Take it Deeper Sermon Follow-Up
February 12, 2017
Our hope is that you were challenged by this weekend’s message and would desire to take the study a little deeper. Whether for personal use, family devotions, or for a small group, use this study to go deeper.
Open: Describe how you have wrestled with the concept of grace in your own life:
Read: Genesis 1-3; Exodus 20:1-3; Romans 1:18-32; 1 John 5:19-21; Colossians 3:1-5
Discuss:
1. Idolatry can have multiple meanings. Define idolatry in your own terms: In what ways do you see idolatry displayed throughout the Scripture (give different examples)? What do you make of the fact that the law (Exodus 20 – Ten Commandments) begins with 2 commands concerning idolatry? How does idolatry animate every other sin?
2. Define grace: How does God demonstrate grace in the creation mandate (Genesis 1-2)? What two ways are God’s gracious gifts demonstrated throughout Scripture? Give examples:
3. The fall (Genesis 3) unravels God’s gracious gift of dominion and warning to Adam and Eve. What was the equation that defines sin? Describe a few examples of how you see visible and invisible grace-based idols portrayed in our world today:
4. Paul in Romans 1 describes this same journey of twisted grace. He describes the exchange that takes place between our knowledge, glory, and gratitude of God for what God has graciously given. In what ways do we exchange His purposes for our preferences and His praise for our pleasures?
5. What specific place in your life has grace been distorted, twisted, and maligned and now the gift of God has become an idol for you?
Pray: Pray that Christ would reveal to you where you have replaced God with His gracious gifts.
Memorize/Meditate: We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:19-21
