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By David Miers

 

Well-known philosopher Woody Allen says: “You can’t ride two horses with one bum.”  Even better known Saviour of the world Jesus says:  “You can’t serve two masters.”

You can’t do either.

You can’t ride two horses with one bum.

You can’t serve two masters.  Jesus says that you will either love one and hate the other or be devoted to one and despise the other.

A Christian is someone who turns away from serving other masters to serve the living and true God—Jesus.

On PHAT over the last two years we have been learning about how to turn from a number of idols that are common to teenagers.

More important than the idols that we are turning from, is what we are turning to, and why we are doing it.

Why turn away from idols to serve Jesus?  Because Jesus is supreme!!  Jesus is the true and living God.  Jesus is our creator.  Jesus is our redeemer.

The big question we asked through the night talks on PHAT 2006 and PHAT 2007 was:  WHO WILL BE YOUR GOD?

The following is a recap of the idols that will compete for out attention in life.  Below each idol is a verse that help us to think through who our God will be.  I hope this is a helpful refresher.

1. IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT ME: turning from the idol of SELF

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Cor 5:15)

2. SERVING ONE MASTER: turning from the idol of STUFF

No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt 6:24)

3. PLEASING GOD: turning from the idol of SEX

We instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. (1 Thess 4:1)

4. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE: turning from the idol of SELEBRITY

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on eathly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:1-4)

5. GODLINESS LASTS 4EVA: turning from the idol of SPORT

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
(1 Timothy 4:8)

6. DON’T LOVE THE WORLD: turning from the idol of SUCCESS

Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.  (1 John 2:15-17)

Who will be your God?

Self?
Stuff?
Sex?
Selebrity?
Sport?
Success?

Or Jesus?

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul speaks about how the church in Thessalonica has become well known because of the way that they responded to Jesus.

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1 Thess 1:9-10)

How did they respond to Jesus?

Turn.
Serve.
Wait.

They TURNED away from their idols, to SERVE the living and true God and are WAITING for Jesus to return.

I would love our youth group to be a place well-known for having many teenagers on the Central Coast turn away from false idols to serve the true and living God—JESUS—our Risen King who rescues us from the penalty we deserve.

Who are you serving?

Let me urge you to see that you can only have one master.  Will it be Jesus?  Or some other second place substitute?

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Worship Jesus.
Let Jesus be #1.