TITLE: Substitutes of Brass
TEXT: 1 Kings 14:25-28
PROPOSITION: Many try to substitute counterfeits for the genuine.
QUESTION: How?
KEY WORD: Substitutes
SCRIPTURE READING: Same

1. INTRODUCTION: We have become good at imitation.
2. Plastic that looks like metal on cars, Plastic for chrome.
3. Foods – salt, sugar, margarine, WOW chips "fat"
4. Fake furs, fake pearls, many things are fake.
5. Many are now living imitations of true religion.
6. DANGER! Some substitutes are not adequate replacements.
7. Tell story of the text. Rehoboam, son of Solomon – Shishak, king of Egypt
   Shishak stole the shields of gold, Rehoboam made shields of brass.

Gold Removed – Substitutes in Life – Brass Replaced

1. Simplicity, truth, love, reverence Impurity, irreverence, cleaverness
2. Principle Popularity
3. Dedication to the faith Profession of religion
4. Spiritual warmth and life Cold externals
5. Self-discipline Self-indulgence

Gold Removed – Substitutes in Teaching – Brass Replaced

1. Divine atonement with Human attainment
2. Revelation with Humanism
3. Will of God (Bible) with Rights of man
4. Divinity with Humanity
   The preacher is not sent to reconstruct society, but to regenerate it.
   Preachers today would make the prodigal comfortable where he is, get him on welfare.
   Christianity seeks to make him uncomfortable in his sin – motivate him to go home.
5. Miracles of Jesus with Myths, legends
6. Creation with Evolution
7. Salvation by the blood of Jesus with Social justice
8. Dynamics with Mechanics
9. Spirit of Worship with Going through motions
10. Sacrificial giving with Token donations
11. Evangelism (teaching the lost) with Living example
12. Restoing the wandering with Discussing WHY they quit