Guard Your Heart from Idolatry!

 

                   

Guard  Your  Heart   from  Idolatry!   C3  Bible  Study   June  3,  2012   Based on the Sunday theme, your C3 group will delve deeper in study and discussion of the key scriptures. 10 Minute 5 Minute 10 Minute 15 Minutes 35 Minutes Fellowship Announcements Outreach Care & Pray Bible study  

June 3, 2012

After   4   weeks,   I   hope   that   you   have   memorized   this   gem   of   a   passage:     “Above   all   else,   guard   your   heart,   for   it   is   the   wellspring  of  life  (Proverbs  4:23).”  We  have  been  looking  at  the   importance   of   “guarding   our   heart”   as   a   key   part   of   our   sanctification   in   Christ.   Review   the   series   with   these   review  questions:    

 

1. What  is  your  “heart”?  

2. How  does  original  sin  work  against  you  “guarding   your  heart”?    

3. The  Bible  says  you  have  a  “new  heart”.      How  is   that  a  Gospel  image?       4. How  do  patience  and  self-­‐control  help  you  guard   your  heart  from  anger?     5. How  do  you  guard  your  heart  from  lust  and  sexual   immorality?    

Today  we  want  to  look  at  another  danger  and  threat  to  our  faith   that  we  must  guard  our  hearts  from:  I  D  O  L  A  T  R  Y  !     How  do  you  define  idolatry?         What  are  the  “idols”  in  our  culture?     God  considers  all  idols  like  scarecrows  (Jeremiah  10:5)!  They  are   worthless.     The   Small   Catechism   defines   an   idol   like   this:   “God   forbids   us   to   have   other   gods   (idolatry).   [People]   have   other   gods   when   they   regard  and  worship  any  creature  or  thing  as  God;  when  they  believe   in  a  god  who  is  not  the  triune  God;  when  they  fear,  love  or  trust  in   any  person  or  thing  as  they  should  fear,  love  and  trust  in  God  alone;   and   when   they   join   in   the   worship   of   one   who   is   not   the   triune   God.”  (Luther’s  Small  Catechism,  1991,  #20-­‐21)     In   the   Large   Catechism,   Luther   summarized   it   simply   as   “a   God   is   whom  you  turn  to  in  times  of  trouble  and  whom  you  look  to  for   all  good  things.”     The   first   three   commandments   give   us   a   clear   picture   of   how   idolatry   can   creep   into   our   hearts,   onto   our   lips,   and   into   our   ears.  Let’s  study  and  discuss  those  three  commandments:     THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT:  You  shall  have  no  other  gods.   What   does   this   mean?   We   should   fear,   love   and   trust   in   God   above  all  things.    

What   does   it   mean   to   “fear,   love   and   trust”   God?   Note   Psalms   33:8,  62:1-­‐2,  96:4.     How  do  you  “love”  God?  Note  Matthew  22:37  and  John  14:15.     Define  “trust”  in  God.  Note  Psalm  118:8  and  Proverbs  3:5-­‐6.     This  commandment  deals  with  your  heart.  God  needs  to  be  your   chief   priority   and   first   loyalty.   Anything   short   of   that   is   idolatry.     Agreed?       THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT:    You  shall  not  take  the  name  of   the  Lord,  your  God,  in  vain.   What  does  this  mean?  We  should  fear  and  love  God,  so  that  we   do   not   curse,   swear,   practice   witchcraft,   lie   or   deceive   by   His   name,  but  call  upon  Him  in  every  trouble,  pray,  praise  and  give   thanks.     How  many  names  of  God  can  you  brainstorm  in  60  seconds?   How  do  God’s  Names  reveal  Himself  to  us?   How  do  God’s  Names  strengthen,  assure  and  comfort  you?   What  is  your  favorite  Name  of  God  and  why?     Why   is   cursing,   swearing,   satanic   arts,   lying   &   deceiving   (false   teachings)  blasphemy,  and  ultimately  idolatry?     How  do  you  use  God’s  Name  in  trouble?  In  prayer?  In  praise  and   worship?  In  giving  thanks?  In  evangelism?  In  counsel?    

This   commandment   deals   with   your   lips.   God   Name   is   holy,   and   we  must  be  very  careful  how  we  use  His  Name  in  our  lives.  Any   misuse   of   His   Name   is   blasphemy   and   ultimately   idolatry.     Agreed?     THE   THIRD   COMMANDMENT:   Remember   the   Sabbath   Day   by   keeping  it  holy.   What  does  this  mean?  We  should  fear  and  love  God,  so  that  we   do   not   despise   preaching   and   His   Word,   but   hold   it   sacred   and   gladly  hear  and  learn  it.     Worship  is  probably  the  most  obvious  and  most  important  test  of   loyalty   to   Christ.   He   asks   us   to   worship   weekly.   There   are   so   many   “idols”   that   try   to   lure   us   away   from   weekly   worship.       When   they   succeed   then   you   have   disobeyed   His   Command,   His   Word  is  not  in  your  ears,  His  Name  is  not  on  your  lips,  you  are  not   learning   the   Gospel,   you   are   not   meeting   together   with   other   believers,  nor  are  you  growing  as  a  disciple.    

What  lures  people  away  from  weekly  worship?   How  can  you  make  worship  a  “non-­‐negotiable”  in  your  life?     This   commandment   deals   with   your   ears.   God’s   Holy,   inspired,   and   inerrant   Word   needs   to   be   falling   on   your   ears   often,     especially   as   you   worship   Him   weekly.   Anything   that   interrupts   this  is  idolatry.    Agreed?   IF YOU ARE DONE EARLY . . . What was the most important truth   that you learned or reviewed today?   How does this truth help you better Spend  some  time  this  week   understand the Christian faith and life? How will this truth help you live reading  and  reflecting  on       as a disciple? How can you share this truth with your children, family or Jeremiah  10:1-­‐16   neighbor?