I’ve heard a number of sermons preached on idolatry. Without fail, the preacher will mention that idolatry is different in our day and age. Our culture does not bow down to things made of wood and stone, but rather we worship other, more abstract things like money and success. While all of this is true, I think there is a very real sense in which our culture bows down and worships false gods. The confusing thing, however, is that we often name these idols Jesus. An idol is a false god that man has made for himself to worship. Every time we fashion for ourselves a fake Jesus because our idea of Jesus is easier to worship than the Only Living God, we are guilty of idolatry. I’d like to talk about a few of the specific ways in which our culture has made false Gods.

the effeminate Jesus

I have seen a sad and weak god. One without power and strength. He is a god who lets his followers do what they will and simply offers smiles and hugs. A god of comfort who never judges. I weep because they call this god Jesus. This idol is a far cry from the Jesus I know. Jesus Christ is the one who will judge the living and the dead. At his name every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord. Through his promised Holy Spirit he brings conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment. Jesus didn’t come so that you could feel good. He came so that you could die.

People have crafted in their minds a god to suit their own needs. He does just enough for them to make them feel good, but he doesn’t demand anything of them. Like silent idols of wood and stone, people can feel comfortable about having a god, but if he should ever command them to do something they would feel quite uncomfortable. Our imaginary Jesus is an abomination to the name of the Living Christ.

the relevant Jesus

The process of trying to sell Jesus to the masses has become a disturbing trend in the Church today. We want to fill the pews and feel successful about our outreach programs, but we lack one thing… the Holy Spirit. Instead, we come up with program after program and method after method to make Jesus relevant and engaging to our generation. We attempt to do in the flesh what can only be done in the Spirit. Because we present people with a fake Jesus, we have only converted people to another form of idol worship.

Why should Jesus appeal to a sinful culture? He certainly didn’t appeal to his own generation; they killed him. If they crucified him then, what makes you think they will love him now. We try so hard to make Christ appeal to people’s flesh because we have not found out that they must be changed in their spirit to be saved. If we want to shake people’s spirits and not tease their fleshly interests, we must be ourselves broken and operating in the Spirit of God.

It is time to cast down our idols. It is time to get on our knees and ask the only Living God who he is. It is time to die to what we want God to be and find out what he wants us to be. It is time to weep for the idolatry in our culture and challenge the priests of Baal. The question of the hour is “who’s god will answer with fire?”