Robert Jeffress - The Second Commandment - Worship The True God

June 4, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Second Commandment - Worship The True God | June 4, 2026
  • ♪ music ♪
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  • From the pulpit of the first baptist church of dallas,
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  • Texas, this is pathway to victory with dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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  • And welcome again to pathway to victory.
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  • Idol worship was a major problem in ancient israel.
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  • Time and time again,
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  • The israelites would drift away from god until a period
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  • Of judgment brought them back in line.
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  • But idol worship isn't isolated to ancient history.
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  • Today, i'm going to explain why idolatry
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  • Is still a pervasive problem in the church today.
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  • My message is titled:
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  • "the second commandment: worship the true god,"
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  • On today's edition of pathway to victory.
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  • As our nation marks 250 years,
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  • America stands at a crossroads.
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  • Will we return to the god who blessed us,
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  • Or continue down a path that leads to ruin?
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  • For 30 years, pathway to victory has pierced the darkness
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  • Of our nation with the light of god's word
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  • By sharing biblical truth that transforms hearts.
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  • Join us in this critical hour
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  • Matching challenge today.
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  • I have always been fascinated with history
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  • And the locations where that history took place.
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  • When i was little,
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  • My dad used to drag us down to the alamo in san antonio.
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  • Standing there in front of the alamo,
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  • I used to imagine what it would have been like
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  • For santa anna and his troops to scale the old mission.
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  • As an adult, i've had the privilege of visiting
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  • The most famous house in america, the white house.
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  • As i've sat in the east room many times
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  • For different ceremonies,
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  • My mind would wander
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  • And i would wonder what it was like for john
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  • And abigail adams,
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  • Who were the first residents of the white house,
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  • And actually hung their laundry in what is now
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  • The east room, what it was like for them.
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  • But of all the historical locations i've visited,
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  • The one that has meant the most to me is to visit
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  • The land of israel.
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  • There is something about walking
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  • On the stones where jesus walked 2,000 years ago.
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  • There's something about standing on the mount of olives
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  • And realize this is where he ascended into heaven
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  • And where he's coming back one day.
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  • There's standing in the front of the empty tomb
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  • And realize this is where jesus conquered death forever.
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  • There is something faith affirming.
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  • I hear it from people all the time, said,
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  • "my faith came alive after a trip to israel."
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  • Why is that?
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  • There's something about being in that location
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  • That lifts our faith from what we sometimes think
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  • Of as mystical and even mythical to actual events
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  • That happened in a time, place, location.
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  • We have a desire for physical,
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  • Geographical representations
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  • Of our faith because we are physical beings.
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  • In fact, when jesus came, he came in the flesh.
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  • First john 1 says, "what we have heard with our ears,
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  • We've seen with our own eyes.
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  • We have handled concerning the word of life, jesus."
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  • In other words, john was saying he wasn't just a spirit.
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  • We saw him.
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  • We heard him.
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  • We touched him.
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  • It's everything normal for us
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  • To desire physical representations of our faith.
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  • The downside of seeking physical representations
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  • Of our faith is that if we're not careful,
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  • We start to worship the objects of faith rather
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  • Than the god whom those objects represent.
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  • And that's not just a minor technical difficulty.
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  • It is a major issue as evidenced
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  • By the second commandment we're going to look at today.
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  • If you have your bibles,
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  • I want you to turn to exodus chapter 20, verse 4.
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  • The second commandment flows naturally out
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  • Of the first commandment.
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  • Look at it with me.
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  • "you shall not make for yourself an idol
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  • Or any likeness of what is in heaven above
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  • Or on the earth beneath,
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  • Or in the water underneath the earth.
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  • You shall not worship them or serve them for i,
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  • The lord your god, am a jealous god visiting the iniquity
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  • Of the fathers on the children on the third
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  • And fourth generations of those who hate me,
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  • But showing loving kindness to thousands to those
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  • Who love me and keep my commandments."
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  • Now, you need to know there are some faith groups
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  • That actually believe all of this is one commandment,
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  • Both verse 3 and verses 4 to 6.
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  • It's all part of the first commandment.
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  • You're to have no other gods before me
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  • And you're not to make any images of me and worship them.
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  • If they combine the first two,
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  • Then how do they come up with ten commandments?
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  • Well, these faith groups take the last commandment
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  • And separate it, the one about coveting.
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  • They say the ninth commandment is,
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  • "you shall not covet your neighbor's house."
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  • And then the tenth commandment,
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  • "you shall not covet your neighbor's wife."
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  • I believe that's incorrect.
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  • I believe the coveting commands go together.
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  • But i believe verse 3 is its own commandment.
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  • You are to serve no other gods before me.
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  • And verse 4 through 6, you're not to make images of god.
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  • I believe these are two distinct commandments.
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  • You see, the first commandment tells us
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  • Whom we're to worship.
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  • We're to worship god and god alone.
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  • Don't worship a false god.
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  • That's what the first commandment is.
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  • The second commandment
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  • Is about how we're to worship the true god.
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  • We're to make sure we're worshiping god alone
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  • And not some man-made image of god.
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  • Now, what is this commandment prohibiting?
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  • Is it to say we're not to have any kind
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  • Of artistic representation of angels
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  • Or anything in heaven, on earth?
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  • That's what it seems to say.
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  • But if that's true, then god violated his own command.
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  • Because remember, in exodus 31,
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  • He was giving instructions
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  • About the artwork that was to be in the tabernacle
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  • And later in the temple.
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  • And he said to gifted craftsmen,
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  • "you are to make artistic designs in gold and silver
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  • And in bronze and in the cutting of stones
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  • And the carving of the wood."
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  • The tabernacle was adorned with representations
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  • Of angels and palm trees.
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  • Remember, on the ark of the covenant, the lid,
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  • They fashioned the two angels, the cherubim,
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  • To guard the holiness of god.
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  • This isn't an absolute prohibition against any artwork.
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  • But i think, as one commentator said,
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  • What god is prohibiting is infusing these objects
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  • With any kind of spiritual efficacy power.
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  • In other words, to imagine that these objects
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  • Have some supernatural power to draw us closer to god
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  • Or to establish communion with god.
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  • That is what is being prohibited.
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  • Now, like most of the ten commandments,
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  • This commandment starts out with a negative, don't do this.
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  • It prescribes the judgment,
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  • The consequences of those who violate the commandment,
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  • And then it ends with a promise.
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  • I think the key verse is verse 5,
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  • You are not to worship these images or to serve them.
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  • What is the danger of images of god?
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  • There are two of them.
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  • First of all, images diminish the glory of god.
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  • They diminish the glory of god.
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  • Remember the story i told you, little first grader johnny,
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  • He was working on his art project.
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  • The teacher says, "what are you drawing, johnny?"
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  • He said, "i'm drawing a picture of god."
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  • She says, "well, nobody knows what god looks like."
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  • And johnny says, "they will in a few minutes."
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  • (audience laughing)
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  • You know, it's a funny story, but it makes a point.
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  • The problem when we draw images of god is we reduce god.
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  • We diminish the glory of god.
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  • And a great illustration of that is exodus chapter 32.
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  • Remember the children of israel had crossed the red sea.
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  • They were on the way to the promised land,
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  • But they stopped at the base of mount sinai.
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  • And remember, moses went up to the top of the mountain
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  • For 40 days and 40 nights to receive the law of god,
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  • The ten commandments as all the other law.
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  • Interestingly, while god was giving the commandments
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  • To moses, the israelites below were breaking
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  • The very commandments moses was receiving,
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  • Including this one.
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  • The israelites, they were discouraged
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  • That moses had left them.
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  • They hadn't heard from him.
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  • They didn't know what had happened to him.
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  • They said, "maybe he's died."
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  • We're without a leader.
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  • So, they go to moses' brother aaron,
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  • And they say, "we need something we can worship and follow.
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  • We want you to make an image of god."
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  • And so, they said, "we need a god who will go before us."
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  • And so, what did aaron do?
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  • He acquiesced to that command.
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  • And in exodus 32, he said, "tear off the gold rings
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  • Which are in the ears of your wives, your sons,
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  • And your daughters, and bring them to me."
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  • And then the scripture says,
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  • Aaron fashioned the gold into a molten calf.
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  • And when the people saw it, they worshipped it.
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  • And aaron said, "this is your god,
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  • O israel, who brought you up for the land of egypt."
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  • Now, you have to think, what in the world happened to aaron?
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  • Did he fall into idol worship?
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  • Did he start following prematurely the canaanite gods?
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  • Why would such a righteous man start worshiping
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  • The wrong god?
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  • Well, he didn't.
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  • He wasn't worshipping the false god.
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  • He was worshipping the true god.
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  • He hadn't become a pagan all of a sudden.
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  • The reason i know that is in verse 5.
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  • He says, "tomorrow shall be a feast to the lord," to yahweh.
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  • He wasn't worshipping a false god.
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  • He didn't think this was a new god.
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  • He thought it was a representation of the true god.
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  • They wanted something visual that they could follow.
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  • He didn't think this was god.
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  • He thought it was a representation of god.
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  • He said, well, then what's wrong with that?
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  • God is like a powerful bull.
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  • He is strong and mighty and able.
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  • He is the one who just parted the red sea.
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  • What's wrong with depicting god as a powerful god?
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  • Well, it's true, god is powerful.
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  • But he's other things as well.
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  • He's holy.
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  • He's just.
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  • He's forgiving.
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  • He's omniscient.
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  • He's sovereign.
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  • And that bull doesn't represent all of those things.
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  • It just represents one aspect of god.
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  • It doesn't tell the whole story about god.
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  • Images not only diminish the glory of god,
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  • The second problem is they distort the truth about god.
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  • Once you diminish god's glory,
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  • It's easy to distort the truth of god.
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  • When you reduce god to something you can handle
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  • Or you can see, once you have diminished god,
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  • It's easy to distort god
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  • And make him whatever you want him to be.
  • 00:11:56.272 --> 00:11:58.974
  • A great example of that is found in romans chapter 1.
  • 00:11:58.974 --> 00:12:03.179
  • Remember, god is describing those
  • 00:12:03.179 --> 00:12:05.080
  • Who have rejected the knowledge of the true god,
  • 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:07.817
  • Which by the way, everybody has by looking at nature.
  • 00:12:07.817 --> 00:12:10.753
  • You can know there is a god by looking at nature.
  • 00:12:10.753 --> 00:12:14.757
  • But some people have rejected that knowledge
  • 00:12:14.757 --> 00:12:17.126
  • Of the true god and instead they have created a false god
  • 00:12:17.126 --> 00:12:21.564
  • And made him whom they want him to be.
  • 00:12:21.564 --> 00:12:23.866
  • Look at verse 22.
  • 00:12:23.866 --> 00:12:25.434
  • "professing to be wise," romans 1 verse 22.
  • 00:12:25.434 --> 00:12:28.771
  • "professing to be wise,
  • 00:12:28.771 --> 00:12:30.472
  • They became fools and they exchanged the glory
  • 00:12:30.472 --> 00:12:33.642
  • Of the incorruptible god for an image
  • 00:12:33.642 --> 00:12:36.178
  • In the form of corruptible man and of birds
  • 00:12:36.178 --> 00:12:38.914
  • And of four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
  • 00:12:38.914 --> 00:12:41.717
  • Therefore, god gave them over in the lust of their hearts
  • 00:12:41.717 --> 00:12:46.622
  • To impurity so that their bodies would be dishonored
  • 00:12:46.622 --> 00:12:49.558
  • Among them for they exchanged the truth of god for a lie,"
  • 00:12:49.558 --> 00:12:54.830
  • And then they worshiped and served the creature
  • 00:12:55.764 --> 00:12:57.066
  • Rather than creator who is blessed forever.
  • 00:12:57.066 --> 00:13:00.436
  • They tried to reduce god to this image
  • 00:13:00.436 --> 00:13:03.606
  • That they had made and then they imposed upon
  • 00:13:03.606 --> 00:13:06.775
  • This new god whatever values they wanted.
  • 00:13:06.775 --> 00:13:09.945
  • And you read in romans 1,
  • 00:13:09.945 --> 00:13:11.247
  • Part of those values were sexual immorality.
  • 00:13:11.247 --> 00:13:14.850
  • They imagined to be a god who approved
  • 00:13:14.850 --> 00:13:17.152
  • Of same-sex relationships,
  • 00:13:17.152 --> 00:13:19.121
  • Men lusting for men and women for women
  • 00:13:19.121 --> 00:13:21.991
  • And every other kind of immorality.
  • 00:13:21.991 --> 00:13:24.293
  • The pattern is you reduce god
  • 00:13:24.293 --> 00:13:27.196
  • And then you distort his truth.
  • 00:13:27.196 --> 00:13:29.398
  • And by the way, the same thing is happening today.
  • 00:13:29.398 --> 00:13:32.935
  • Our society wants to diminish god,
  • 00:13:32.935 --> 00:13:36.171
  • To downsize god into something manageable
  • 00:13:36.171 --> 00:13:39.508
  • That we can understand and control
  • 00:13:39.508 --> 00:13:42.077
  • And then we distort the truth of the real god.
  • 00:13:42.077 --> 00:13:44.880
  • I saw a great illustration of this just a few years ago
  • 00:13:44.880 --> 00:13:48.550
  • In that popular movie that came out.
  • 00:13:48.550 --> 00:13:50.986
  • Remember "evan almighty?"
  • 00:13:50.986 --> 00:13:52.988
  • Did you all see the movie?
  • 00:13:52.988 --> 00:13:54.890
  • It's a comedy and it's an entertaining movie.
  • 00:13:54.890 --> 00:13:57.159
  • It's a modern-day riff on the flood story.
  • 00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:59.895
  • In the movie, god is portrayed,
  • 00:13:59.895 --> 00:14:01.630
  • He's been reduced to morgan freeman, that is god.
  • 00:14:01.630 --> 00:14:06.902
  • And he comes to steve carell, a modern-day businessman
  • 00:14:08.003 --> 00:14:11.440
  • And orders him to build an ark,
  • 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:13.943
  • A massive ark and to have the animals get
  • 00:14:13.943 --> 00:14:16.512
  • On the ark because a great flood is coming.
  • 00:14:16.512 --> 00:14:19.748
  • And so, in one key scene,
  • 00:14:19.748 --> 00:14:21.350
  • The steve carell character is talking to god
  • 00:14:21.350 --> 00:14:24.720
  • And ask him about the original noah and the ark story.
  • 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:29.024
  • And this is what god, that is morgan freeman says.
  • 00:14:29.024 --> 00:14:33.262
  • He says, "you know, a lot of people miss the whole point
  • 00:14:33.262 --> 00:14:35.798
  • Of that story.
  • 00:14:35.798 --> 00:14:37.366
  • They think it's about god's wrath and anger."
  • 00:14:37.366 --> 00:14:41.103
  • Evan says, "well, if it's not about his wrath and anger,
  • 00:14:41.103 --> 00:14:43.339
  • What is the story about?"
  • 00:14:43.339 --> 00:14:45.841
  • And god answers and says,
  • 00:14:45.841 --> 00:14:47.409
  • "well, i think it's a love story
  • 00:14:47.409 --> 00:14:50.079
  • About believing in each other.
  • 00:14:50.079 --> 00:14:52.614
  • You know, the animals showed up in pairs.
  • 00:14:52.614 --> 00:14:55.651
  • They stood by each other side by side,
  • 00:14:55.651 --> 00:14:59.154
  • Just like noah and his family.
  • 00:14:59.154 --> 00:15:01.557
  • Everybody entered the ark side by side."
  • 00:15:01.557 --> 00:15:05.661
  • Oh, ain't that a sweet story?
  • 00:15:05.661 --> 00:15:08.564
  • If you don't like a god of wrath
  • 00:15:09.198 --> 00:15:10.933
  • And anger and judgment, adopt this god.
  • 00:15:10.933 --> 00:15:15.304
  • Let morgan freeman be your god.
  • 00:15:15.304 --> 00:15:17.840
  • I like a god who doesn't judge people.
  • 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:20.409
  • I like one who encourages unity among people.
  • 00:15:20.409 --> 00:15:24.013
  • Teamwork makes the dream work, you know?
  • 00:15:24.013 --> 00:15:26.548
  • Why not have that kind of a god?
  • 00:15:26.548 --> 00:15:29.685
  • And you hear that all the time today.
  • 00:15:29.685 --> 00:15:32.087
  • You know, when i imagine god,
  • 00:15:32.087 --> 00:15:34.590
  • That's your first clue, something bad is coming.
  • 00:15:34.590 --> 00:15:37.359
  • Whenever i imagine god,
  • 00:15:37.359 --> 00:15:38.861
  • I imagine him to be a loving god, not a judgmental god.
  • 00:15:38.861 --> 00:15:43.065
  • I imagine god to be somebody who allows everybody
  • 00:15:43.065 --> 00:15:46.001
  • Into heaven, not just one small group that trusts in jesus.
  • 00:15:46.001 --> 00:15:49.638
  • That's who i imagine god to be.
  • 00:15:49.638 --> 00:15:52.307
  • Ladies and gentlemen, god is not the sum
  • 00:15:52.307 --> 00:15:54.943
  • Of your speculations about him.
  • 00:15:54.943 --> 00:15:57.446
  • Whenever you imagine god,
  • 00:15:57.446 --> 00:15:59.715
  • You are violating the second commandment.
  • 00:15:59.715 --> 00:16:01.550
  • You are creating a god in your image instead
  • 00:16:02.484 --> 00:16:05.854
  • Of a god that is revealed in scripture.
  • 00:16:05.854 --> 00:16:09.258
  • And that's what the problem with images of god are.
  • 00:16:09.258 --> 00:16:13.462
  • It not only diminishes the glory of god, it distorts,
  • 00:16:13.462 --> 00:16:17.199
  • It allows us to distort the truth about god.
  • 00:16:17.199 --> 00:16:21.003
  • Why worship god only and not images of god?
  • 00:16:21.003 --> 00:16:24.206
  • He gives us the reason in verse five.
  • 00:16:24.206 --> 00:16:26.241
  • He said, "i'm the lord, your god, and i am a jealous god."
  • 00:16:26.241 --> 00:16:31.547
  • He goes on to say in isaiah 42, verse eight,
  • 00:16:32.448 --> 00:16:34.483
  • "i am the lord god,
  • 00:16:34.483 --> 00:16:35.784
  • And i will not give my glory to another."
  • 00:16:35.784 --> 00:16:38.587
  • Now we read that negatively, say a jealous god,
  • 00:16:38.587 --> 00:16:41.423
  • Not sure your glory.
  • 00:16:41.423 --> 00:16:42.858
  • What's wrong, god?
  • 00:16:42.858 --> 00:16:43.892
  • Are you that insecure?
  • 00:16:43.892 --> 00:16:45.160
  • Are you that paranoid
  • 00:16:45.160 --> 00:16:46.695
  • That you think somebody's going to take away your glory?
  • 00:16:46.695 --> 00:16:49.231
  • Look, remember these commands are not for god's benefit.
  • 00:16:49.231 --> 00:16:52.601
  • They're for our benefit.
  • 00:16:52.601 --> 00:16:54.503
  • God has a holy jealousy.
  • 00:16:54.503 --> 00:16:56.572
  • He loves us so much,
  • 00:16:56.572 --> 00:16:57.973
  • He doesn't want us to get distracted and deceived
  • 00:16:57.973 --> 00:17:01.076
  • By false gods that can never meet our needs.
  • 00:17:01.076 --> 00:17:04.947
  • He is a jealous god, but he is also a generous god.
  • 00:17:04.947 --> 00:17:09.051
  • Look at verse six, "but i show loving kindness
  • 00:17:09.051 --> 00:17:11.787
  • To thousands to those who love me and keep my commandments."
  • 00:17:11.787 --> 00:17:17.092
  • Now, you may be thinking, pastor,
  • 00:17:17.826 --> 00:17:21.964
  • I may be tempted to lie, to steal, to commit adultery.
  • 00:17:23.065 --> 00:17:28.170
  • I may be tempted with all those things,
  • 00:17:29.037 --> 00:17:30.305
  • But this is one sin i am not guilty of.
  • 00:17:30.305 --> 00:17:34.009
  • I don't have to worry about this one.
  • 00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:36.178
  • I've never made a graven image and bowed down to it.
  • 00:17:36.178 --> 00:17:40.015
  • So, what's the application to me?
  • 00:17:40.749 --> 00:17:42.751
  • How do we obey the second commandment?
  • 00:17:42.751 --> 00:17:45.921
  • I want to remind you of that quote by a.w. tozer,
  • 00:17:45.921 --> 00:17:49.525
  • Who said, "what comes into our minds
  • 00:17:49.525 --> 00:17:52.394
  • When we think about god
  • 00:17:52.394 --> 00:17:54.563
  • Is the most important thing about us."
  • 00:17:55.397 --> 00:17:59.001
  • When you think about god, and hopefully you do,
  • 00:17:59.001 --> 00:18:01.803
  • How do you make sure it's the real god you're thinking
  • 00:18:02.905 --> 00:18:05.807
  • About and not the god of your imagination?
  • 00:18:05.807 --> 00:18:08.911
  • How do you obey this second commandment?
  • 00:18:08.911 --> 00:18:11.813
  • Let me give you three practical principles
  • 00:18:12.714 --> 00:18:15.150
  • For obeying this commandment.
  • 00:18:15.150 --> 00:18:16.952
  • First of all, don't diminish god through images of worship.
  • 00:18:16.952 --> 00:18:22.291
  • Don't diminish god through images of worship.
  • 00:18:23.225 --> 00:18:24.793
  • Now, this is the most logical application of god.
  • 00:18:24.793 --> 00:18:28.030
  • Be careful about your use of images
  • 00:18:28.030 --> 00:18:30.499
  • And objects in your worship.
  • 00:18:30.499 --> 00:18:32.901
  • For example, the cross.
  • 00:18:32.901 --> 00:18:35.003
  • We have a cross in our church,
  • 00:18:35.637 --> 00:18:37.406
  • A beautiful stained-glass cross.
  • 00:18:37.406 --> 00:18:40.342
  • There's nothing wrong with that.
  • 00:18:40.342 --> 00:18:42.211
  • It's a reminder of the sacrifice that jesus made
  • 00:18:43.178 --> 00:18:46.782
  • On our behalf so that we could have the forgiveness
  • 00:18:46.782 --> 00:18:49.551
  • Of our sins.
  • 00:18:49.551 --> 00:18:51.320
  • There's nothing wrong with the cross.
  • 00:18:51.320 --> 00:18:53.155
  • You should know that christians didn't start using the cross
  • 00:18:53.155 --> 00:18:57.926
  • As a sign of worship until 400 years after christ.
  • 00:18:57.926 --> 00:19:01.230
  • Did you know that?
  • 00:19:01.230 --> 00:19:03.265
  • It's not a part of worship in the early church,
  • 00:19:03.265 --> 00:19:05.901
  • But we use it today, and that's fine.
  • 00:19:05.901 --> 00:19:08.437
  • There are other images,
  • 00:19:08.437 --> 00:19:09.905
  • But here's what the commandment is saying.
  • 00:19:09.905 --> 00:19:13.308
  • Don't confuse the objects
  • 00:19:13.308 --> 00:19:16.178
  • With the object of our worship, god.
  • 00:19:16.178 --> 00:19:19.147
  • Don't diminish god through images of worship.
  • 00:19:19.147 --> 00:19:21.350
  • Secondly, don't define god by yourself.
  • 00:19:21.350 --> 00:19:26.121
  • Don't make god look just like you do.
  • 00:19:26.121 --> 00:19:29.424
  • For example, i mean, i'm very proud that i'm a citizen
  • 00:19:30.525 --> 00:19:33.362
  • Of this great country.
  • 00:19:33.362 --> 00:19:34.930
  • I think god has blessed america.
  • 00:19:34.930 --> 00:19:37.099
  • We have a patriotic service
  • 00:19:37.099 --> 00:19:39.635
  • To celebrate god's blessings upon our country,
  • 00:19:39.635 --> 00:19:42.771
  • But even though i'm patriotic and proud to be in america,
  • 00:19:42.771 --> 00:19:46.908
  • I do know that when jesus came
  • 00:19:46.908 --> 00:19:48.610
  • To that feeding trough in bethlehem,
  • 00:19:48.610 --> 00:19:50.379
  • He didn't come wrapped in an american flag.
  • 00:19:50.379 --> 00:19:54.016
  • He came wrapped in swaddling cloths,
  • 00:19:54.016 --> 00:19:56.718
  • And when we try to define god by nationality
  • 00:19:56.718 --> 00:19:59.521
  • And think of god as an american,
  • 00:19:59.521 --> 00:20:01.590
  • We alienate a whole segment of our entire world.
  • 00:20:01.590 --> 00:20:05.060
  • God is not an american.
  • 00:20:05.060 --> 00:20:07.396
  • God is transcendent, and we need to be careful
  • 00:20:07.396 --> 00:20:10.265
  • That we don't diminish him or define him by ourselves.
  • 00:20:10.265 --> 00:20:15.604
  • And finally, don't downsize god by traditions of worship.
  • 00:20:16.772 --> 00:20:20.742
  • Don't downsize god by traditions of worship.
  • 00:20:21.677 --> 00:20:25.847
  • The very first church i went to pastor, i'll never forget,
  • 00:20:25.847 --> 00:20:29.584
  • They had an order of service,
  • 00:20:29.584 --> 00:20:30.952
  • And part of the order of service was they sang
  • 00:20:30.952 --> 00:20:33.355
  • The doxology right before they took the offering.
  • 00:20:33.355 --> 00:20:37.326
  • Well, little innocent me,
  • 00:20:37.326 --> 00:20:39.294
  • I decided after a few weeks that i would change the doxology
  • 00:20:39.294 --> 00:20:43.632
  • And put it at the end of the service.
  • 00:20:43.632 --> 00:20:46.868
  • There was an explosion.
  • 00:20:46.868 --> 00:20:48.303
  • You would have thought i had denied the virgin birth
  • 00:20:48.303 --> 00:20:51.440
  • Of jesus christ by moving the doxology.
  • 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:54.609
  • They just went ballistic.
  • 00:20:54.609 --> 00:20:57.145
  • And there are some people that say,
  • 00:20:57.145 --> 00:20:59.314
  • Well, you can't worship if the doxology's there.
  • 00:20:59.314 --> 00:21:00.549
  • It has to be here in order to worship god.
  • 00:21:00.549 --> 00:21:02.751
  • There are other churches that think.
  • 00:21:02.751 --> 00:21:05.220
  • God's word can only be heard from behind a wooden pulpit.
  • 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:09.925
  • If it's plexiglass,
  • 00:21:09.925 --> 00:21:11.326
  • God's word cannot transcend a plexiglass pulpit.
  • 00:21:11.326 --> 00:21:14.563
  • It has to be.
  • 00:21:14.930 --> 00:21:17.065
  • Now, you think i'm kidding.
  • 00:21:17.065 --> 00:21:17.833
  • I am not kidding.
  • 00:21:17.833 --> 00:21:18.934
  • There are churches that have split
  • 00:21:18.934 --> 00:21:20.736
  • Over whether the pulpit ought to be wood or plexiglass.
  • 00:21:20.736 --> 00:21:24.940
  • Some people in traditions of worship,
  • 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:27.109
  • They are absolutely sure that god cannot be worshiped
  • 00:21:27.109 --> 00:21:30.879
  • By music that has been written after 1970.
  • 00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:34.416
  • If it was written after 1970, it doesn't honor god.
  • 00:21:34.416 --> 00:21:37.686
  • There are other people who think it can't be,
  • 00:21:37.686 --> 00:21:39.621
  • God can't be worshiped if it was written before 1970.
  • 00:21:39.621 --> 00:21:43.058
  • There's nothing in the 1800s
  • 00:21:43.658 --> 00:21:45.260
  • Or 1900s that can be worshipful.
  • 00:21:45.260 --> 00:21:47.362
  • There are some people that think god can only be worshiped
  • 00:21:48.497 --> 00:21:51.133
  • Through a choir and orchestra.
  • 00:21:51.133 --> 00:21:52.934
  • There are others who think
  • 00:21:52.934 --> 00:21:55.437
  • He can only be worshiped through a praise band.
  • 00:21:55.437 --> 00:21:56.772
  • Don't reduce god by your traditions of worship.
  • 00:21:56.772 --> 00:22:00.542
  • That's what the second commandment of exodus 20 is.
  • 00:22:01.576 --> 00:22:06.148
  • Don't diminish him, don't define him, don't downsize him.
  • 00:22:06.148 --> 00:22:11.686
  • Well, pastor, then what is true worship?
  • 00:22:12.554 --> 00:22:15.490
  • Do you remember in john chapter four,
  • 00:22:16.291 --> 00:22:18.160
  • Jesus met the samaritan woman at the well?
  • 00:22:19.027 --> 00:22:22.130
  • He was talking to her about her eternal soul,
  • 00:22:22.130 --> 00:22:24.900
  • And he began to probe a little too closely to the heart
  • 00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:28.970
  • Of the matter about her own morality
  • 00:22:28.970 --> 00:22:31.907
  • And her marriage situation.
  • 00:22:31.907 --> 00:22:33.942
  • And so, she tried to distract jesus
  • 00:22:33.942 --> 00:22:35.944
  • With a theological question.
  • 00:22:35.944 --> 00:22:38.713
  • And she said, "you know, jesus, our fathers, the samaritans,
  • 00:22:38.713 --> 00:22:44.019
  • Said that the right mountain to worship on is mount gerizim.
  • 00:22:45.187 --> 00:22:49.024
  • And you say that the right place
  • 00:22:49.024 --> 00:22:51.560
  • To worship is on this mountain.
  • 00:22:51.560 --> 00:22:54.129
  • Which mountain is the correct mountain to worship on?"
  • 00:22:54.129 --> 00:22:56.898
  • Do you remember what jesus said?
  • 00:22:56.898 --> 00:22:59.034
  • Here's the jeffress paraphrase.
  • 00:22:59.034 --> 00:23:00.669
  • Lady, the hour is coming.
  • 00:23:00.669 --> 00:23:02.804
  • In fact, it's already here
  • 00:23:02.804 --> 00:23:04.606
  • When that doesn't make any difference at all.
  • 00:23:04.606 --> 00:23:08.176
  • And then he went on to say, "for god is what?
  • 00:23:08.176 --> 00:23:12.547
  • Spirit.
  • 00:23:12.547 --> 00:23:14.883
  • And those who worship him must worship him
  • 00:23:14.883 --> 00:23:17.519
  • In spirit and in truth."
  • 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:21.022
  • That's how we're to worship.
  • 00:23:21.623 --> 00:23:22.757
  • We're to worship god in spirit.
  • 00:23:22.757 --> 00:23:25.293
  • God can't be defined by a location
  • 00:23:25.293 --> 00:23:28.063
  • Or a tradition or an image.
  • 00:23:28.063 --> 00:23:30.465
  • God is a spirit.
  • 00:23:30.465 --> 00:23:31.600
  • Worship him as a transcendent spirit
  • 00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:34.135
  • And then worship him based on truth.
  • 00:23:34.135 --> 00:23:37.439
  • Make sure when you worship, the god you're worshiping
  • 00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:41.309
  • Is the god of the bible, the true god,
  • 00:23:41.309 --> 00:23:44.779
  • Not the god of your imagination.
  • 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:48.450
  • For jesus said, those kind of worshipers
  • 00:23:49.317 --> 00:23:52.621
  • The father is actively seeking.
  • 00:23:53.255 --> 00:23:57.025
  • ♪ music ♪
  • 00:23:57.359 --> 00:24:02.097
  • God, the one true god described in scripture
  • 00:24:03.031 --> 00:24:05.967
  • Is already deserving of our praise.
  • 00:24:05.967 --> 00:24:08.870
  • Our imaginative speculations can only take away
  • 00:24:08.870 --> 00:24:12.040
  • From his glory.
  • 00:24:12.040 --> 00:24:13.642
  • Well, like me, i'm sure you're deeply saddened
  • 00:24:13.642 --> 00:24:15.810
  • By the moral depravity in our country.
  • 00:24:15.810 --> 00:24:18.446
  • But the good news is that we can't delay the decay.
  • 00:24:18.446 --> 00:24:22.217
  • Would you be willing to join pathway to victory
  • 00:24:22.217 --> 00:24:24.419
  • In this all-out effort to bring light into the darkness?
  • 00:24:24.419 --> 00:24:28.023
  • Right now, your gift will be doubled through
  • 00:24:28.023 --> 00:24:30.392
  • The $1.5 million "in god we trust matching challenge."
  • 00:24:30.392 --> 00:24:35.697
  • Your generosity will help us expand our broadcast
  • 00:24:36.698 --> 00:24:38.934
  • And online reach, piercing the growing darkness
  • 00:24:38.934 --> 00:24:42.304
  • In our nation with the unchanging truth of god's word.
  • 00:24:42.304 --> 00:24:46.141
  • Now stay right there.
  • 00:24:46.141 --> 00:24:48.209
  • I'll be back with more pathway to victory in just a moment.
  • 00:24:48.209 --> 00:24:51.479
  • Most of us grew up seeing the 10 commandments posted
  • 00:24:51.479 --> 00:24:54.316
  • In our schools and courthouses.
  • 00:24:54.316 --> 00:24:56.384
  • So, why don't we seem
  • 00:24:56.384 --> 00:24:57.652
  • To follow those 10 commandments anymore?
  • 00:24:57.652 --> 00:25:00.322
  • In the 10, dr. robert jeffress shows us these ancient truths
  • 00:25:00.322 --> 00:25:04.426
  • Were not given to us to take away our freedom.
  • 00:25:04.426 --> 00:25:07.329
  • They were given to enhance our happiness
  • 00:25:07.329 --> 00:25:09.864
  • And to invite us into a deeper love relationship with god.
  • 00:25:09.864 --> 00:25:13.568
  • In a culture where moral confusion reigns,
  • 00:25:13.568 --> 00:25:16.571
  • Where what's right is wrong and what's wrong is right,
  • 00:25:16.571 --> 00:25:19.674
  • We desperately need to get back to the basics of morality.
  • 00:25:19.674 --> 00:25:23.378
  • And that's exactly what the 10 commandments help us do.
  • 00:25:23.378 --> 00:25:27.148
  • "the 10" by dr. robert jeffress.
  • 00:25:27.148 --> 00:25:29.851
  • A copy is yours today
  • 00:25:29.851 --> 00:25:31.252
  • When you give a generous gift to pathway to victory.
  • 00:25:31.252 --> 00:25:34.189
  • And when your ministry gift is $125 or more,
  • 00:25:34.189 --> 00:25:37.692
  • You'll receive not only the book,
  • 00:25:37.692 --> 00:25:39.561
  • But a personal and group study guide,
  • 00:25:39.561 --> 00:25:41.830
  • The 10 encouragement cards,
  • 00:25:41.830 --> 00:25:43.598
  • A colorful children's book called the 10 commandments
  • 00:25:43.598 --> 00:25:46.501
  • For kids and the complete series on dvd video
  • 00:25:46.501 --> 00:25:50.171
  • And audio disc.
  • 00:25:50.171 --> 00:25:51.506
  • You will never make it to heaven
  • 00:25:51.506 --> 00:25:53.508
  • By keeping the 10 commandments,
  • 00:25:53.508 --> 00:25:55.844
  • But you will have a much better life here on earth.
  • 00:25:55.844 --> 00:25:58.947
  • If you do, that is the promise that god is making.
  • 00:25:58.947 --> 00:26:02.484
  • For 30 years, pathway to victory
  • 00:26:02.484 --> 00:26:04.753
  • Has been sharing god's truth
  • 00:26:04.753 --> 00:26:06.421
  • With a world that needs it now more than ever.
  • 00:26:06.421 --> 00:26:09.324
  • And when you give today,
  • 00:26:09.324 --> 00:26:10.859
  • Your gift will be doubled in impact through the
  • 00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:13.561
  • "in god we trust matching challenge."
  • 00:26:13.561 --> 00:26:16.231
  • Thank you for helping us pierce the darkness
  • 00:26:16.231 --> 00:26:18.867
  • With the light of god's word.
  • 00:26:18.867 --> 00:26:21.770
  • ♪ music ♪
  • 00:26:21.770 --> 00:26:23.304
  • A.w. tozer said,
  • 00:26:23.304 --> 00:26:25.006
  • "what comes into our minds when we think about god
  • 00:26:25.006 --> 00:26:28.309
  • Is the most important thing about us."
  • 00:26:28.309 --> 00:26:31.279
  • And i hope your image of god is based on biblical truth,
  • 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:34.716
  • Not wishful thinking.
  • 00:26:34.716 --> 00:26:36.785
  • Well, a name has meaning,
  • 00:26:36.785 --> 00:26:38.586
  • Significance and implications for the future.
  • 00:26:38.586 --> 00:26:42.057
  • And next time we're going to see why god instructed us
  • 00:26:42.057 --> 00:26:44.859
  • To speak his name with the reverence he deserves.
  • 00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:48.997
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming next
  • 00:26:48.997 --> 00:26:50.865
  • In our series, "the ten."
  • 00:26:50.865 --> 00:26:53.568
  • It's not just about profanity.
  • 00:26:54.202 --> 00:26:56.638
  • It is about lifting up,
  • 00:26:56.638 --> 00:26:58.473
  • Using god's most holy name needlessly.
  • 00:26:58.473 --> 00:27:03.745
  • Today, we're going to look
  • 00:27:04.312 --> 00:27:05.480
  • At why god gives such a severe command
  • 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:08.717
  • And how to avoid experiencing the consequences
  • 00:27:08.717 --> 00:27:12.087
  • Of breaking that command.
  • 00:27:12.087 --> 00:27:14.622
  • Set your dvr and join us next time for the message,
  • 00:27:14.622 --> 00:27:17.692
  • "the third commandment: revere god's name,"
  • 00:27:17.692 --> 00:27:20.695
  • Here on pathway to victory.
  • 00:27:20.695 --> 00:27:20.695