SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN

This past week I was ready to proceed with a certain topic from Acts 8.

Just before I sat down to start composing the material, a news story came to my attention.

It was entitled “Taking Stock of Family Business.”

IF YOU WORK IN THE SECULAR WORLD, THE COMPANY WHICH EMPLOYS YOU PROBABLY HAS A “MISSION STATEMENT.”

Families are beginning to create mission statements.

In the article I mentioned, seven steps are listed to create your own mission statement.

This trend is growing among all age groups, but especially those who are in their 30’s.

People in this age bracket are, and this is a quote, “seeking guidance for the soul.”

Associated with family mission statements is something called “ethical wills.”

In these documents people leave behind “moral guidance” for others.

People who are now in their 30’s & 40’s are looking for a “North Star.”

That is, people are searching for guidance.

In the story I am citing (USA Today, 4/29/04, pp. 1-2d), a young couple is featured.

This husband and wife have a one year old child.

They have created a “mission statement” on how to raise their daughter.

I am not in a position to watch a lot of the natural trends.

Other people, however, are, and they seem to be coming to remarkable conclusions.

Ideas such as there are no moral absolutes leaves people empty.

There is a desire in the human heart for something beyond this life.

It is not enough to have good health, a good mate, and good kids.

We might have a great job, house, cars, and plenty of money in the bank.

Every physical desire can be met, but there is still a yearning for something else.

We know this because it is expressed in the Bible.

Back in Ex. 20 (the Ten Commandments), we find an interesting thought.

God told the Hebrews they could have “no other gods before Him.”

Why make that statement?

We may not know al the reasons, but this command implies that man is a worshipful being.

There is an in-born desire to look beyond ourselves for help and purpose.

Man is so desperate in this regard he will sometimes take almost unbelievable steps.

A little later in Ex. 20 (verse 23) God said this:

READ Ex. 20:23.

Doesn’t common sense suggest that a God made by our own hands is powerless?

Why make and then why worship such an object?

The answer has already been given. People want something above themselves.

In the Old Testament we can find about 60 reference to “other gods.”

The Hebrews were not the only ones who had an interest in other gods.

Judg. 10:6 reminds us of a small but important detail:

The Philistines had “gods” (plural).

The Moabites and Amonites had their gods as well.

There were gods for those in Sidon and Syria.

At times people have said gods were for the uneducated and ignorant.

2 Chron. 28:23 associates “gods” (plural) with “kings.”

What we find in the Old Testament is also seen in the New Testament.

As we read through the 27 books of the New Testament certain ideas keep recurring.

This is especially true in regard to sins.

One of the sins which we see again and again is idolatry.

If you would like to do something interesting, take out a concordance.

Look up “idol” in its various forms: idol, idols, idolatry, idolaters, etc.

You should find more than 30 places where this term is used in the New Testament.

We see this word again and again, but have we stopped to really consider it?

When the gospel was preached, scores of those who heard it were idolaters.

A great example of this is found in Acts 17;

Paul found some people and said they were “very religious.”

People had a strong desire to worship, and they served many idols.

Idolatry is such a popular theme in the New Testament because man wants to worship.

Human beings have a natural tendency to seek help and guidance.

Knowing this basic fact may help explain Simon’s success in Acts 8.

People believed in Simon the Sorcerer; they believed in him for a long time.

Why was Simon so appealing?

Masses may have given heed to him because he was like a god.

Those in Samaria said he was “the great power of God” (Acts 8:10).

Simon may not have been worshipped, but people wanted to believe in something and he was there.

SINCE MAN HAS THIS DESIRE, HOW SHOULD IT BE ADDRESSED?

When Solomon came to the end of Ecclesiastes he made a simple declaration.

He said he had a chance to see what life was all about.

He had blessed in so many ways and experienced pleasure upon pleasure.

When he thought through his experiences and life, he penned the “bottom line.”

His summary of life was “fear God and keep His commandments.”

If I were to put that in more modern terms—2004 terminology—it would be this.

People today are looking for a “north star.” Solomon said that star is God.

People want a “mission statement” for their families.

Solomon said that statement has already been written.

This mission statement is perfect and it is ideal for every person no matter what our family situation.

We have what people are searching for.

Someone might be thinking, “Well, America is the land of churches.”

“Many already worship somewhere so they will not want to listen to us.”

I am going to turn back to the article I referenced one more time.

A 30 year old Matthew, along with his wife, are creating a “list of principles to live by.”

This man is not intellectually challenged.

According to the article, he is pursuing a Master’s Degree in education at Harvard.

His statement “involves faith, in that God is at the root of all our relationships.”

This is a direct quote from him, and we probably do not see anything too odd about it.

Consider this additional quote from him:

“It’s not like our religion requires it.”

This man has a “Christian” religious faith which does not have God at the heart of life.

He has a faith, but is not the kind of faith described in the Bible.

If it were, he would need a mission statement.

Neither would he say what he did about the place where he attends.

We have a nation full of churches, but those who attend are empty.

People are being fed on shuffleboard instead of scripture;

Ice cream socials instead of immersion in the Word of God;

And games instead of the gospel.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EVANGELISM WE DO NOT OFTEN EMPHASIZE THE POINT BEING MADE TONIGHT.

Perhaps we can think of evangelism in a new way.

Imagine a house that has no windows.

The owners of that house will want to remedy that situation.

They will be looking for windows.

A day will come when they buy windows.

If it is in the summer, they may not be in the greatest hurry, but they will one day buy.

When windows are put in that house, the family may not be too particular.

As long as that opening is sealed with a window, many are satisfied.

People are like houses without windows; they want that space to be filled.

Somehow and some day that void will be addressed.

Jesus did not believe that any old religion was enough.

He didn’t gave satisfactory marks the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees.

He didn’t endorse idolatry and the various pagan religions.

After Christianity was instituted, Judaism was no longer acceptable.

He insisted that people worship in spirit and truth (Jn. 4:24).

Our job as Christians is to really two-fold.

We first need to see our need for God and His word in our lives.

We need to use the Bible as our North Star and do exactly what Solomon said.

Then we search out others, and we will generally find that people are in 1 of two camps.

There are those who see that void in their lives and they want it filled.

Others have bought a bad window and they need help finding the truth.

God has made the task of evangelism a little easier by putting a special desire in the heart of people.

In Acts 8 we see that desire so well.

People wanted to believe in something.

For a time they had been mislead, but then discovered and obeyed the truth.