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S D O G In tr i g u
A Deeper Look at Everyday Idols... Based on the Book by Tim Keller Download your study guide companion at
praxischurch.com
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Sca n da l !
Counterfeit Gods: Introduction God’s wrath is often seen as something very powerful and immediate, although it’s often God’s passive wrath, leaving us to our own destructive will, that impacts us the most. C.S. Lewis once rightfully stated that “there are two kinds of people in the world: those who say to God, ‘thy will be done’, and those to whom God says – ‘alright then, have it your way’.” Often God’s wrath allows sinners to simply walk away, punished not only by the consequences of their actions but also by the illogical exchange they make when they reject relationship with our creator. At a very basic level, the Bible is the story of our continual rejection of God and our passionate embrace and worship of His created order instead. We’d like to boldly proclaim Christ as the center of our worship, but we often exchange fellowship with Him for idols like love, sex, family, money, success, and power. These idols do indeed satisfy. However, that satisfaction is temporary, fleeting, and fake. Easily lured by the idols of this world, we’re quick to worship that which can never satisfy. Our relationship with God becomes stuck in neutral, idle to true greatness, failing to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). This sermon companion is meant to give you a deeper understanding of the scriptural basis for how God sees our idols and how He calls us into a much deeper relationship with Him. In it you’ll find introductions to each of the six sermon topics, as well as daily reflections you can use for prayer and meditation. If you have a family, we strongly encourage you to go through these reflections with them at some point in each day and to discuss the sermons and supporting material. Sincerely,
The Praxis Pastors
L Week One: Introduction
Idling with Idols Read: Romans 1:18-25 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So
they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Discussion What does it mean that God “gave them up” to their desires? Identify and discuss the times when you exchange the truth of God for a lie of this world. What does that look like in your life? How do you prevent falling into the trap of those lies?
Explanation What is the root of idolatry according to Romans 1:18-23? Why is there no excuse for not believing in God? Why would those who don’t believe in God claim to be wise?
Application Map out your weekly schedule. Evaluate where you spend your time. Track your expenses for an entire week. Evaluate where you spend your money. Jot down the most important relationships you have. Evaluate how much time you spend working on those relationships. We all have our “If I could just have ______” statements — if we could just have this relationship, this raise, this award… then we would be truly happy. What is yours? How will that goal help you achieve a greater sense of contentment?
Write down where you would like be and/or what you would like to accomplish six months from now. How does God play into those goals? Are these plans ones that would have God give you up to your desires, or are they goals that align with what He would have for you?
Monday
INTRODUCTION:
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Acts 17:16 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
Tuesday Ezekiel 14:3 3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?”
Thursday Romans 8:32 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Wednesday Exodus 20:3
“You shall have no other gods before me.” 3
Friday
Saturday
Matthew 23:25-28 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
1 Samuel 16:7 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Monday Ancient Athens was a city filled with many images and structures dedicated to the worship of gods. These idols were clear and obvious. Yet, Paul had to go to the synagogues and marketplace to point out the pitfalls in worshiping these inanimate objects. We often assume that idols are primitive physical objects that only a simple or primitive culture would worship. Nothing could be further from the truth. We’re just as naïve worshiping our gods of sex, money, power, or success. Even if they’re not large structures or ornate statues, the idols we worship are all around us, diverting us from a full relationship with the only true God. Today, take time to pray that God would bring you wisdom and discernment to identify your idols and that He’d give you the strength to be able to remove them from your life. Tuesday What does it mean to put an idol into your heart? We’re all periodically captured by sin, but the passage here suggests that we do something even worse with certain sins: we take the root of our sin, the very thing that causes us to stumble, and consciously put that wickedness in front of our faces. Too often we are aware of our idols yet do very little to move them where we no longer have to stumble to our God but sprint to Him. What stumbling blocks are right in front of your face? What lingering habit gnaws at you? Today, pray that God would help you find the practical steps to see the obvious sins in your life that prevent your heart from being truly devoted to God. Wednesday This command seems so simple, doesn’t it? Most of us don’t worship Baal or Buddha, but we do worship other gods. God doesn’t want anything in the way of your relationship with Him. Even good things like work, family, and yes, church, can get in the way of true, genuine fellowship with Him. Baal and Buddha most likely have no power over us, but more often than not we’re enslaved to worship the gods of our to-do lists, the gods of our image, and the gods of our pleasures. We put God in second place, filling the number one spot with things that can never, ever truly satisfy like He can. Where are your priorities? What do you value as most important in your life? Where do you most spend your time, money, thoughts, and energy? Today, pray that God would teach you how to make Him the first priority of your day. Thursday We’re worry-warts. We consistently busy ourselves with the next paycheck, the next raise, or the next upgrade, and we obsess about the steps we have to take to keep us secure. Our default in our times of need is prayer, yet our default in our
times of successes is to celebrate, often without inviting God into our celebration. Reflect on what God did for you on the cross: how he redeemed, justified, and reconciled you. With that knowledge alone, pray that He lifts any future anxieties off of your shoulders and rest in the reality that God will provide for you always in His way. Friday It’s easy for us to cast judgment on others when we see them in very clear and obvious sin. We bask in the glory of our righteousness and pat ourselves on the back for being such a good person. Unfortunately, we’re no less sinners than those we see living reckless because instead of idolizing our desires, we idolize our righteousness. Today, evaluate the characteristics within yourself that you find to be moral and good. What are the reasons behind your actions? Are you following God’s obedience or are you worshiping the idol of self-righteousness? Pray that God would show you a true heart and help you have His intentions in mind. Saturday The false idols we worship do often satisfy…and that satisfaction can have dire consequences. Unfortunately, the satisfaction our idols give is not only temporary but also costly. We end up continually sacrificing to our idols in order to keep that satisfaction alive and to keep the image of success going, making us defensive and hard hearted. After all, if we’ve achieved great things, how dare anyone claim that there is sin in our hearts, or that we’re bound for any sort of failure? Today’s passage, however, reminds us that no matter what appearance of success we have, God doesn’t care. He’s not concerned with our resumes, our trophies, or our promotions. He is only concerned with how open our heart is to worship Him. Today, find a way to sacrifice and worship Him, the only one who can give true, sustainable, eternal satisfaction.
L Week Two: Sex as an Idol
Lustful Longings Read: Genesis 29:1-30 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.” 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter
Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. Introduction Lust can make us do crazy things. Today’s passage is about a man overcome with physical desires and the crazy things he did as a result. Jacob, escaping his home situation traveled to a distant land hoping to find relatives. The discussion quickly led to a heavy stone that needed moving. Jacob stepped up to the challenge but the account points out something specific in the timing of his gentlemanly behavior: “As soon as Jacob saw Rachel…he rolled the stone from the well’s mouth.” Rachel is later described as being “beautiful in form and appearance” – enough to compel Jacob to not only move a large object, but, consumed with lust, to immediately devote seven years of hard labor in order to marry her. When he was misguided into marring Leah instead of Rachel, he then devoted another seven years in order to satisfy the god of lust. Now, we know that sex is not something we’re supposed to talk about in church. For some, the topic is too taboo as we Christians compartmentalize sex as something somewhat dirty and private. And we certainly don’t want our friends, pastors, or God telling us what to do with our sexuality; our
bodies are our bodies, and we should be free to use them however and with whomever we please. Even as we understand the sin of lust, speak the Christian advice on it, cite verses that speak of sexual purity, and establish guidelines and accountability with others to keep ourselves chaste, we face a difficult battle. C.S. Lewis best summarizes this war in Mere Christianity: Our warped natures, the devils who tempt us, and all the contemporary propaganda for lust, combine to make us feel that the desires we are resisting are so ‘natural’, so ‘healthy’, and so reasonable, that it is almost perverse and abnormal to resist them. Poster after poster, film after film, novel after novel, associate the idea of sexual indulgence with the ideas of health, normality, youth, frankness and good humor. Now this association is a lie.
Sexual desires are not only brewing within us, but they are freely offered by all that we see around us. We move large objects, and spend years devoting ourselves to sexual satisfaction, wrongfully thinking that these experiences are forever fulfilling. Worshiping the idol of sex, like all others, will temporarily satisfy us only to later destroy our bodies, minds, relationships, and as Christians, this is one of the most difficult and boldest fights that we engage in: to keep our bodies pure and to limit our sexual desires to only within the context of marriage. Lewis continues to point out that “The Christian principles are, admittedly, stricter than the others; but then we think you will get help towards obeying them which you will not get towards obeying others.” Like all temptations, God is there to care for us and to provide us a way to overcome temptation and to remind us that no relationship, no physical satisfaction, no sexual exploration can ultimately satisfy us.
Discussion
What are the most prevalent temptations you see in our culture? How does the world sell sex to you? What has been your experience with the way that churches have dealt with sex and sexuality? What has been harmful and what has been useful?
Explanation
Why was Jacob in this land? Read Genesis 27 and 28 for further reading. How is Leah described in comparison to Rachel? What could this mean? Note Laban’s response to Jacob’s proposal. Did he trick Jacob? Or was Jacob blinded to his response? Note Jacob’s feelings towards Leah after being married to her for seven years and finally allowed satisfy his desires with Rachel. What does this lead Leah to do?
Application
What lusts lure you away from a full relationship with God? What is God’s view of sex? Take some time this week to truly study what God’s word says about how and why God created sex. Devote time to the daily scripture readings in this packet. Evaluate how you use your mind and body to glorify God.
Monday
Sex as an Idol:
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Luke 11:34-36 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
Tuesday 1 Corinthians 6:15-18 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Thursday Wednesday Matthew 5:28 28 But
I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Ephesians 5:3 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
Friday
Saturday
Genesis 39: 10-12 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.
Monday What we see and what we let into our minds is significant and powerful. Many people wrongfully (intentionally or unintentionally) sin by letting junk into their lives in the name of culture. What we read and what media we watch impacts our demeanor and can truly darken our minds to God. Today evaluate what you take in and pray that the Lord fill you with His light and block out that which lures us away from Him. Tuesday There are severe consequences to idolizing sex. In addition to some very serious physical repercussions, our bodies and minds were simply not designed by God to handle sexual promiscuity. Rather, they we were incredibly and intricately knit so that we would use our bodies to glorify Him. Today, evaluate how you steward the physical body that God gave you – do you use it to glorify Him? Pray that He guide you into caring for your body as you would the body of Christ. Wednesday Jesus is not one to lower the bar on His expectations of us. Many assume that, as long as we’re not acting upon our sinful thoughts, we haven’t really committed sin. Unfortunately, God is not just interested in the outward appearance. In fact, He is more concerned with the state of our heart. Our desires and lusts for relationships and sex can easily be hidden away from others but they are not hidden away from God. Today, examine the condition of your heart and ask God to help you put Him above all else. Thursday Image is everything. While we certainly cannot control one hundred percent of what people think or assume about us, we certainly have a certain amount of influence in regards to our reputation. The Bible often calls this being “above reproach”, meaning that particular allegations against a person would be so completely outlandishly in contrast to their everyday character that such allegations would need a substantial amount of evidence in order to be proven true. How many of us keep a strong, moral, pure reputation? Are our actions implying or communicating something opposite of what we believe? Today, pray evaluate whether or not you are living above reproach.
Friday It’s easy to be a textbook Christian. We can memorize the scriptures, know the answers, and even pray for an opportunity to test our training. But too often do we face situations where we whiff the pitch, and utterly fail to do what is Biblical, moral, or even just downright smart—because we felt the pressure of someone else in the situation. Joseph here models unabashed, unashamed devotion to the Lord. Being tempted by his master’s wife, he recognizes not only the ethical pitfall but also the sinful outcome of a possible affair. He not only rejects her verbally but he also runs away from her. How often do we run away from our lusts, even when it would mean embarrassment to us? How often do we put other people’s opinion of us above God’s and act on our desires to appease them rather than our command to worship Him alone? Today, pray that you run away from lust, that you declare war on sin, and that our Lord would help you with the practical ways on how to do that—even if it means simply running away from dangerous situations. Saturday Patience is not one of our virtues, especially when others in life seem to be passing us by. The sexual experiences and sexual encounters of others are so easily publicized, openly discussed, and generally accepted that it’s easy for us to feel left out. Today’s passage makes it clear, however, that although sex is to be enjoyed, it’s only to be enjoyed within the context of marriage. Our patience to experience sex, as this passage suggests, is sanctification; the Lord shapes you and guides you to first think of Him as the ultimate experience, to put all your love and hope and passion into loving Him and Him alone. Today, pray that you are able to control your body and use it to glorify God and that you may put Him who gives us everything first.
Week Three: Love as an Idol
Love Validated Read: Genesis 29:31-35 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing. Introduction We idolize the validation of others. From playground spats, to classroom crushes, to high school sweethearts, to college engagements, we yearn after the attention of others and believe that if someone loves us then we are truly loved. When reading the story of Jacob and Rachel, Leah is often an overlooked and forgotten figure. Described as “weak in the eyes”, she always lived under the shadow of her younger and much more attractive sister, Rachel. One can only fathom the pain she felt having Jacob hours after their wedding night bemoan his courtship with her and devoted a near decade of hard work just to satisfy his pleasure somewhere else. Leah, determined to gain Jacob’s love, continued to set up artificial benchmarks for herself to gain the feeling of truly being loved: first marriage, then childbirth, and then…more and more and more childbirth. Seems silly, doesn’t it? Leah kept trying the same thing over and over again in order to feel validated, but she continued to get the same type of emotional rejection over and over again. Yet, we do the same thing. Perhaps not with the
same person (although sometimes it is with the same person), but we bounce from relationship to relationship to relationship looking for the ideal, perfect, Hollywood-happy ending that is so indoctrinated into our souls as a must have. Unfortunately, you’re a sinner. And everyone you love is also a sinner. The natural result of joining two sinners together is a lot of conflict and pain, more sin, unmet expectations, and frustration. We try different tactics and establish different benchmarks within our relationship to strive for true love and complete relationship. Leah eventually models how to break the cycle. Instead putting her hopes in Jacob or in childbirth, she praises the Lord for her child. We too must recognize that until we look to God for our ultimate identity, validation, and love, we’re not only going to be disappointed the way others love us, but we’ll also be unfit to truly love others. Jesus is the only one that truly satisfies. He is the only one that truly validates us.
Discussion
What relationship do you put your hopes in above the relationship you have with the Lord? When have you felt validated and truly loved by others? How do strive for that feeling? How do you replicate that feeling?
When has a relationship left you feeling empty or broken?
Explanation
What did the Lord do when He saw that Leah was not loved? Why was this significant?
What was Leah’s response to this blessing? How did she use it (or not use it) for God’s glory?
Examine Leah’s three responses to her childbirth? What progression do they show?
How long did Leah strive after her husband’s approval before she praised the Lord?
Application
Examine your relationships (friendship or romantic). List what you hope to gain from them. When do you find yourself in most conflict within your relationships? Are these sin issues, character flaws, or simply disagreements?
How often do you spend working on your relationships—replaying conflicts in your head, replaying elated moments in your head, wishing for less conflict or more elation, or simply strategizing conflict resolution? How much time do you spend on making relationships with others work in comparison with the time you spend working on your relationship with the Lord?
Monday
LOVE as an Idol:
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1 Kings 11:1-3 11:1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.
Tuesday
Exodus 20:17 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Wednesday 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided.
And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
Thursday Ephesians 5:25-31 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Monday Today’s passage is difficult to read, but not for the obvious reasons. Culturally, we are taken aback by the fact that Solomon had so many wives and concubines. But what should be the most shocking part of the passage is the direct result of these relationships — they turned Solomon away from the Lord. Here, we should see ourselves in Solomon. For we too often give up our relationship with the Lord for sometimes temporary, meaningless relationships. Today, evaluate the relationships in your life. Are there any relationships or friendships that are turning your heart away from the Lord? Pray that Jesus, as a great friend, would help you to focus primarily on Him so that you may be better equipped to love others the way He has called us to. Tuesday We want more. We want better. We want just about anything and everything that we don’t have but that we have seen someone else have. This vicious lie leads us to believe that we can find true happiness in whatever or whomever is on the greener side of the lawn. While most don’t act on the wishes that we have for others’ possessions or the lusts that we have for other people, the command here is not that we shouldn’t act on these passions (although we shouldn’t)— the command is that we shouldn’t have these desires at all. Rather, we should be overjoyed by what (and who) God has put into our lives to love and care for, and not be fooled by the tricks of others’ materialism. Wednesday If you’re an unmarried Christian over the age of 25, you may feel like an outcast. We Christians tend to rush and pressure our peers into marriage, wrongfully communicating that marriage is a required sacrament and prerequisite to true enduring holiness. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Often, our thoughts become consumed with thoughts of when we will find “the one”, when we will devote our life to one relationship, and when we will finally be validated by standing at the altar proclaiming our vows. Today’s scripture calls us to embrace our singleness and use the time we have for the glory of God and His Kingdom. If you’re not married, remember that
you already have all you need in Jesus. Remember, that your life and your time can be totally devoted to Him and you need not be anxious about whom He will provide for to accompany you. If you’re married, praise Him for the one He has provided and evaluate how you’re using your marriage to build His Kingdom. Thursday We wrongfully assume that marriage is the finish line, the ultimate goal for a relationship thanks to On-screen, romanticized relationships that give us trite plots. However, marriage is much more; while marriage is something wonderful that should be celebrated, it’s not always cut and dry, and it’s certainly not the finish line — it’s the beginning of a lifelong endurance race. Today’s passage lays out God’s expectations for husbands and wives. Pray that God allow you to see that your validation and love first comes from Him and that what he expects of men and women as husbands and wives is much, much more than the trite.
Friday Psalm 112 112:1 Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. 9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. 10 The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!
Proverbs 31 10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Friday Today’s passages outline a Biblical husband and Biblical wife. These are not, of course, exhaustive lists of characteristics that married men and women should exemplify, but they are certainly strong outlines. Married or unmarried, God calls us to greatness and in both of these passages we see this excellence within and outside of a marriage starts with a fear and devotion to the Lord. Today, pray that you make Him your top priority, that you’re totally satisfied and in love with Him, and that this love would spill out to an enduring refinement into the man or woman, husband or wife, He wants you to be.
23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. 25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Saturday Song of Solomon 2:15 15 Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.
Saturday Most wrongfully assume that the book of Song of Solomon is reserved only for the most mature of married couples. While the book certainly addresses and explains much reserved for married folks, studying the book prior to marriage is equally as beneficial. Today’s passage reminds us that there are “little foxes” or little dangers within each of our relationships that can come up and bite us, usually stemming from our own sinful, selfish nature. We idolize and yearn for relationships often without looking inwardly to see what discipline we need to engage in a truly godly relationship. Today, whether you’re married or unmarried, identify the little foxes in your life and in your relationships—ask God to give you the wisdom to see your selfish flaws and to help guide you to love others with the heart He has called you to.
I’ve been waiting my whole life for “the one.”
Week Four: Money as an Idol
Cashed Control Read: Luke 19:1-10 Introduction 19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” This is a valuable story of redemption. Jesus very clearly states in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Zacchaeus was one who worshiped the capital of his pocket book. As a man of unpopular stature and a hated profession, he probably could find no other validation or satisfaction other than in his riches. Yet he found something much richer in a relationship with Jesus. The idol of money has within it a secret secondary vice—the drug of control. We take great interest in our how big our bank accounts are because we want the ability to control where our happiness comes from, where are future lies, and what other people think of us. Money, unfortunately, is the idol that most quickly and effectively satisfies in this world; the more money we have, the more secure we feel.
Salvation did not come to Zacchaeus because he gave up so many possessions—that was a result of his accepted faith. Salvation came to him because he was joyfully willing to put a relationship with God above everything else, even at the expense of sacrificing the idol that once gave him his only satisfaction. Money one of the most difficult idols to kill, and unfortunately for us there is no complex formula. The solution is simple: God gave up everything, everything, because He loved you so much, and He suffered emotionally, physically, and spiritually beyond anything you could ever imagine to save you and bring you into a deep, loving relationship with Him. If that’s what He’s done for you, if he provided you with the most beautiful gift of grace, why wouldn’t he provide for you? No, it won’t always be easy, or comfortable, or what we want it to be. But God cares for you in miraculous ways. Zacheus understood that his life and his money did not really belong to him, and because of that he was able to rejoice by giving it away and entrusting his needs to He who always provides: 22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Oh how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. (Luke 12:22-31)
Discussion
Describe a time where you felt your finances were feeling desperate. How was your relationship and faith in God during this time?
What in your life do you feel like you have (and want) the most control over? What do you feel like you have the least control over?
Explanation
Why, other than his stature, might Zacchaeus not been able to initially see Jesus?
Why would Jesus have chosen Zacchaeus?
Why was it shocking that Jesus would have chosen to be the guest of a sinner?
Application
Make a list of all items in your home you simply could not see yourself living without.
Make a list of all items in your home that could be considered a luxury.
Make a list of ways and opportunities you could be more generous with your money.
Evaluate these lists: are you putting your financial control in your life or in God’s? How you can better trust the Lord with your finances?
Money as an Idol:
ITLIOY DREA NS FLEC Tuesday
Monday Proverbs 15:6 6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked
Proverbs 15:16 16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.
Proverbs 16:8 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.
Matthew 19:23-26 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Friday Proverbs 23:4-5 4 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. 5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Wednesday Mark 4:18-19 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Thursday Philippians 4:11-12 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
Saturday 1 Timothy 6:17-19 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Monday It’s easy to see today’s passages as a formula. Righteousness = a lot of treasure. Unfortunately many flaunt that formula in the name of Christ and offer a false gospel of prosperity and wealth. What they fail to analyze is what it means to have treasure. Treasure does not always come in paychecks; most often it comes from finding a peace with God. The wicked, while financially prosperous, encounter unease about their wealth, constantly having to worship the god of the dollar in order to satisfy their cravings. Where does your worship lie? Are you grateful for the treasures, tangible and intangible, that God blesses you with? Or are your days filled with tribulations as you scramble to attain your income? Today, ask God for wisdom and discernment to show you who you thank for your blessings. Tuesday One would think thousands of years would eliminate wrongful, unprofitable thinking. However, in response to Jesus claim about the rich entering heaven we’re just like the disciples when they ask, “Who then can be saved?” If we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, if we can climb up the social and financial ladder, if we can provide for ourselves, then why wouldn’t we be able to save ourselves? Sure, theologically we may know better, but do we know better practically? When you overcome sin, when your job is going well, when you solve a problem and overcome obstacles, who is the first person you give credit to? Today, evaluate your riches and think about whom you feel is most responsible for your success? Wednesday We see riches as comforting, enjoyable, and even as salvation. If we have a lot of money we have a lot of security. Today’s passage wonderfully words this lie as “the deceitfulness of riches.” In this passage, Jesus is explaining that there are some who will hear the Gospel, but then be distracted by the lies that finances flaunt to us, seducing us with promises of peace. These thorns of deceit choke out the Gospel in our lives and transfer our worship from the all-powerful God, to the cash we can cling to. Today, pray that the Holy Spirit shows you the lies that have trapped you. Ask Him to show you how to allow the word of God to dwell deep in you and how to prevent the lies of money to choke out the Gospel in your life. Thursday We wail when we are in financial distress. Mind you, some financial situations warrant a certain degree of woe. While we all have that unexpected bill, some suffer from an extreme burden of un-payable medical bills, job loss, added with hiked up costs of living. These burdens can certainly be overwhelming and cause for an anxious time. But God calls us to put our
dependence on Him at all times, not just when He is providing for us financially. Today’s passage exemplifies for us our approach to these hard times for when we find contentment in the Great Provider, we know that He will not only bring us peace but also bring us everything we need. Friday Looking for financial gain is not in itself inherently evil. Most erroneously cite today’s passage as “money is the root of all evil.” But with a careful reading, we see that the apostle Paul was not claiming that at all. Instead, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Paul shows us a pattern that we are susceptible to fall into: when we desire to be rich, when we elevate that goal above our God, when we idolize money, we’re prone to act contrary to the path God lays out for us. The worst part, as we see in Proverbs, is that the money we so desperately wanted and so fervently devoted our life to disappears. Today, evaluate your plans to make money. Are those plans glorifying to God? Is your path to income a craving that calls you away from God? Pray through your fiscal motivations and ask God to help guide you to make wise and righteous financial decisions. Saturday Most of us are rich. Sure we don’t all drive the cars that we want to or live in the homes that we desire or are able to take the types of vacations that we so desperately want. But the majority of our congregation is well provided for. We have roofs over our heads, food on our table, and while we may stress about money, we have a community of support around us to prevent us from disaster. This is important to note because it’s easy to dismiss today’s passage as “not applicable to me.” By most world standards we’re rich, and we’re commanded to do great things with the money that God has provided for us. Even in your financial struggles, how are you using your money for good works? For generosity? What is your willingness to share? God doesn’t command us to be generous simply to help those that are less fortunate (although that is part of it); He calls us to this lifestyle knowing that at the heart of the Gospel is grace and generosity. Today, remember that you’ve been given an unbelievable amount of grace in the forgiveness of your sins, and you should respond to that with great generosity. Pray that the Lord gives you opportunities to serve those that are less fortunate than you, building up the Kingdom of God, and glorifying His name.
Week Five: Power as an Idol
Under Command Read: 2 Kings 5:1-14 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” 8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash,
and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Introduction While most of us will never have the triumph of building large towers or commanding great armies, all of us will at some point have some sort of power, some sphere of influence. Naaman’s power was immense — he had the riches and position to control just about anything he wanted. While this control could not save him from getting a terrible disease, he certainly believed that his riches could cure it. He felt ready, willing, and able to throw his name, money, and position around to anyone who would help him. Yet, salvation came in the most meek, anticlimactic ways; instead of being overjoyed there was a cure for him, he complained about the simplification of the healing. We want our power to resound with others. We want our control of situations and our position of power to be heard, felt, and even feared wherever we may go. Yet all of the power we think we have is a big dud compared to the one who gave us that power in the first place. Our positions of authority require great precision and great responsibility, and God calls us to steward the skills He gave us to glorify Him. Yet, we puff ourselves up, selling out to the idea that this superiority can purchase for us everlasting love. But like Naaman, we need to continually humble ourselves to a much simpler solution. Christ died on the cross for us and our only healing to our awful disease is to cleanse ourselves through faith in Him.
Discussion
What or whom has God entrusted you to have power and control over? How did you get this power?
Discuss a time when you have seen power or influence misused or abused. When have you misused or abused your power of influence?
Explanation
Why would the young girl from Israel help Naaman being healed? What motivation did she have?
Why did Naaman bring so many riches with him? Why did the king of Israel tear his clothes in response?
Why didn’t Elisha go out and meet Naaman personally?
What did Naaman assume would happen? Why was he disappointed with what did happen?
Application
What positions of authority do you have in your life? How do you handle that responsibility?
Evaluate a time when you were in charge of and credited for a great victory. To whom were you grateful?
Monday
Power as an Idol:
ITLIOY DREA NS FLEC
2 Chronicles 20:6 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.
Tuesday
Wednesday
John 19:10-11 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.”
Thursday Galatians 4:17 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
2 Peter 1:6-7 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with selfcontrol, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Friday
Saturday
Ephesians 1:19-21 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Psalm 46 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the
kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Monday The story of God from Genesis to Revelation reminds us that we’re not in control. God consistently uses the weak and humble underdogs to overpower the Goliaths of the world. Today’s passage is one of a man proclaiming God’s unending power over everything moments before a battle that Israel was certainly not expected to win. Jehoshaphat reminds his people that while we may have dominion over a kingdom, we must rest in the fact that God’s Kingdom is so much greater. Today, reflect on the power of God and the fact that He can deliver us from any situation against all odds. Tuesday God is not impressed with our perceived power. Pilate here naively threatens Jesus, dangling freedom as a carrot if Jesus is willing to acknowledge the authority Pilate holds. Jesus, unimpressed, reminds him, as He does to us, that we have no power unless God gives us power. This is not just a humbling reminder, but prompts us to evaluate how we use that which has been entrusted to our care. What or whom has God given you to care over? Do you use that position for your benefit or for His? Today reflect on where God has placed you, and praise Him for the ability to work for His glory. Wednesday We have all heard it: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Yet, rarely do we think about the process one goes through to attain such “absolute” power. Like most idols, we get a taste of what power has to offer and come back for more, often with increasing demands and needs. Scripture guides us to go the other way, however. We’re to discipline ourselves to align with Christ and how He uses His eternal power. Pray through these two passages, and evaluate where you’re weak. Ask the Lord to lead you down a path that allows you to always think like He would have you think and act like He would have you act. Thursday Holding positions of authority can very easily attract yea-sayers, groupies who are willing to publically proclaim your greatness in hopes that you will someday remember their support. Here, Paul warns the Galatians against the wooing of false teachers who use their compliments to seduce the flock. Be weary of the highs of praise, be on guard against the pride you feel when you’re recognized, for this taste of attention can very easily lead to the addiction of power. Today, pray that you look only to His satisfaction and that you look to make Him proud, not deceived by those around you who may want your position, but firm in the faith that you find your satisfaction in Him.
Friday God makes the impossible possible. Jesus wouldn’t be thought of as amounting to much; he was poor, unpopular, and despite Hollywood’s version of Jesus, He didn’t have Hollywood looks (Isaiah 53:2). Yet, fully divine, this marginalized man is the ultimate authority over anything and everything. Pray that God give you comfort in His power—that He reminds you that despite any hardships you may endure, none are a match for what He can do. Have faith that the Lord loves you, protects you, and guides you every moment of every day. Saturday The Lord of hosts can also be translated as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The term implies that God has vast dominion over that which we see and that which we do not see, and there is no battle that He cannot win. Today put your rest in Him; whatever battles, whatever hardships, whatever obstacles you are facing today, be still in Him, in the all-powerful Lord of hosts, who protects and guides you.
Week SIX: Family as an Idol
Blood Bonds Read: Genesis 22:1-19 Introduction 22:1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your
offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. Family tests our patience. Born sinners, we’re thrown together in a blender of personalities and conflict is guaranteed. Nonetheless, family is a blessing that most of us cherish and exalt. We depend on the people that God provided as our family and would stop at nothing to make sure that our they are secure and successful. Yet, like most idols, our love of family starts out with great intentions and can lead to ugly repercussions, as we would literally stop at nothing, not even direct commands from God, to ensure our family’s success. We live vicariously through others around us, chastise them when they don’t live up to our expectations, or simply demean or persecute others for the sake of our kin. When we look to today’s passage, we can’t escape Abraham’s model. In Abrahams culture, even more so then than now, family was the way that sustained a reputation and a livelihood. Childless and very old, Abraham was promised more ancestors than the stars in the sky. Twenty-five years later this promise was starting to come true, only to have God ask Abraham to give up his son and sacrifice the boy to Him. It’s extremely difficult understand the request God made of Abraham: everything that you value, everything you have been promised, everything you love you must now kill in sacrifice to God. While we gasp at the intensity of the situation, we should not be shocked that God calls us to do the same and to never put anything, even our family, above His love and His commands for us. The sacrifice can feel unrealistic, irrevocably damaging, and eternally painful. Yet, as we see here, God always provides the best in Him, not in what we think is the best. This passage also prefigures what God did in order to provide: God gave what He loved the most in Jesus in order that we would be cared for. While we are called to work hard and provide for our family, He asks us to give up our family as an idol because He gave up His family to adopt us into His. Let us rejoice that a true sacrifice was made on our behalf and let nothing, not even that which seems most honorable, come between that and our worship of His love for us.
Discussion
What is the one person in your life that you simply could not live without?
What are your ultimate hopes for your family? How would you like to see them succeed?
Explanation
Examine God’s language when he makes the request of Abraham. What words or phrases does He use to reassure that Abraham that God knows how painful this sacrifice will be? What does this say about God and how He empathizes with us?
How long did Abraham have to carry the burden of this request? Examine Abraham’s language to the young men who traveled with him and to Isaac himself. What does this say about his faith?
Application
What do you believe God couldn’t replace or provide a substitute for? Are you willing to give that up for God?
Evaluate your family situation. Do you interact with your family and build them up in a way that is glorifying to God?
How can you improve your relationship with your family? What can you do together to better be the family He has called you to be?
Talk with your family about what you’re all willing to sacrifice in order to get closer to God together.
Friday Matthew 7:9-11
9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Saturday Hebrews 12:9-11 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Friday Think of the last “little” blessing that the Lord provided — an unexpected source of money, a green light when you really needed one, even a well-weathered day. What about some of those “big” blessings — a healing, a relationship restored, a large burden removed. All of this, every detail is provided by the Lord. Whether we obsessively care for our families or do just what we can to provide, we’re but a shadow of what the Great Provider brings, and we must realize that in order to truly care for those around us, we must look to the one who truly cares for us. Today, praise God for everything that He provides and ask Him to show you how to do the same with the family around you in a way that is truly glorifying to Him. Saturday Discipline hurts both to the person prescribing it and the person receiving it. Family tensions are so fragile that we tend to toe the line between politeness and passive aggressiveness—never
wanting to engage in discussions about what may actually be wrong. We idolize what our parents, siblings, and even what our children think of us and will stop at nothing to make sure that our image is protected even within the confines of the closest of homes. Yet, the Lord, as perfect Father, disciplines us to keep us back on track. Today evaluate how comfortable you are with disciplining those within your family, and more important, how comfortable you are to receive discipline from your own family. Pray that you are able to imitate your Heavenly Father in the way that He guides us, rebukes us, and shepherds us to a closer relationship with Him, using Him as the model for the perfect parent.
FAMILY MONEY
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IDOLS!
Monday
Family
as an Idol:
ITLIOY DREA NS FLEC
Luke 14:25-33 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
Tuesday Hosea 11:1-4 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. 3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Wednesday
1 Timothy 5:1-2 1 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
Thursday Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Monday Jesus’ words here must have taken people aback the same way then as the do now. Hate our family? Doesn’t scripture and Jesus Himself call us to love others? Jesus knows the condition of the human heart and recognizes that we can become attached to anything other than Him. Family is one of God’s greatest blessings, but we must be willing to forgo the needs, rewards, and safety of our family if we are to follow Him. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than what God calls us to do in His relationship with us. We can so easily devote endless hours in improving, providing, and protecting our family while neglecting the relationship with our Father. Today, evaluate where you prioritize your family in comparison to your relationship with God; do you work harder and pour more of your time and resources into them or into Him? Pray that the Lord becomes the center of your life and that He shows you how a rooted relationship with Him is the only thing that can truly keep any family together. Tuesday Family will let us down. Whether or not we have children, we can certainly relate to this passage — at some point we pour our lives, resources, and devotion into someone, only to see them give someone other than us the credit for their success or only to see them dismiss all that we have done. Here, God as a perfect Father, bemoans what Israel did to Him and what we often do to Him — He loves us perfectly while we worship others. When we idolize family, and they let us down, we’re getting a glimpse of how God feels when He devotes everything to us and we walk away. Today, pray that you walk as a child of God — obedient, loving, full of praise for the chains He has unlocked and the grace he has bestowed. Wednesday We’re cliquish. We gather around those who are most like us, draw lines in the sand, and stick to our family and wrongfully assume that if you’re not with us, you’re against us. We forget that we’re to treat those around us as family, caring for them in the most Gospel-centered way. When we focus primarily on lifting up our clan, we forget that God calls us to encourage, bless, and
provide for those around us as well. Today, ask God that He would bring to mind those in your proximity that need someone to welcome them as family; work towards lifting them up as children of God and helping them just as much as you would help one of your own. Thursday Parents or not, we all have our theories of how to parent or mentor. We think that our experiences have shaped us perfectly and thus those experiences will certainly shape others perfectly — after all, if it’s good for us, it should be good for everyone else, right? Unfortunately, the Lord shapes and molds us all differently and when we try to force our systems onto others, we usually hit a brick wall of frustration. The one piece of parenting we can lean on comes from this passage; leaning on the Lord and His commands is the sure fire way to keep aligned with what He wants and is the first step to parenting and mentoring anyone. Today, bind the commands on your head, heart, and soul so that everyone around you may see and learn, not just from your example, but from the good Father who teaches and guides us perfectly.
Based on the book Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller