This week we'll be working through idols. Welcome to the...
introduction
Understanding the Gospel and trusting Christ for our salvation is the beginning of an eternal relationship with God. But before we move on to learn what we need to build that relationship, we need to address something that can very easily destroy our walk with Him: idols. But before that, take some time to connect with God in His word...
Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91
connect with God
What does this reveal about God?
What does it reveal about us?
goals for this week
Gain an understanding of idols and why they are dangerous
Think through what it means to worship God
Begin the process of identifying idols in your life
Let's get started!
WARNING
why are we talking about this?
Understanding the Gospel and trusting Christ for our salvation is the beginning of an eternal relationship with God. But before we move on to learn what we need to build that relationship, we need to address something that can very easily destroy our walk with Him: idols. When we first think of idols images of statues of false gods might come to mind, but that is not the essence of an idol. It is something much more present in our lives, yet many times unseen. In this section we’ll cover what an idol is, how to find them, and what to do about them. Although we are not talking primarily about statues worshipped by the Israelites and the surrounding countries, we certainly can learn a lot about the dangers of idolatry from their failures. Take some time to read through the followiing passages and reflect on what God says about idolatry. Record your thoughts in your journal. Let’s take a look…
Exodus 20:4-6
What three commands did God give to Israel regarding idols?
What reason did God give for this command?
What types of idols existed in Israel's day?
What are some idols we create today?
1 Corinthians 10:1-14
The Israelites experienced great miracles from God, yet followed idols. What does that tell you about thier power?
Why did God give us a written record of Israel's idolatry?
What are some idols mentioned that Israel followed?
List the commands and promises in this passage.
Romans 1:18-25
What was the initial failure of mankind mentioned - before falling into idolatry?
What was God's repsonse to the idolatry? What does that tell you about the source of the problem of idolatry?
If worship of God was exchanged for worshiping created things, what should we do when we identitfy idols in our lives?
walk away with this:
Idols damage our relationship with God
Idols destroy us
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED
what is an idol?
An idol is anything that stands between us and God, hindering our relationship with Him because we are giving it our love, affections, time, and worship instead of God.
Key factor = dependence on something other than God for our deepest desires.
When we think of the idolatry of the Israelites its important to understand that they weren’t simply bowing down to statues. They were depending on the god of that statue to fulfill a need for them. The god of the statue was a “savior” to them. They may have depended on the false god to bring them rain or protection from an enemy. They trusted the idol to bring them prosperity or hope during trials. It is the same with idols in our lives. The determining factor is dependence on something other than God for our deepest needs to be met.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT
how to identify idols
God has placed in every human heart certain longings. His design is that He alone meet these needs. They are met when in close relationship with Him. Unfortunately, we often try to fill these longings with idols. Here are a few areas of our hearts we need fulfilled:
deep longings of the human heart...
IDENTITY
Definition: who you are, the way you think about yourself, the way you are viewed by the world and the characteristics that define you
Fulfills: your need to feel valuable; self-worth
Answers: Who am I? Why am I important?
SATISFACTION
Definition: fulfillment of one's wishes, expectations, or needs, or the pleasure derived from this
Fulfills: your need to feel happy
Answers: How do I get happiness?
MEANING
Definition: significant quality
Fulfills: your need to feel like you're doing something of value
Answers: What is worth doing?
HOPE
Definition: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
Fulfills: your need for a worthy outcome to suffering
Answers: What good can I expect from my suffering?
LOOKING AHEAD...
what to expect
When we gather this next week in our cohort, we'll talk more about these things. Since we want to be intentional, you can expect these components in our time together:
HEAL
Encourage and be encouraged
Prayer for one another
Counsel because life is hard
LEARN
How has your understanding of an idol changed?
How have you seen or experienced loss when an idol has let you down?
What is your understanding of worship?
Are there any idols or potential idols you can recognize already?
DO
What needs to change in how you identitfy idols in your life?
What can you do this week to actively worship God by replacing an idol with Him?
Write down what you're going to do in your journal.
Who will you share this with? Write down their first name.
