Sermons
Delusions Of Grandeur
Series: Joy RobbersDELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / January 13, 2019
We've heard the word AUTONOMY used quite a bit today.
Engineers have introduced autonomous vehicles (cars & trucks and drones and even spacecraft & high-tech planes).
Some government entities want to bend the constitution as they fight for autonomy (e.g. sanctuary cities and states).
From the days of our nation's early beginnings we as Americans have always held this word close to our hearts.
Our country was born with the argument that we didn't need King George to tell us how to conduct our business.
The word autonomy has its roots is a compound Greek word (auto) + (nomos), which means SELF-GOVERNING.
Self-care is a big industry and this is a good thing.
Educators are highly trained in instructing us to live independently.
Therapists work diligently to help us rehab and regain control after a stroke so that we can do for ourselves.
Surely we're all aware of the numerous exhortations in Scripture to cultivate self-control and self-discipline.
After all, is it not one of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Gal.5:23; one of the Christian virtues found in 2Pet.1:6?
From many vantage points, autonomy is a noble goal.
The ultimate goal of parenting is to prepare our children to be autonomous: first roots and then wings.
For us Christians, the “rub” in all of this comes when we lay two concepts side by side.
Two words define our struggle: kyriotes (Lordship) and autonomia (living by our own rules).
It is this tension (or rub) that I want to speak about this morning.
If we are not careful we can become hoodwinked and misguided by this seemingly good concept of autonomy.
Our Bibles open with the account of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
The temptation posed by Satan and man's subsequent fall is clearly encapsulated
in the dialogue that we encounter in the language of Gen.3:1-5.
Now the serpent was more crafty that any beast of the field which the Lord had made.
And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden.”
And the woman said to the serpent, 'Form the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat: but from the
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said', “You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.”
And the serpent said to the woman, 'you surely shall not die! For God knows that in the day
you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'
We all know how this exchange ended.
Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan's temptation and were cast out of the garden (Gen.3:22-24).
This sort of autonomy was not only the ORIGINAL sin but the ONGOING sin found in the world. Man's rebellion against God and his refusal to allow God to be God is the fundamental problem of the universe - - one which Jesus came to remedy.
This topic feeds directly into our sermon series on Job Robbers.
As we discussed last Sunday, SIN is the biggest of all Joy Robbers - -
more than people, more than circumstances, more than worry, more than possessions.
Furthermore, it is not a stretch to say that the sin of of autonomy is the biggest and worst of them all.
We could rightly refer to the sin of autonomy as the “mother of all sins”.
It is impossible to measure the heartache and discontent (the fleecing of joy) that has been brought on by autonomy.
If you want to ruin your life, there's no better way than to work from the premise that YOU know what's best.
The Old Testament book of Judges ends saying (Judg.21:25) - -
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
I have stored up in my heart (and I hope you do as well) many passages of Scripture that are so foundational.
One of the best gifts you can give your children is to have them memorize these verses at a very early age.
In 2Tim.3:15-17 Paul admonishes Timothy with these words - -
From childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be completely furnished, equipped for every good work.
These are what we might call AAA passages - - ancient, anti-autonomy citations.
<> Prov.14:12 (and 16:25) / There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
<> Prov.3:5-8 / Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge HIM, and He will make your paths strait.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
It will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. i.e., JOY
<> Ps.37:3-4 / Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
<> Josh.1:8 / This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on
it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;
for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
<> Jer.10:23 / I know, O Lord, that a man's way is not in himself; Nor is it in man who walks to direct his (own) steps.
<> Jn.15:5 / Being the Master Teacher, Jesus spoke these words - - I AM the vine, you are the branches;
he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
These sacred writings, along with a slew of others, can serve as a balance against the best education.
You heard me right, I said, AGAINST the best education.
Education is a wonderful tool. I wish I had more of it.
But any education that is not anchored with Scriptures like these we've mentioned will prove counterproductive.
We've all met well-educated youths and adults who have ended up being too smart for their own good.
Through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord addresses this very idea in Jer.9:23-24 - -
Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast
of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts, boast of this,
that he understands and knows ME, that I AM THE LORD who exercises lovingkindness,
justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the Lord.
Babylon was one of the chief enemies of the children of Israel.
It all began with the tower of Babel. Gen.11:4 records - - Come, let us build for ourselves a city,
and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name...
Years ago, I heard Nathan Cope say to his younger sister Kristen,
“Kristen - - the world does not “survive” around YOU.” Typically the expression is “revolve” around you.
Even though God thwarted Babylon's goals early on, a re-constituted Babylon continued to be fixated on autonomy.
God sent another prophet named Isaiah to deliver a final verdict to ancient Babylon.
Homer Hailey has written: “The Babylon of Chaldea, characterized by the same spirit (as in Gen.11:4),
symbolized the cruelty and haughtiness of man without God, the pride of man when left to his own devices.”
In Isa.14 Isaiah dealt with the arrogant boast and fall of the Babylonian king.
In Isa.46, God revealed His divine judgment against the idols of Babylon.
In Isa.47:1ff, God speaks to the Queen of Babylon.
He tells this once-regaled queen that she is soon to become like a slave girl.
Vs.5 / Sit silently and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you will be no more be called the queen of kingdoms.
Vs.7-10/ Yet you said, 'I shall be a queen forever.” These things you did not consider, nor remember the
outcome of them. Now, then, hear this, you sensual one, who dwell securely, who says in your heart,
'I am, and there is no one besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know loss of children.'
But these things two things shall come on you suddenly in one day: loss of children and widowhood.
They shall come on you in full measure in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the great power of your spells,
And you felt secure in your wickedness and said, 'No one sees me,' YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE,
THEY HAVE DELUDED YOU; FOR YOU HAVE SAID IN YOUR HEART, 'I AM AND THERE IS NO ONE BESIDES ME.'
We can mark this down!
No one says, “I am!” to the GREAT I AM and gets away with it!
When and if we ever reach a point where we think we're in control, we have gotten way too big for our britches.
In and of ourselves we are not all that!
The only thing that makes us special and exceptional is that we are a people for God's own possession (1Pet.2:9).
As the apostle Paul reminds us, WE are not our own, we have been bought with a price (1Cor.6:20).
In another one of his epistles (Rom.12:3a), Paul says very strongly - - Through the grace given to me
I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of yourselves than you ought to think...
Let me close with a brief postscript.
In our fellowship we are often quick to point out that the churches of Christ are autonomous.
I've taught this, but I must admit that the older I get the more I cringe at this note.
Many of our congregations emphasize this very point on the websites.
In context this term is meant to teach that we do not have “headquarters”.
i.e., that we do not have some governing body that dictates doctrine and edicts to all of our churches.
But the truth is we are not autonomous - - all of us are under God's leadership.
Christ is THE HEAD of the body, the church...HE has first place n everything (Col.1:18).
CHRIST is the HEAD over all rule and authority (Col.2:11).
The sooner we can come to terms with these truths, the better off we will be.
We are the clay, ALMIGHTY GOD IS THE POTTER!
We have a name for children who think they are in charge - - “Little BRATS”.
The etymology of that word “brat” likely comes from the coarse garments often worn by children in time past.
The best way to avoid being viewed as a “brat” in the eyes of God is to clothe ourselves with humility.
We must be humble in heart towards others, but also and most importantly, towards GOD.
We all have family and friends who have come to view themselves as atheists or agnostics.
They claim to have studied themselves out of believing in God.
As my wife is quick to point out most if not all of these decisions are moral and not intellectual.
While we love such family and friends, we cannot eradicate God's commentary on their position.
The FOOL had said in his heart, 'This is no God.'
I close with words from the 100th Psalm (Ps.100:3) - -
Know that THE LORD HIMSELF IS GOD;
It is HE who made us, and now we ourselves.
We are HIS people and the sheep of HIS pasture.
