1 00:00:00,490 --> 00:00:02,330 Welcome to From the Pulpit in Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:02,810 --> 00:00:04,610 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:04,610 --> 00:00:06,890 from some of history's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:06,890 --> 00:00:09,630 faith, and powerful sermons from modern preachers too. 5 00:00:10,290 --> 00:00:12,230 This week we have Chuck Smith with his 6 00:00:12,230 --> 00:00:14,190 message, The Worship of False Gods. 7 00:00:16,390 --> 00:00:23,610 Psalm 115 Not unto us, O Lord, not 8 00:00:23,610 --> 00:00:28,650 unto us, but unto thy name give glory 9 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,890 for thy mercy and thy truth's sake. 10 00:00:35,250 --> 00:00:42,390 It's an interesting thing about human nature, and 11 00:00:42,390 --> 00:00:46,270 I guess it begins pretty early in life. 12 00:00:48,340 --> 00:00:52,510 Maybe we sort of are guilty as parents 13 00:00:55,330 --> 00:01:02,610 of praising our children for every little development 14 00:01:02,610 --> 00:01:05,810 that we see when they start to say 15 00:01:05,810 --> 00:01:08,710 words, when they start to take steps, and 16 00:01:08,710 --> 00:01:12,950 we are praising them so highly and telling 17 00:01:12,950 --> 00:01:14,550 them how wonderful they are. 18 00:01:15,350 --> 00:01:17,490 Maybe that's where it starts, I don't know, 19 00:01:17,670 --> 00:01:20,430 but it seems like as we grow up 20 00:01:20,430 --> 00:01:22,990 we enjoy recognition. 21 00:01:25,950 --> 00:01:28,610 We enjoy the applause. 22 00:01:30,270 --> 00:01:36,370 We enjoy, you know, glory, you might say. 23 00:01:37,090 --> 00:01:39,850 But here the psalmist is saying, Lord, not 24 00:01:39,850 --> 00:01:40,810 unto us. 25 00:01:42,510 --> 00:01:46,710 Not unto us, but unto your name give 26 00:01:46,710 --> 00:01:50,290 glory for thy mercy and thy truth's sake. 27 00:01:51,790 --> 00:01:56,570 Wherefore should the heathen now say, Where is 28 00:01:56,570 --> 00:01:58,150 your God now? 29 00:02:01,950 --> 00:02:06,770 We used to sing a chorus, and this 30 00:02:06,770 --> 00:02:09,050 is, you know, way back before when. 31 00:02:12,530 --> 00:02:15,270 Yeah, they're back in high school days. 32 00:02:16,530 --> 00:02:19,610 I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down 33 00:02:19,610 --> 00:02:20,570 in my heart. 34 00:02:21,790 --> 00:02:23,270 Yeah, that's the one. 35 00:02:26,110 --> 00:02:29,430 And they started adding a lot of verses 36 00:02:29,430 --> 00:02:30,470 to that. 37 00:02:31,510 --> 00:02:33,890 And one of the verses that was added 38 00:02:33,890 --> 00:02:37,630 to it is, I have the happy hope 39 00:02:37,630 --> 00:02:41,050 that heckles heathens down in my heart. 40 00:02:42,910 --> 00:02:47,390 But, you know, it's an interesting thing how 41 00:02:47,390 --> 00:02:51,550 heathen seem to be heckled by the happy 42 00:02:51,550 --> 00:02:52,530 hope that we have. 43 00:02:55,190 --> 00:03:01,050 They somehow resent your relationship with the Lord, 44 00:03:01,150 --> 00:03:05,470 the joy that you have, the ability to 45 00:03:05,470 --> 00:03:09,950 be sustained by him in dark times. 46 00:03:11,270 --> 00:03:13,210 That you're still smiling. 47 00:03:13,830 --> 00:03:15,830 You still have that hope. 48 00:03:16,570 --> 00:03:18,590 And that seems to heckle them. 49 00:03:19,370 --> 00:03:27,330 So that whenever something goes seriously wrong, they 50 00:03:27,330 --> 00:03:31,830 like to come around and say, Hmm, where 51 00:03:31,830 --> 00:03:33,270 is your God now? 52 00:03:34,630 --> 00:03:39,170 In these circumstances, in the reversals that you're, 53 00:03:39,530 --> 00:03:41,430 where is your God now? 54 00:03:41,950 --> 00:03:47,170 And they use it as a taunt against 55 00:03:47,170 --> 00:03:49,910 the fact that we have put our trust 56 00:03:49,910 --> 00:03:52,270 in the Lord and we're just looking to 57 00:03:52,270 --> 00:03:55,050 Him and our hope is in Him. 58 00:03:58,620 --> 00:04:02,460 The psalmist goes on to say, Our God 59 00:04:02,460 --> 00:04:03,960 is in the heavens and He has done 60 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:05,180 whatever He pleased. 61 00:04:07,420 --> 00:04:13,960 Now, there are times when I'm sure that 62 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,240 we ourselves wonder, Where is our God in 63 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,000 this circumstance? 64 00:04:21,700 --> 00:04:28,460 Jacob, you remember when he received word that 65 00:04:28,460 --> 00:04:33,560 that cruel leader down in Egypt is not 66 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,220 going to give us any more grain unless 67 00:04:36,220 --> 00:04:40,940 the youngest son, Benjamin, goes with his brothers 68 00:04:40,940 --> 00:04:42,520 down to Egypt. 69 00:04:44,740 --> 00:04:49,500 As, finally through desperation, he had to send 70 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:50,860 them off with Benjamin. 71 00:04:51,660 --> 00:04:55,480 With the promise of the older brothers that 72 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,940 they would take care of Benjamin and see 73 00:04:57,940 --> 00:05:00,140 that no harm would come to him. 74 00:05:00,140 --> 00:05:04,620 And as they left, Jacob cried out, All 75 00:05:04,620 --> 00:05:06,700 things are against me. 76 00:05:11,190 --> 00:05:14,610 That's a generalization and we have to be 77 00:05:14,610 --> 00:05:16,550 careful about generalizations. 78 00:05:19,010 --> 00:05:21,690 All things are against me. 79 00:05:21,870 --> 00:05:23,870 No, Jacob, that's not true. 80 00:05:24,730 --> 00:05:27,770 All things are not against you. 81 00:05:29,150 --> 00:05:34,550 Your son, Joseph, who so many years ago, 82 00:05:35,250 --> 00:05:38,430 you thought was killed by a wild beast 83 00:05:38,430 --> 00:05:41,970 because of the guises of your other sons 84 00:05:41,970 --> 00:05:43,170 who were jealous of him. 85 00:05:45,250 --> 00:05:47,810 Your son, Joseph, is alive. 86 00:05:48,330 --> 00:05:51,890 In fact, he is that man in Egypt 87 00:05:51,890 --> 00:05:55,550 that is ordered that his younger brother come 88 00:05:55,550 --> 00:05:57,870 down in order to buy grain. 89 00:05:57,870 --> 00:06:00,970 Because he is a full brother to Benjamin 90 00:06:00,970 --> 00:06:03,330 and has not seen him for so many 91 00:06:03,330 --> 00:06:03,690 years. 92 00:06:03,870 --> 00:06:06,510 Jacob, you don't know the whole story. 93 00:06:07,670 --> 00:06:09,710 And that's one of our problems. 94 00:06:10,010 --> 00:06:16,290 We often times make judgments without really knowing 95 00:06:16,290 --> 00:06:18,150 the whole story. 96 00:06:19,370 --> 00:06:22,870 And if Jacob only knew the whole story, 97 00:06:23,210 --> 00:06:26,330 he wouldn't be saying, All things are against 98 00:06:26,330 --> 00:06:26,770 me. 99 00:06:28,590 --> 00:06:32,770 And so often with our own lives, we 100 00:06:32,770 --> 00:06:35,130 only know part of the story and we 101 00:06:35,130 --> 00:06:38,950 seem to jump to conclusions because the part 102 00:06:38,950 --> 00:06:41,570 that we know doesn't look so good. 103 00:06:42,330 --> 00:06:45,610 And we are prone with Jacob to say, 104 00:06:45,910 --> 00:06:48,310 All things are against me. 105 00:06:49,430 --> 00:06:53,970 God said to Jeremiah, I know the thoughts 106 00:06:53,970 --> 00:06:56,210 that I think toward you. 107 00:06:57,150 --> 00:07:00,910 They are thoughts of peace and not of 108 00:07:00,910 --> 00:07:05,370 evil to give you a desirable end. 109 00:07:06,250 --> 00:07:07,490 I know what I'm doing. 110 00:07:09,290 --> 00:07:12,790 And all things are going to work together 111 00:07:12,790 --> 00:07:13,810 for good. 112 00:07:15,310 --> 00:07:18,530 As long as you love the Lord and 113 00:07:18,530 --> 00:07:20,770 are called according to His purposes. 114 00:07:23,830 --> 00:07:29,850 The psalmist answers these hecklers who are saying, 115 00:07:30,270 --> 00:07:31,830 Where is your God now? 116 00:07:33,230 --> 00:07:34,930 And he says, My God's in the heavens 117 00:07:34,930 --> 00:07:36,890 and He has done what He has pleased. 118 00:07:41,260 --> 00:07:45,620 One of our problems is that question, Why? 119 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:53,180 I had a professor who said, I will 120 00:07:53,180 --> 00:07:57,120 never allow myself to fall in the cesspool 121 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,080 of why. 122 00:08:00,420 --> 00:08:04,020 So oftentimes as things take place in our 123 00:08:04,020 --> 00:08:09,380 lives and adverse circumstances, we have that why? 124 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:11,160 Why me? 125 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:12,440 Why does this happen? 126 00:08:12,740 --> 00:08:14,380 Why did this have to happen? 127 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:15,040 Why? 128 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:19,100 And we are oftentimes really just sort of 129 00:08:19,100 --> 00:08:23,880 brought to almost a point of distraction by 130 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,960 this question, Why? 131 00:08:29,220 --> 00:08:34,620 God said, My ways are not your ways, 132 00:08:35,059 --> 00:08:35,679 saith the Lord. 133 00:08:36,539 --> 00:08:40,200 My ways are beyond your finding out. 134 00:08:40,580 --> 00:08:42,820 So that question, Why? 135 00:08:42,919 --> 00:08:47,840 can be very frustrating because oftentimes the Lord 136 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,020 doesn't reveal to us why. 137 00:08:51,140 --> 00:08:53,760 In fact, so often when we are saying 138 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,120 why, the Lord just says, Well, trust me, 139 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:57,600 I don't like that Lord. 140 00:08:58,020 --> 00:08:59,420 I want to know why. 141 00:09:00,060 --> 00:09:04,380 But He doesn't always satisfy our curiosity. 142 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:06,680 He doesn't always explain to us. 143 00:09:07,340 --> 00:09:12,640 But so often as time goes on and 144 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,360 as we see the full story, we understand 145 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,280 the why and we see what God was 146 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,220 doing and those things that we thought were 147 00:09:23,220 --> 00:09:26,720 like Jacob against me are really not against 148 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:27,020 me. 149 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:30,180 God is working behind the scenes and if 150 00:09:30,180 --> 00:09:32,940 I only knew it, I'd be rejoicing in 151 00:09:32,940 --> 00:09:36,800 the situation rather than fretting over the situation 152 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,760 because God is working out His perfect purpose 153 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,120 and plan in my life through these issues 154 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,480 that are taking place that I really don't 155 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,500 personally understand why. 156 00:09:53,890 --> 00:09:59,610 David wrote in Psalm 37 Commit your ways 157 00:09:59,610 --> 00:10:01,370 unto the Lord. 158 00:10:02,390 --> 00:10:06,130 Trust also in Him and He will bring 159 00:10:06,130 --> 00:10:07,050 it to pass. 160 00:10:07,930 --> 00:10:10,690 Now you remember that 37th Psalm begins with 161 00:10:10,690 --> 00:10:12,730 fret not thyself. 162 00:10:13,910 --> 00:10:17,590 And of course the cure for fretting is 163 00:10:17,590 --> 00:10:22,830 to understand that the Lord is working and 164 00:10:22,830 --> 00:10:25,650 just commit it to Him and He will 165 00:10:25,650 --> 00:10:29,230 bring it to pass, His perfect plan His 166 00:10:29,230 --> 00:10:29,570 will. 167 00:10:35,190 --> 00:10:39,770 Now the psalmist goes on to say where 168 00:10:39,770 --> 00:10:42,030 they say, Where is now your God? 169 00:10:43,450 --> 00:10:45,530 And he says our God's in the heavens, 170 00:10:45,750 --> 00:10:50,310 but he said their idols or their gods 171 00:10:51,030 --> 00:10:54,830 are silver and gold the work of men's 172 00:10:54,830 --> 00:10:55,370 hands. 173 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,700 People often say that they are atheists. 174 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,320 There are no atheists. 175 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,100 Everybody has a God. 176 00:11:09,220 --> 00:11:11,300 Not everybody has the true God. 177 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:17,680 But everybody has a master passion that governs 178 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:18,580 their life. 179 00:11:20,020 --> 00:11:26,460 There are many false gods and so the 180 00:11:26,460 --> 00:11:30,740 psalmist speaks up about their gods or their 181 00:11:30,740 --> 00:11:31,200 idols. 182 00:11:31,380 --> 00:11:32,560 They are their gods. 183 00:11:32,660 --> 00:11:35,160 Everybody has a God. 184 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,600 They've made their own gods without of silver 185 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,800 or gold, but they are the work of 186 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:51,000 men's hands making their own gods. 187 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,840 And this is true of most of the 188 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:56,600 world today. 189 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:02,300 They are worshipping and serving man-made gods. 190 00:12:08,190 --> 00:12:13,110 In man-making making a God. 191 00:12:14,630 --> 00:12:18,570 He makes his God like himself. 192 00:12:20,910 --> 00:12:26,750 The idea is, if I were God, how 193 00:12:26,750 --> 00:12:27,490 would I govern? 194 00:12:30,860 --> 00:12:33,480 The musicians back there are getting restless. 195 00:12:36,620 --> 00:12:40,760 If I were God, I would live on 196 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:45,720 Mount Olympus and I would use my superior 197 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:51,600 powers in taking advantage of mortal man. 198 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,280 And so you have your Greek mythology. 199 00:12:56,340 --> 00:12:58,660 There are gods up on Mount Olympus and 200 00:12:58,660 --> 00:13:03,220 intertwining in the affairs of man, taking advantage 201 00:13:03,220 --> 00:13:08,040 of their greater powers over mortals. 202 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:17,800 Down in the jungles of South America, Bolivian 203 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:25,580 jungles, those natives down there worship trees. 204 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,560 They worship the moon. 205 00:13:28,460 --> 00:13:30,440 They worship the sun. 206 00:13:32,820 --> 00:13:35,980 The idea being, if I were God, I 207 00:13:35,980 --> 00:13:39,900 would dwell in that tree over there. 208 00:13:40,020 --> 00:13:40,920 It is strong. 209 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:44,320 It is impervious to the winds and to 210 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:45,580 the rain and all. 211 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,980 And so they worship the trees, believing that 212 00:13:48,980 --> 00:13:51,500 the God dwells within the trees. 213 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,320 Or if I were God, I would ride 214 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,180 through the night sky, so they worship the 215 00:13:57,180 --> 00:13:57,640 moon. 216 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,640 And the idea is, what I would be 217 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:04,580 or what I would do. 218 00:14:04,660 --> 00:14:08,480 Now, you know, there are a lot of 219 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:15,120 people not in the jungles of Bolivia who 220 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:19,640 make their own gods or who want to 221 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,100 make their own gods. 222 00:14:23,380 --> 00:14:26,660 So often people come to me with the 223 00:14:26,660 --> 00:14:33,540 question, why did God or why would God? 224 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,580 And whenever a person begins a question with 225 00:14:38,580 --> 00:14:42,540 why would God or why did God, I 226 00:14:42,540 --> 00:14:46,020 can just all automatically answer, I don't know. 227 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:49,800 Usually though you try to give some kind 228 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,540 of an answer, but we don't know the 229 00:14:52,540 --> 00:14:53,880 whys of God. 230 00:14:54,860 --> 00:15:00,160 But basically, when a person asks the question, 231 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:04,120 why would God or why did God, basically 232 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:09,340 underlying the question is, if I were God, 233 00:15:09,420 --> 00:15:11,240 I wouldn't have done it that way. 234 00:15:12,460 --> 00:15:14,800 I would have done it this way. 235 00:15:15,180 --> 00:15:19,160 And basically you are saying that you have 236 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,880 superior ways than God. 237 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,420 Better ways than God. 238 00:15:27,060 --> 00:15:29,340 I wouldn't do it God's way. 239 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,620 And that's where you get the idea of 240 00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:34,640 creating your own God. 241 00:15:36,380 --> 00:15:38,280 This is what I would do. 242 00:15:38,500 --> 00:15:40,480 This is how I would do it if 243 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:41,180 I were God. 244 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,120 And so it's it's a challenge of God. 245 00:15:45,660 --> 00:15:49,180 You're challenging him of why he would do 246 00:15:49,180 --> 00:15:51,300 things and why he does things the way 247 00:15:51,300 --> 00:15:51,840 he does. 248 00:15:54,500 --> 00:15:56,820 Making their own gods. 249 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,560 As man makes a God, he makes a 250 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,700 God like himself in his own image. 251 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:11,660 He said, they have mouths, but they speak 252 00:16:11,660 --> 00:16:12,020 not. 253 00:16:13,420 --> 00:16:16,460 Eyes they have, but they see not. 254 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,960 They have ears, but they hear not. 255 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,120 They have noses, but they can't smell. 256 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,300 They have hands, but they cannot handle. 257 00:16:27,060 --> 00:16:29,560 They have feet, but they can't walk. 258 00:16:30,180 --> 00:16:33,560 And neither do they speak through their throat. 259 00:16:35,180 --> 00:16:38,080 So he's looking at these gods that the 260 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,600 heathen had made, carving them out of stone 261 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:46,240 or molding them out of silver or gold. 262 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:51,120 These little likenesses of the gods that they 263 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:52,580 are worshiping and serving. 264 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:59,300 And he observes that the faces of the 265 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:05,079 little gods have eyes, noses, ears, mouth, feet, 266 00:17:05,260 --> 00:17:05,740 hands. 267 00:17:06,740 --> 00:17:09,380 He's made his God like himself. 268 00:17:11,900 --> 00:17:15,660 Why would I carve eyes in my little 269 00:17:15,660 --> 00:17:15,940 God? 270 00:17:16,020 --> 00:17:17,000 Because I have eyes. 271 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:18,240 Why would I carve ears? 272 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:19,300 Because I have ears. 273 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:22,400 Why would I leave him bald? 274 00:17:28,710 --> 00:17:31,970 You make your God like yourself. 275 00:17:33,790 --> 00:17:39,330 But he makes an observation and an important 276 00:17:39,330 --> 00:17:40,110 observation. 277 00:17:41,950 --> 00:17:47,770 Though they make their gods like themselves, they 278 00:17:47,770 --> 00:17:51,810 actually make their gods less than themselves. 279 00:17:53,590 --> 00:17:56,650 Because though I may put eyes on my 280 00:17:56,650 --> 00:17:59,290 little God that I've carved out of stone, 281 00:18:00,030 --> 00:18:01,830 those eyes can't see. 282 00:18:03,490 --> 00:18:06,030 Though I carve ears on the little God, 283 00:18:06,130 --> 00:18:07,470 those ears can't hear. 284 00:18:08,630 --> 00:18:11,610 Though I carve a mouth, it can't speak. 285 00:18:11,610 --> 00:18:15,710 Though I carve feet, it can't walk. 286 00:18:16,810 --> 00:18:20,110 So, though I've made my God like myself, 287 00:18:20,310 --> 00:18:24,890 I've actually made my God less than myself. 288 00:18:27,550 --> 00:18:30,790 And so it is with man-made gods. 289 00:18:32,410 --> 00:18:36,230 Now, in the day that the psalmist was 290 00:18:36,230 --> 00:18:43,270 writing this, there were major gods that the 291 00:18:43,270 --> 00:18:44,430 people worshipped. 292 00:18:46,070 --> 00:18:48,290 There was Baal. 293 00:18:50,850 --> 00:18:54,950 Basically, the worship of Baal was the worship 294 00:18:54,950 --> 00:18:56,430 of man's intellect. 295 00:18:58,330 --> 00:19:00,930 That man that says, I will not believe 296 00:19:00,930 --> 00:19:03,750 anything that I cannot bring within the confines 297 00:19:03,750 --> 00:19:05,870 of my own understanding. 298 00:19:07,350 --> 00:19:08,750 I'm an agnostic. 299 00:19:08,970 --> 00:19:11,110 There may be gods, but I, you know, 300 00:19:11,170 --> 00:19:13,770 you can't know him, and I will not 301 00:19:13,770 --> 00:19:16,590 have any god that I cannot truly understand. 302 00:19:18,090 --> 00:19:23,070 Sort of worship of Baal, the intellect. 303 00:19:24,550 --> 00:19:28,410 And these are the professional students. 304 00:19:29,890 --> 00:19:33,970 They are always taking more and more courses. 305 00:19:36,670 --> 00:19:40,250 The mind, the education is the thing with 306 00:19:40,250 --> 00:19:40,570 them. 307 00:19:43,780 --> 00:19:51,120 When it comes to ultimate knowledge, that is 308 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:53,000 the knowledge of God. 309 00:19:54,200 --> 00:20:00,080 And you ask these individuals worshipping Baal, worshipping 310 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:05,120 their intellect, well, what about ultimate knowledge, the 311 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,040 knowledge of the creator? 312 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,040 They will usually respond, I'm an agnostic. 313 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,560 But what is agnosticism? 314 00:20:19,540 --> 00:20:24,080 The word to know in Greek is gnosko. 315 00:20:26,140 --> 00:20:31,120 To put the negative prefix in front of 316 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:34,560 it, a, and in Greek a is the 317 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:35,440 negative prefix. 318 00:20:35,740 --> 00:20:40,260 To put the negative prefix in front of 319 00:20:40,260 --> 00:20:43,680 gnosko to know, you have do not know 320 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:44,960 or cannot know. 321 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,820 So it is really a confession of ignorance. 322 00:20:52,660 --> 00:20:56,100 It is sort of amusing to me that 323 00:20:56,100 --> 00:20:59,260 that man who makes his intellect his god, 324 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,180 when it comes to ultimate knowledge, he confesses 325 00:21:02,180 --> 00:21:02,820 he's ignorant. 326 00:21:04,460 --> 00:21:05,780 Which he is. 327 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,180 There was Molech. 328 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,180 Molech was the god of pleasure. 329 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:21,600 And he is probably one of the most 330 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,880 popular gods in the United States today. 331 00:21:27,180 --> 00:21:32,980 I look on the television on Saturday, the 332 00:21:32,980 --> 00:21:37,000 football games, and I see these huge stadiums 333 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,300 packed with people across the country. 334 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,800 And the pleasure god. 335 00:21:45,700 --> 00:21:48,480 People that are looking for pleasure, and of 336 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,480 course the Bible does tell us that one 337 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,680 of the signs of the last days that 338 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:57,080 men would be lovers of pleasure more than 339 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:58,680 lovers of God. 340 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:05,800 And so, Molech, the god of pleasure. 341 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:13,420 But there's an interesting thing about making Molech 342 00:22:13,420 --> 00:22:16,460 your god, or making pleasure your god. 343 00:22:17,740 --> 00:22:23,580 And that is that it always takes just 344 00:22:23,580 --> 00:22:28,780 a little bit more, or a new twist 345 00:22:28,780 --> 00:22:31,560 in order to get the same degree of 346 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:36,240 pleasure that you had the first time. 347 00:22:40,660 --> 00:22:44,580 You're always going for more. 348 00:22:46,940 --> 00:22:49,960 There's no place where you really can sit 349 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:54,760 down and say, I'm satisfied, that's great. 350 00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:58,040 It's always looking to the next game. 351 00:22:58,140 --> 00:22:59,980 It's always looking to the next season. 352 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:05,240 It's always looking to some new twist. 353 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,860 Look at how many things are being developed 354 00:23:10,860 --> 00:23:15,340 in our world today to bring sensation, the 355 00:23:15,340 --> 00:23:17,700 sensation of pleasure to people. 356 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,540 And look at the things that people do 357 00:23:23,540 --> 00:23:24,940 for excitement and pleasure. 358 00:23:25,980 --> 00:23:29,400 Jumping off of high bridges with bungee cords 359 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:29,780 and all. 360 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,500 To get that rush, to get that thrill 361 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:38,340 of just falling with this cord tied to 362 00:23:38,340 --> 00:23:39,220 your foot and all. 363 00:23:39,220 --> 00:23:43,740 And so you're looking for higher bridges. 364 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:51,260 And, you know, just where does it stop? 365 00:23:54,450 --> 00:24:00,710 Then there is the god Mammon that was 366 00:24:00,710 --> 00:24:01,310 worshipped. 367 00:24:01,850 --> 00:24:05,490 The little idols representing Mammon. 368 00:24:06,930 --> 00:24:11,950 Mammon was the worship of the material things. 369 00:24:15,970 --> 00:24:16,890 Money. 370 00:24:17,590 --> 00:24:19,570 You've often heard it said money. 371 00:24:19,930 --> 00:24:25,110 But in reality money is only a means 372 00:24:25,110 --> 00:24:27,330 of acquiring, of controlling. 373 00:24:28,690 --> 00:24:33,050 As they say, the golden rule is he 374 00:24:33,050 --> 00:24:35,050 who has the gold rules. 375 00:24:37,170 --> 00:24:40,070 And money represents power. 376 00:24:41,770 --> 00:24:43,630 And that is, you know, you don't want 377 00:24:43,630 --> 00:24:45,770 money just so you can fill your bathtub 378 00:24:45,770 --> 00:24:48,290 with silver dollars and, you know, just get 379 00:24:48,290 --> 00:24:52,110 in it and sort of just throw them 380 00:24:52,110 --> 00:24:52,930 over you and all. 381 00:24:54,010 --> 00:24:55,350 I've got all this money. 382 00:24:56,110 --> 00:24:57,690 You don't want money for that. 383 00:24:57,770 --> 00:25:00,770 You want money because the power it gives 384 00:25:00,770 --> 00:25:03,370 you to possess things that you want, the 385 00:25:03,370 --> 00:25:04,950 material things that you want. 386 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:12,200 And again, it's an interesting thing. 387 00:25:12,260 --> 00:25:13,120 I want power. 388 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:14,240 I want control. 389 00:25:15,260 --> 00:25:17,920 And so people are obsessed by this and 390 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,880 they start saving their money. 391 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:28,800 But as I have observed with so many 392 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:33,580 that I know who have gained a great 393 00:25:33,580 --> 00:25:39,260 deal of wealth, they soon become a slave. 394 00:25:40,020 --> 00:25:43,980 Rather than having power, they become a slave 395 00:25:43,980 --> 00:25:46,100 to their money and they get to the 396 00:25:46,100 --> 00:25:49,320 place where they have a hard time spending 397 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:49,800 it. 398 00:25:53,890 --> 00:25:58,210 Hattie Green was one of the wealthiest women 399 00:25:58,210 --> 00:25:59,790 while she was alive. 400 00:25:59,890 --> 00:26:01,870 She was the wealthiest woman in the world. 401 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,400 Hattie Green had amassed a tremendous fortune. 402 00:26:12,820 --> 00:26:17,460 She lived in this large home in New 403 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:22,960 York but she had the whole house boarded 404 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,780 up except for a couple of rooms in 405 00:26:25,780 --> 00:26:29,600 order to save on energy, the energy bill. 406 00:26:31,740 --> 00:26:35,280 Finally, she moved out of the house because 407 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:41,220 she found a $12 a week or $12 408 00:26:41,220 --> 00:26:43,440 a month room in boarding house. 409 00:26:43,940 --> 00:26:46,240 So she moved out of her mansion and 410 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,100 was living in this boarding house for $12 411 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:50,040 a week. 412 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,700 At that time, the New York Times paper 413 00:26:54,700 --> 00:26:55,700 cost a nickel. 414 00:26:56,470 --> 00:26:59,140 And she would go out and buy the 415 00:26:59,140 --> 00:27:01,200 New York Times and she would go through 416 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,120 the financial page and the market and so 417 00:27:05,120 --> 00:27:07,560 forth and then she would fold it up 418 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,320 carefully, send her son out to resell it 419 00:27:11,900 --> 00:27:13,880 so she could get her nickel back. 420 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,460 One day when her son was out in 421 00:27:20,460 --> 00:27:23,760 the park trying to sell the paper, he 422 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:25,420 slipped on ice, cut his leg. 423 00:27:26,420 --> 00:27:30,000 She took him to the free hospital where 424 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,200 the doctor recognized her and refused to treat 425 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,120 her son free. 426 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,200 So angry, she took her son out of 427 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,180 the hospital, took him home. 428 00:27:42,100 --> 00:27:45,980 Gangrene set into the wound and they had 429 00:27:45,980 --> 00:27:49,060 to ultimately amputate his leg. 430 00:27:53,300 --> 00:27:57,720 When she died, she left her inheritance to 431 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:01,900 her son who was so embittered by her 432 00:28:01,900 --> 00:28:05,360 punery that he went out and blew the 433 00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:08,560 whole estate. 434 00:28:11,020 --> 00:28:17,620 But money her God, power, she became a 435 00:28:17,620 --> 00:28:17,980 slave. 436 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:26,800 Then of course, there was the god, goddess 437 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:34,620 Ashtoreth, the goddess of sex and again, you 438 00:28:34,620 --> 00:28:36,980 know, we think that we've advanced so far, 439 00:28:37,420 --> 00:28:38,180 don't we? 440 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,120 But yet the same basic gods that the 441 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,220 people worshipped at the time of David are 442 00:28:46,220 --> 00:28:49,800 the same gods that people are worshipping today. 443 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,680 Things that control a person's life. 444 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,480 Things that get such a hold upon a 445 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,120 person that this is what they're living for. 446 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:04,660 This is the basic purpose of life. 447 00:29:07,420 --> 00:29:11,960 The very same things and there are so 448 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:16,140 many people today wound up in sex. 449 00:29:17,740 --> 00:29:24,180 But again, these gods do not satisfy a 450 00:29:24,180 --> 00:29:27,200 person who gets caught up worshipping sex. 451 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:36,120 Soon just normal sex doesn't satisfy. 452 00:29:36,460 --> 00:29:39,240 They have to start getting perverted. 453 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:43,040 Just pornography doesn't satisfy. 454 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,500 It has to become more explicit and it's 455 00:29:47,500 --> 00:29:50,400 one of those things that they go on 456 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:53,640 and on and on deeper and deeper trying 457 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,700 to find the same kind of excitement that 458 00:29:57,700 --> 00:30:01,100 they, but you see you become so easily 459 00:30:01,100 --> 00:30:03,740 accustomed to these things that you have to 460 00:30:03,740 --> 00:30:06,720 keep adding to it in order to get 461 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,380 the same kind of charge or thrill from 462 00:30:10,380 --> 00:30:10,600 it. 463 00:30:14,780 --> 00:30:20,160 So, the psalmist observed they were making their 464 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:20,700 gods. 465 00:30:22,820 --> 00:30:27,020 They were making their gods like themselves, but 466 00:30:27,020 --> 00:30:31,640 they were ultimately making their gods less than 467 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:32,320 themselves. 468 00:30:34,460 --> 00:30:38,660 Because their gods were insensate. 469 00:30:43,060 --> 00:30:47,700 Then the psalmist makes this observation in verse 470 00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:48,240 8. 471 00:30:49,260 --> 00:30:54,820 They that make them are like unto them 472 00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:58,920 so is everyone that trusts in them. 473 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,500 This a truism. 474 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:09,860 You are becoming like your god. 475 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:16,280 If your god is a false god, you 476 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:18,280 are becoming false. 477 00:31:20,970 --> 00:31:24,590 You are becoming like your god. 478 00:31:27,250 --> 00:31:31,950 The Bible tells us beloved now are we 479 00:31:31,950 --> 00:31:33,250 the sons of God. 480 00:31:33,350 --> 00:31:35,550 It doesn't yet appear what we're going to 481 00:31:35,550 --> 00:31:38,030 be but we know that when he appears 482 00:31:38,030 --> 00:31:41,330 we're going to be like him. 483 00:31:42,230 --> 00:31:42,850 Why? 484 00:31:43,610 --> 00:31:48,170 Because a man becomes like his god. 485 00:31:49,070 --> 00:31:51,450 Paul wrote to the Corinthians we with open 486 00:31:51,450 --> 00:31:54,170 faces as we behold the glory of the 487 00:31:54,170 --> 00:31:57,390 Lord we're being changed from glory to glory 488 00:31:57,390 --> 00:32:00,910 into the same image by his spirit that 489 00:32:00,910 --> 00:32:03,810 is working in us because a man becomes 490 00:32:03,810 --> 00:32:05,710 like his god. 491 00:32:10,790 --> 00:32:13,270 Stand on the street corner in Los Angeles 492 00:32:14,570 --> 00:32:19,830 watch the people go by and you can 493 00:32:19,830 --> 00:32:23,730 pretty much tell who their god is. 494 00:32:25,670 --> 00:32:29,390 It's revealed they become like their god. 495 00:32:33,380 --> 00:32:39,380 If your god is blind you're becoming blind 496 00:32:39,380 --> 00:32:41,240 to the truth of God. 497 00:32:45,090 --> 00:32:50,230 If your god is deaf you're becoming deaf 498 00:32:50,230 --> 00:32:51,930 to the voice of God. 499 00:32:53,030 --> 00:32:58,230 If your god is insensate without senses you 500 00:32:58,230 --> 00:33:02,550 are becoming hard cold without feeling. 501 00:33:03,810 --> 00:33:09,310 The flip side of course if your god 502 00:33:09,310 --> 00:33:12,310 is pure you're becoming pure. 503 00:33:12,910 --> 00:33:16,970 If your god is true you're becoming true. 504 00:33:17,670 --> 00:33:21,930 If your god is holy you're becoming holy. 505 00:33:25,650 --> 00:33:28,250 There are people say well it really doesn't 506 00:33:28,250 --> 00:33:30,710 matter who I worship or what I worship. 507 00:33:30,890 --> 00:33:32,390 Oh yes it does. 508 00:33:32,970 --> 00:33:42,390 It matters greatly because you're either created by 509 00:33:42,390 --> 00:33:46,650 God and recognize that or you're trying to 510 00:33:46,650 --> 00:33:48,810 create your own god. 511 00:33:49,130 --> 00:33:51,470 Like the fellows that I'm a self-made 512 00:33:51,470 --> 00:33:53,630 man and his friend said and you look 513 00:33:53,630 --> 00:33:54,370 like it too. 514 00:34:00,420 --> 00:34:02,600 You become like your god. 515 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:10,159 You know our desire is to become like 516 00:34:10,159 --> 00:34:10,840 our god. 517 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:13,760 He's a loving god. 518 00:34:14,940 --> 00:34:16,340 To become loving. 519 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:19,100 He's a true god. 520 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:20,040 To become true. 521 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,940 My desire is to be like God. 522 00:34:29,620 --> 00:34:31,920 And if we worship and serve him if 523 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:35,120 he is truly our god we are becoming 524 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,420 like him because you can't help it you 525 00:34:38,420 --> 00:34:40,520 are becoming like your god. 526 00:34:40,639 --> 00:34:43,199 That's why it is so important that you 527 00:34:43,199 --> 00:34:45,679 have the true and the living god that 528 00:34:45,679 --> 00:34:46,380 you worship. 529 00:34:47,540 --> 00:34:52,960 Vitally important because you're becoming like your god. 530 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:56,680 Father help us to assimilate these truths. 531 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:03,360 Help us Lord to realize that the god 532 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:08,780 that we worship is of utmost importance because 533 00:35:08,780 --> 00:35:12,680 it is just the law of nature that 534 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:15,240 a man becomes like his god. 535 00:35:17,340 --> 00:35:21,840 Lord we thank you for this truth because 536 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:25,060 you are our god and we want to 537 00:35:25,060 --> 00:35:27,100 become like you. 538 00:35:28,820 --> 00:35:33,700 So father tonight help us to take an 539 00:35:33,700 --> 00:35:36,140 honest inventory of our lives. 540 00:35:38,830 --> 00:35:40,150 What are we worshipping? 541 00:35:40,310 --> 00:35:45,070 What is the primary motivating force within our 542 00:35:45,070 --> 00:35:45,510 life? 543 00:35:48,620 --> 00:35:50,460 What is it that we get up for 544 00:35:50,460 --> 00:35:51,080 in the morning? 545 00:35:54,720 --> 00:35:57,020 What is it that we are seeking as 546 00:35:57,020 --> 00:35:58,420 we go about the day? 547 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,280 Lord as we live in a world that 548 00:36:03,940 --> 00:36:08,700 has so many false gods and we see 549 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:14,880 people worshipping these principles though they don't have 550 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,300 the idols, though they haven't made the images, 551 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,400 though they haven't carved out of the stone 552 00:36:21,660 --> 00:36:24,620 yet within their hearts these are the master 553 00:36:24,620 --> 00:36:26,900 passions that control their lives. 554 00:36:30,340 --> 00:36:39,440 Lord cast down every idol break down every 555 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:40,160 foe. 556 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:45,620 Wash us Lord that we might become whiter 557 00:36:45,620 --> 00:36:46,540 than snow. 558 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:49,840 In Jesus name we pray. 559 00:36:51,100 --> 00:36:51,940 Amen. 560 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:54,100 Shall we stand? 561 00:36:59,260 --> 00:37:01,900 The pastors are down here at the front 562 00:37:01,900 --> 00:37:04,460 to minister to you tonight and to pray 563 00:37:04,460 --> 00:37:04,940 for you. 564 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:09,540 In looking at your life and if you 565 00:37:09,540 --> 00:37:14,240 have come up with not sure or maybe 566 00:37:14,240 --> 00:37:15,660 a divided heart. 567 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,920 Like the psalmist prayed Lord unite my heart 568 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:20,920 to worship Thee. 569 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:23,720 Don't want to have a divided heart. 570 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:30,520 Don't want to divide my devotions between the 571 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:32,420 other gods and you. 572 00:37:32,420 --> 00:37:37,740 I want you Lord to be first in 573 00:37:37,740 --> 00:37:38,340 my life. 574 00:37:38,980 --> 00:37:42,180 Now that doesn't mean that you can't have 575 00:37:42,180 --> 00:37:42,780 pleasure. 576 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:47,120 God created us to enjoy pleasure. 577 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:51,980 But if pleasure becomes the paramount thing in 578 00:37:51,980 --> 00:37:53,140 your life then it's wrong. 579 00:37:54,100 --> 00:37:56,620 These things are all in their place in 580 00:37:56,620 --> 00:37:58,600 the order God said you shall have no 581 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:00,580 other gods before me. 582 00:38:01,540 --> 00:38:04,820 So in setting the priorities make sure that 583 00:38:04,820 --> 00:38:05,820 he's first. 584 00:38:06,020 --> 00:38:06,660 He's top. 585 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,040 And the others will fall into place and 586 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:11,720 they won't control your life. 587 00:38:11,980 --> 00:38:13,820 He will be the one in control of 588 00:38:13,820 --> 00:38:14,280 your life. 589 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:22,240 And if in looking at your life it 590 00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:24,280 isn't that way these men are down here 591 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:25,680 to pray for you tonight. 592 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,540 To help get rid of the idols in 593 00:38:29,540 --> 00:38:30,140 your life. 594 00:38:31,420 --> 00:38:33,820 That God might reign supreme. 595 00:38:34,940 --> 00:38:36,760 So as soon as we're dismissed we would 596 00:38:36,760 --> 00:38:38,200 encourage you come on down. 597 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:40,060 Seek the Lord. 598 00:38:40,900 --> 00:38:43,820 And just turn your life over fully. 599 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:49,260 That he is God in your life. 600 00:38:50,380 --> 00:38:53,420 To be like Jesus. 601 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,460 To be like Jesus. 602 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:03,480 All I ask to be like him. 603 00:39:03,900 --> 00:39:09,860 All through life's journey from earth to glory. 604 00:39:11,700 --> 00:39:16,900 All I ask to be like him. 605 00:39:17,420 --> 00:39:20,400 To be like Jesus. 606 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:24,660 To be like Jesus. 607 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:31,360 All I ask to be like him. 608 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:38,800 All through life's journey from earth to glory. 609 00:39:39,980 --> 00:39:45,960 All I ask to be like him. 610 00:39:46,700 --> 00:39:48,020 God make it so. 611 00:39:48,220 --> 00:39:48,840 God bless you. 612 00:39:51,140 --> 00:39:53,720 You've been listening to From the Pulpit and 613 00:39:53,720 --> 00:39:54,700 Classic Sermon Series. 614 00:39:54,700 --> 00:39:57,440 This week you heard Chuck Smith with his 615 00:39:57,440 --> 00:39:59,480 message The Worship of False Gods. 616 00:40:00,100 --> 00:40:02,320 Tune in next week to hear Bob Hoekstra 617 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:05,260 talk about bearing much fruit on From the 618 00:40:05,260 --> 00:40:06,460 Pulpit and Classic Sermons.