The Heart of Mankind - Part 2: The Idol of Self
About this sermon
The sermon identifies the “idol of self” as a hidden allegiance that seeks recognition, position, comfort, and control even within Christian service. Pastor Dean Odle begins with Jeremiah’s warning that the heart is deceitful, then traces how envy, vainglory, ambition, resentment, and resistance to spiritual authority reveal self-seeking motives. Biblical examples—from Israel’s dissatisfaction to the envy behind Joseph’s betrayal and Christ’s condemnation—show that giftedness and religious activity do not automatically produce a humble heart.
Chronological teaching outline
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The sermon identifies the “idol of self” as a hidden allegiance that seeks recognition, position, comfort, and control even within Christian service. Pastor Dean Odle begins with Jeremiah’s warning that the heart is deceitful, then traces how envy, vainglory, ambition, resentment, and resistance to spiritual authority reveal self-seeking motives. Biblical examples—from Israel’s dissatisfaction to the envy behind Joseph’s betrayal and Christ’s condemnation—show that giftedness and religious activity do not automatically produce a humble heart.
The sermon identifies the “idol of self” as a hidden allegiance that seeks recognition, position, comfort, and control even within Christian service. Pastor Dean Odle begins with Jeremiah’s warning that the heart is deceitful, then traces how envy, vainglory, ambition, resentment, and resistance to spiritual authority reveal self-seeking motives. Biblical examples—from Israel’s dissatisfaction to the envy behind Joseph’s betrayal and Christ’s condemnation—show that giftedness and religious activity do not automatically produce a humble heart.
The sermon identifies the “idol of self” as a hidden allegiance that seeks recognition, position, comfort, and control even within Christian service. Pastor Dean Odle begins with Jeremiah’s warning that the heart is deceitful, then traces how envy, vainglory, ambition, resentment, and resistance to spiritual authority reveal self-seeking motives. Biblical examples—from Israel’s dissatisfaction to the envy behind Joseph’s betrayal and Christ’s condemnation—show that giftedness and religious activity do not automatically produce a humble heart.
The sermon identifies the “idol of self” as a hidden allegiance that seeks recognition, position, comfort, and control even within Christian service. Pastor Dean Odle begins with Jeremiah’s warning that the heart is deceitful, then traces how envy, vainglory, ambition, resentment, and resistance to spiritual authority reveal self-seeking motives. Biblical examples—from Israel’s dissatisfaction to the envy behind Joseph’s betrayal and Christ’s condemnation—show that giftedness and religious activity do not automatically produce a humble heart.
Odle calls believers to let Scripture expose their motives, receive correction without resentment, cultivate contentment, and tear down inward idols through confession and repentance. The message closes with prayer that envy, strife, division, and the desire for human praise would give way to humility, love, and obedience to God.
Odle calls believers to let Scripture expose their motives, receive correction without resentment, cultivate contentment, and tear down inward idols through confession and repentance. The message closes with prayer that envy, strife, division, and the desire for human praise would give way to humility, love, and obedience to God.
Odle calls believers to let Scripture expose their motives, receive correction without resentment, cultivate contentment, and tear down inward idols through confession and repentance. The message closes with prayer that envy, strife, division, and the desire for human praise would give way to humility, love, and obedience to God.
Odle calls believers to let Scripture expose their motives, receive correction without resentment, cultivate contentment, and tear down inward idols through confession and repentance. The message closes with prayer that envy, strife, division, and the desire for human praise would give way to humility, love, and obedience to God.
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- 0:00:14
A thousand generations [music and singing] falling down in worship to sing the song of [singing and music] ages to the land. Yes. [music] and all who've [singing] gone before us and all will believe. [music] Sing [singing] the song of ages to the end. Your [music and singing] name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your [singing] name stands above [music] them all. All thrones and dominions, all powers in your name stands [music and singing] above them all. And the angels cry. Holy. [music] All creation cries. [singing] Holy. You are lifted high. Holy, holy forever. [music] And if [singing] you've been forgiven, and if you've been redeemed, [singing] sing the song [music] of the lamb. If you walk in freedom [music] and if you [singing] bear his name, [music] sing the song forever to the land. Yes, we'll [music] sing the song forever. Amen. And the angels [music and singing] cry. Oh, all [singing] creation cries. [music] Holy you are [singing] lifted high. Holy, holy [music and singing] forever your people sing. [singing] Holy to the [music and singing] king of kings. Holy. You will always be [music] holy. Holy forever. Your name [music] is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above [music and singing] all. Jesus. Sing it to her. Dominions, all powers and positions.
- 0:03:14
Your name stands above them all. [singing] Your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your [singing] name stands above [music] all. All [singing] [music] dominions. all powers and positions. Your name [music] stands above them all. And the angels [singing] cry, "Holy all creation cries, [singing] holy. [music] You are lifted high. Holy, [music] holy forever. [singing] You're holy forever, Lord. Yes. Thank you, Jesus. We bow [music and singing] down. We are crowned at the feet. [music] throughout [singing] the feet of Jesus. [music] The greatness [singing] of his mercy [music] and love at the feet [singing] of Jesus. We cry holy, holy, holy. [singing] We cry holy, [music] holy, [singing] holy. We cry holy, [singing] holy, [music] holy is lamb. [music] Holy [singing] is lamb. [music] We bow down. We [singing] bow down. We lay our crowns at the feet [singing] of Jesus. The greatness [singing] of his [music] mercy and love at the feet [singing] at the feet of Jesus. And we [singing] cry holy, holy, [music] holy. [singing] We cry holy, holy, holy. [music and singing] We cry holy, holy, [singing and music] holy is the lamb. [music and singing] Holy is the lamb. That's the best part of it, y'all. Thank you, Jesus. [music and singing] Let's get on that. Holy is the lamb. Just say it to him. You're so holy on the lamb. Holy,
- 0:06:19
[music and singing] holy is the lamb. You're so holy, Lord. [singing] We worship you, Lord Jesus. [music] We thank you, Lord. Thank you for your presence, Lord. [music] And we [singing] bow down. We lay our crowns at [music] the feet of [singing] Jesus. The greatness [singing] of his mercy [music] and love at the feet [singing] of Jesus. [music] And we [singing] cry holy, holy, holy. You're so holy. We [music] cry holy, holy, holy. [music] We cry holy, holy, [singing] holy is the lamb. Holy [singing] is the lamb. [music] You [singing] are awesome [music] in this place. Mighty [singing] God, sing it to him. You are awesome [music] in this place of the Father. You are worthy [singing] of all praise. To you our lives we raise. [music] You are awesome in [singing] this place, mighty [music] God. You are awesome in this place. [singing and music] Mighty God, you are awesome in this [singing] place of the Father. You are [singing and music] worthy of all praise. To you our lives we raise. [music] You are awesome [singing] in this place. Mighty [music] God, you are awesome in this place. Mighty [singing] God, [music] again you are awesome in this place. [singing] Mighty God, [music] we cry. We cry holy, holy, holy. [singing] We [music] cry holy, holy, holy. [singing] We [music] cry holy, holy, holy [music] is the lamb. [singing] [music] Holy [singing] are you, Lord.
- 0:09:20
[music] Awesome. Please one more time. [music] And you [singing] are awesome in this place, mighty [singing and music] God. You are awesome in this place. Oh the Father, [singing and music] you are worthy of all praise. [singing] To you our [music] lives we praise. You are awesome [singing] in this place. Mighty God, you are awesome in this place. [singing] Mighty [music] God, yes Lord, you are awesome in this place, [singing] mighty God. Let's sing that [music] one more time. You're awesome. You are [singing] awesome in this place, mighty [music] God. Yes, you are awesome [singing] in this place above. Sing it to him. You are worthy of all praise. To you our lives we [singing] raise. [music] You are awesome in this place. Mighty [singing and music] God, you are awesome in this place. Mighty [singing and music] God, you're awesome in this place. Mighty [singing] God. Hallelujah. Lord, you are awesome in [music] this place. You promised where two or three are gathered together in your name that you are in the midst. Lord, you inhabit the praises of your [music] people. You're looking for people, Lord, that will worship you in spirit and in truth. Lord [music] God, we try to be that today, Lord God, to worship you, to declare you are holy. Yes. [music] And that there is none. None like you, Lord. Jesus name. Jesus. [music] Jesus name. Somebody praise the Lord in this place right now. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We worship the Lord this morning. Thank you, Jesus. I do believe the Lord is heading us toward revival. But before he heads us toward revival, he's got to root out some things of our hearts that we don't even sometimes realize is there. So, get ready for an adventure this morning. You may be seated. Hallelujah. Thank you, Johnny and Julie. That's great. I I hadn't heard that song in a long time. Awesome in this place. I used to play it and I love it.
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