Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sone jottings on a sermon by Rico Tice on Exodus 32



All Souls, Langham Place

We have other more subtle sacred cows!

(1)   What motivates idolatry?

V1 - insecurity

They gather round Aaron, justle him, physical threat

Idolatry is an attempt to establish our own security
Where do we look for security and reassurances, identity and safety?

(2)   What characterises idolatry? How is it expressed? What is it’s essential quality?

Vv2-5 – idolatry involves the abuse of the imagination

Little boy painting God
But teacher says, “no one knows what God looks like”
Boy: “Well, they will when I’ve finished!”

Intended to be an image of Yahweh, a way of worshiping the true God

Breaking the 2nd commandment not the 1st
“I think God is…”
“The God I believe in…”
“My God would never send anyone to hell…”

We must submit to God’s revelation of himself, not just have our opinions
Real theology is the science of Biblical study not the art of religious invention and theological imaginings
Christianity is a declared, revealed religion, it is given to us from above, not made up by us
Our conscience is bound by the Word of God

We must allow God to tell us what he is like

(3)   The consequences of idolatry

V6 – a breakdown of moral order
Without the true God, true morality goes out of the window
Who says so?

(4)   The response to idolatry (from Moses)

(i)                 V11 – prayer – intercession
The one man Moses turned by judgement from his nation by praying

(ii)               V15 – indignation

We too easily put up with things when we ought to get angry for the sake of God’s honour

(iii)             Vv31-32 – identification, compassion, Moses loves the Israelites
He’d rather see himself perish than see them be destroyed

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