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What sacred relics have you turned into objects of worship? At Caywood Church of God, a powerful sermon titled "Just a Piece of Brass" challenges us to examine whether our religious traditions, symbols, and heritage have become idols that distract from true worship.

The message centers on King Hezekiah, who at just 25 years old initiated a radical reformation of Judah's worship practices. Among his most controversial acts was destroying the bronze serpent Moses had made in the wilderness – a sacred relic that had become an object of idolatrous worship. As the pastor powerfully states, "Hezekiah said that brazen serpent that you're burning incense to and that you're worshipping and that you're giving more homage and respect and prayer to more than God, is Nehashtan" – meaning "just a piece of brass."

Through a masterful connection between Numbers 21, John 3, and 2 Kings 18, we see how this bronze serpent was meant to point to Christ's sacrifice, not become an object of worship itself. Jesus referenced this very serpent when He said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

The sermon doesn't stop with ancient history but boldly addresses modern "pieces of brass" in our churches today – memorial trees with brass leaves bearing names of deceased members, pews with family nameplates, denominational pride, and religious practices that have become ends in themselves rather than means of connecting with God. With both humor and conviction, the pastor challenges us to "take a sledgehammer to everything that does not lend itself to the worship of God."

Perhaps most importantly, the message warns against the dangerous notion that religious effort alone can save us. True salvation comes not through religious observance but through faith in Christ, who was "lifted up" on the cross for our redemption. Everything else – our church buildings, our ministers, our worship forms, our creeds – are ultimately "just pieces of brass" if they come between us and God.

What are you burning incense to that needs to be destroyed? Join us at Cawood Church of God as we pursue authentic worship that focuses solely on God Himself.

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