Synthetic Heroes
Our standards of real life are too often confused with the synthetic. Man has made many substitutes but he can never change the hearts of sin by robes of make-belief. Be not conformed.
Rom. 12:1-21
I: The Family Mold is Changing.
1. Today’s marriage is based upon personal like, and dislikes rather than upon duties and responsibilities.
2. America is becoming less and less family-minded and more individual minded.
3. Rome was strong while she had the corporation spirit in family, community, and state. (40,000 – 37,000 = 3,000 Germans).
4. We need to put a higher price on a happy family and less on a better job or keeping up with Jonses.
II: The New World “Models,” are Molding Our Children.
1. “A half-century ago a sociologist named Thomas made an important discovery.” He reported that the behavior of the next generation could be predicted by studying the “models” or heroes of the present generation.
2. Father, mother, kinfolks, church, and leaders become just plain people with no glamor.
3. Men that have died or given years of research for their country are without tinsel and appeal.
4. Change, family and right are being affected by synthetic love, make-believe families and a holy moral standard.
5. Too often our people accept two standards.
6. If we try to live as the synthetic heroes of Hollywood, T.V. and Comic Strips, America would face a greater danger than an Atomic War.
III: The Spiritual Mold:
1. Bodies as living sacrifice (reasonable service). vs. 1
2. “Bet God remold your minds from within.” vs. 2
3. “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance.” vs. 3
4. “Have a sane estimate of your capabilities.” vs. 3
5. “Let us have no imitation Christian love.” vs. 7
6. “Let us have a genuine break with evil” vs. 9
7. “Let us not allow slackness to spoil our work.” vs. 11
8. “Don’t become set in your own opinions.” vs. 16
9. “Don’t pay back a bad turn by a bad turn.” vs. 17
10. “Never take vengeance into your own hands.” vs. 17
11. “Don’t allow yourself to be over powered by evil.” vs. 21