Yes, we have NO idols.

Paul in Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, j“What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

It is easy to find this passage out of step with our modern sensibilities. After all we do not believe in the crude idolatry that filled Athens. God of war, god of fertility, god of prosperity, etc… No we have moved beyond all that. Haven’t we? The city was full of idols. Is our city full of idols too? What is an idol? It is someone or something in which we put our hope. So for example if I find happiness and joy in whether the Arizona Cardinals win, it could be that they are a functional idol for me. By the way, I like the Cardinals, but they have not been reliable regarding the win column in their storied history.

So functionally, do we have idols? What happened when the market with all our 401K money took a dive? I would argue that the extent in which that devastated our lives or not is a good indication of whether or not the comfort and security of wealth is a functional idol.

• Comfort and security – Over 40 years ago, Francis Schaeffer wrote about how we, in the West, valued greatly personal peace and comfort. So much that we put it above all else in terms of our NEEDS. What happens when something comes between us and personal peace? What is our reaction?

• Wealth – Closely related to comfort and security, we have an inbred belief that wealth is our birthright and it will solve all of our problems. If anyone has been through a serious illness or divorce, it becomes very clear the limitations of what money can do in those situations.
• Health and youth – In the wake of the baby boomers reaching middle and old age, we are seeing a plethora of gadgets, creams, medications and operations that will extend our youth and health well into this new millennium. If you don’t think this is an idol, check your spam filter after 1 or 2 days and you will see that others think it is…

• Fame – there are people who will proverbially stab you in the back and brag about it if only they could get on that reality TV show. It seems that nothing will make my life count like a 10-minute shot of fame.

We could add sex and pleasure to the list? Can you think of other idols we are caught up in?

So we don’t bow down to stone carved gods or goddesses. We haven’t made the planets our hope and desire, but we do have some functional idols. What is wrong with that? Why would Paul care about this idolatry he found 2 thousand years ago in Greece? Because there is someone who is to be our hope and desire. Someone who delivers on his promises. Someone, who by trusting in Him, you will have an exciting, complete, peaceful, and abundant life now and forever.

It bothered Paul that this city was given over to idolatry. Why?

Bottom line: Jesus Christ delivers. All others don’t.