Sermon for March 3rd (Lenten Service)

Habakkuk 2:18-20

What is an idol? When most people hear the word, “idol” they probably think about Simon Powell, the judge on America idol! Or, if you aren’t really a TV buff, you might think about some Buddhist temple somewhere or a pagan shrine. In all these cases, idols are things that some believe have supernatural powers, maybe a supernatural singing voice, like Jennifer Hudson, or maybe the ability to bless you with fertility, like in the case of the goddess Asherah.

Believe it or not, there are people today who have pagan shrines in their homes. Little altars on which they place idols of wood, metal and stone. They often look like tiny little figurines except that they are believed to be the eyes and ears of powerful gods . . . gods that will fall over if you knock the table they are sitting on with you knee. I hope that you realize, without me focusing on it too much tonight, that God, the Father of Jesus Christ, will not abide in someone who worships a god of clay, wood or stone, a god of fertility or a god of war. The Lord your God is a jealous God and is not willing to share your worship with figurines. I would encourage all of you NOT to tempt God’s patience by trying to synthesize Christian religion with pagan religions. When Jesus Christ came to earth He made it very clear, “I am the Way and the Truth and Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Period.

But most of you, I hope, probably don’t have any idea what a pagan shrine would even look like! When I saw a picture of one and heard about another person actually having one, I was kind of amazed. I figured that idols were some cultural artifact from long ago biblical ages. You would have a hard time imagining what an idol would look like, wouldn’t you . . or would you?

You see, in today’s world, we have begun trading our idols of stone, wood and clay for something more advanced: plasma TV’s, cell phones, skis, soccerballs, basketballs or computers to name a few. Habakkuk said this, “Alas for you who say to the wood, “Wake up!” to silent stone, “Rouse yourself!” Can it teach? See, it is gold and silver plated and there is no breath in it at all.” Have you ever found yourself trusting that the programs on your TV, or some website, will actually make your life better? That you can’t live without checking your Farmville app. on facebook or that you just HAVE to see the newest episode of Lost or some other series or else your night is ruined? Smart, beautiful and famous people are often sharing their opinions over you-tube or on the news, but the words that come from their mouths through your television speakers are not necessarily the truth. Yet many of us form our opinions on the latest issues only after double checking with the TV news or Wikipedia or what our favorite blog has to say.

A professor of mine at seminary once explained how archaeologists decide what was important to ancient people and civilizations by looking at their homes or their towns. The most important buildings are the biggest and/or tallest. Often, people aim their seats toward the center of their attention and put the most valuable objects in the place of honor in their homes. If researchers looked in your house, or in your room, or on your computer, what would they think was most important to you. What are all the chairs and couches pointing toward? For some, it would be their TV. Has TV, Hulu, or Netflix, become an idol that has stolen your allegiance from God? When scripture tells you one thing and a radio personality says another, who do you believe? Martin Luther said that a god is the thing that we love and trust above anything else.

In today’s culture money has also become an idol for many. Sometimes you don’t even see actual dollars and cents, but just know how much is in your 401k at all times of the day. Money talks, it is said, but what does it say exactly? Does it speak the truth or lies? When the economy falters, where do we place our trust? Perhaps in our savings fund, or in the government to bail us out, or in our parents to loan us money, or in our credit cards to tide us over. But what about God? The Lord of heaven and earth? When we cannot make ends meet, is prayer our first activity or do we go look at our budget first to see what support we can get from there first? Money can be a wonderful tool, just like TV, and wood and stone and clay . . . but it is ambiguous morally. It does not know right from wrong. It cannot speak. It cannot breathe. It is not alive and cannot give you eternal life.

The Lord spoke through the prophet Habakkuk, “What use is an idol once its maker has shaped it--For its maker trusts in what has been made, though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!” All the things we make into idols are wonderful creations of God, but we must remember that that’s all they are: creations, not the creator. God is calling you to look to Him for guidance and to trust His voice over and against the many words and opinions you hear in the world. This Lenten season, take the time to look at your life and see what has become an idol for you. What do you spend your time glorifying rather than God alone? What’s most important to you? And then listen to the God who is calling you back to faithfulness in Him. Hear his words of healing and forgiveness for they are still for you. Amen.