Our prayer meeting was very good. At exactly 5 PM there was a big storm outside. Because of that many came late, wet from the rain. If I was the one, maybe I could not have had the faith to come at the closing of the service. I could have stayed home because of the rain. It is possible that I am too much a perfectionist. Thank God that our congregation is not like that. They decided that one minute in the presence of God is worth the coming. What a reward for me as their pastor and teacher… My students came thru the rain, not to receive money or fried chicken. They came just to have an encounter with the Living God, to hear His Word, to pray, to worship and to receive His Spirit. I was greatly encouraged tonight. Thank You, our Father! The following was our sermon.

“Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.

But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.

They have mouths, but cannot speak; eyes, but cannot see.

They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell.

They have hands, but cannot feel; feet, but cannot walk nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

Those who make them will be like them and so will all who trust in them” (Ps 115: 3-8)

 

Psalm 115 reminds us of the eternal difference between God and other man made gods. The humanity is separated in two groups: the believers in Jesus Christ and the idol worshippers. Each man shall eventually resemble the thing he loves the most. If you worship God Almighty then you shall be like Jesus! If you worship a goat you shall behave like a goat! This is one of the greatest revelations of the Bible. Jesus said: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:21)

 

The pagans are ignorant and foolishly bold. They persecute and mock the believers asking ‘where is your God?’ This is because without God’s revelation to man, no one can know Him. The answer is that our God is in heaven and He is sovereign over all, including the unbelievers. We all trust somebody. We trust God and they trust the idols.

The word ‘trust’ appears four times in Psalm 115. In Hebrew it means to boldly run inside a place of refuge, to be surrounded by hope, to have a sure faith and confidence of its protection. Inside that place of trust, no enemy can penetrate. This description applies for them who trust in God. But for them who trust in idols, in gods made by human hands or imaginations, the place they run to will disappoint them. It is a shaky place surrounded by anxiety, filled with confusion and despair. All sinners know it very well; the tragedy of a hopeless situation where no prayer works and no man can help.

 

The Ten Commandments clearly forbid idolatry. God is jealous. He punishes the idol worshippers to the fourth generation.

“And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex 20:1-3)

 

The Psalmist helps us to better understand the disappointment, the deception and the tragedy of idolatry. The man made gods promise great things but are not able to deliver. There are totally deaf, dumb, blind and paralyzed. Their worshippers become as their idols. The meaning of the words in Hebrew describes perfectly the utter uselessness of idols.

The idols cannot do the following actions:

*They cannot speak, study, command, answer, teach, promise or subdue circumstances

*They cannot see, prophesy, experience joy or provide

*They cannot hear intelligently, understand, obey, be a witness or be attentive, focused or diligent

*They cannot smell, enjoy life, breathe or anticipate happiness

*They cannot feel, touch, make contact or make friends

*They cannot walk, behave well, make progress, go forward, be successful, lead, grow spiritually or travel.

If you worship idols you shall become dumb, blind, deaf, unhappy, isolated and poor. God forbid! God forbid!

 

An idol is anything that competes with the worship of God in your secret heart. Anything that you love too much, that you spend too much time thinking of, that you feel dying if you lose it. Search your heart and pray. Is there any secret idol in your heart? Do you get easily sidetracked by negative words and difficult circumstances? Self is the greatest idol. Are there things you think you can accomplish by your own power?

A young man came to my office recently. He said to me: “Pastor, I want to marry. I did not find the lady who will be my wife, but that is not my problem. To marry is easy for me. My only problem is that I do not have money to prepare for the wedding”. I told him that he worships idols. That he worships self. Because of that, God will not give him the money he so much desires.

May God open your mouth to pray!

May God open your eyes to see King Jesus!

May God open your ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!

May God help to smell the fragrance of Christ and to enjoy life!

May God help you to touch the helm of His garments and the hand of a needy friend!

May God help you to grow spiritually and to make progress in life!

In Jesus name

Amen!