“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. EXODUS 20:4-6 NLT
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 JOHN 5:21 ESV
What are idols?
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 JOHN 5:21 NLT
What is the allure of idols?
- Things that give me position
- Things that give me preference
- Things that give me pleasure
What are the dangers of idols?
So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh. Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Pharaoh will demand, ‘Show me a miracle.’ When he does this, say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent.’” EXODUS 7:6-9 NLT
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the LORD had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent! Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Pharaoh’s heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted. EXODUS 7:10-13 NLT
So the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Raise your staff and strike the ground. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’” So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats. Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike. “This is the finger of God!” the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted. EXODUS 8:16-19 NLT
So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:14 NLT
For there is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 TIMOTHY 2:5 ESV
and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant… HEBREWS 12:24(a) ESV
My Notes
Personal Reflection Guide
Take a few minutes to slow down, offering Jesus any burdens from your day. Invite God into this time, asking Him to help you be real with yourself and Him. Prayerfully take an “idol assessment” of your life: what things do you run to that aren’t of God? Ask God to use these to reveal what your heart is really seeking through these idols. Is it position? Preference (idleness, “convenient” theology)? Pleasure? A false view of God Himself? Ask God to reveal His truth in these areas, asking for the strength and motivation to surrender these over to Him. Finally, ask God to replace these identified idols with more of Himself–filling you in the ways that your heart genuinely desires. Write your reflections in the space below, sharing with your group if you feel comfortable.
Discussion Questions
- PERSONAL REFLECTION: Begin group time by completing the Personal Reflection Guide (link found on the top of sermon notes). Use this time to examine any idols you may have in your life and their impact on you. (Tip: playing some soft background music is helpful here!)
- REAL WITH SELF: In what ways are all people religious? How can an understanding of this be helpful to you?
- REAL WITH SELF: You are the only weapon Satan has against God. How does that make you feel? In what ways can this awareness influence your day-to-day decision-making?
- REAL WITH GOD: The snake symbolizes Pharaoh’s protection, but God systematically strips that protection away. Pharaoh, unfortunately, missed his opportunity to soften his heart. When God strips away the “protection” of our idols, what can we do to be aware of the movements of God so that we can soften our hearts to Him?
- REAL WITH OTHERS: Idols are things that give us the illusion that we are in charge—that we can be freed from the bondage that we place ourselves in. When you consider the tugs of position, preference, or pleasure, which has the strongest pull for you? How have you experienced victories over these in the past?
- TAKE ACTION: Read 1 Corinthians 10:14 NLT. Spend time this week being intentionally aware of the specific idols your heart tends to run to. As God reveals these, practice ridding yourselves of them by prayerfully handing them over to Jesus, asking Him to remind you of the real freedom He offers. Share with the group next week what this process was like for you.
