INTRODUCTION
A. If you spent any time working in offices over the past 10 years – motivational posters
1. The format is pretty typical. Black background – Picture nature – Word –Phrase
2. Purpose was to motivate you –give you something to reach for – push yourself for
3. Didn’t take long before parodies started popping up – favorite “Demotivators”
4. Favorite –a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean – underneath –word “Mistakes”
5. “It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning for others”
B. There are some mistakes –so huge – so colossal – become synonymous –failure
1. Say the name “Titanic” – and the imagery is instantly one of catastrophe
2. Mention the Space Shuttle Challenger – next word in your mind is “disaster”
3. And say “golden calf” – you immediately recognize disobedience – idolatry – sin
C. “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”
1. One of those huge mistakes that serve as a warning to others –don’t do what they did
2. Don’t fall into the same trap – don’t worship what they worshipped
3. And I’m sure none of you have a golden calf in your home – but was that really the point?
4. TEXT: EXODUS 32:1-6
D. I want to stop there because that’s where Paul stops in 1 Cor 10:7- doesn’t reference calf
1. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
2. For Paul it’s not about the calf-what represented –what happened to the people
3. Today when we talk about idolatry – one of two directions
4. Problem they had back then – worshiped statues/idols –we’re enlightened –know better
5. Two – admit –we have idols –list –possessions/wealth –fancy cars/bass boats
6. Paul reminding us –not about the idol –it’s about us –what’s happening to us
Trans: The example that we have from the golden calf shows us that no matter what our idol is:
I. IDOLS CAN’T GIVE US A FUTURE
A. There’s a great lesson in the Proverbs – hear it quoted every now and then.
1. Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision the people perish” – perish doesn’t mean “die”
2. They cease to be a people – nothing to hold them together – nothing unifying them
3. Verse 25 – broken loose –same phrase as Proverb- “Perish”
4. There was nothing left to bond them together –bring unity/purpose – direction for them
B. When the story begins – Moses is absent –Mt. Sinai for 40 days – seen movie –receiving law
1. But the people had followed Moses out of Egypt – he led them – saw him –saw miracles
2. Now they can’t see him – not sure he’s coming back – they’re getting agitated
3. Go to Aaron – “Make us gods who shall go before us” – something we can see –faith in
4. “Go before us” – something we can follow – give us direction
C. Where there is no vision the people perish – we stop moving forward – no goal – no direction
1. Idols make us idle – they don’t lead us anywhere- if stop moving –no hope
2. That’s why it’s important we know where we’re going – what we’re focused on
3. Why we want you to catch this vision of Gather, Grow, Serve –we can’t stay where we are
4. We have to move ahead – for that we need vision
D. That’s not just for a church though – that’s for you – for your life – for your family
1. I think about Aaron here –gathered gold – “fashioned it with a graving tool” –crafted it
2. Ephesians 2:10 –“we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works”
3. God crafted you together – not as an idol – but as HIS workmanship – HIS image
4. Not to be idle – but to do good works – plans for you – future for you
5. Beautiful thing for us is-we come together –same God –created each of us…
6. We get to share his image – we get to move ahead with his plans.
Trans: Without God we have no future, no vision, no plan. It goes without saying that if we have no future, then:
II. IDOLS CAN’T FREE US FROM OUR PAST
A. Verse 6b – realize when it says “play” – not hopscotch, right? “indulge in revelry”
1. “Sat down to eat and drink” isn’t a potluck either – this was a drunken pagan orgy
2. Much like what they would have done back in Egypt – exactly like back in Egypt
3. Same gods, same plan – have a big party, get drunk, throw yourself into it
4. They had left Egypt – but without vision for the future –trapped in their past
5. Over and over again what do we see with these people – “Never should have left!”
B. One of the worst idols we can have is the past – it is so insidious – deceives us
1. Remember –were slaves/oppressed –but out in the desert –perspective changed
2. We remember what we want to remember –good times – forget struggles
3. Look back this church – even community – “those were the days”
4. But we’re HERE – and God is here – we can’t go back 30 years ago –shouldn’t want to
5. God’s vision doesn’t call us backwards – leads us forwards
C. Back in High School –Bruce Springsteen “Glory Days” – video this week –younger than ME!
1. “Time slips away and leaves you with nothing mister but boring stories of glory days”
2. Since our idols can’t propel us forwards – they hold us to our past
3. The past is a nice place to visit –but you can’t live there
4. More importantly –God can’t lead you there. If find myself thinking –past spiritual/better
5. Have to ask what’s wrong me you today? God can only lead you forward/deeper
6. God did some wonderful things for us in the past – not in past/1985 – he’s here
7. He’s pointing us towards something greater
D. What really gets me about this story – Aaron – Aaron lies - lies to the people
1. Tomorrow feast to the Lord – was it? No – pagan orgy – changed the names
2. Lies to Moses – Threw gold into the fire – out came the calf –MIRACLE
3. Without a vision for the future – we’ll lie to ourselves –each other/God
4. We will crawl back to those glory days – never move forward
Trans: The real problem with idols for us is that without a vision for the future, without moving ahead from our past:
III. IDOLS STEAL OUR GOD-GIVEN IDENTITY
A. Probably the saddest part of this whole story – verses 7-10 – verse 7
1. Do you hear the difference – “YOUR people, Moses” they aren’t MY people – 8-10
2. It’s the same language God used back in Genesis 6 – prior to the flood - corrupted
3. Call ourselves what we want – but reality - we become known by what we worship
4. Doesn’t matter what we tell ourselves, call ourselves – God notices
B. If our identity isn’t about where God is leading us today – then it will be about an idol
1. Kansas Christian Church – that’s the church with the fire, right?
2. Fire was a huge rallying point for us –we really felt alive –knew God’s leading –blessing
3. But that fire isn’t in 2015. 2015 can’t be about the new building
4. It has to be about the living God who is leading us forward.
C. Verse 26 Moses calls out to the people with one question “Who is on the Lord’s side?”
1. Who is willing to be identified with God – who is willing to be counted as one of his?
2. Who is willing to say – I’m not exactly sure where he’s leading us – I can’t see the future
3. But I’m not going to stay back here – I’m not going to wallow in glory days
4. I’m on the Lord’s side – and wherever he’s leading –that’s where I will go
D. We need people who will say that for this church- as we Gather, Grow, Serve
1. But you also need that for your home – you need that for your own identity
2. You need to come to the point where you say, “I’m not getting where I need to be”
3. I can’t stand here and look back and say, “Why can’t it be like it was?”
4. I need to look forward –knowing God is in charge – trusting his leading –
5. I’m with you.
CONCLUSION
A. “These things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”
1. There’s something for us to learn here.
2. 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”
3. The prize isn’t a trophy waiting for you from your past – Prize is still out there
4. Paul warns us with these examples –so we won’t look back – go back – press on to goal
B. 1 Corinthians 10:14-16, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
1. This isn’t something for us to play around with – Yeah, but….I like my idols
2. I like the past – I like where we used to be
3. I’m sure there were those who liked the desert – but you can’t live there –go forward
C. Paul goes on, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”
1. The cup, the bread –don’t just point us back to the death of Christ
2. Point us to the reality that we are the Body of Christ – alive together – TODAY
3. And it points to a victory we all share together
4. Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to him – follow him where he leads us
