Sentiment’s False Conception of God

Transcript

GRM 751
9/23/2001
Sentiment’s False Conception of God
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh

Much emphasis in our country in these days on God, seeking God’s help, courage and protection and so on. Many have noted what a radical difference it is, in just a few short weeks from an emphasis that was more concerned on the separation of church and state. To now, it seems we cannot emphasis enough that we need to be praying and talking to God and seeking His help. In all of this, it’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of what is taking place. We talked about some of this in our last study. We talked about the kind of response that God’s wants, in true humility, repentance and bowing before Him. What we read in our scripture reading, Jeremiah’s satire on idolatry in Jeremiah 10. Turn in your bibles to Isaiah 44. Isaiah says many of the same things, as he contrasts a futile emptiness of idolatry with the power and might and sovereignty of the One true living God. We’re not going to read the section, because it’s very similar in content to what Jeremiah wrote. Isaiah 44:9 – “Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.” What I want to remind you of, when we talk about idolatry, as reflected in the Old Testament, there it often manifested itself in the construction of physical images. Isaiah will talk about cutting a piece of wood. Using part of that piece of wood for an idol; and the other part you burn in the fire to cook your food or keep warm. The futility of it. It’s the same piece of wood. The point of what is being said here is not limited to actual physical idols. But what really is at stake is the true character and identity of God. The emptiness of what is taking place, is that mere men are constructing and concocting in their minds, an image of God. They are creating God in their minds. Then proceeding to make the god that they have created, the object of their worship. That is a direct attack on the living God, and His actions that ultimately results in His judgment. As Isaiah proceeds, he says down in verse 18 – “They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.” They don’t even give it a thought. The foolishness. The stupidity of what they have done, in making their own god. Then he says in verse 21, addressing Israel – “Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant. O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.” He talks about His forgiveness of their sins. In verse 24 – “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, I, the Lord, am the maker of all things.” You see what is at stake here.

There is a program that is getting some attention. They are promoting widely that is going to be broadcast soon, on evolution. Simply a propaganda series of programs. Not seriously considering the facts of science and the issues involved, but the propaganda to promote evolution, which is a very attack on what? What God says in verse 24 – “I, the Lord, am the maker of all things. Stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone.” I mention that, to remind you that men continue to do what Isaiah condemned centuries before the birth of Christ. Isaiah was God’s spokesman. That they have rejected the living God. And attempted to make a god to replace Him. But he is an empty god, even as they are empty. Our God, verse 25 – “Causing the omens of boasters to fail, making fools out of diviners, causing wise men to draw back, and turning their knowledge into foolishness. Confirming the word of His servant and performing the purpose of His messengers.” You see, we have a sovereign God. That God has spoken, and His word is sure. Because He stands behind it.

In this day of muddled thinking. Of religious foolishness. If I can be very direct. I listened to Christian radio yesterday, religious radio, Christian radio. Different speakers come on. They talk about how wonderful; our nation is coming back to God. But really, what their saying, our nation is coming back to gods, small ‘g’. Because we’re happy that everyone is going to their own church. Their own place of worship. It mentioned Jews and Protestants, and Catholics, and Muslims, and Hindus, this one program was going for. I said, well it seems then, in light of scripture, we are saying people are turning to “gods”, small ‘g’, and that is not surprising. Because in times of tragedy and catastrophe, people become very religious. But there is no indication anywhere in scripture, Old or New Testament, that God is ever pleased that people are becoming more religious. In fact, it is just the opposite. Jesus spoke very directly to the religious leaders of His day. In Matthew 23:15, when He says, “you travel about on land and sea to make one [convert] proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell [than he was before you got hold of him] as yourselves.” That is hardly an encouraging word, for people becoming more religious. We must be careful, as God’s people, that our thinking does not become muddled. We don’t become sentimental and merely emotional in times like this. I’m not saying we ought to be a people without emotion, or without sentiment. But our theology shapes us. Directs us and guides us.

I want to talk a little bit about the whole matter of God and the revelation of Himself. I begin with the presupposition, that there is a God. I cannot prove there is. Nor can it be proved there is not a God. But we see, under the pressure of world events, there is a recognition in the heart of man, that there is a God. They are confused in their thinking. Empty in their speculations. But there is built within the very heart and mind of every single person, an awareness of the sovereign God. We were created by Him and for Him and we cannot escape it. The pressures, the trials and the tragedies of life, what? Quickly we are ready to talk about God. Whatever that means, as people refer to Him. It brings me to the crucial issue. If there is a God and we are to know anything about Him; He will have to reveal Himself to us. If there is a God and we are to know anything about Him; He will have to reveal Himself to us. Now, He has revealed Himself. The creation itself is a revelation of God. Reveals something of His very character and being, power and sovereignty. The heavens declare the glory of God. The earth shows His handiwork. Romans 1 tells us that the very character and being of God is revealed in creation. That’s called general revelation. But we need a more specific revelation. God has chosen to reveal Himself in the way that He created us, to communicate and impart information, verbally. He has created us and as human beings, we communicate how? Verbally. No matter what our language and so on, that’s how we communicate. We ought not to be surprised that the sovereign God has chosen to reveal Himself accordingly. Now, my understanding is, that the bible is that revelation of God. Before I proceed on that. Let me say, if you have no revelation from God. Clearly, objectively and understandably revealing Himself, there is no hope of having any clear, certain knowledge of Him. You are reduced to your own thoughts and emotions, and that’s how most people create their god today. “Well, this is what my god is like.” “This is what my god does.” How do you know? “My god would never do this.” “God would never do that.” How do you know? “I just know he wouldn’t.”

Well, we’ve seen a horrible act of terrorism. With the murder of thousands of people taking place. As far as we can tell, led by a man who’s what? Absolutely convinced that’s what God wants him to do. We say, that’s horrible. What twisted thinking and we all run off to our churches and mosques and synagogues. People can’t understand how he could be so deluded. Wait a minute. He’s just as convinced as anyone is; and the people who flew the planes into the buildings and so on, were so convinced, they were willing to die. That’s a pretty strong conviction. We say, oh what twisted thinking. But how do we know its twisted thinking? If God has not clearly, and understandably revealed Himself. Who are you? Who am I? To set ourselves up and say, this is what God is really like. This is what God really does. Those people are wrong in their thinking, but I’m right. How do you know? “I just know in my heart.” You see, we are left adrift. Because everybody knows in their heart, what their God, what they have created is like. Because they have created Him, to validate what they wanted to do in the first place, and we end up worshiping ourselves.

The scriptures claim to be a revelation from God. Passages like II Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is God breathed.” It’s God’s word. It came out from Him. Over 2,000 times, through the Old Testament, expressions like – “Thus says the Lord.” Or – “The Lord spoke.” Are used to constantly drive home the point, what? God is speaking. We read a portion of Isaiah the prophet. Twenty times, Isaiah says his writings are the word of the Lord. We read Jeremiah 10 for our scripture reading. Almost 100 times, in his prophecy, Jeremiah says, “The word of the Lord came to me.” You say, “Well that’s strange, why didn’t God just write it in the heavens? Then we would have known for sure it was Him, because we would see the handwriting.” Wouldn’t make any difference. “Because the heavens declare the glory of God.” The firmament, the earth, displays His handiwork; people aren’t falling on their faces before Him. I mean, He is God! As God, He is sovereign. Isn’t it gracious, He picks human beings and speaks through them, in ways that we can understand. We could go through the Old Testament. Ezekial makes the same claim, some sixty times. Each of these writers of scripture, claiming that God has spoken. You come into the New Testament; it is the same pattern. In Ephesians 3, Paul says God revealed His mystery, truth concerning His purposes to him. In Galatians 1, Paul says that the gospel that he was preaching. The message concerning salvation by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and faith in Him alone. Was a message directly received from God. He said, anyone who disagrees with that message, or teaches any other message, is cursed to hell, anathema. Galatians 1, that’s strong language, and strong claims. But it’s exactly what you would expect, if there is a God, and that God has spoken, then His word must be the final word. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have come to understand and believe the truth, that God is the author of scripture, and every word comes from Him.

I think there are evidences in the scripture itself that demonstrate, at least we find here, what we would expect and hope and need to find from a revelation from God. Now, first I ought to note, that when you come to scripture, the existence of God is not proved. You start with the first verse, in the first book of the bible, Genesis 1:1, and what do we read? “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” No arguments to prove His existence. No philosophical developments of the existence of God. The existence of God is presupposed and accepted as a basic fact. That’s in line with our presupposition. A person says to me, “I don’t believe there’s a God.” All I can say is you are an utter fool. You have no hope. No explanation. You live your life as a fantasy. It just all happened. We’ve seen some tremendous explosions in our country in the last couple of weeks. And we’ve seen the devastation those explosions have caused. I still cannot figure out how they tell me a “big bang” created all the marvelous diversity that exists in our world. Now, I would be somewhat impressed with their argument, if the explosion of the two buildings at the World Trade Center, had resulted in one marvelous, twice as high building. But you know what the explosion did? It created rubble. Because explosions always do. So, I come to scripture, and I find out, well, how did we get here? Then, apart from God say, things blew up and here we are. I come to the scriptures, and I’m told that God created us. You say, well, I don’t know if I like that explanation. But it does fit reality. You’re here, I’m here. How did we get here? Well, from all I can observe, everywhere, anything of any order has been brought into existence by some kind of Creator. Reading the articles on the World Trade Center buildings, they explain who designed them. How they were built. How they were put together. They didn’t just happen. Nobody ever thought they just happened. So, what makes you think, with the marvelous complexity that exists in creation, in a human being, and so on . . . that it just happened? So, the scriptural explanation is, there is a God who created us. You may like it or not like it. But it is an explanation that fits reality as we do observe it.

How did man come to be a personal being? I mean, there are trees, there are rocks, and then there are people sitting here. Some people have a hard time sorting out the difference. I know, you sometimes said to your kids, you’re a bump on a log. But you didn’t really mean it. It’s a figure of speech. We do recognize that there is personality. We are different than trees. Everyone recognizes it. We are different from other parts of creation. It’s evident for all to see. Well, how did we get to be personal beings? With emotion, intellect and will, self-conscience, and so on? Well, the scriptural explanation is there is a personal God who created us in His image. We are like Him. Well, that fits reality, as I can observe it. It’s an answer that evolution does not have. Just somewhere along the line, there was another kind, I don’t know, mini explosion? Or a remarkable mutation and a personal life was the result. Well, at least you understand we both have systems of faith. Yours is a faith, if you are an evolutionist, that is contrary to reality as it can be observed. At least my faith fits reality as it can be observed.

Why are we here? What’s man’s purpose for living? I mean, you cannot confront death, and a tragedy like we have, and not realize lives were shattered. I mean, people of different nationalities, different races lost loved ones and friends in these tragedies. They are weeping, mourning. There is a personal involvement that you just cannot say, look, it’s like a tree that falls over in a storm, what’s the difference? You know, here today gone tomorrow? We talk about, that may be at times, but it’s not the way we live. We are bound to people in relationships and love and emotional bonds and in other ways. Why are we here? What’s the purpose for life? If there is no real purpose for life, no real significance, what’s the great tragedy of people dying, however they die? Why such a big thing, if six or seven or ten or hundred thousand people get killed? Are you presupposing there is some meaning and purpose and significance to that life? Where do you get that from? I just made it up. Because no one can live in a vacuum. It’s not the way we are, because no matter how you fight it, there is someone, someplace, that you have some kind of an attachment too. The scriptural explanation is, God has given us a purpose for living, He’s made us personal beings. That’s why we can live in personal relationships with one another. But ultimately, we were made for a relationship with Him. Man exists for God, and to bring glory to Him. That’s the whole purpose of life. Without that, life is lived on a level that cannot be sorted out. Because the best we can do is try to elevate men to higher ideals. But whose ideals? And why? I mean, you have to have a certain respect for people that are willing to die for their convictions. But people are willing to die for vile things. We have people dying of diseases in parts of the world today. It’s because of the pleasure of sin. They’ve contracted aids because they will not give up illicit sex. Something, is that the ultimate in life? A moment’s pleasure. That I’m willing to die for that. There is something prophetic as you see them lying on their death beds or cots, the emptiness of it all and their despair. You say, pleasure can’t be the driving force. Because pleasure comes and goes. Scripture provides an ultimate answer. There is a living God who created me for a relationship with Him, for time and eternity. Is the bible a revelation from God? I would also expect some explanation of what is wrong. Why do we have such a mess? Why do people do what they do? Why can they feel justified in performing such atrocities? Why do we constantly seem to grovel and seek out the lowest? People become wealthy and rich, have multiple homes and can live a lifestyle that few can. And what? They get absorbed in drugs. We look at the entertainment industry, where people make more money than most of us will ever make in a long time. They make it in a day or two. I see what they get paid to do a concert, and I try to add up how many sermons I’ll preach for that. Say, well, I’ll probably not get it done in this life. Then you see what? They are arrested for drugs. Why? Because there’s something missing, something wrong. Life. The purpose in my life. And then people rob and rape and murder. The bible says the explanation of the problems in the world are sin. and all of a sudden, we don’t want to hear this. I don’t want to hear that there’s a sovereign God who created me. Because that makes me responsible to Him. That makes Him sovereign over me. I can’t acknowledge that. Now you want to tell me the problems in the world are traced to sin. That’s the biblical explanation. Man rebelled against God. Shattered the relationship he had with God. Left with a life of despair, a ruin, a pursuit of emptiness. It’s an answer. It’s an answer that fits reality. I would expect, if the bible is a revelation from God, I would have answers to these kinds of questions. Not saying everybody’s going to except the answer. Most people haven’t considered the answers given in scripture, and the answers that fit reality.

One more thing I would need from a revelation from God. Before we look at some other things. I would need a solution. Of course, the bible provides a solution to man’s miserable mess. It’s a Savior. If all the bible did tell me, is I have a problem. That’s of minimal help. But the bible tells me, not only that I have a problem, what the problem is, it tells me what the solution to the problem is. We saw that in the contrast that God made with the idols that the people created as their own gods. I Am the redeemer. Isaiah 44:24 – “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer.” It marks Him off. All the other gods of creations of our hands, what can that god do for me? Everybody rushing to a church or a synagogue or a mosque or a place of worship. Stop and think, what can that god do for me? He’s a god of my own creation. I made him. Now I will tell him what to do? Futility, emptiness. Jeremiah said, stupid and sad.

But there is a Savior. The solution, very simple. You except what the scripture says. God has spoken. He is the sovereign God who has created everything. Who made us for Himself. Made us that we might have hope. Have life and have it more abundantly. But sin has shattered lives. The impact of sin continues to permeate our existence. There’s nowhere you go to get away from it. We’re all aware of that. You lock your doors at night. We do certain things. Why? People do bad things. School starts, and you walk your children to school. They are very young. You say why? You want them to get the pattern. You want them to know, now you never get in a car with anyone. You don’t talk to strangers. Why do you have to do that? How would want to hurt a little child? It’s terrible, but there are people like that in the world and we multiply it out. You just cannot escape. It is an unpleasant world. Then people say, well, what kind of God would create this world? A sovereign God who created this world and experienced the rebellion of His creation against Him; and their continual rejection of Him. Then, things go wrong. They say, fix it, quickly, so I can get on with my life. He says, it’s more serious, you have a terminal condition. You will not recover from this condition called sin. It will consume you, through time and eternity. You are without hope. But I am a God of love and mercy. Here is what I have done. I’ve provided a Savior. You think that millions and billions would be falling on their faces before this God. But no. You see, we want God on our terms. Which is another way of saying, we want to make our own god. My god would send no one to hell. My god loves everyone. Oh, how do you know? I think that your god is like the god of the terrorist. In fact, I think their god is better than your god. Now, who decides what’s right? We’ll take a vote. Well, don’t know that we want to do that. Who’s vote going to count? You know what we need? We need a word from God.

Now, I know, people say, oh yea, you can’t understand the bible. I don’t know, I was in a theology class at a university, in this city. I was explaining the basic facts of the gospel. The theology professor says, well, you know, everyone has their own interpretation. I said, oh, ok, well let me just read you a verse, and you tell me your interpretation. “All have sinned.” Now, I think I said, I think I understand “all have sinned.” He says, oh, I could say a hundred things about that. You know, the beautiful thing, here’s a class of unbelieving university students. You know what they all did? Ohaaa. You know, the bible is not so complicated. I’m not saying there aren’t parts that are more difficult to understand. But the basic message of the bible is simple and clear. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “The wages of sin is death.” The problem is not interpretation, folks. “All have sinned.” “There is none righteous, not not one.” That’s God’s evaluation of us all. Well, that’s not me. Oh, I thought all means all, that’s all, all means. “There is none righteous, no not even one.” How do you squeeze through, if “there’s not even one”? So, it’s not an interpretation problem. It’s not, oh this is so difficult to understand. Everybody just has their own idea of what the bible says. Well, I don’t disagree with that. A lot of people have their own idea of what the bible says. It doesn’t change the fact, what the bible says is clear. Many people just don’t like what it says. The fact that is says, I’m a sinner, I don’t like that. Someone is trying to make it say something else. So, the problem is not the bible isn’t clear. The problem is, I don’t like what it says.
“The wages of sin is death.” In the bible, that includes what the bible calls the second death. Where men and women are cast into an eternal hell for eternity. This is the second death. You say, well, I don’t know if I like that. But it’s not hard to understand. It’s not a matter of interpretation. That, boy, it’s so difficult; you’d have to have a degree in theology, and know Hebrew and Aramaic and Greek, and a little bit of German; and throw in whatever else you want, because just the average person can’t understand. It’s pretty clear. “The wages of sin is death.” In the bible, death means separation. “The body without the spirit is dead.” The Spirit leaves your physical body. You are physically dead. People are cast into the lake of fire for all eternity, this is the second death. Pretty clear.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior. Provided to die on the cross, to pay the penalty for our sin. “He that has the Son of God has life. He that has not the Son of God, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Not a matter of difficult interpretation. Boy, you’re just making the bible say whatever you want. You read it and tell me what it says. “He that has the Son has life.” “He that has not the Son of God, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Revelation 14 tells me that the wrath of God includes torment in hell, forever and ever. It’s not difficult to understand. The problem is, people don’t want to hear that. I don’t like that. I don’t want God to be like that. I don’t want God to do that. Well, you see what the problem is, I want to be God. I want to tell Him what He does and doesn’t do. Well, I’m just like the people that Isaiah and Jeremiah wrote about. I want to make my own god. I don’t sit down and carve it out the trunk of a tree. But I do the same thing in my mind. I’ve constructed him. Now, everything that fits with the god I’ve constructed, I accept. Everything that does not fit with the god I’ve constructed, I reject. But, you understand, I made that god, and he’s nothing. He can’t do anything. I end up praying to myself. These that fall on their knees before the tree that was carved. What does God say? They are nothing. They can’t do anything good, and they can’t do anything bad. It’s just a piece of wood. You say, oh, but they are so sincere. I don’t doubt the sincerity of the man who led in the blowing up of the buildings, in our country recently. Being sincere doesn’t make it right, does it? Is there anybody here that would say, you know, he was sincere, so it’s ok. I think he believed he was doing the right thing, so we shouldn’t condemn him. You can’t live your life that way. That’s why I say, but people what to live in their own little fantasy world. But see, pretty soon, you realize that the fantasy doesn’t hold.
It's like our children, they can play fantasy. I use the example, they can be the superheroes, Batman, Superman. They can jump off the couch. See, I can fly, I’ve got a cape. Grandkids have capes these days. It’s one thing to jump off the couch. It’s another thing to jump off the Empire State Building. You hope, as they grow up, they’ll learn the difference. Some people religiously and with their lies, they’re like little kids jumping around with their capes. Don’t tell me my religion is not right. Don’t tell me my worship is not good. Then someone in the name of God, creates an act of terrorism, and we say, horrible! But he’s sincere. He really believed in his heart; he was doing the right thing. Worldwide, everybody says what? He’s still wrong. He’s deluded. Well, we don’t want to reduce it down to ourselves. Don’t touch my delusions, let’s deal with his. You know what we really have to have? We have to have authoritative, objective revelation from God. It has to come from without side ourselves. We’re deceived by our emotions to use this tragedy. Again, we watch the news. I shared it with you before, and you’ve heard it. When the first building was hit there, people stood and watched in awe and amazement, thinking an accident had happened. When the next building was hit, they fled in terror. You see, our emotions come and go. One moment, we’re confident and assured, and we have life in control. Ten minutes later, we’re in a panic and life is totally out of control. We can’t make emotions the deciding factor. Me, I’m the one, and all reality is determined with me, in the context of my existence, or existentialism.

There is a God who has revealed Himself; and that revelation is the scripture. That becomes the ultimate truth. Titus 1:2 says, “God cannon lie.” He, in His very nature, is truth. Remember Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” God, in His very nature and being. We have God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three beings comprising the One true living God. Their very nature, truth. God cannot lie. Turn to II Samuel 7, David is praying. We’re just going to pick up a statement here. II Samuel 7:28 – “And now, O Lord God, Thou art God, and Thy words are truth.” You know, there is an absolute, objective standard of truth, unchanging. What Francis Scheffer called a number of years ago, “True Truth”. Trying, with that redundancy, to emphasize what the world calls truth, but its relative. But God’s truth is absolute, unchanging. It’s truth for the United States of America, Protestants, Catholics, Jews and so on. It’s truth for the Hindus in another part of the world. It’s truth for Muslims in another part of the world. They don’t believe it, but it’s still truth. You know what? It’s true and it’s truth, that I am not a superhero. Surprise to many of you, I know. You understand, God’s word is truth. It’s truth when it’s believed and submitted too. It is truth when it is rejected and violated. But truth is truth. This is an absolute, unchanging truth. Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of Thy word is truth.” We call this the bible. You could title it “The Truth”, because the sum of the word of God is truth. You say, well, you’re narrow. You’re bigoted. You’re intolerant. No, I’m tolerant, people can hold their other views. They’re just wrong. I’m not intolerant in saying they can’t hold their view. They can. What I’m telling you they’re wrong. People can believe they can jump out of tall buildings if they want. But I tell you they are wrong. I’m concerned that they understand that, before they jump. People take drugs, and what happens? They get deluded and they jump off the top of a building. Truth didn’t change in that area, did it? They believed they would float down like a leaf, and they fell like a rock. Because truth in that area didn’t change. I tell you the truth of God is unchanging. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, My word will not pass away.” The word of God is eternal and unchanging. Let’s look at Psalm 119:89, I’m not having you turn to a lot of these verses. I’m sure it’s because Todd took longer with music today (laughing). No, he didn’t. Psalm 119:89 – “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled [literally stands firm] in heaven.” You note that, forever the word of God is settled in heaven. We think that down here, we’ll take a public opinion poll and change things. You understand, the word of God is unchanging. When the earth has passed away, and heaven’s when we look up and see the stars are gone, you know what? The word of God will stand. That means everyone who agrees with the word of God, is right. Everyone who disagrees with the word of God, is wrong.

Now, you note we’re the standard. Oh, I’m better than someone else. No, you understand, the word of God is the standard. That’s what’s right. I am right, because I agree with the word of God. When I disagree with the word of God, I am wrong. People who tell you, you can worship God this way. God excepts everyone; however, you worship Him, we’re all worshiping the same God. They are telling you a lie. Who are you to say that? I am nobody. But the God who can speak to the subject, has spoken. He has declared that He is the only God. Furthermore, He has declared that no one can worship Him or talk to Him except through His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, we need to be very careful, as believers, that we don’t mislead people. We don’t have to be unkind and brutally frank in an improper way. But we do have to be honest. We do have to be genuinely loving. ‘Oh, I think it’s wonderful you went to your church and prayed for our country today.’ Why is that wonderful? Know what the bible tells us? “For those who reject the word of God, even their prayers are an abomination to God”. You think it’s wonderful we’re multiplying abominations in our country? “For those who reject the word of God, even their prayers are an abomination to Him.” Now it gets to be a serious matter. Now it sounds like we’re awfully narrow. But He’s God. I’m not. You can’t come to God by worshiping Budha. You can’t come to God by following Mohamad. Well, wait a minute. Why? “Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” But what about the billions of followers of, one billion they say now, followers of Mohamad. Not my word, it’s His. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father but by Me.” “He that has the Son has life. He that has not the Son of God shall not see life. But the wrath of God abides on him.” Is the word of God true or not? Well, it’s forever settled.

Turn to Isaiah 8, and there are many verses I left out. Because the scripture is saturated with this emphasis. Isaiah 8:19 “When they say to you, consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter.” In other words, there are always people coming and, you know, here are the spiritists. They can make contact with the other side. Verse 19b, “. . . should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?” I saw a program, I don’t know what it was, because I just got in on a piece of it. I was someplace else. I don’t even know who the man was, and he was supposedly making contact with a dead relative of the person he was talking to. I couldn’t help but think of Isaiah 8:19, “should they consult the dead-on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony!” Which was the written word of God that they had up to that point, the law and the testimony, the word of God. “If they do not speak according to this word. It is because they have no dawn.” No light. They’re in darkness. You see that absolute standard? If they don’t speak according to the truth of the revelation of God, because they live in darkness. They’re spiritually lost. They’re very religious in their speaking. They go to a lot of trouble to make idols. To try to build up some kind of contact with the dead and so on. They have no light. Are they sincere? Are they earnest? The fact of the matter is, they are in darkness. If I am born blind, raised blind, have never seen, and I think this room is a beautiful, brilliant red. It has lovely windows, so you can look at the trees while the preacher is preaching. I’ve got all this in my mind. You say, well, that’s a nice picture. But it has nothing to do with reality. That’s the way people in spiritual darkness are. They can create beautiful pictures. They draw a lovely picture of the god that they would want to serve. The problem is it has nothing to do with reality. He is a God of love and mercy, grace and kindness. But you understand, He’s a God of holiness, justice, wrath. He desires to be worshiped, but He will be worshiped only in one way. He invites people to come to Him. But He says, there is only one door that you can come through. Jesus said, “I am the door.” It’s awfully narrow. But you know what? It’s as broad as it needs to be. Anyone can be saved by bowing before Jesus Christ. Recognizing their sin and placing their faith in Him. Anyone who will bow and place their faith in Christ, will be saved. You understand, there will be no one saved, who doesn’t not bow before Him and place their faith in Him.

Now, these are great days. Great days to belong to the living God. We must not forget why we are here. To honor Him and make Him known. To seize the opportunity, as people run about in their darkened, lost condition. Seeking their gods for strength and encouragement and comfort and protection. We must graciously point them to the only true, living God. The only God who is the Redeemer and Savior. We don’t want to encourage them in their empty pursuit. Make them more comfortable. Help them feel better about being more religious. ‘Oh, it’s good that you go to your church now.’ ‘It’s good that you’re being more religious.’ No. We need to tell them, you know, its understandable that you would want to turn to God. But do you know what it means to turn to God? Do you know how to turn to God? Do you understand that God has spoken on this subject? And you can know for sure? We don’t want to leave them in their lostness. We want to direct them to the Savior.

Let’s pray together.
Thank You, that You are the living God. That You are sovereign overall. You formed us in the womb. You created everything for Your purposes. Lord, in grace, You have revealed Yourself. We have that revelation as Your word, entrusted to our care today. Lord, what a blessing it is to know for sure what You have said. To take hold of Your word, as the sure foundation and guide for our lives. May we, as a church, we who have believed in You, be bold in love. To seize the opportunities of this time. To share the message of the living God, and the true Savior, as men, women and young people, wherever we are. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen