Idols!

May 20, 2024 Monday Message:

Ephesians 5:5 NLT: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God”

Paul is teaching a huge perspective on theology. But it’s really quite simple. Christians should endeavor to be more like Jesus. Therefore no immorality, nothing impure and no greed should exist in the church. If immorality gets in the way of loving the Lord, then it would appear that person must love the immorality more than he loves the Lord, and something that occupies God’s rightful first place is an idol! As members of the Holy Family, idols should not be an option!

In Jesus’ day, when many people didn’t know the truth of the real God, people were still searching for something to worship. They would invent a god for good weather, bountiful crops – even a god of sexual pleasure. They would make up an image to represent that false god and manufacture multiple copies of the image which could be bought, sold and traded. Apparently god could come from Hallmark! Pagans would buy the images representing their god, and keep them in their homes. Their god became a statuette that could sit on their mantle keeping watch over the entire household. Totally incorrect, and yet somehow convenient!

Nowadays many things can divert our focus from God. Cell phones may top the list, especially among upcoming generations. The internet, sports, jobs and money can all take more of our time than we devote to God. We need to exert extra effort to keep God in first place!

Give God a little extra time today!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship