{"id":1020,"date":"2018-06-24T17:37:33","date_gmt":"2018-06-25T00:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1020"},"modified":"2018-07-11T14:39:42","modified_gmt":"2018-07-11T21:39:42","slug":"idols-we-never-knew-we-had-the-idol-of-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2018\/06\/24\/idols-we-never-knew-we-had-the-idol-of-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Idols We Never Knew We Had&#8211; The Idol of Love!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:DoNotPromoteQF\/>   <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US<\/w:LidThemeOther>   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\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; \tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} <\/style>\n\n <![endif]--><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1020-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Pentecost-5-06-24-18.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/FILELINK?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Pentecost-5-06-24-18.mp3\">http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Pentecost-5-06-24-18.mp3<\/a><\/audio>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">June 24, 2018<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Genesis 29:14b-35<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Idols We Never Knew We Had\u2014<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Idol of Love! <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:4.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, Laban said to him, \u201cJust because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, \u201cI\u2019ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Laban said, \u201cIt\u2019s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.\u201d So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then Jacob said to Laban, \u201cGive me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, \u201cWhat is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn\u2019t I? Why have you deceived me?\u201dLaban replied, \u201cIt is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Finish this daughter\u2019s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When the <span style=\"font-variant:small-caps\">Lord<\/span> saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,&nbsp;for she said, \u201cIt is because the <span style=\"font-variant:small-caps\">Lord<\/span> has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, \u201cBecause the <span style=\"font-variant:small-caps\">Lord<\/span> heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.\u201d So she named him Simeon.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, \u201cNow at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.\u201d So he was named Levi.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, \u201cThis time I will praise the <span style=\"font-variant:small-caps\">Lord<\/span>.\u201d So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. (NIV 1984)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Have you ever heard of AA?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>AA (which stands for Alcoholics Anonymous) is a \u201c12-step recovery program for people suffering from alcohol abuse and addiction.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Have you ever heard of NA?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>NA (which stands for Narcotics Anonymous) is modeled after AA.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is a 12-step program that is designed to help drug addicts recover from their addiction to narcotics as they come together in groups to help each other get clean and stay clean.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Have you ever heard of SLAA?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I was completely unaware of this group until a member of one of my previous congregations joined a local group.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>SLAA stands for Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Modeled after AA, SLAA states that it is a \u201cfellowship\u201d whose members \u201creach out to others in the fellowship, practice the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of S.L.A.A. and seek a relationship with a higher power to counter the destructive consequences of one or more addictive behaviors related to sex addiction, love addiction, dependency on romantic attachments, emotional dependency, and sexual, social and emotional anorexia.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Since I didn\u2019t even realize that there was such a thing as \u201csex addiction\u201d or \u201clove addiction\u201d it was quite an eye-opening experience as I tried to help this child of God regain a proper God-pleasing perspective on both sex and love.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It also helped me to realize that there are many things that can cause a person to hurt on the inside.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There are many things that people turn to in hopes that they can numb that hurt and fill that void they feel inside.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Some people self-medicate with alcohol.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Some people self-medicate with narcotics.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And apparently some people self-medicate with sex and love.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Today as we return to our sermon series entitled <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Idols We Never Knew We Had <\/i><\/b>let\u2019s look at\u2014 <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">The Idol of Love.<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We have two goals this morning.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our first goal is to look at an example of two believers and see how they had an improper view of love.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our second goal is to see how staying focused on the only Source of true love (Pointing to the cross) will keep us from allowing an improper view of love from being an idol we set up in our hearts.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">While there are many things worth studying in this text, in keeping with our sermon series we are going to focus on the relationship between Jacob, Leah and Rachel.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>To be even more specific, we\u2019ll see how both Jacob and Leah serve as an example of people who may not have even realized that they had set up an improper view of love as an idol in their heart.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Let\u2019s start with Jacob.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019re told here in our text that after living with his uncle Laban for just a month, Jacob \u201cfell in love\u201d with Rachel and wanted to marry her.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why did Jacob love Rachel and not her sister Leah?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The only information we are given is found in the words, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cLeah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We get the impression that Jacob defined \u201clove\u201d in the same way that many people (especially men) define it right down to this very day.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jacob \u201cfell in love\u201d with Rachel because he was physically attracted to the fact that she was <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201clovely in form and beautiful.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Leah on the other hand is described as having <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cweak eyes.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I read a number of comments on Leah\u2019s <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cweak eyes.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I read a number of comments concerning Leah\u2019s <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cweak eyes.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>One commentator said that Leah had poor vision.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Another commented that perhaps she was cross-eyed.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And then there were two commentators who took a slightly different perspective.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>One of them wrote, \u201cIn a culture where bright, flashing eyes were considered a mark of beauty in a woman, Leah\u2019s \u2018weak eyes\u2019 were a handicap, especially when she was compared to her sister, a young woman of lovely face and figure.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(The People\u2019s Bible, Genesis, p 241.)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Jacob was so obsessed with Rachel\u2019s beauty that he was willing to work for his uncle Laban for seven years in return for Rachel\u2019s hand in marriage.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And while we are told, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cSo Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her,\u201d<\/i> we are also told that when those seven years were up, Jacob went to Rachel\u2019s father and very bluntly said, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGive me my wife.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>My time is completed, and I want to lie with her.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">While I would be somewhat hesitant in stating categorically that Jacob had consciously set up an improper view of love as an idol in his heart, I do think that at the very least he serves as a warning to us, to our children and to our grandchildren so that we don\u2019t fall into Satan\u2019s trap and set up an improper view of love as an idol in our hearts.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why do we even need such a warning?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Because Satan has been extremely effective in blurring the line and in some cases even erasing the line between \u201clove\u201d and \u201clust.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Let me give you a real-life example.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In one of my previous congregations I was visiting with an elderly member who had moved in with her daughter because the member\u2019s husband had died and her daughter didn\u2019t think it was safe for Mom to live alone.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As we were visiting a young lady\u2014 who wasn\u2019t wearing much of anything at all\u2014 pranced on by. <span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;<\/span>I knew the family well enough to know that she was not a granddaughter.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>After the young girl had gone by my member grumbled, \u201cThat\u2019s my grandson\u2019s girlfriend.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He keeps telling me that they are \u2018in love,\u2019 but I keep telling him that they are \u2018in lust.\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He has no idea what real love is.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That example is undoubtedly much more prevalent today that it was some 25 years ago!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Since our society has \u201cevolved\u201d in its understanding of what love is and since our society has very few inhibitions when it comes to \u201cexpressing\u201d love for someone else, we need to be very careful that we do not take the easy road and just give in to how society defines love or\u2014 God-forbid\u2014 actively follow society\u2019s example.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We also need to help our children and our grandchildren understand that being physically attracted to someone does not automatically mean that they are \u201cin love\u201d with that person.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The simple fact that an organization like SLAA exists reveals to us that countless people have fallen into Satan\u2019s trap and either consciously or unconsciously set up an improper view of love as an idol in their heart.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If we struggle with that temptation or if we have ever given into that temptation we need to kneel at the foot of the cross and confess, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGod, have mercy on me, a sinner\u201d<\/i> (Luke 18:13).<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Now let\u2019s look at Leah.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Leah gives us an opportunity to look at the Idol of Love from a slightly different perspective.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Since Leah went along with her father\u2019s plan to deceive Jacob into thinking he was marrying Rachel, we get the impression that Leah did not want to end up being alone in life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She wanted a husband who would love her and cherish her\u2014 even though she knew that people described her as the sister who had <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cweak eyes.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We learn a lot about what was going on in Leah\u2019s heart and mind by the names she gave to her children.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019re told in our text that the Lord saw that Jacob <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cloved Rachel more than Leah.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So in His mercy\u2014 and perhaps as a way of helping Jacob grow in his understanding of what true love is\u2014 God blessed Leah with children, but not Rachel.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But notice Leah\u2019s reaction after she give birth to her sons.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019re told, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWhen the L<\/i><\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"> saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She named him Reuben, for she said, \u2018It is because the L<\/span><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"> has seen my misery.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">Surely my husband will love me now<\/b>.\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, \u2018Because the L<\/span><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"> heard that <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">I am not loved<\/b>, he gave me this one too.\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So she named him Simeon. <span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;<\/span>Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said; \u2018<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons<\/b>.\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So he was named Levi.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">What was Leah looking for?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She was looking for a way to get Jacob to <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201clove\u201d<\/i> her.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>She was looking for a way to get Jacob to become <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cattached\u201d<\/i> to her.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And yet, even after giving Jacob three sons Leah did not feel loved or cherished.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Even after giving Jacob three sons she did not feel as though Jacob was <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cattached\u201d<\/i> to her.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">There is no shortage of Leah\u2019s\u2014 or Leo\u2019s! \u2014 in our world today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Over the course of the last 33 years I have met people who so dearly wanted to \u201cfeel\u201d loved and to \u201cfeel\u201d cherished by someone that they were willing to do just about anything that person wanted them to do.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Satan can easily use that desire to be loved and cherished as an opportunity to push Jesus off the #1 spot in a person\u2019s heart and replace Him with the Idol of Love.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When that happens a person can easily take their eyes off of the cross (Pointing to the cross) and drift further and further away from the Lord, from His Word and from His Church.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">How do we battle against this temptation?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What has the power to defeat Satan\u2019s attempts to set up the Idol of Love in our heart?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I think we find the answer to that question in the closing verse of our text.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019re told concerning Leah, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cShe conceived again and when she gave birth to a son she said, \u2018This time I will praise the L<\/i><\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">.\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So she named him Judah.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">If we allow the world to define love for us or if we try to define love all on our own, we will always have an improper and incomplete view of love.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But when we stay focused on the only Source of true love (Pointing to the cross) then we will always know what true love is, then we will always know deep down in our hearts that we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">are <\/b>indeed loved, we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">are <\/b>indeed cherished.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Let me share with you three passages from the quill of the apostle John, three passages that prevent us from setting up the Idol of Love in our hearts, three passages that clearly proclaim to us the only Source of true love.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The first passage you can easily guess\u2014 John 3:16, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Even before you were born God\u2019s love for you was so overwhelming that He had a Plan to save you from your sins.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>His Plan for your salvation has always been motivated by pure unconditional love.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>His Plan for your salvation has always been focused right there\u2014 on the cross of Calvary\u2019s hill.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The second passage dovetails perfectly with the first.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>On the night that Jesus\u2019 love for us would lead Him to surrender Himself to His enemies He said to His disciples, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cGreater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends\u201d<\/i> (John 15:13).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus knew that one of His own disciples would betray Him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus knew that one of His own disciples would deny Him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus knew that all of His disciples would desert Him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus knew that you and I would sin against Him countless times and in countless ways.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And still, He loves us so very much; He cherishes us so deeply that He was willing to die for us so that we might live with Him and live for Him.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The third passage wraps all of this together and puts a bow on it.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In 1 John 3:1 we are told, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cHow great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And that is what we are!\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Does God love us the way that Jacob loved Rachel?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In other words, is God\u2019s love for us simply superficial?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Does the holy and perfect God of heaven love us because of how we look or how we act on the outside?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Of course not!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Does God try to gain our love the way Leah tried to gain Jacob\u2019s love?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In other words, is God hoping that if He does this for us and if He gives that to us then maybe hopefully someday we\u2019ll love Him back?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not in the least!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>God\u2019s love for us is the purest and the most amazing love we will ever receive!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When God\u2019s love for us is the standard that we use in our own lives then Satan will never be able to get us to take an improper perspective on love and set it up as an idol in our hearts.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">While it did indeed surprise me that there are enough people who are addicted to sex and love that there are groups designed to help them, it doesn\u2019t surprise me at all that many people have taken an improper perspective on love and set it up as an idol in their heart.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Satan is very good at taking beautiful blessings that our God has given to us and twisting them into something that the good Lord never intended them to be.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>My prayer this morning is that we will always stay so focused on the only Source of true love (Pointing to the cross) that we will not only be able to avoid setting up the Idol of Love in our hearts, but will also be able to help someone who may have fallen into Satan\u2019s trap.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">To God be the glory!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Amen<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<p> <\/font>Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Pentecost-5-06-24-18.mp3\">Pentecost-5-06-24-18.MP3<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost June 24, 2018 Genesis 29:14b-35 Idols We Never Knew We Had\u2014 The Idol of Love! &nbsp; &nbsp; After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, Laban said to him, \u201cJust because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1020\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}