1. WELCOME TO THE ASSEMBLY OF THE VEGAS DRIVE CHURCH OF CHRIST! Please silence electronic devices so as to avoid distractions and interruptions. If you are visiting, please fill out a visitor card. Don’t forget to take a copy of this week’s bulletin! Our next assembly is Wednesday at 7 PM. Our Gospel Meeting with evangelist John Robertson is May 1-6.

2. What was the leading cause of God’s people falling away in the Old Testament? Not sexual immorality Not murder, not selfishness, not lying Not any of the “seven deadly sins” There was one sin that would jeopardize their status as God’s chosen people and invoke God’s wrath…

3. IDOLATRY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY

4. Idolatry in the Old Testament Forbidden in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-5) Golden calf (Exodus 32) Joshua’s challenge (Joshua 24:14-20) Idolatry in the period of Judges (Judges 2:11-15) Solomon’s idolatry (1 Kings 11:4-11) Northern kingdom’s idolatry (2 Kings 17:6-18) Southern kingdom’s idolatry (2 Kings 23:26-27)

5. IDOLATRY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY Idolatry in the New Testament Paul preached to pagans in Athens (Acts 17:16-32) Silversmiths who made idol-worship stuff opposed Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19) Gentiles converted from paganism to Christ (Acts 17:33-34) Thessalonians turned away from idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9) Saints throughout Asia put idolatry behind them (1 Peter 4:3) Idolatry is a sin with severe consequences No inheritance in God’s kingdom for idolaters (Ephesians 5:5) Idolatry invokes the wrath of God (Colossians 3:5-6) Idolatry is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) Idolatry causes many to fall away (1 Corinthians 10:7)

6. IDOLATRY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY New Testament doctrine on idolatry (Matthew 4:10; John 17:3) Gentile Christians told to abstain from things sacrificed to idols (Acts 15:29) Churches in Pergamum and Thyatira condemned for idolatry (Revelation 2) Don’t be deceived: idolatry can still be a problem for us today! 1 John 5:21 “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.” Modern idolatry Not based on false gods with powers over nature Does not necessarily involve wooden or metal images Idolatry of the heart: worship of people and things

7. IDOLATRY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY Some forms of modern idolatry Worship of money (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5) Worship of another person (a hero) (Acts 12:21-23) Worship of fictional characters even! Do we bring it into the assembly of the saints? Jesus drove out the moneychangers (Mark 11:15-17) We owe God our full & undivided attention Lest we provoke God to jealousy and incur His wrath (1 Corinthians 10:22) 1 John 5:21 “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”

8. IDOLATRY: YESTERDAY AND TODAY Is there something in your life that consumes more of your attention, time, resources, and passion than the One True God? Does something stand between you and Jesus Christ? Won’t you do something about it, and put away the idols of the heart?