Sermon:
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH”

TEXT: ACTS 19:23-41

TITLE: “TRAPPED IN IDOLATRY”

INTRODUCTION: A. The dictionary definition of “idol”: “an object of excessive devotion or admiration”
--Fails to capture the biblical sense
1. Hebrew of the OT had several words: “a likeness; something carved or made;
nothing (as in ‘good for nothing’)”

2. Greek of the NT uses eidolon (adapted into English as “idol”
a. It generally referred to vision or sight

b. Literally: “the way I see things”

B. Idolatry can take many forms:
1. Augustine: “Idolatry is worshipping anything that ought to be used, or using
anything that ought to be worshipped.”

2. Dan Allender, The Wounded Heart: “Idolatry is placing our longings for what only
god can provide in the hands of a creature instead of the Creator. When I live for
my work or my wife, I have made them my false god. When I have failed (and I
can be absolutely sure that a false god will be impotent at the point of my greatest
need), then I will experience the shame of failure and misplaced trust.”

3. Ed Bousman: “People create a god in their own minds and fall down and worship
that god. In reality, they worship themselves.”

C. A good working definition of idolatry is that it is the worship of the self
1. What I desire and want regardless of the actuality of the situation

2. It is a misplaced trust and sense of security that will fail us at the moment we need
it most and it will leave us confused, hurting, and lost.

D. Before we get into the meat of our study this evening, we need to remind ourselves of
some background facts
1. Paul is on his third missionary journey
--He’s in the city of Ephesus

2. Ephesus was an important city in the Roman Empire
a. It was a place of trade and commerce
--So much so that it was known as “the treasure house of Asia Minor”

b. It was a place where the Roman governor of the area would come and hold court
proceedings

c. It was the home of the Pan-Ionian Games – much like our Pan-American