Australian idol preaching series « …that great city

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O.K. – here’s the scoop.I’m charting out preaching for 2010 at the moment. Romans – locked in. Summer series on Heresies and how to avoid them – locked in. Something Old Testament – not there yet. Something topical – Australian Idols – looking at idolatory in 21st Century Sydney.

SO here is where my prep is up to…

I’m enjoying reading Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller at the moment. He looks at the empty promises of money, sex, and power as a form of idolatory. Not things of stone and wood but still things that assume mythic proportion in individual lives and socity. We still make sacrifices, children are placed upon altars of success, lives are given in service of mammon. Keller helpfully takes us to the Bible to see the way it uses the language of idolatory to assess our hearts desires and hopes. It is a great read in light of the GFC. Keller also spoke at the 2009 Gospel Coalition Conference on The Grand Mythologizer: the Gospel and Idolatory

Keller acknowledges his debt to David Powlinson, particularly to this infulential article – Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair.

Another footnote worth chasing is the Puritan writer David Clarkson, and his (enormous) sermon ‘Soul Idolatory excludes men from heaven’

My old Sunday School teacher, Brian Rosner (now a lecturer at Moore College) wrote Greed as Idolatory a few years back.It is one of those books worth having & lending all the time.

I’d also like to chase GK Beale’s We become what we worship: a biblical theology of Idolatory (his Revelation commentary was very very helpful).

Augustine is next on my list to get to.

What each of these is telling me though is that there is a wealth of biblical material on idolatory (& maybe I should have looked there first! Piously, I’d like to say I did but the truth is I’ve been looking at secondary stuff as I decide whether to do the series. All of the sources I’ve mentioned take you to Scriptures quickly. Of course I’ll then need to check what they may have ommitted or skewed)

When you look at Romans 1 you see it not just a sin amongst others, but something basic to sin itself. All sin flows from idolatory – a chasing of created things rather than the creator. False loves. Flase beliefs. False hopes. The tragedy is that the idol may not be a bad thing but must not become an ultimate thing – God gives us sex, family, money, power etc to be used and enjoyed but not worshipped.

So if you were choosing some Australian idols for a sermon series what would they be? What do you see people worshipping? What are you tempted to pay homage to yourself?

Michael Kellahan Says:

November 6, 2009 at 12:21 pm

Oh yes, you might also want to check out Dave Miers on idols http://davemiers.com/2009/11/05/check-who-you-pay-homage-to-part-1/

Jen Says:

November 6, 2009 at 1:18 pm

I have been struck this year by the whole money thing. As a mum whose youngest child is now at school, the ques on everybodys lips is “when are you going back to work?” My issue is that money is idolised so much that people get trodden on and belittle if they do something that isn’t worth money. The govt doesn’t value me as I don’t earn money that pays taxes and buys stuff thus contributing to our economy. But even in our churches, people assume someone will go out and do work for money before offering time and energy for ministry, unless it is paid ministry. I have learnt this year that the idolatry of money is so much huger than I thought it was….

Mark Williamson Says:

November 6, 2009 at 2:18 pm

As well as the ones you have already mentioned:

The family house (and mortgage),
comfort and leisure (holidays),
“experiences” of life.

Lynne Says:

November 6, 2009 at 2:40 pm

Pleasure. The Good life.
Enjoy it now. No delayed gratification.
I think we Aussies are very hedonistic — the pleasures of eternity look pretty pale compared to the pleasures only just beyond our fingertips. We have it pretty good, and we want to keep it that way.

Steve Y. Says:

November 6, 2009 at 3:28 pm

Noel Due’s book, Created for Worship, is worthy reading too. He has a chapter on The Battle for Worship. From memory, idolatry, as misdirected worship, is given quite a bit of attention.

In addition to those already mentioned, the idols of sporting success and career recognition (not necessarily for money) come to mind.

Liz Says:

November 6, 2009 at 8:39 pm

I am SO stoked about this teaching program in general.
Because I’m a student I’ll throw education out there- so easy to put it before God- not very relevant to most of our church though, unless you could tackle it from a parents perspective?

Thanks for all this work Michael.

Cliff Says:

November 7, 2009 at 8:59 am

I’ve been chatting with people at work about God vs other things we put our hope/trust in. They reflected that their lives moved from one challenge to the next, and that they couldn’t find “security”. Yet they were convinced that they just needed to find that next “thing” or practice their meditation harder, or whatever…

I shared “my story” and likened it to that famous photo of the guy on the lighthouse rock with the wave about to pound him. Outside hanging on to the rail in my own strength is folly, but inside the lighthouse I’m safe and firm on the rock and high tower.

What does this contribute to this topic? That idols are as diverse as the people who make them up, but the underlying drivers are the same. Perhaps instead of focusing on specific idols you could instead examine the issues behind what makes idols so attractive: Security, acceptance, status, ambition, DIY, etc, etc and how only God can truly satisfy…

November 8, 2009 at 8:03 am

I want to add sport, fame, improvement (whether it be to your wardrobe, your looks (botox, gyms etc), your bank account, your home (Better homes and gardens) etc.) and happiness. Just listen to Oprah – happiness is an idol.
People aren’t happy with being where they are (contentment) and want more and bigger and better. Studies show that everybody, in all economic circumstances think if they had 10% more moeny they would be happy…
Dare I also say that sometimes doing good is an idol, for the sense of pride it brings (take a look at the adds this Christmas – giving is supposed to be about you and how it makes you feel)

November 8, 2009 at 12:34 pm

ME!

not as in Jen, but as in self

the ultimate idol

the basis of sin

the easiest god to serve

“cause you’re worth it”

“you deserve a little luxury”

“be all you can be”

“live your best life”

“enjoying everyday life”

etc etc etc

Seumas Says:

November 8, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Beale’s book is far more specific than the title first suggests, but it’s a great read. He ties idolatry into image-of-God stuff and digs out some real biblical gems.

Dave K Says:

November 10, 2009 at 11:39 am

Tremper Longman and DAn Allender’s book ‘Breaking the Idols of Your Heart’ isn’t too bad to getting to the guts of some of the idols of our world and is based in Ecclesiastes.

November 10, 2009 at 1:42 pm

Thanks Steve, Dave & Seumas for the book tips – I think there was an Os Guiness book some time ago too – idols of our age?

Thanks all for idolatory pointers. I’ve found since I’ve been looking I’ve seen stuff everywhere. One of the things about idolatory is that there can be these whole networks committed to something you weren’t even aware of – the Sydney foodie scene, the sea kayak crowd, lots on offer & all good unless they’re put as ultimate good – then the love is misplaced and misordered.
And as for Joe Hockey’s golden calf – I like to think of God as… Don’t get me started!

November 11, 2009 at 7:42 am

FYI the Gospel Coalition had the following on Tim Keller’s False gods sermons…

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2009/11/10/smashing-false-idols/