“Sorry Substitutes”
Jeremiah 2
Sermon Series: “The Gospel, Volume 2”
Introduction: Romans 11:36-12:1 says, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” These verses show us that we are worshipping anything that we give glory, dedication, sacrifice, or service. Everybody is a worshipper. It is only a question of what we are worshipping. Worship of anything other than the one true God is idolatry, which ends us being harmful to us.
Main Idea: Anything we put in the place of Jesus is a sorry substitute. Why is this true?
1. Sorry substitutes ignore the goodness of God (v. 1-8). God created us, sustains and takes care of us, and ultimately loves us so much that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came and died for us. We ignore and demean His goodness when we worship other things.
2. Sorry substitutes give glory to a false god instead of the real one (v. 9-12). God is glorious and created us to give Him glory. It is an affront to Him to give that glory to another.
3. Sorry substitutes leave us unsatisfied (v. 13). John 4:13-14 says, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
4. Sorry substitutes end up bringing pain into our lives (v. 14-19). They promise pleasure but bring pain and slavery.
5. Sorry substitutes cannot save us (v. 20-28). Only Jesus can! A Savior is what we really need. Jesus truly satisfies us.
