SESSION 3
God Cannot Be Improved
Idolatry Distorts Our View of God and Corrupts Our Behavior
Summary and Goal
In the Second Commandment, God condemns idolatry because of His passionate jealousy for our
worship. Idolatry is dangerous because it distorts our view of God and corrupts our behavior, leading
us away from God as He has revealed Himself and toward a false god who is powerless to save and
transform us. In order to engage in God’s mission, we need the power that comes from a Spirittransformed heart.
Steps to Prepare
1.  Read the main passages for this lesson, recording your insights and questions:
-- Exodus 32:1-8 (read the whole chapter for context)
-- Deuteronomy 5:8-10
2.  Study the Expanded Lesson Content (pp. 34-41).
-- Determine what elements of this lesson are most applicable to your particular group.
-- Consider ways to personalize the lesson content for you and your class.
3.  Review the Teaching Plan (pp. 32-33).
-- Refine the lesson plan based on your group’s particular needs.
-- Adjust the plan if necessary.
4.  Pray for the Lord’s guidance as you lead your group through this material.
Lesson Outline
1.  God condemns idolatry because He is jealous for our worship (Deut. 5:8-10).
2.  God condemns idolatry because idols distort our view of Him (Ex. 32:1-4).
3.  God condemns idolatry because idols corrupt our behavior (Ex. 32:5-8).
Session 3
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
31
Teaching Plan
God Cannot
Be Improved
Session 3
For Further
Discussion
The first four
Commandments deal
primarily with God and
our relationship to Him.
What is the significance of
these commands being so
God-centered?
For Further
Discussion
What are some books,
movies, and television
shows that portray God
in one form or another?
What kind of God is
communicated by
these representations?
Introduce the Lesson
Begin the session by discussing the relevance of the Second Commandment
and how it is different from the First (leader p. 34; personal study p. 28).
What are some ways people may seek to “improve” upon
the God of the Bible? Why do you think God forbids us to
make images that reflect Him?
Summarize this session, and then transition to the first point (leader p. 35;
personal study p. 28).
1. G
od condemns idolatry because He is jealous for
our worship.
As you read Deuteronomy 5:8-10, encourage your group to note the
consequences for disobeying this command. Explain how the Second
Commandment extends beyond literal idols to any attempt to create God in
our own image (leader p. 35; personal study p. 29).
God gets to define Himself. Use the example of the biography to help your
group understand why anyone who is misrepresented is justified in being
offended (leader pp. 35-36; personal study p. 29).
For Further
Discussion
Have you ever heard the phrase “My God is like…” or
“My God would never do…”? What do these phrases
communicate about one’s view of God?
In what ways does God’s
prohibition of idolatry serve
to protect His people?
Highlight the reason God forbids idolatry—He is jealous for our worship.
When we engage in idolatry, we rob ourselves of the joy of really knowing
God (leader pp. 36-37; personal study p. 30).
Why is it important that our opinions about God match up
with the reality of God’s revelation of Himself? What are
common “graven images” in our lives and thoughts today?
32
Leader Guide | Summer 2014
2. God condemns idolatry because idols distort our
view of Him.
Read Exodus 32:1-4, explaining how this passage gives us a vivid illustration
of where idolatry comes from and what it leads to. Show how the bull
represented strength for ancient people. This distorted image of God came
from fear and worry (leader pp. 37-38; personal study pp. 30-31).
What are some reasons why our hearts rush to the making
of idols? In what ways can our view of God become
distorted by our idolatry?
Highlight why making a graven image is problematic—it can only show one
dimension of God. They conceal more than they reveal (leader pp. 38-39;
personal study p. 31).
What are some single attributes people reduce God
to? What are the dangers of representing only some of
God’s attributes?
3. God condemns idolatry because idols corrupt
our behavior.
As you read Exodus 32:5-8, encourage your group to notice how this
event is described by Aaron—a festival to the Lord. Explain how the
original language indicates corrupt and immoral behavior (leader p. 39;
personal study p. 32).
What is the relationship between our view of God and our
behavior? What are some choices we make that come from
a wrong view of God?
Explain that many of our wrong attitudes and actions come from a deficient,
deformed view of who God is. Help your group understand why it’s
important to trace a connection between our sins and our thoughts about
God (leader pp. 40-41; personal study pp. 32-33).
How does our view of God impact the way we treat others?
Why is idolatry a hindrance to our mission and message
as Christians?
For Further
Discussion
How can we as believers
help each other turn to God
in faith during difficult times
instead of idols?
For Further
Discussion
What does it mean to
use God?
For Further
Discussion
Do you have a wrong view
of other people? In what
ways might we mistreat
and misunderstand other
people due to an incorrect
view of reality?
For Further
Discussion
Contrast the story of
Zacchaeus (Luke 19)
with the rich young ruler
(Mark 10). Why did the
young ruler walk away?
What did this reveal about
the idolatry of his heart?
Why did Zacchaeus give
generously? What did this
reveal about his heart?
Show how ultimately Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the exact
representation of His being (leader p. 41; personal study p. 33).
Conclusion
Contrast Mount Sinai with the mount of transfiguration, where the light of
God’s glory was illuminated in Jesus Christ. Encourage your group to engage
in God’s mission by walking in the light and calling others to turn from idols
to the living God (leader p. 41; personal study p. 33).
Session 3
33
Expanded Lesson Content
God Cannot
Be Improved
Session 3
Illustrator Photo / GB Howell / Louvre Museum / Paris
Voices from
the Church
“You can’t understand the
seriousness of idolatry
without understanding
the jealousy of God. And
you can’t understand his
jealousy without some
understanding of his
relentless, powerful love
for you, because they
are intertwined.” 1
–Kyle Idleman
Introduction
A couple years ago, as
I was planning a sermon series
on the Ten Commandments,
I thought it would be best
to combine the First and
Second Commandments.
Why? Because the topics (“No
other gods” and “No graven
images”) are obviously related
to the concept of idolatry. But
the more I studied, the more
I realized that moving too quickly past the Second Commandment would
be a mistake.
I get the feeling that many of us don’t pay much attention to the
prohibition against making a graven image. You’re probably thinking,
I don’t own any idols or statues. I sure loved my Superman action figures/
Barbie dolls when I was a kid, but I never remember worshiping them. Is this
Commandment even relevant today?
It is. Incredibly relevant, actually. This Commandment is broken
regularly by people inside and outside the church, and as we will see in the
Bible passages for this study, disobedience has devastating consequences
for us and our families.
The First Commandment is about giving our allegiance to something
or someone other than the true God. The Second is about trying to turn
the true God into something else. It’s about trying to “improve” God by
fashioning Him in our own image.
What are some ways people may seek to “improve” upon
the God of the Bible? Why do you think God forbids us to
make images that reflect Him?
34
Leader Guide | Summer 2014
Lesson Summary
In the Second Commandment, God condemns idolatry because of
His passionate jealousy for our worship. Idolatry is dangerous because it
distorts our view of God and corrupts our behavior, leading us away from
God as He has revealed Himself and toward a false god who is powerless
to save and transform us. In order to engage in God’s mission, we need the
power that comes from a Spirit-transformed heart.
1. God condemns idolatry because He is jealous
for our worship (Deut. 5:8-10).
In the previous session, we saw how God reminded His people of His
relationship with them. He is the God who rescued them from slavery
and made them His own special people. His First Commandment was
about exclusivity—we can have no other gods besides Him. In the Second
Commandment, God forbids the wrong kind of worship:
Do not make an idol for yourself in the shape of anything in the
heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
9
You must not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the
Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the
fathers’ sin to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
10
but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who
love Me and keep My commands.
8
Our first reaction when reading this passage may be relief: Whew!
I’m glad I’ve never made an idol with my hands or bowed down to a statue!
But the idolatry condemned in this Commandment is more than merely
crafting a statue to represent God. It’s about making God in our image
rather than realizing we are made in His.
In other words, we break the Second Commandment whenever we
define God in our hearts as we want Him to be rather than believing what
He has revealed Himself to be. We create an image in our mind of the
God we want, not the God who is.
Have you ever heard someone use these phrases: “Well, my God
would never…” or “My God is like this…” or “I like to think of God
as…”? No offense, but do you realize how silly these statements are? If
there is one true God who has revealed Himself to us in the Scriptures and
in the person of Jesus Christ, then it makes no difference how you like to
think of God. God is who He is. Our opinions about what He should be
or what we would like Him to be are irrelevant.
God gets to define Himself. We aren’t the creators of an imaginary
god in our minds. We are the creatures of a true God who has revealed
Himself. If God is real, we must conform our conceptions of God to what
the Bible says about Him, not conform God to what we’d like Him to be.
Further
Commentary
“The Hebrew term
translated ‘Idol’ (pesel)
means ‘a carved thing.’ It
could, in this context, refer
not just to likenesses of
pagan gods but to that of
the Lord Himself (4:15-16).
To hate God in a covenant
context means not so
much to detest Him with
strong emotional overtones
as it does to reject Him as
a covenant partner. For
Israel to ‘love’ God was to
choose Him and agree to
obey Him (6:4-5; John 14:15).
Conversely, to hate Him
was to disobey Him.” 2
–Eugene H. Merrill,
HCSB Study Bible
Further
Commentary
“Among human beings,
jealousy is often the
product of offended pride
or personal insecurity.
With God, of course, no
such motivations exist. He
is concerned when those
he loves are drawn away
from what is supremely
valuable—himself—to what
is less so: ‘My people have
committed two sins: They
have forsaken me, the
spring of living water, and
have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot
hold water’ (Jer. 2:13).” 3
–Doug McIntosh
Session 3
35
Voices from
Church History
“Anything you love more,
fear more, serve more, or
value more than God is
your idol.” 4
–Adrian Rogers (1931-2005)
Voices from
the Church
“God loves his people, and
the last thing he wants to
see them do is skip down
a path that leads to their
own destruction. You bet
he’s jealous.” 5
–Mark Galli
Some people are offended by the idea that God gets to define Himself.
Some might say, “You mean I can’t choose what I want to believe about
God? How dare you challenge my understanding of who my God is!” But
try to see it from another point of view.
Suppose a writer came up to you and said, “I would like my next
biography to be about you.” You’d be flattered to receive the attention,
right? But after the book is written, you discover that the writer has
described you as an astronaut who has a terrible time with relationships.
The book ends with you living alone with 18 cats. You go to the writer and
say, “An astronaut? I’m scared of heights. Bad relationships? I get along well
with everyone. And the cat thing? I’m more of a dog person.” The writer
smiles and replies, “But this is how I prefer to see you. I find you much
more interesting the way I’ve described you.” You’d be right to be offended
because the writer is implying that he doesn’t like you the way you are.
In a far greater sense, the Second Commandment is getting at this
very issue. God is saying, “Even if you prefer to see Me this way or that
way, you are not allowed to remake Me into what you want Me to be.
I AM WHO I AM.”
Have you ever heard the phrase “My God is like…” or
“My God would never do…”? What do these phrases
communicate about one’s view of God?
God demands to be rightly represented because God is jealous for our
worship. His jealousy is different than the jealousy we feel as human beings
because it is rooted in His love for His glory and His love for His people.
God knows that only when we worship Him for who He is will we find
joy and satisfaction in Him. And because God wants us to find our joy in
Him, He forbids us to worship a figment of our imagination.
Why do we do this? Why are we constantly tempted to form and
shape a god we want rather than believe and worship the God who is? If
we’re honest, we will admit that we like to be in control. A god we can
shape and form and manipulate is a god we can control. On the other
hand, if God is outside of our control, that means we are the ones who
must submit to His will.
As Christians, we are tempted to shave off the rough edges, from our
perspective, of God’s self-revelation. Sometimes people will say, “Well,
my God would never eternally punish someone for their sins” or “My
God wouldn’t say that divorce is wrong” or “My God would never let
something bad happen to me if I am serving Him faithfully.” Once we
begin forming God based on who we’d like Him to be rather than who
He is, we are breaking the Second Commandment. We’re no longer
relying on what God has revealed about Himself. Instead, we’re revealing
what our sinful hearts want to believe.
36
Leader Guide | Summer 2014
The problem with breaking the Second Commandment is that we
get angry and disappointed when God acts differently. Our assumptions
about God turn out to be wrong. Not only that, we rob ourselves of the
joy of really knowing God—knowing God for who He is, not just what
we think about Him. And at the end of the day, God wants us to know
Him and make Him known. He wants to be known and loved for who
He is. That’s why He’s jealous for our worship.
Why is it important that our opinions about God match up
with the reality of God’s revelation of Himself? What are
common “graven images” in our lives and thoughts today?
2. God condemns idolatry because idols distort
our view of Him (Ex. 32:1-4).
As Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments for the first time,
the children of Israel had already gone about breaking them. The account
of the Israelites worshiping the golden calf is a vivid illustration of where
idolatry comes from and what it leads to.
Take a look at the scene as described in Exodus 32. Moses has gone
up the mountain to commune with God and to receive instruction for
the people. As the days pass by, the Israelites begin to worry about Moses’
whereabouts, which leads them to make this request:
When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the
mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us
a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up
from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”
2
Then Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on
the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to
me.” 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and
brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it
with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf.
Then they said, “Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the
land of Egypt!”
1
Further
Commentary
“Why did the people want
‘gods who can go before
us’? Were they not satisfied
with Yahweh’s leadership
during the past months,
as he went before them
day and night? The answer
was partly a matter of
the strong attractions of
idolatry, partly a matter of
the absence of Moses, who
was so closely associated
with Yahweh’s presence,
partly a matter of the
passage of time during
which the obvious presence
of Yahweh in the pillar of
cloud and fire was lacking,
partly a matter of the
attractiveness of the idea
of a syncretism of Yahwism
with the Egyptian bull cult,
but mostly a matter of
something that continues
to plague even Christian
people today: an inability
to see that the spiritual
world is primary to and in
control of the physical and
visible world. In order to
help his people understand
the truth, Yahweh insisted
on being believed in
rather than being seen.
It was so much easier
to believe in something
that could actually be
seen. The Israelites were
powerfully attracted to the
latter option.” 6
–Douglas K. Stuart
Let’s unpack what is going on here. First off, we see that the people
were worrying about Moses (and by extension, their future). They were
wandering in the wilderness, susceptible to enemy attack and concerned
about their survival. Even though they’d just witnessed God swallow up
the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, they doubted the power of God.
So what did they request? Not a new god but an image of God
they could hold on to. Something to give them comfort and to go
before them. The bull was something God had told them to sacrifice
in worship to Him. To ancient people, the bull represented strength.
Session 3
37
Further
Commentary
Four Expressions of Idolatry
“To localize God, confining
him within limits which we
impose, whereas he is the
Creator of the universe; or
To domesticate God,
making him dependent on
us, taming and taping him,
whereas he is the Sustainer
of human life; or
To alienate God, blaming
him for his distance and his
silence, whereas he is the
Ruler of nations, and not far
from any of us; or
To dethrone God, demoting
him to some image of our
own contrivance or craft,
whereas he is our Father
from whom we derive
our being.
In brief, all idolatry tries to
minimize the gulf between
the Creator and his
creatures, in order to bring
him under our control.” 7
What better attribute of God to cling on to during uncertain times
and difficult circumstances? His strength. And what better way to
represent God’s strength than to make a bull that would guarantee
their protection?
This distorted image of God came from frightened hearts. The people
of Israel were worried. They failed to trust God. They didn’t find their
satisfaction in God, which is why they felt like they needed something
more, something in addition to Him if they were going to be protected.
Because of their need for something more, they made an image that
would reflect God’s strength. The idol made them feel protected, and they
thought they needed the idol more than they needed God.
Right here, we see idolatry on full display. When we are worried and
insecure, we seek to shape our view of God in a way that brings us comfort,
hoping that this image of God will guarantee our future peace and happiness.
Psychologists point out that as humans, we tend to “re-imagine”
friends and family members to be a certain way. We need them to be a
certain way, so we will often manipulate them into being that way. We do
the same thing with God.
Instead of seeing God for who He is, you end up seeing Him as your
idolatrous, dysfunctional heart wants Him to be. God becomes simply a
reflection of yourself and a reflection of your idolatry.
What are some reasons why our hearts rush to the making
of idols? In what ways can our view of God become
distorted by our idolatry?
–John Stott
Voices from
Church History
“Let those who worship
stones be ashamed.
Because those stones
were dead, we have found
a living Stone; indeed
those stones never lived,
so that they cannot be
called even dead; but our
Stone is living, and hath
ever lived with the Father,
and though He died for us,
He revived, and liveth now,
and death shall no more
have dominion over Him.” 8
–Augustine (354-430)
38
In this passage, the bull symbolized God’s strength. Is it true that
God is strong? Of course. But this idol doesn’t give us any sense of God’s
holiness or His tenderness or His authority. This is why God condemns idolmaking—God can never be reduced to a static figure or a single attribute.
He is complete in all of His holiness and perfections. He is almighty in
strength and perfect in holiness. He is fully just and infinitely loving. He is
transcendent above the heavens and also close and intimate in our hearts.
The problem with making a graven image of God is that it can only
show you one dimension of God, never all of Him. And once you latch on
to only one aspect of God, you end up distorting who God actually is.
For example, if you drew a picture of God, would you draw Him
smiling or frowning? If you draw Him smiling, you might capture His
goodness and fatherliness but not His wrath against sin. If you draw Him
frowning, you might capture His anger against sin, but you wouldn’t show
His grace and forgiveness. If you draw Him towering above the heavens,
you obscure the fact that He is close to us and shares intimately in our
pain. But if you show Him as a friend by your side, you obscure the fact
that He’s the God of infinite majesty and worth and unspeakable holiness.
Leader Guide | Summer 2014
That’s the problem with pictures of God. They always conceal more
than they reveal. They distort more than they reflect. The children of
Israel created a golden calf, and then Aaron said, “Here is your God
who brought you out of Egypt!” Their honor for the young bull made a
mockery of God.
What are some single attributes people reduce God
to? What are the dangers of representing only some of
God’s attributes?
3. God condemns idolatry because idols corrupt
our behavior (Ex. 32:5-8).
The story doesn’t end with a distorted view of God. As we read on, we
see how a corrupted vision of God leads to corrupted behavior:
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; then he made an
announcement: “There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow.” 6 Early
the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented
fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up
to play.
7
The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you
brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. 8 They have
quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for
themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to
it, and said, ‘Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land
of Egypt.’ ”
5
“The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to play.” The event
began as a worship festival in honor of the Lord. At least that was the spin
Aaron put on it. It ended with a raucous party of immorality. (In Hebrew,
the word translated “play” can have sexual connotations to it.) God told
Moses to go back down the mountain because the stiff-necked, hardhearted people had corrupted themselves.
An important point can be made here. The children of Israel created
an image that gave them a distorted vision of God. They worshiped this
depiction of God for less than a day before they were involved in immoral
behavior. Idolatry distorts our vision and then corrupts our behavior. And
when we trace our sinful behavior backward, we often will find a distorted
vision of God.
Voices from
the Church
“Sinful pleasure can ruin
our appetite for the things
of God.” 9
–Billy Graham
Further
Commentary
“Perhaps Aaron’s
declaration attempted to
put a better face on the
situation with a version
of the theory that the end
justified the means. But the
festival could never be in
honor of the Lord when the
method it used defied Him.
The word translated ‘acted
corruptly’ indicates total
ruin, as in 8:24; Gen. 6:12-13;
19:13; Jer. 12:10; 13:7. The
word ‘corrupt’ describes
something irrevocably
spoiled in such a way that it
is no longer of any use.” 10
–Dorian G. Coover-Cox,
HCSB Study Bible
What is the relationship between our view of God and our
behavior? What are some choices we make that come from
a wrong view of God?
Session 3
39
Further
Commentary
Does the Old Testament
prohibition of graven
images mean we should
not have artistic renderings
of Jesus? Christians are
divided on this issue. The
majority of Christians
believe that because
of the incarnation (God
taking on human flesh),
it is not wrong to utilize a
pictorial representation of
Jesus Christ. A number of
Christians, however, see the
Second Commandment as
prohibiting any picture or
movie that seeks to portray
Christ. Whatever position
your church takes on this
matter, it is important
to recognize that artistic
depictions of Christ do not
show us all of His character
as revealed in Scripture.
No human actor or human
drawing is sufficient to
show us the glory of Christ,
which is why our reliance
must be on the sufficiency
of Scripture.
40
True spiritual growth comes from seeing and knowing God—all
of Him, not part of Him. If you focus on only one dimension of God,
you will grow in a deformed way. Your life will not reflect the goodness,
holiness, and mercy of God the way He intends. Here are some examples:
• If you view God as holy and just but not compassionate and gracious,
then you will tend to be judgmental and impatient.
• If you view God as gracious and loving but not holy and righteous, then
you will tend to treat sin casually.
• If you view God as powerful but not totally sovereign, then you will tend
to worry and stress when things in your life go wrong.
• If you view God as powerful and sovereign but not compassionate and
loving, then you will tend to minimize human freedom and responsibility.
• If you view God as a distant Judge but not the steadfast Father who gave
His Son for your sins, then you will tend to assume God is mad at you
whenever things go wrong.
• If you view God as true and right but not beautiful and all-satisfying,
then you will be content in knowing the right doctrines while serving
God halfheartedly, failing to desire Him with all your heart as you
struggle with attraction to the things of this world.
• If you view God as the One who guarantees your prosperity and good
fortune in this life now, then you will be disillusioned when things go
wrong. You will fail to experience the sweetness of His presence and
promises in the midst of pain.
Do you see how our view of God leads to different kinds of behavior?
The patterns in our life can be traced back to our understanding of who
God is. Look for the places of stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction in your
life, the places where you are most tempted to sin, and then trace them
back to a wrong view of God.
• Are you worried? Embrace God’s sovereignty.
• Are you insecure? Embrace the fact that in Christ you have the absolute
approval and affirmation of the God who created the universe, who loves
you tenderly as a Father.
• Are you judgmental? Think about how much mercy God has shown you.
• Are you stingy? Consider how generous God has been with you.
• Are you materialistic? Think about how much more beautiful God is
than money.
The Bible teaches that we become like what we worship. Jeremiah 2:5
says that when we worship worthless things, we become worthless. The
apostle Paul echoed this truth in Romans 1:21-22: “For though they knew
God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their
thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the
immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed
animals, and reptiles.”
Leader Guide | Summer 2014
When we worship money, we become materialistic and anxious all the
time about our savings. When we worship family, we become codependent
and obsessive about our children. When we worship romance, we become
possessive in our relationships. Whatever it is you worship, you reflect.
How does our view of God impact the way we treat others?
Why is idolatry a hindrance to our mission and message
as Christians?
God reveals Himself in words because pictures and images can
never contain Him. Pictures and images conceal more than they
reveal. But thankfully, in only one place can you see a picture of God.
Colossians 1:15 says that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God.” The
word “image” equals “icon” here. Hebrews 1:3 offers that the Son is “the
exact expression of His nature.” We see the real God in the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus. In Him, we see God in all His glory.
Conclusion
The Ten Commandments given on Mount Sinai are transformed by
another mountain in the Gospels—the mount of transfiguration. On
Sinai, God said, “Do not have other gods besides Me” (Deut. 5:7). He
was demanding absolute, radical worship and obedience. On the mount
of transfiguration, God illuminated His Son in all His splendor and
said, “This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him. Listen to Him!”
(Matt. 17:5)
The answer to idolatry isn’t more willpower or more knowledge; it’s
Jesus. The graven images fall away in light of the true Image of God, who
shows us the light of His glory.
You know what it’s like when you come out of a movie theater into the
daylight? The light hurts your eyes to the point you feel like you have to
shield them. Why is this the case? Because your eyes are used to darkness.
At first, it hurts to walk into the sunlight. But once you stay in the light,
your eyes refocus, and you are able to see the glories and wonders of the
outside world.
As God works on your heart, walk in the light. Don’t shield your eyes
and turn away from the truth God’s Word exposes. Live in the light you
were created for.
Voices from
the Church
“All of our behaviors—
both our obedience and
our sin—stem from the
object (or objects) of
our worship.” 11
–Ed Stetzer
Voices from
the Church
“The only way to free
ourselves from the
destructive influence of
counterfeit gods is to turn
back to the true one. The
living God, who revealed
himself both at Mount
Sinai and on the Cross, is
the only Lord who, if you
find him, can truly fulfill
you, and, if you fail him, can
truly forgive you.” 12
–Timothy Keller
Session 3
41
Additional Resources
God Cannot Be Improved
References
1. Kyle Idleman, Gods at War (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 49.
2. Eugene H. Merrill, HCSB Study
Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 294,
n. 5:8; n. 5:9-10.
3. Doug McIntosh, Deuteronomy,
vol. 3 in Holman Old Testament
Commentary, ed. Max Anders
(Nashville: B&H, 2002), 78.
4. Adrian Rogers, in Adrianisms: The
Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers,
vol. 1 (Memphis: Love Worth
Finding, 2006), 109.
5. Mark Galli, A Great and Terrible Love
(Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009), 116.
6. Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2
in The New American Commentary
(Nashville: B&H, 2006), 662-63.
7. John Stott, The Message of Acts
(Downers Grove: IVP, 1990), 287.
8. Augustine, On the Psalms, in
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers,
First Series, ed. Philip Schaff, vol. 8
(New York: Cosimo, reprinted
2007), 477.
9. Billy Graham, in Billy Graham
in Quotes, ed. Franklin Graham
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
2011), 313.
10. Dorian G. Coover-Cox, HCSB
Study Bible, 153-54, n. 32:5; n. 32:7.
11. Ed Stetzer, Subversive Kingdom
(Nashville: B&H, 2012), 142.
12. Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods
(New York: Dutton, 2009), xxiv.
Devotional Material
Encourage your group to read the three devotional readings included in the
Personal Study Guide.
Study Material
-- “The Second Commandment”—Chapter 2 from The Ten Commandments
by Mark F. Rooker
-- “The Right God, the Right Way”—Chapter 5 from Written in Stone by
Philip Graham Ryken
-- “Idol Elimination”—Chapter 7 from Subversive Kingdom by Ed Stetzer
-- “No Graven Image”—Article by Don Wilton; find a link to this article at
gospelproject.com/additional/resources
-- Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including “Bull and Calf Worship in the
Ancient Near East,” can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter,
at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project.
Sermon Podcast
Ken Whitten: “God and God Alone”
Videos
Timothy Keller: “Counterfeit Gods”
Ed Stetzer with Kyle Idleman: An interview on idolatry
Find links to these at gospelproject.com/additionalresources
Tip of the Week
Prayer Requests
Most of us have faced the challenge of getting everything done on Sunday
morning. Unfortunately, some things get squeezed out if we are not careful.
Here are some ways to gather prayer requests or pray in Sunday School
when time is limited: collect prayer requests on index cards as people arrive;
break the class into small groups to pray only for the group’s requests;
guided, conversational prayer time; allow each person in the class to actually
pray for their own requests; take requests at the end of the class time; declare
a Sunday when only requests for others’ spiritual condition are allowed.
42
Leader Guide | Summer 2014
About the Writers
Mike Cosper is the one of the founding pastors of Sojourn
The Gospel Project®
Adult Leader Guide HCSB
Volume 2, Number 4 Summer 2014
Eric Geiger
Vice President, Church Resources
Ed Stetzer
General Editor
Trevin Wax
Managing Editor
Daniel Davis
Content Editor
Philip Nation
Director, Adult Ministry Publishing
Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky, where he serves
as the Executive Pastor of Worship and Arts. He’s the author
of Rhythms of Grace: How the Church’s Worship Tells the Story
of the Gospel and the co-author of Faithmapping with Daniel
Montgomery. He and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters,
Dorothy and Maggie.
Rey De Armas serves as one of the campus pastors at Christ
Fellowship in Miami, leading the Coral Gables campus. He is
married to Lauren, and they have two daughters: Zoe and Lexi.
During his free time, Rey enjoys dates with Lauren, playing
with his daughters, and playing percussion.
Faith Whatley
Director, Adult Ministry
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Recovering the Power That Made Christianity Revolutionary and
Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart. He and his wife, Veronica,
have four children.
Trevin Wax is managing editor for The Gospel Project and the
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in the United States and Romania. He and his wife, Corina,
reside in Middle Tennessee with their three children.
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