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welcome to everyone just a couple of announcements before we begin this lord's day the first place the website is back up it was hacked the other day by an Islamist group but our own Jonathan Hall was able to thwart their plans and get our website back online so and then secondly there is no bible study this wednesday evening we will commence the following wednesday night where we continue in our studies in second samuel well for our call to worship this morning you can turn in your Bibles to psalm 115 psalm 115 beginning in verse 1 here now the word of the living and true God not unto us O Lord not unto us but to your name give glory because of your mercy because of your truth why should the Gentile say so where is their God but our God is in heaven he does whatever he pleases their idols are silver and gold the work of man's hands they have mouths but they do not speak eyes they have but they do not see they have ears but they do not hear noses they have but they do not smell they have hands but they do not handle feet they have but they do not walk nor do they mutter through their throat those who make them are like them so is everyone who trusts in them o Israel trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield o house of Aaron trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield you who fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield the Lord has been mindful of us he will bless us he will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron he will bless those who fear the Lord both small and great may the lord give you increase more and more you and your children may you be blessed by the Lord who made earth the heaven even the heavens are the Lord's but the earth he has given to the children of men the dead do not praise the Lord nor any who go down into the Sun into silence but we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore praise the Lord amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 89 him number 89 will stand as we sing together you you you well let us pray our blessed God and our Holy Father it is a joy and a privilege to gather in your house on the lord's day Sabbath we pray that all that we do today would be for the glory and honor and praise of your most holy name the psalmist says you are from everlasting to everlasting soul must says that our God is in the heavens he does whatever he pleases the scripture declares and testifies that our god is good our God is gracious and merciful our blessed God is triune we worship You Father through the mediation of the Sun by the spirit today we pray that you would be all in all in our midst we acknowledge your goodness and your kindness to us and the works of creation and Providence especially we see this in the work of redemption we praise You Father that you chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world we praise you that in the fullness of the time you sent forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law we thank you for the life and the death and the resurrection of our beloved Lord Christ we thank you for his current session and the fact that he will return again in glory to judge the living in the dead we thank you as well for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit he who showed us our wickedness and showed us the glory of Christ and the the ability of Christ to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him how we give praise and glory and honor to the Father the Son and the spirit for so great a salvation and our hearts desire and our earnest please that others would taste and see that the Lord is good that others today as the gospel is preached would be be able to come to the Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of God we pray that for our own meeting here this morning we ask God for any that are dead in their trespasses and sins that today would be the day of salvation that you would awaken sinners by your powerful voice by the Word of the Living God and the Ministry of the Holy Spirit you would show them the glory of the Savior and that you would draw them effectually unto that one who lived and died and rose again we pray for all of us as your people that you would cause us to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior that your word would find its mark in each of our hearts she would convince us and reprove us and correct us and instruct us in righteousness and thoroughly furnish us unto every good work we may leave from this place having met with our God we may enter into a new week and even a new year with a genuine resolve to serve you as you are worthy we ask Lord that you would forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions whenever we consider your majesty and your holiness and your righteousness we see our own waywardness we would confess these transgressions and plead a fresh the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ what good news this is for sinners that we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we ask now that you would wash us and cleanse us and purify us and fit us for worship in the presence of the triune God we thank you Lord for your many mercies to us as we reflect upon the year past we look forward to the coming year we just pray that you would continue in your mercy and grace with this local church we thank you for the peace and the unity that we enjoy we thank you for the Fellowship of the Saints we thank you that we can bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of christ we thank you that you've provided this place for us that we may serve you we praise you as well god for the mercies you demonstrate temporally we know as the psalmist said you load us daily with benefits you do not leave your children lacking or wanting but you provide those things that are necessary we ask even this morning that you'd be with our brothers and sisters who are not well physically we pray for Frank Nields we just commit him to you and to the word of your grace and pray that you would heal his body we pray for others who are unable to be with us this morning and we rejoice that mr nufeld can be with us this morning and all of the people that suffer physically we just pray that they would know the nearness and the kindness of God each and every day we ask our Father that you would look with favor upon the persecuted Church we know there are a great multitude of people in this world that do not have the liberties we enjoy we ask that you would look with favor upon your suffering Saints and that you would encourage them and help them to stand fast in the midst of trial and and difficulty we pray that you would be their peace and their comfort and their encouragement that God even through these sufferings and through these persecutions the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ would continue to run swiftly and be glorified we pray for those who persecute the Church we ask God that they would see the faithfulness of your people they would hear the gospel proclaimed by your people and they by grace would turn from their idols to the true and living God we pray for those people's Lord Most High that continue in this rage against your church you will not convert them we pray that you would stop them and keep them from destroying the people of God Almighty we ask our father that you would be pleased to look with favor as well upon the governing authorities the Apostle tells us we are to pray for kings and all who are in authority so that the church may lead a peaceable in a quiet life we pray first and foremost for those in high places that they would kiss the son that they would bow the knee to the Lord Christ that they would see him as the king of kings and as the Lord of lords and they would rule or govern in a manner that is consistent with your holy will for those who do not bend the knee we pray that nevertheless you and move them to conduct Affairs in a manner that is consistent with your will Jesus taught us to pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven God we see sins like abortion and sodomy and and euthanasia coming down the pipe and we see these things as an affront against a thrice holy God in an attack upon the image of God we can only cry out to you that in your wrath you would remember mercy and turn the hearts of men from this madness to the true and the Living God we ask now that you would continue with us and help us as we worship to do so in spirit and in truth in a manner that is acceptable in your sight and may we conduct ourselves and joy and with Thanksgiving and with fear and trembling for all of these are consistent that the throne of grace and in this we pray that you would be honored and glorified and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me and your Trinity hymnals again to number two hundred and seventy mm number 270 will stand as we sing together you you we can turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 15 for our scripture reading this morning Revelation chapter 15 as we continue our consecutive reading through the New Testament in our morning worship revelation 15 beginning in verse 1 then I saw another sign in heaven great and marvelous seven angels having the seven last plagues for in them the wrath of God is complete and I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire and those who have the victory over the Beast over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name standing on the sea of glass having harps of God they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the lamb saying great and marvelous are your works Lord God Almighty just and true are your ways o king of the Saints who shall not fear you O Lord and glorify your name for you alone are holy for all nations shall come and worship before you for your judgments have been manifested after these things I looked and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened and out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues clothed in pure bright linen and having their chests girded with golden bands then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed amen well the seer the people before this before the throne sing this song great and marvelous are your works and in verse 4 it says who shall not fear you O Lord and glorify your name for you alone are holy the Prophet Jeremiah asks the same thing in Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse 17 and we might ask the same thing who shall not fear you O Lord and glorify your name should be common sense it should be obvious that the creature glorified the Creator we know because of the sin of Adam because we are in Adam men do not fear God they do not honor God as God nor are they thankful to him it is grace that man needs it is the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus it is the reality as Newton said twas grace that taught my heart to fear we will never fear God as is fitting and as is due unless by God's grace we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ it truly is of grace that one does fear God and when the Bible uses the fear of the Lord as a description that is good it's not the sort of thing that is a slavish fear it's not a hiding under the piano sort of fear though I think that's an element that can be involved at times I think that's why at the very end we see the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed the wrath and fury of God most high is being poured out men hide that is legit but the fear of the Lord that the Bible so often presents as a blessing as a good thing is reverence to our God it is the the reality that He is God that he is the creator that he is holy and majestic and we see ourselves rightly related to him through the Lord Jesus Christ and we respond with fear we respond with reverence it is that which does indeed frame the heart John Murray said the fear of God is the soul of godly nests and that's why so often the Bible presents the fear of the Lord as a good thing is something that we should have will let us pray our Father as we look about the nations around us we would ask the same thing who would not fear you O Lord we know it is indeed your do but because of Adam's sin because we're dead in Adam men do not fear you they do not honor you they you not glorify you as you are worthy of we pray that today through the preaching of the gospel you would send for that mercy in that grace that you would teach a home a whole multitude the fear of the Lord experientially we pray that you would be pleased in our own midst for any and all who are outside of Christ to shake them out of this stupor and to show them their sin and show them the need for the Lord Jesus that we have we all have we pray this through Christ our Lord amen well for our final him before the preaching of the word we will sing hymn number 484 in your Trinity hymnal 484 will stand together you you turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter one we will return God willing to our exposition in Matthew's Gospel next Sunday morning but this morning we're going to look at the persistent problem of idolatry the persistent problem of idolatry want to read Romans chapter 1 verses 18 to 32 and then look specifically at the guilt of the Gentiles as given here to us by Paul in Romans chapter 1 actually beginning in verse 16 for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes for the Jew first and also for the Greek for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because what may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them for since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse because although they knew God they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened professing to be wise they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts to dishonour their bodies among themselves who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever for this reason God gave them up to vile passions for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust for one another men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting being filled with all unrighteousness sexual immorality wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder strife deceit evil mindedness they are whisperers backbiters haters of God violent proud boasters inventors of evil things disobedient to parents undiscerning untrustworthy unloving unforgiving unmerciful who knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them amen let us pray our Father we thank you for the word of God we thank you that its profitable for many things in our lives and we pray that you would help us now to receive these things we pray for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit to be at work in our minds and in our hearts we know that apart from Christ we can do nothing and that means as well to receive with Thanksgiving the word of truth so please send forth the Holy Spirit to lead us to guide us to instruct us as well we pray again that you would cleanse us from all sin and from all unrighteousness and everything that casts a darkening influence over our minds and hearts we pray father that you had caused us to see your glory and to love you to be devoted to you but not to be drawn off to idols not to be taken from the path by our own lusts but help us Almighty God to resolve to pursue you with all of our strength and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well in the book of Acts in the second missionary journey we see the Apostle Paul goes to Athens and it's very intriguing as Paul is in Athens it says that his spirit was provoked within him when he looked around the city and saw the idols for Paul it wasn't just at a time to marvel at the accomplishments of men with their architecture I would imagine us today would go over to Athens and be somewhat marvel a marveled at or be marveling at the sorts of things that man can accomplish but for Paul it provoked his spirit and interestingly enough that word is often used of God in the Old Testament where the children of Israel provoked him they engaged in what the prophets called harlotry they turn from the true and the Living God and they went a whoring after false gods and that always caused God's anger to be displayed to the people of Israel very often as you read the prophets you will see that is the the condemnation that is what is in their crosshairs so to speak so it shouldn't surprise us when Paul begins the book of Romans and he starts to address the universal condemnation because of sin he starts with Gentiles and one of the primary things that we ought to consider in this particular chapter is idolatry see very often we look at passages like these and we come down to say verse 29 being filled with all unrighteousness sexual immorality wickedness covetousness maliciousness maliciousness full of envy murder strife to see evil mindedness they are whisperers backbiters haters of god we read that list and we say that sounds just like what we saw on CNN we read that list and we say that's just like what's going on in Canada we read this list and we say that's really what it's like there in the United States of America and we forget the emphasis of the apostle these things are the result of previous idolatry in other words if we look at our culture we don't necessarily currently have a homosexuality problem we don't necessarily have a drinking problem we don't necessarily have a crack problem we have a theological problem we have an idolatrous rejects the true in the Living God these are the sorts of things that then issue for now I want to make sure you understand I think homosexuality crack drink all those sorts of things are problems but they are symptomatic of a much larger problem the first thing Paul addresses in the chapter is idolatry and I say that this is a persistent problem not only for men the creature but even for men the Christian John ends his First Epistle not with a celebration of love not with a celebration of peace not with a benediction of grace but John ends his first letter with little children keep yourselves from idols he's speaking to Christians he's talking to believers he is speaking to those who were blood bought by the Son of God and nevertheless the believer has to take heed the believer has to be on guard the believer has to keep himself from idols so let's look at Romans chapter 1 verses 18 to 32 it won't be a detailed exposition of every jot and tittle but just the major categories that we see the first thing we ought to consider is the thesis of the book in verses 16 and 17 and then secondly the guilt of mankind in verses 18 to 32 now specifically Gentile mankind because Paul will address moral people and Jews in the next chapter but the overarching section beginning in Chapter 1 at verse 18 and concluding in chapter 3 verse 20 is man's problem it is man's plight it is the reality that man has gone astray from God so Paul before he sets forth the good news which he starts in Romans 3 at verse 21 he shifts up he says but now the righteousness of God is revealed a 118 the wrath of God is revealed Romans 321 but now the righteousness of God is revealed before he gets into the good news he sets forth the bad news we ought to remember this pattern in our evangelism so often we present Jesus as a help to a happier life you know believe in Jesus and you'll get some satisfaction believe in Jesus and you'll get some petes or worse yet believe in Jesus and you'll get new cars or new houses believe in Jesus and you'll enjoy health and wealth and prosperity that is to strip the good news of its goodness when we don't present the bad news the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men you are a sinner who stands in need of God's grace that the good news is good because the bad news is so horrible and we want to make sure that we emphasize that and be Pauline in our presentation of the gospel so 118 to 320 the universal guilt of all mankind before the living and true God notice Paul's purpose in Romans 116 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes for the Jew first and also the great all has a conviction God has demonstrated power and in this gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith and that righteousness is that which God demands and which God gives by His grace through the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord and as I said he begins with a presentation of the bad news and that leads us to consider the guilt of mankind want to look at five things this morning first the revelation of God's wrath secondly the reason for its manifestation thirdly the descent into idolatry fourth the consequent practice of idolaters and fifth the judgment of God upon later so several things to look at this morning let's note first the revelation of God's wrath verse 18 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness no I think the order is conspicuous some commentators disagree they say ungodliness and unrighteousness or just two things there's no particular order but the context demonstrates otherwise ungodliness precedes unrighteousness in other words what man thinks about God whether he loves him or rejects him affects the way that he lives that is simply to say that theology is practical what a man considers concerning God affects the way that he lives either for God or against God so Paul says ungodliness and unrighteousness then he deals with ungodliness visa V idolatry and then he deals with all of the categories of unrighteousness in terms of particular vices but note that word he says the wrath of God is revealed from heaven it's a lot different than some of the presentations of the gospel where persons come along and say God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life that's not necessarily the case if you are outside of Christ and you continue in penitent and you continue to reject God I would suggest that hell is not a wonderful plan for your life it is a just and righteous punishment from a holy God Paul does not begin by speaking of some undefined nebulous sort of love that we have the prerogative to just cast upon whoever we want he starts with the wrath of God God is angry with the wicked every day Psalm 7-11 God hates the workers of iniquity Psalm 55 you say well those aren't popular verses today it does not matter what is popular it matters what is true we need to be honest and accurate open and our dealings with sinners as we present the gospel if we come and just you know pronounce God's love upon everybody with any discrimination whatsoever we are not honoring God Paul begins with wrath it is revealed from heaven Murray defines wrath this way it is the Holy revulsion of God's being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness see that's an important aspect of God he's holy he's righteous he's just the song of the Prophet says his eye is too pure to behold any evil we get it in our minds you know God will just wink God just understands God just knows God just you know he'll he'll pardon me because you know he's nice and he's gone and he's good and all those sorts of things God is full of wrath and anger and enmity toward those who continue and persistence in and in rebellion that's why if you are at peace in CN if you are at peace and rebellion if you are at peace estranged from God may the Lord Most High awaken you to see the danger that you find yourselves in remember John 336 he who believes the Sun has everlasting life he who does not believe the son shall not see life but what but the wrath of God abides on him present tense right now even while you're enjoying creaturely comforts you may have a good steak you may have a good potato you may have a good wife you may have a good child you may have a nice home and that is what tricks you or deceives you into thinking that all is well but Paul or Jesus says in John 336 the wrath of God abides on him you need to take notice of these realities the Bible informs us the Bible instructs us the Bible gives us the absolute truth concerning God judgment and the way of escape through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ so Paul tells us wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men notice in verse 18 who suppress the truth in unrighteousness god made man in his own image and ever since the fall man has sought to eradicate himself of God he suppresses truth and unrighteousness isn't that the case why do you think the sorts of culture wars we find against the Christian faith why do you think the sorts of things we see done to the people of God man can't get to God so he gets at his representatives on earth man suppresses the truth and unrighteousness kids that means he holds it down and while holding it down he somehow deludes himself into thinking that it must not be there I'll deny it and that'll make it go away sort of like when I was a kid if I heard a noise I would cover my face never thinking through the implications of that when I cover my face it doesn't make the noise disappear it makes me more vulnerable I never thought through that at you know five or six or whenever the last time I what was it maybe it was last week I covered my face because I heard a noise suppress the truth and unrighteousness atheists say it's the problem of Christianity we live by faith they live by faith too it's just a reversal they suppress truth in unrighteousness they disbelieve in the living in true God so they put faith elsewhere to see Paul's point is clear the wrath of God is targeted against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness now notice the reason for its manifestation because God has revealed himself to mankind never met someone who said I would believe in God if there were some evidence there is no shortage of evidence God has made it manifest to man and within the heart of man and yet man suppresses that truth in unrighteousness notice what Paul says the unbeliever the Gentile those outside of the special revelation of not notice what Paul says they know concerning God the first place we see that God's presence is inescapable verse 20 a for since the creation of the world is invisible attributes are clearly seen such that it leaves men without excuse you've heard the word apologetics before it means to give a defense well that's the precise word that Paul uses here in verse 20 so that they are without excuse the revelation that God gives to us through the created order is inescapable men can try to suppress the truth and unrighteousness men can write thousand page volumes on a philosophical justification for atheism man can engage in the sort of wish mentality to just think God away but he can't since why it's folly brethren to spend hour upon hour upon hour trying to prove the existence of God every person out there knows that God exists that's Paul's point their problem is is that they're suppressing the truth and unrighteousness we need to point that out to that we need to encourage them to seek the Lord God through Jesus Christ come to the scriptures and learn what the world is all about notice he says that man knows God's eternal power verse 24 since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen and by that invisible attributes being clearly seen it means the Creator as he creates this world as he makes man in his own image such that they are able to resonate with the creation around them God is stamped all over the creation you can't escape him that's Paul's point but notice in verse 20 being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power man knows this man understands this man has this idea concerning God as well man knows something of God's deity and his godhood Paul says and man knows something about the righteous judgment of God look at verse 32 who knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them I know that it's righteous with God to judge it's an amazing thing how we forget this isn't it you tell somebody that God has promised to send in penitent sinners to hell and people say that's not fair and yet they'll see on the six o'clock news that a violent pedophile was released by a lenient judge it is fair it is righteous for the judge to punish the offender and sinners deep down in their heart of hearts know this to be the case Paul tells us so those are three things that the unbeliever knows about God he knows his eternal power he knows his deity and he knows it's righteous with God to judge those who continue in sin so man knows that God exists he knows particulars about God now notice what it says in verse 21 still continuing this theme of the reason for its manifestation because although they knew God they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened note what Paul says because although they knew God has it he just displayed this hasn't he just demonstrated this hasn't he just said this is man's culpability they knew God and yet this is how they respond they don't glorify Him as God nor are they thankful you've met these people haven't you you maybe these people this morning perhaps you know God exists but you don't glorify Him as God and you're not thankful to him this is wretched this is wicked this goes back to what we read in revelation 50 who would not fear the O king of the nation's for indeed it is I do God is worthy to be glorified God is worthy to be thanked God is worthy to be praised God is worthy to be adored and worshipped you see in yet man knows that this God exists man knows these particulars about him but they don't Laura Phi him nor are they thankful to him it's a wretched condition that man finds himself in Adam we ought to be very thankful for the grace of God because this certainly describes each and every one of us who are saved it's not we were smarter we were better we didn't suppress the truth as much know we were wretched dead in our trespasses and sins and God in His mercy and in His grace pulled us out of that that heap of mess we ought to praise God we ought to worship God but you see what Paul is saying the wrath of God is revealed from heaven why because men knew God and glorify Him as God nor were they thankful you see brethren there is a lot of problems in society where there are a lot of problems in society abortion sodomy euthanasia those are horrific things but do ever cry out to God and say Lord men don't glorify you men do not honor you mention this when we consider the Decalogue you know we rightly read or preach or or write or protest concerning murder concerning the seventh commandment concerning those things that just bring you no trouble to society but where is our desire for that first table where does that desire for the glory of God where is the desire that men would thank the Lord and praise him that men would bow the knee to the one was worthy would it ever be our case in the in the way it was with Jeremiah to even pray who would not fear the O king of the nation's for indeed it is I do Jesus taught us to pray first and foremost with reference to the to the name of God we run into his presence and say give me food give me forgiveness give me protection those are legit in their place but the priority in the Lord's Prayer is theological in nature God's name God's kingdom God's will before we get to us you see when we look at a society that looks like what Paul describes here in Romans 1 yes we ought to be grieved about kids that hate their parents yes we ought to be grieved about the fact that we engage in some wicked abominable sexual practices we ought to be grieved when we see a homosexual pride parade but we ought to be grieved that men are idolaters men have rejected God this is what happens to Paul when he stands in Athens and he sees the city given over to idols his spirit has provoked within him certainly they had all sorts of sin in their city I mean we're talking to Athens in the first century it was no bastion of holiness and righteousness it's one of the faulty thoughts that we have oh you know our society is so bad so was Paul's so was every age since the fall of man we just hear about it a lot quicker because we have the internet the same wickedness is out there we just get better at doing it with our technology but Paul sees a city given over to idolatry and what does he do his spirit is provoked within him so what does he then do he stands up on the areopagus and he preaches God God the Creator God governor not the Redeemer through our Lord Jesus Christ he didn't say get rid of your idols he realizes that to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ means to get rid of your idols you see the priority with the Apostle this is what happens men know God men suppress the truth in unrighteousness Paul brings this implication in verse 21 because although they knew God they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful but became fuel and their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened you see if someone ever says to you why is God angry with people why is their wrath at the end of history why is there hell because men knew that God existed and they didn't glorify Him as God nor were they thankful to him you get bent out of shape if you give a gift to somebody and they don't fawn all over you for years if you're one of those insecure husbands remember that honey I gave you that gift I gave you that gift I gave me that gift but she comes home I did the dishes did you see I did the dishes what's the implication you need to thank me because I'm a dish to ER right we get bent out shape if persons don't glorify us or they're not thankful to us God is glorious God is the only being in this he's not in creation he's outside of bridge the only being worthy of worship and adoration and praise and glory given unto Him it is perfectly consistent with this holy character to target all ungodliness and unrighteousness with his holy wrath because men knew him and yet men did not glorify Him men knew him and yet they were not thankful to him now notice in the third place this descent into idolatry verses 22 and 23 professing to be wise they became fools legitimately sophomores right that's what a sophomore it's too wise fool you're a sophomore in school right now that's what that means it means why is full at your age that's what you are you're a wise fool you say well that's offensive pastor but that's just the animala G of the word it sophomore Blaine will ever develop that word this is what Paul says notice in verse 21 22 professing to be wise they became fools isn't this atheism at its core those reasoned arguments for the non-existence of God they profess themselves to be wise they write big books they go on teaching tours they are fond over by the the huddled masses and yet they are fools before a holy God they are foolish and engaged in folly as those who profess themselves to be wise notice what he goes on he says and they change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things you know it's interesting Paul is not innovative here Paul is not creative here Paul is simply applying scripture to a different context Psalm 106 describes Israel this way they made a calf in Horeb and worse the molded image thus they exchanged their glory into the image of an ox that eats grass they 4got God their Savior who had done great things in Egypt Paul is simply bringing to bear upon these Gentiles in Romans chapter one what has always been the case for man and Adam to know that God is and to suppress that truth in unrighteousness to profess himself to be wise all the while being a fool and exchanging the glory of the incorruptible dot for some creature to worship some thing to worship something that is bound by time and space Jeremiah to 11 has a nation changed its gods which are not gods but my people have changed their glory for what does not profit isn't that ultimately what idolatry is it is to exchange the glory of God most high for that which does not profit for those of you here who have engaged in this you sought something else prior to coming to Christ you sought it in sex you saw it in power you saw it and work you saw it in family some things are good things but our attachment to them can render them into an idol or might have been cracked it might have been who knows what do those things satisfy do you wake up after a night of that sort of debauchery sing and I feel fulfilled no good typically you engage in the walk of shame you engage in the sort of guilt you have all that that pent-up emotion because you have spent yourself on an idol this is what Paul was saying they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the creature you're not supposed to worship the creature you're not supposed to give your time and devotion to the creature that doesn't mean neglect your wives and kids neglect your husbands and kids that's not what that means devotion in a religious sense one man is well observed we can see what we worship when we look at where we spend our time and our money those are two great indicators of that which we were if you look at North American culture and you saw which sort of internet sites where most frequent were frequented you would conclude that in North America pornography and sports are worshiped because of the time and the money devoted to them it's an exchange of the glory of the incorruptible God for what Paul gives concrete expression to this into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things you say it would ever do that Israel when they danced before the calf and Laura persons today when they danced before whatever it is they love more than God you see this is nothing new and it's nothing that is absent from our own culture Douglas moose as this tragic process of human god making continues apace in our own day and Paul's words have as much relevance for people who have made money or sex or fame their gods as for those who carved idols out of wood and stone thus as verses 24 to 31 show the whole dreadful range of sins that plagued humanity has its roots in the soil of this idolatry so everybody get this I want you to see this ungodliness unrighteousness notice the consequent practice of idolaters notice in verse 24 therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness and the lust of their hearts to dishonour their bodies among themselves who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever amen there is a priority involved we reject God and then we end up abusing Matt we reject God then we're given over to all manner of wickedness you could go through prophet after prophet after prophet to see this connection in the Old Testament when Israel or when israel's prophets came to condemn them there's a close association between a rejection of the first table of the law and a rejection of the second table of the law Jesus says you shall love the Lord your God with your heart soul mind and strength you shall love your neighbor as yourself upon these to hang all the law and the prophets guess what happens if you reject the first you're not going to practice the second when you look at a society that is filled with sex and violence and all the sorts of things that we have again those are symptomatic and they are problems but the essence the root the problem as as theological in nature is a rejection of God men do what they do because they did not glorify God as God nor were their hearts thankful that's the progression the consequent practice is a practice of idolaters Paul indicates the practice of sexual immorality what the best way to preach the gospel to almost sexual is preach the gospel to them no some say well you know of course that's what we do not necessarily we could preach moralism to them look let's just take it down a notch let's say somebody two steals candy bars you got to stop stealing candy bars that's not the gospel that's law law prepares for the gospel just to tell somebody to stop doing what they're doing isn't gospel gospel is that God is in Christ reconciling the sinners to himself a reconciling the world to himself the gospel is Jesus Christ paid at all the gospel as Jesus lived and died and rose again the response to that gospel by the grace of God is to look and live when that sinner looks at lives by God's Braves when he looks at that brazen serpent when he is healed when he is justified and you tell him stop stealing candy bars stop engaging in lewdness stop engaging and that sort of heinous news now I'm not suggesting we never tell somebody to stop doing bad things but don't get it in your head that that's somehow evangelism I shared the gospel with somebody because I told them the stops you know stealing candy bars no you share the gospel with someone when you tell them that Christ live Christ died price rose again and all who looked at Christ will have everlasting life in essence or in Psalm we are not preaching moralism I would rather that you leave from this church saying you know Butler tells us to look to Christ and then stop stealing candy bars not just go stop stealing candy bars you can get that at the Lions Club you can get that at the moose lodge you can get that anywhere the Christian gospel is not moralism the Christian gospel as Paul says in Romans 116 is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes your problem isn't that you just need to stop stealing candy bars your problem is is that you're an idolaters and true God to save you from your sins Owen says it this way we really try hard to convince men of particular sins and he says but they're nothing but sin is the church can be good at this you shouldn't do this you shouldn't do that again there's place for the law we should preach the law do not leave your saying Butler says go steal candy bars I'm not saying that the gospel power of the blood of Jesus in whom we have redemption through his blood not through our moral reform not because we stop stealing candy bars you're not going to go to heaven because you stopped stealing candy bars you're going to heaven because Jesus Christ hate it all you're going to go to heaven because Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God for his people because Jesus Christ did everything that the father says so that we receive that righteousness when by God's grace we believe so the consequent practice of idolaters the practice of sexual immorality no sexual immorality notice in verse 28 the rejection of God and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge in some ways this one of the most offensive in this whole list they did not like to retain God in there their knowledge isn't that described man we oftentimes think of the brazen sins out there the crack and this and that they didn't like to retain the knowledge of God in their minds you actually think that in a created universe where God the Creator has made you and sustained you and gives you life and breath and all things where God creates the food that goes down your gullet where God creates the water that goes into your system you actually think it's okay to not want the knowledge of God in your head there's an instance in the Prophet Jeremiah where God through Jeremiah condemns the people and he says they turn the back to me understand the imagery don't you you're talking to your kid and your mid-sentence and your kid turns from you that's turning the back what does it do when you see that oh I'm just so happy that my kids an insubordinate rebellious jerk now you see turn around show me the respect that is due to me they turn to me the back God says through Jeremiah and here I think this is something of that and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge I've just got too many things on my plate I've got too many things to think about I've got too much going on in my old life to give any thought to this goal like Psalm 10 for the wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God God is in none of his thoughts oftentimes think the converse of that for the believer those who have been saved by God's grace God is in their thoughts they think about God during the day they trace out scripture in their minds and in their hearts I'm not saying they're not doing their work not saying that they sit on mountaintops and just meditate but God is in their thoughts if it is a characteristic of the ungodly to push God out of their thoughts what ought to be a character ristic of the godly it is to have God in their thoughts it is to live quorum Dale in the presence of God it is to think through those things that are most important and to calculatedly live in light of this living and through God they didn't like that they don't want that so I'm 14 the foolish said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none who does good and then notice the various vices are indicated in verses 29 to 31 and then in verse 32 we see that this is a universal problem Calvin calls this the summit of evil verse 32 who knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them it's not enough that we are damning ourselves we want to try and take everybody else with us Murray says to put it bluntly we are not only bent on damning ourselves but we congratulate others in the doing of those things that we know have their issue in damnation I mean how sick is this how perverse is this how bad is verse 32 in our society it's not enough that i'm going to try and pave my way to hell I'm going to take as many people with me as I can when I see them engaged in lawlessness and debauchery I'm going to congratulate them I'm going to approve them think about this is a parent if you are not fearing the living and true God you are not worshippers of this god you are not praisers of this god you do not keep this god in your thoughts what are you doing you're approving your children's activities you are approving the sorts of saying the same sorts of things that Paul is talking about it we are bent not only on downing ourselves but congratulating on others who are on that path with us you hear the jokes of man you know heaven doesn't want me and hell is afraid I'll take over what are you going to take over in hell what is it that you're going to take over and help the most pain the most suffering the most weeping the most naturally of teeth and look at the jokes of man yeah I don't want to go to heaven I want to go to hell where all my friends are and where there's going to be that you know this big party this is just folly and foolishness and wickedness and celebration in ungodliness it's not enough that we damned ourselves we want to fill hell with persons just like ourselves now notice fifthly and finally the judgment of God upon idolaters you see this in verses 24 26 and 28 God gave them over it's terrifying isn't it God gave them over God gave them over three times in other words when we profess to be wise and we are in reality foolish when we know that God is but we suppress that truth and unrighteousness and we don't glorify God as God nor are our hearts thankful what's God's response to that God gives them over I would suggest when you see a society that looks like verses 29 to 31 y'all not to think Liberty y'all not to think freedom y'all not to think sexual revolution when you see a society that looks like verses 29 to 31 you ought to think judgment God's judgment I'm marvel when I here Christian say do you think if we keep going like this God's going to judge us what do you mean going to judge us abortion sodomy euthanasia again just the big three let alone drive by shootings you know drug use and you know I paint all those horrible things but what about the self-righteousness that's bad too God condemns self-righteousness polished people that show up at church look like they have everything going on and yet they are dead to the Lord God most time when you see societies like this the question is not are we going to be judged the question is or rather the declaration is this is evident that God or evidence that God has given us up is given us over then until describes hell as a sound proof exclusion chamber and it is in a sense similar to what we find here God gives them up you continue in your rebellion you continue in your folly you continue in your lack of glorifying God then God will judicially heart and God will give them up to vile passions verse 29 as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them up back in 24 therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness so we see the people exchanged the truth for idols God gives them up the people exchanged the truth for a lie God gave them up the people exchanged the natural use for it the unnatural what happens God gave them up again Psalm 106 therefore after highlighting the idolatry of Israel Psalm one of the six verses 40 and 41 therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people so that he abhorred his own inheritance and he gave them into the hand of the Gentiles and those who hated them ruled over that you see essentially Paul is rehearsing what was true in the nation of Israel this is true respecting the Gentiles in his presentation of the good news he starts with the bad news that God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of man he then details in or give specific detailed information as to what that ungodliness looks like it looks like men who knew God but rejected him it looks like men who profess themselves to be wise but they are in reality fools they are men who exchanged the glory of God for for something that is creature and then all of the unrighteous practices that follow as a result of their pre-commitment or of their fundamental commitment to oppose the living and true God so you see I believe the Apostles argument here is impeccable sets the stage for what L deal in Romans 321 but now the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith well what are some things that we ought to learn as we enter into a new year was wonder what to preach you know as we're entering into a new year should it be happy should it be peppy for me it should be idolatry this is a perennial problem this is an issue this is a reality not just with your neighbors next door but as we look through some concluding observations I think it's a problem that all of us have to deal with where do we spend our time what gets our energy what is most special to us the first place we ought to consider the effect of idolatry what effect does it have upon the worshiper there's a great book by Greg Beal called we become what we worship a biblical theology of idolatry and he points out as we read in psalm 115 that what you Revere you resemble either for ruin or restoration let me just repeat that what you Revere that means what you worship you resemble you become like either for ruin or restoration do you notice in psalm 115 what it says concerning those who worship idols those who worship then become like them you ever think that's a curious explanation for idols they have ears but they do not hear they have eyes but they do not see they have noses but they do not smell they have mouths but they do not taste you ever notice the indictment say of the prophet Isaiah upon Israel hearing you will not hear and seeing you will not see why is that because they're committed to idols they become like their idols and as a result they're going to reject the word of the Prophet this is a reality what you Revere you will resemble either for ruin or restoration when we Revere and worship God what should be happening we should be being conformed under the image of his son we ought to be growing in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus we spend time with God we worship God we praise God we honor god we love God what should we look like as those who spend time with God when you spend time with bail guess what you like to have sexual intercourse outside of marriage when you spend time with bail you're full of emotion when you spend time bhel the the center of operation is below the waves when you spend time with the idols described in the scripture you become like them what's another indictment of Israel through the prophets and and again Beal teases all this out in beautiful detail what's another thing that prophets often say to the children of Israel you stiff-necked you stiff-necked what else is stiff neck animals that need yolks don't they think things like calves isn't that what Israel danced around in front of God at Horeb and Exodus 32 they became like what they worship the man who's addicted to drugs of the man is addicted to whatever the particular we can actually see transformation coming over him or her you can see them becoming like that what they watch they worship the effect of idolatry is degrading upon the person it doesn't have a remedial benefit you don't worship the be idle and become better you don't worship the idol become more fulfilled a better you know you become degraded by that thing which is false deploy your efforts and your energies into that and you end up being like it rather than my god the types of idolatry there's a whole bunch of different things we can worship isn't there I think of the types of ideology idolatry formerly there's a theological rebellion isn't there what's the first commandment say you shall have no other gods before me to worship anything that is not God is idolatry to reject the true and living God from Molech for bail for ashra modern state for comfort for ps4 security for family to substitute the living and true God with anything else is theological rebellion then there's theological innovation and I think this is where churches need to be very careful the second commandment forbids us from worshiping the true God in a false manner you see we are to worship the true God truly we're to worship the one and only God the way that he describes in the scriptures we're not to be innovators we're not to be creative we are not to forsake those things that he has determined are acceptable worship and substituted its place those things which bring me happiness that's a problem I suspect and then there's theological utilitarianism worshipping a god to get what we want garden variety utilitarianism what brings me the most joy the most happiness and the most pleasure I saw this with a has recently in second chronicles you don't need to necessarily turn there but king of Israel a has he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him saying because the gods are the kings of Syria helped them I will sacrifice to them that they may help me seems a logical position doesn't it the gods of Syria help Syria so I'll throw some sacrifices their way so I'll get a little bit of that help it has the assembling of a logical coherence to it physiologically wrong it's wicked it's utilitarian it's seeking to get things and whichever God promises I will be right there with my hand out I love what the chronicler says concerning this practice but they too he says because the gods because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them I will sacrifice to them that they may help me but they were the ruin of him and of all Israel in Paul's words God gave them over what are some responses by the believer to this perennial problem of idolatry the first place we need to know the truth well how many people out there worshipping an idol into the name of Yahweh you say well that could never happen that's precisely what happened at aura two people said I love Jesus well someone has to ask question what Jesus are you talking about because the Jesus that has oftentimes depicted out there and I don't just mean at that neighbor's house I mean out there and can be entertained in here is not the Jesus that has any resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible this is a reality if we don't know God we're not going to worship Him we don't understand him if we don't know I'm it as being it is in his attributes if we don't understand the scriptural presentation of God I'm not saying you need to be John Owen before you can worship you need to pass a three hundred question tasks and write ten essays before you come in here and learn i'm not saying that the Brethren when did the church adopt the mentality that it's the least amount of information that we need what's the fewest propositions I can believe and be okay that's the wrong class ship don't I get to grow in this knowledge don't I get to learn don't I get to get into the scriptures and understand this God so that I could love him and worship Him accordingly we need to exercise caution this is how John ends is First Epistle have already pointed it out little children keep yourselves from idols there is false religion out there and when John says that in first John 5 21 we think he's an idols we think pagan idols we think totems or States or stones or whatnot but Paul or John in first John is dealing with the anti-christian heresy dealing with Antichrist John's point is probably more doctrinal little children keep yourselves from the idols of those who deny that Jesus has come in the flesh keep your songs from the idols of those who deny that that Jesus is the Christ little children keep yourselves from the idols of a preacher that goes up and makes lies about geez makes up lies about Jesus as well the idol of Mammon you know if we were in ethiopia and the Sudan or somewhere else we'd still need to preach against the idol amana soon as sin no matter where but in an affluent North America we gotta we gotta guard our hearts here brethren it's not wrong to work hard it's not wrong to be compensated for hard work the Bible in you know enjoins that it puts that upon the people of God the ax cmn excels in his work he he will stand before kings what's Paul's point 2 Timothy in first Timothy six can command those who are rich in this present day he doesn't say tolland they get rid of all their money divest themselves of all their loot and shave their heads and go sing at the airport he says come and then not to be haughty not to trust in uncertain riches but to share with those in need so there's a doctrine of hard work there's a doctrine of recompense in the Bible that God is prowl but there's also within us that tendency that CS Lewis spoke of you see a man needs making his way in the world through hard work and prosperity and diligence Lewis says what is imperceptible though is that the world is often making its way in his heart should be careful you cannot love God and Mammon the third place response by believers necessity of exercising caution the idol of self we saw this in 2nd Timothy 3 2 men will be lovers of them selves Beal quotes David Wells on this point concerning self I think this is the last Idol to die for all of us you say I don't worship sticks I don't worship stones I don't worship money I don't have any I don't worship sacks I don't worship drugs I don't worship all those things but there's something very fond about that person looking back at you in the mirror there is something in us that is devoted to that person in the mirror there is that attachment certainly there ought to be this love yourselves sort of mentality not you know I'm great and selfie sticks and the whole spiel but this devotion and narcissism that oftentimes and tangles up souls is something that is idolatrous listen to Wells much of the church today a special that part part of it which is evangelical is in captivity to this idolatry of the self this is a form of corruption far more profound than the list of infractions that typically pop into our minds when we hear the word sin we are trying to hold it bay the Nats of small sins while swallowing the camel of self it is idolatry as pervasive and as spiritually debilitating as we're many of the entanglements with pagan religions recounted for us in the Old Testament that this devotion to the self seems not to be like that older devotion to a pagan god blinds the church to its own unfaithfulness he says the end result however is no less devastating because the self is no less demanding it is as powerful and organizing Center as any god or goddess on the market he's nailed this the contemporary church is whoring after this God as assiduously as the Israelites in their darker days it is baptizing as faith the pride that leads us to think much about ourselves and much of ourselves I love what Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5 in terms of Christ and His gospel and he died for all that those who live should live no longer for not bail not ashra not Mammon but should live no longer for themselves this is a perennial problem brethren for all of us as well set it is as pervasive as reading through a First Samuel or reading through a judges or reading through Chronicles and seeing Israel a go up going a whoring after these false idols we are wrapped up in ourselves we are narcissistic we love ourselves we tend to ourselves we pamper ourselves we cater to ourselves the glory of the Christian gospel tells us it doesn't have to be that way you see to worship this creature is as bad as worshipping any other creature there is this fine line between a biblical estimation of oneself and a healthy care for oneself and the devotion that is condemned by God little children little children keep yourselves from idols we need to be careful in this area of course we can mention the idol of pleasure lovers a pleasure rather than lovers of God that kind of goes hand in hand with self doesn't it we love ourselves so we love pleasure we love ourselves so everything has to go well for us we love ourselves so we sort of manipulate life and control everything to bring mass pleasure to our cells the only antidote to idolatry for the believer is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus keep me near the cross sought to be our daily plea god I feel this tendency I sing it when we sing 400 I'm prone to wander prone to leave the God that I love it's a Christian who wrote that particular hand prone to wander prone to leave the god I love Lord in heaven in 2016 at the throne of grace we're going to pray Lord keep us from this keep us from this devotion itself that is unholy and ungodly and unrighteous Lord keep me from this devotion to pleasure and certainly God keep me from bail keep me from ashra keep me from molla keep me from that which is not God brethren we need to be as prayerful about these sorts of things as we are for all the other sins in our lives lord help me not to look upon a woman a loss lord help me not to be proud in my heart lord help me to keep the Sabbath day holy lord help me to be subordinate to governing authorities why do we pray those things but we'll never pray god keep me from idols keep me from those things which are which are determined to bring me down that ought to be our plea so the antidote for the believer is the cross of crimes the antidote for the unbeliever guess what the answer is the cross of Christ believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved this is the most certain way of killing idolatry in your life is to come to the Lord I love what Paul says in Thessalonians we have by the grace of God turn from our useless idols to the true Living God it's not beautiful imagery we have turned from our useless idols to the true and living God the only way to make that turn is by grace looking on to Jesus Christ the author and finisher of faith believe on him the Bible says you will be saved do not persist in rebellion do not persist in a dolla tree do not continue to revel in that which is not God this is a sad pathetic picture that Paul pains concerning man this is man in Romans 1 he's not describing dogs he's not describing animals he's not describing oxen he's not describing beasts sure I've told you before when are cease Paul said something on cake ala concerning the wickedness of babies so if babies are worse than a viper worse than a rat everybody freaks out says what do you mean RC sproul how could you say my little babies worse than Iraq you know that a rat does what God made rats to do rats do not reject God rats do not sin against God rats do not rebel against God but of babies and I'm not picking on babies this morning I'm trying to illustrate a picture here Psalm 58 they go estranged from the womb speaking lies as soon as they are born it is terrible that we are described in Romans 1 this is us this is how we look this is what we're about suppressing truth rejecting God pursuing wickedness and evil this is terrible this is in many respects the cesspool of the entire Scripture and that's because it describes man and had a man in sin Romans 321 but now the righteousness of God is revealed through the cross of our Lord Jesus the scripture says believe and you will be saved this bad news precedes the good news but the good news is most blessed most wonderful and most glorious God takes the degraded Bale worshipper God takes the degraded drug worshiper whatever worshiper it was and he delivers them he frees them he gives them life eternal he sets them on a new path do you remember this you people here that are converted that have been by gray saved what were you before what have you become what has God's grace in your life done for you and he set you free he's brought Liberty spread peace it has brought joy as brought contentment it is brought safety stability security all the stuff we tried to fetch from the idols before and we came up wanting only in Christ is peace given only in Christ is peace secure only in Christ is peace provided and it is by grace through faith in him well let us pray our Father we thank you for the word of God and we pray that you would go with us now we pray that you'd watch over us as individuals as families as a church in this coming year let us take John's admonition to heart let us keep ourselves from idols by your grace and for your glory we pray the gospel would be proclaimed throughout the earth today we pray that many would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then we pray this in his Most Blessed name Amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed