Four Questions - OK Five

A great Sunday at Parrish. Attendance was good for both services and Bible Classes despite severe weather and allergies. Worship both times was uplifting as Ryan Mullinax lead us in singing Sun AM and his dad, Keith lead our worship Sunday evening. Ryan is one of our great young adults at Parrish, he was a teen at Oakman High School when we moved here a decade ago. Now as a young father of two (about to be three), a high school science teacher, baseball coach, and football coach, he is also a leader at Parrish. Ryan and Britney are a great asset to our church family.

Sunday mornings sermon consisted of four questions and a fifth one as a concluding thought. Here are the questions along with a thought about each one:

1. Who do you love? That question seems simple enough. Since I asked this in a sermon, you know the answer was God, Christ, Church, or maybe your spouse. But then again, there are other things that we love. Answer question number 2 to really see who you love?
2. What is your focus? Paul says in 2 Cor 4:18 that the things that are seen are transient, and the unseen things are eternal. John says the world and its desires are passing away (1 Jn 2:17). Stop for a moment, what do you spend most of your time doing? Do you focus on entertainment, business, sports, family, or self? What you spend time with is your focus, and I dare say your focus on what or who you love. Who you love and what you focus on determines your answer to question three:
   
3. Who (what) do you worship? One definition of an idol is anything that takes the place of God in our priorities. In modern western culture we can list a few idols quickly: entertainment, self, money, sexuality, and sports. That last one even has temples (stadiums), high priests (star athletes), vestments (uniforms), congregants/devotees (fans), and rituals (music, seventh inning stretch, etc.) Who do you worship?
4. Now, what will we do? James says to put away the things of the world (Jas 4:4-10) and to flee from the devil and cling to God. Can I put away my idol(s)? Will I?

Joshua challenged Israel with the following words, "choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Josh 24:15) -- The fifth question is: What is your choice?