LESSON8
IDOLSWENEVERKNEWWEHAD— RELIGION
Perhapsthemostpristine-lookingofidols themostseeminglyoutwardlyGodpleasing istheidolofreligion.
Now,we’regoingtohavetomakeacleardistinctionoftermsheresothatthere’sno confusion.We’lldefine religion asthebeliefoftheworld andthebeliefofthe humanheartinitsnaturalstate thathumanbeingscanmakethemselvesright withGodiftheydotherightthings.We’lldefine gospel astheessentialopposite,the beliefthathumanbeingsCANNOTmakethemselvesrightwithGodbutthatGod descendedtohumanityintheformofJesusand,throughthegiftofgraciouslove foundinJesus’sacrifice,HEmadehumanbeingsrightwithGod.
Inreligion,humanbeingsgotoGod.Inthegospel,Godcomestohumanbeings ReligionisaboutwhatIdo.ThegospelisaboutwhatJesusdid.Religionsaysthat someareborn,oreventuallybecome,eithergoodorbad.Thegospelsayswe’re bornbad,butJesusisgood,soourfutureisgood.
It’salittledifficultforChristianstodaytounderstandthat,properly,Christianity shouldnotbelabeledasa“religion.”Theworldcategorizesusassimplyanother beliefsystemthatpossessescertaincommonspiritualthemesandpractices.But whenChristianityfirstarose,itwasrecognizedsoclearlyanduniquelyasa nonreligion.TheChristianshadnotemple,andtheyhadnopriestssacrificingno animalsatthisnonexistenttemple.Jesushimselfwasthelogicalconclusiontoeach ofthosereligiouscustoms(seeColossians2:16,17).Thislackofformalcustomwas absolutelyconfoundingtoboththepagansandthesuper-religiousJewishmoralists alike.
Luke 15:11-32
11Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all that he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his wealth with reckless living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in © 2016 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.
that country, and he began to be in need. 15He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16He would have liked to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, and I am dying from hunger! 18I will get up, go to my father, and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
20“He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, hugged his son, and kissed him.
21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate, 24because this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
25“His older son was in the field. As he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
27The servant told him, ‘Your brother is here! Your father killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.
29“He answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I’ve been serving you, and I never disobeyed your command, but you never gave me even a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours arrived after wasting your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
31“The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ ”
Note: This parable is actually the last of three parables Jesus teaches in Luke chapter 15. In each of the prior parables, we find someone going out to search for what was lost. This individual who is passionately seeking the lost is curiously, and intentionally, missing in this final parable.
1. ThisparableishistoricallyknownasTheParableoftheLostSonorTheProdigal Son.Accordingtoverse11,whyisthatanunfortunatelyinaccuratetitle?What wouldbeabettertitle?WhydoyouthinkEnglishtranslatorsoftheBiblehave beeninclinedtonametheparablethewaytheyhave(hint:howdopeople generallydefine sin)?
2. ReadLuke15:1,2.WhatwastheoccasionthatpromptedJesus’teachingofthe parablesinthischapter?Doyouthinkhewastryingtohelphisaudiencebecome moremoralthroughthesestories?Whatdoesthistellyouaboutthepurposeof theparables?
Luke 15:1–2 (EHV)
15 All the tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3. Whatwere both brothersinitiallylookingforfromthefather?Howwerethey goingdowntwodifferent,yetsimilar,pathstogetit?Whatdoesthisteachus aboutthetwodifferentwaysthathumanscanbedistantfromGod?
4. ManyBiblecommentatorssuggestthatthebanquetwiththefatherattheendof theparableisrepresentativeofsalvation.Jesusendsthestorywiththeyounger brotheratthefeastandtheolderbrotherstandingoutside.Thiswould undoubtedlyhavebeenprovocative,shocking,andoffensivetothePharisees whowouldhaveclearlyunderstoodthepointJesuswasmaking.Inwhatsense mightyousaythat,eventoday,olderbrothertypesareactuallyfartheraway fromGodthanyoungerbrothertypes?
5 Jesus’ministryseemedtoattractmanyofthetaxcollectorsandprostitutes(the moraldregsofsociety)andtorepelthePharisees.Ifourchurchesareattracting morePhariseesthantaxcollectors,whatmustweaskourselves?
6. Rereadverses18,19.Statetheyoungerbrother’sthree-tieredplantogetbackin withhisfather.Notice,whenhetriedtomakethisstatementtothefather,the father,whohadrunouttomeethim,cuthimoffafterhissecondpoint.What doesthistellusaboutourentranceintoGod’sfamily?
7. HowdoesJesusfitintothisparable?Hint:What should theolderbrotherhave beeneagertodo?
BONUS MATERIAL
1. Whathappensifchurchesonlyencouragepeopletorepentofyoungerbrother sins(sinsofself-indulgence)andnotofolderbrothersins(sinsofselfrighteousness)?
2. TheUnitedStateshasrecentlyseenahistoricallyunprecedenteddeclinein youngadultsinvolvedinchurches.Doesthisparableofferanyinsightsaboutthis phenomenon?
Read Galatians 4:1-11.
4 What I am saying is this: As long as the heir is a young child, he is no different from a slave. Although he is owner of everything, 2he is still under guardians and managers until the day set by his father. 3So also, when we were younger children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, 5in order to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons. 6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to shout, “Abba, Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if you are a son, then you are also an heir of God through Christ.
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, why are you turning back again to the basic principles that are weak and miserable? Do you want to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You carefully observe days, months, seasons, and years. 11I am fearful about you, that somehow my labor for you was wasted.
3. WhatwordsinthistexthighlightthefactthatourrightrelationshipwithGodis entirelybygrace,notbyworks?
4. Sometimeswe’renotonlyfreetopartfromformer“religious”practices,butwe MUSTdepartfromthem.AccordingtotheapostlePaul,whymightthatbe?
Read Judges 6:25-32.
25On that same night the Lord said to him, “Take a bull from your father’s herd of cattle, the second bull, the one that is seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal. Then cut down the Asherah pole that is next to it. 26In its place, build an altar to the Lord your God in the proper way, on top of this stronghold. Then take the second bull and send up a burnt offering using the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.
27So Gideon took ten of his servants and carried out the word of the Lord. Yet because he was too afraid of the household of his father and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.
28When the men of the city got up early in the morning, they were surprised to see that the altar of Baal had been thrown down, the Asherah pole next to it had been cut down, and the second bull was being offered up as a sacrifice upon the altar that had been built there.
29The people were asking each other, “Who did this?” They searched and investigated until they concluded, “Gideon son of Joash did this.”
30So the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he broke down the altar of Baal and because he cut down the Asherah pole next to it.”
31But Joash said to all those who opposed him, “Will you contend for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever contends for him will be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself if someone broke down his altar.” 32From that day on they called Gideon “Jerubbaal,” saying, “Let Baal contend with him, if he broke down his altar.”
5. GideonwascommandedbyGodtodestroyhisfather’sreligiouspractices altarstoBaalandAsherah.Howdidthepeoplereacttothis(v.30)?Whydo religious peoplegetsoadamantabout forms ofworship?
6. HowdidJoashprovethatthepeopleweremoreconcernedaboutthemselves thanGodorgods(v.31)?SinceGodhasgiventheChristianchurchtremendous freedominworship,whatisultimatelybehindmostargumentsoverworship styles?
FURTHER PERSONAL TESTS FOR THE IDOL OF RELIGION
DoyoueverfeeluncertainaboutthestatusofyourrelationshipwithGod?
Areyouoftenanxious,worried,andstrugglingwithfeelingsofpersonal condemnation?
Doyoufrequentlycondemnothers,especiallyonthebasisofissuesthatareneither commandednorcondemnedinScripture?
Doyoufeellikeyourlifeonlyhasvaluewhenyouarefaithfullyadheringtoyour religion’smoralcodesandaccomplishingitsrecommendedactivities?