Learning to be a Community of Worship (2)
“Keep your lives
free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has
said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’
So we can say
with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone
do to me?’” --Hebrews 13:5-6
I. Required readings
Psalm 99
Matthew 7:21-29
Mark 8:34-37
Luke 18:18-30
1 Timothy 6:6-11
Christian Biography for the Day: J. S. Bach
Casting Crowns, “American Dream” Lyrics Audio File
(Audio file in Angel under Course Resources)
Mark Driscoll on Idolatry in America (2 minute YouTube video)
"The Magnificent Obsession," Anita Kelly Couch
(See Copyright Material folder under Resources in Angel)
“The Gospel of Consumption vs. the Gospel of the Kingdom”
II. Quotation for the
day
"Whatever a man seeks, honors, or exalts more than God, this is the god of idolatry."
--William Ullathorne
III. Journal prompts
1. In what ways do the scripture passages for today illuminate the issue of right worship and the ever-present dangers of idolatry?
2. It's easy to assure ourselves that we're don't engage in idolatry because we don't regularly bow down to golden statues. But as Mark Driscoll suggests in the video above, it's always easier to see someone else's idolatry than it is to see our own. In addition to the helpful questions asked in the Couch article above, here are a few more questions to ask yourself that might help uncover some of those things in your life that might be potential idols:
If an outsider were to look at my life, what would he or she say is the center of it, that around which everything else is ordered?
For what in my life do I make regular sacrifices? (Sacrifices of time, money, energy, etc.)
What or who in my life can I not imagine living without?
What or whom am I willing to die for? To kill for?
3. The rest of the readings for today (as well as the image above) reminds us of some of the subtle (and some of the not-so-subtle) forms of idolatry that surround us. If nothing else, the readings for last time and today are an important reminder that even good gifts from God can become idols—even in the hands of well-meaning Christians. As you think about the shape of your own life, where is the temptation to idolatry most obviously present? As you reflect on this more deeply in light of our readings, where are the places where idolatry might be more subtly present?
IV. Links of possible
interest
“Affluenza.org” A site which does a very good job of showing
how “affluenza” affects nearly every aspect of our lives.
Does the US Really Need More Consumption? A thoughtful blog from the
Harvard Business Review that calls into question the conventional
wisdom that increased consumer spending is necessarily good for the economy.
Artist Justine Cooper has put her talents to fascinating and provocative (and humorous) use by creating a mock ad campaign for a drug called HAVIDOL. You can view the full mock site here.
"German Grandmother Lives Money-Free and Has Never Been Happier." An interesting article and accompanying video that encourages us to consider our relationship to money. Most of us couldn't lives without money, but could we live with less money and stuff? Might we be happier?
John Ikerd, “In Pursuit of Happiness: The Cost of Prosperity and the Future of Agriculture.” An article that invites us to see some important but less-than-obvious connections.