Over the past few weeks Pastor Branson has led us through a message series called Killing Kryptonite, which highlights the destructive power of idolatry within the church. While we may not be casting idols out of gold to worship, we frequently choose to turn from God's Word and make a way for ourselves that we can shape and control as we see fit. This is idolatry and it is destructive in our church and in our lives. But, there is an antidote to this deadly poison, it's called repentance. Repenting means turning from our old way of thinking and acting, and instead, choosing to align ourselves with God's way. Letting go of our old ways and turning to trust God takes great humility and courage, but when we do we are freed to fully live in the power of the Spirit within us.

In this weekend's sermon we looked at a story from the Old Testament that is probably familiar to many. In Exodus 32 we find the Israelite people quickly becoming impatient with God and deciding to take matters into their own hands, even after they have seen Him do great things for them. When they decide that God isn't accommodating their desires the people of Israel decide to fashion an idol out of gold so that it can be the object of their worship. We can easily read this story and say "What were they thinking? That is ridiculous!" But the reality is we are much like the people of Israel. How quickly we become impatient or frustrated with God when He doesn't act when or how we think He should. We fashion counterfeit gods for ourselves when we want a god we are more comfortable with, a god who fits better into our circumstances, our thinking, or our way of living. This is idolatry, and it is Kryptonite to the Body of Christ because it turns our hearts from God and His good plans for us.

Part 2 of the Killing Kryptonite series is all about the power of unity among the Body of Christ. Jesus' prayer for all his disciples in John 17:21-22 was that they would be unified as one, just as he, the Father and the Spirit are one, so that the world might believe. There is great power in unity among believers, but it can be weakened, if not destroyed by our sin and disobedience. Self-centeredness and unrepentant sin will always act as Kryptonite against the power of the Church.

n part 1 of his new sermon series, Killing Kryptonite, Pastor Branson shared three powerful promises from John 14:12-14, as well as three spiritual principles for accessing and applying the power of these principles in our lives. As followers of Jesus Christ, we can stand on the truth from Romans 8:11 that tells us the same "Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you." As we begin to understand and live out of the power of this truth, we will see God do amazing things through us, to impact the world around us!