All is Vanity & Idolatry

The preacher of the book of Ecclesiastes and his redundant phrase "all is vanity" was all I could think of this morning as the Early Show gave glimpses of what is happening in LA with the Michael Jackson memorial service.

It has saddened me further that there are reports of people who have committed and attempted to commit suicide after hearing of the death of Michael Jackson. One person is even reported to have said, "I don't know why they saved me. I wanted to be with Michael."

To be sure, Michael Jackson was a musical genius. That is certainly evidenced by the number of unit sold "after" his death. Has he left his mark on the musical world? Of course.

Yet, in the end, all of that is vanity without Jesus.

These events have also been a prime example of the idolatrous nature of the human heart--finding our security, peace, happiness, joy, salvation in someone other than Jesus.

Today's service will not be a memorial service, it will be a worship service--people ascribing glory and making sacrifices (paying thousands of dollars for a ticket) for a man who cannot save nor bringing joy or peace.

For those who committed suicide and attempted it, this is very sad. They put their trust and hope in a mere-man; and that's all he was, a mere-man without the capability to save or redeem.

We should use this opportunity in our culture by the providence of God to proclaim that the real hope, indeed, the only hope for true peace and joy and redemption is in Jesus--for everything else is vanity and idolatry.