Idol Sheep

I figured my first post on this blog could be about the sermon I will preach this week. I call it "Idol Sheep" from John 10:1-10.

I am setting up a contrast between an idol and an icon. According to my teacher's teacher, Jean-Luc Marion in "God Without Being" an idol is something that reflects ourselves. An idol is like a mirror. However, an icon reflects its Creator, something we cannot master, because it reflects God.

I will talk about the false shepherds and stranger in this passage, and how often by idolizing characters on the Disney Channel, High School Musical, Hannah Montana, or whomever... we make them our false shepherd and stranger. When we try to BE that character or REFLECT that character, we make them an idol and look like an idol ourselves.

If you're worried my kids will not get the difference between thinking the Disney Channel IS bad and idolizing the Disney Channel is bad... I have a plan to take care of this. I am going to talk about donuts. Donuts are so good. Donuts are awesome actually. But if I try to clothe myself in glaze, roll around, and try to BE a donut, that is bad. It is the same with famous people. When we try to BE them and REFLECT them, this is bad. This is idolatry.

However, Jesus was the perfect Icon. He knew the will of the Father and was ready to lay down his life (or what he wanted) for what God wanted, for the sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd and the gate. The voice of our shepherd calls us to LIVE as icons and not BE idols or MAKE others idols. Famous people are not our gate, they cannot save us. Only Jesus can do this.

The Prayer Inside Bulletin Will Read: "Lord Jesus, You reflected the Creator God and not any idols the world had to offer you. You were ready to lay down what you wanted for what God wanted. Help us not to be a reflection of how we see ourselves, what we wish we were, or what we see in famous people. But help us to be like you, a reflection of the Creator God, someone beyond ourselves in the way we give up what we want for what you want. Amen."

And our discussion questions will be: 1. How have we made famous people an idol in the ways we try to BE them or try to REFLECT them? 2. How should we look at famous people? 3. How do our lives look a whole lot like an idol in the way we only reflect ourselves and not our Creator God? 4. What are some ways Jesus reflected His Creator God? 5. How can we reflect our Creator God?