous every time I hear that statement because lust is a mental activity that is beauty driven – we don’t lust after hideous people, do we? I believe there is a reason Job said in Job 31 that he had made a covenant with his eyes. And then he asks the question, “How then can I think about a young girl?” There is a connection between the eyes, beauty, and lust. If you are a man and you appreciate beauty, in particular, female beauty, the Song of Solomon outlines a beauty appreciation program in chapter four. In those verses Solomon describes in explicit detail the beauty of his wife, starting with her face and working his way South. What that tells us men is that our appreciation for beauty has a limit, and that limit is our wife.
And even though we didn’t talk about the idea of community, the human desire for community has limits on it. God has created us as social creatures (which is also reflective of the Godhead) who thrive in community and wither in isolation, but community has God imposed limits. We see this in the command of God that when a husband takes a wife and they become one flesh, what is that man supposed to do? Leave his mother and father. What was the impetus behind God confusing the languages at Babel? Violating the limitations on community.
So with this explanation of the idol of comfort, and understanding how God has placed limits on each of man’s basic physical appetites, let’s look at a biblical example of this idol in action. In Gen. 25 we have the story of Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of stew. In the first half of this chapter, we read the background to the story. Isaac gets married to Rebecca, and she conceives and has twin sons. The firstborn, Esau, was an outdoorsman, and the second born, Jacob, was more of indoorsman. We’ll pick the story up in verse 27.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
How many of you see the idol of comfort here? It’s actually somewhat tricky, isn’t it? I think the reason we may be inclined to waver a little bit about labeling this as the idol of comfort is because his hunger was legitimate. The Bible says he was famished (“to be exhausted, or faint”) because of his trip. And how can the desire for something to eat when you haven’t eaten for a while be understood as indulging a fleshly desire beyond it’s biblical limits? Esau’s thinking is what shows us the idol. Remember the Biblical principle – “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Let’s analyze his thinking.
Why was he willing to give up his inheritance? Why was the inheritance meaningless to him? He thought he was about to die, which made the inheritance superfluous. When you are dead, the family farm doesn’t do you much good. Well, guess how long it takes you to die from starvation? A long, long time! It is highly unlikely that Esau was really about to die! But in addition to this, if I am about to die from starvation, but a meal will save my life, then the inheritance will be of some value to me after all, won’t it? Do you see how Esau’s thinking was all messed up here. Does it sound familiar when I say that idols distort our perception of reality?
What we see in Esau’s thinking is the typical rationale of an addict. When an addict is in the throes of craving to feed his addiction, he thinks he will die if he doesn’t get what he wants. But reality is that he may be in withdrawal if he doesn’t get it, or he may be in agony if he doesn’t get it, or he may be impossible to live with if he doesn’t get what he wants, but he isn’t on the brink of death like he feels he is. In addition to this, the addict doesn’t care what he has to give up to satisfy his craving. This is why drug addicts will prostitute their young daughters for drugs. They don’t care what they have to give up. They don’t care who they lie to or who they steal from - they don’t think beyond themselves and their immediate craving.
Idols, and in this scenario the idol of comfort, which is the basic idol associated with all addictions, distort our perception of reality. So what we see in Esau’s thought process is classic idolatrous thinking, even though it may not technically be worshipping the idol of comfort since he was legitimately hungry.
So with this example of the idol of comfort, let’s think a little while about what is at stake in the idol of comfort. In other words, why is this wrong? What biblical principle is being violated each time we indulge the flesh beyond biblical limits? The answer is found in Eph. 5:18. So let’s turn there and think about the principle of Spirit control.
In Eph. 5:18, we read, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but [rather] be filled with the Spirit.” Is it a sin to drink wine? I don’t believe it is. Where does the sin lie when it comes to drinking alcohol? When the alcohol exerts its influence on me to the extent that I am no longer under control. A drunk person is controlled by the alcohol. His tongue doesn’t articulate his words very well because there is something else controlling the muscles of his tongue. His legs are not steady because there is something else controlling his motor skills. His bladder does not hold its contents because there is something else in his system overriding his normal ability to hold his bladder.
The sin of drunkenness is that there is a foreign object controlling the drinker – which is a direct violation of what Paul teaches in Eph. 5:18. We are to be “filled” with the Spirit of God, and to help us understand what that looks like, Paul uses the drunkenness analogy. For the follower of Christ, God’s Spirit is to fill us, just like alcohol fills the drunk person. And in the same way that alcohol controls the drunk person, God’s Spirit is to control the follower of Christ. And it is this principle that sets the pattern for the idol of comfort. Every time we allow a fleshly desire to exert control over us, we are being controlled by something other than the Spirit of God. Our desires for food, or sleep, or sexual gratification, or relaxation, or community, or beauty – while they are given to us by God, they are not to be participated in without restraint. Our physical appetites have to be under the control of God’s Spirit, and when they aren’t, we are worshipping the idol of comfort.
As we have done with each of the other idols, let’s see if we can come up with some illustrations of what this idol looks like in everyday life. Who has an example for us?
Not going to church on Sunday morning because you were up late on Saturday night? As humans, we need sleep, right? That is choosing the comfortable over the critical.
Missing a significant church activity because your favorite football team has a televised game during that time? Relaxation is legitimate, right?
Exploding at your wife for crunching the back fender of the car, and now that $500.00 you had set aside for a new rifle will have to be used as the deductible to fix the car?
Being irritable and short-tempered every day when you get home from work - until you get a nap and have supper?
Refusing to get a full time job because it will jeopardize your state funded insurance benefits?
Buying a new pair of Nike shoes every time you don’t have a date on Friday night?
Being irritable and short-tempered every morning when you wake up – until you have had your first cup of coffee?
Refusing to challenge your teenager’s sinful behavior because of the conflict you know it will cause in the family? Cf. 1 Sam. 2 and 4
To say that the idol of comfort is prevalent in Christian circles is quite an understatement, and it manifests itself in myriad ways. Addictions, obesity, sexual promiscuity, laziness, our preoccupation with sports and entertainment and hobbies and amusement all are illustrations of our propensity toward comfort. What a difference it makes to be a follower of Christ who is under the control of the Spirit of God. When we make choices based on what we believe God would have us to do instead of what our flesh would have us to do, it makes a huge difference in how we live.
As we come before this Communion Table, aren’t you glad Jesus said “no” to His fleshly desire to escape the rigors of the cross? It is a little bit of an understatement, but the cross was not a comfortable place to be. Which is why Jesus said at one point during the night, “Father, if it is at all possible, let this cup pass from me.” But then, it’s as if He catches himself and says, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.” Can you appreciate this morning that our eternity is secure in heaven because Jesus chose the critical over the comfortable?
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