Preached February 20, 2008 at Longview Missionary Baptist Church
I am a both/and kind of guy. Do you want cookies or pie? That is an either/or question. My preference is both cookies and pie. That’s part of my problem.
America is both/and when it comes to spirituality. There is a blending and melting pot effect among religious world views. For example, there are Christian Yoga groups. Nothing wrong with having a group formed around some affinity like biking or hiking. But Yoga is an eastern religious practice. It has been brought into our culture through New Ageism neo-paganism. Yet some Christians want to blend the two. They argue they are only embracing the stretching exercises and not the mysticism associated with it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. It is kind of like going through Muslim purification rituals, wearing robes and turbans, assuming the posture of Muslim prayer including bowing toward Mecca, and then saying “Oh, well I’m really praying to Jesus.”
In America, one of the celebrated values is relativism– the idea that we can all just get along and we can swirl beliefs and practices together, just so long as no one gets too serious about their faith publically.
We hear this all the time in the media. New Age, Paganism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are all viable options set next to Christianity. Then of course there are the purely secular religions of humanism and materialism. Humanism and materialism have done more to infiltrate and corrupt Christianity than anything else.
Religious pluralism and religious relativism are great temptations we face. The pressure to compromise is enormous.
Elijah is confronting Israelites who had compromised. They had not totally abandoned Yahweh (at least in their minds). But at the same time they had at least tolerated and at worst embraced Baal worship.
Dale Ralph Davis explains why the Israelites had fallen into spiritual compromise:
1. It carried the appeal of royal sanction. Jezebel was a devout Baal and Asherah worshiper. She hosted 850 heathen priests in the palace. It was en vogue and stylish.
2. There was an appeal to tradition and history. It was culturally relevant. They moved into Canaan, where Baal was worshiped before they arrived.
3. Baal worship offered an appeal of relevance, an ability to touch felt needs. Baal was believed to send forth lightning, fire, and rain. He gave grain, oil, and wine. He could revive the dead, heal the sick, and give you a child.
Note how similar 9th century Israel and 21st century America are.
1. Religious pluralism is the rage. Alternate religious philosophies are celebrated and embraced. The religions of humanism and materialism are the chief means of worship. (Isn’t the government after all sending you a rebate check to help stimulate the economy. Go and spend it. Worship at the altars of Walmart, Best Buy, Sears and Dillards).
2. Cultural diversity is the mantra of our society, especially in the field of education. Children are indoctrinate to numerous religious practices from a variety of cultures, all in the name of diversity. While it is good to learn and know about other cultures, in many places, it has moved beyond mere education and information to discipleship.
3. Pragmatism is the name of the game. What ever we need to do get ahead and gain advantage.
Elijah, standing on Mount Carmel nearly 3000 years ago, poses a question we need today: “How long will we waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him. If not, follow someone else.
We will worship someone or something. That much is certain. All people are religious people. We have an innate desire and compulsion to worship someone or something. Even atheists have a religion. They may not worship God, but they worship something, whether it is science, or reason, or humanity, or self.
We have room in our hearts to serve only one god. There is not space for two or more. Even in polytheistic religions, one god is worshiped as supreme. At the pinnacle of your heart, where there is room for only one and nothing else, what resides there? That is your chief god. That is your supreme god you serve.
We are called to commit to the one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God who sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It is Him or someone else. That is the choice. We can go on pretending we are serving him all the while we have competing allegiances. But God will suffer no rivals. And it is impossible to set another along side him.
Elijah’s call echos in our ears today. Who are you committed to? Who are you serving? Where do your loyalties lie? It may be easier if there are many who join with us in serving the Lord. But we must commit to serve the one true God even if no one else will.
Who are you serving? Commit to the Lord.
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