The Path to Vanity

2 Kings 17:15

INTRODUCTION: Whatever you follow, you are or soon will become! God’s people have a tendency over time to get bored with God’s word and God’s truth and look for other things to follow. Whatever they choose to follow outside of God’s word should be identified as vanity. This often begins when people cease to follow the word of God, but instead follow people who claim to follow the word of God and then transitions to following what is man’s idea of what God said, but not necessarily what God said.

I. DEPARTURE FROM THE LORD (see Jeremiah 2:5)

A. They Rejected His Statutes

B. They Rejected His Covenant

C. They Rejected His Testimonies

II. FOLLOWING AFTER VANITY

A. Shows a Lack of Understanding (Proverbs 12:11)

B. Leads One to Poverty (Proverbs 28:19)

C. Exposes One to Danger

1. This is why David clarified that he had “not sat with vain persons” (Psalm 26:4).
2. This is why the writer of Psalm 119 asked the Lord to turn away his eyes from beholding vanity (Psalm 119:37).

III. BECOMING VAIN

A. The Natural Process

1. Rejection of the word of God
2. Following vanity
3. Becoming vain

B. The Supernatural Process (Acts 4:13)

1. Receiving scripture
2. Following the truth
3. Becoming Christ-like (Acts 11:26)

CONCLUSION: As Christians, we had better make sure that everything we think, feel, and do come from an unwavering faith in God’s word!