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Rachel’s Gods

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Women, Idolatry and the Power of the Cross Study Guide

pl m By Elyse Fitzpatrick, M.A.

e ©2013 IBCD Unauthorized duplication without express written permission is prohibited.

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Table of Contents Introduction

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DISC 1 Session 1: This Is the Law: No Other Gods

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Session 2: This Is the Law: No Other Gods

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Session 3: This Is the Law: No Other Gods

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DISC 2 15

Session 2: Idolatry? Me? Really?

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Session 3: Idolatry? Me? Really?

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Session 1: Idolatry? Me? Really?

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DISC 3

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Session 2: This Is the Gospel: Bury Your God’s ‘Neath Calvary’s Tree’

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Session 3: This Is the Gospel: Bury Your God’s ‘Neath Calvary’s Tree’

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Session 1: This Is the Gospel: Bury Your God’s ‘Neath Calvary’s Tree’

DISC FOUR Session 1: This Is the Gospel: Bury Your God’s ‘Neath Calvary’s Tree’

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Session 2: This Is the Gospel: Bury Your God’s ‘Neath Calvary’s Tree’

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Session 3: This Is the Gospel: Bury Your God’s ‘Neath Calvary’s Tree’

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Introduction

This study guide corresponds to the material presented on each disc. All of the notes are included here. You may watch each DVD in its entirety (approximately 60 minutes) or you may watch it in three segments of approximately 20 minutes each. The suggested time to break is indicated in this study. Feel free to use this guide in the way that best suits your group’s needs.

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Each session has a set of discussion questions that will enable viewers to begin to consider the material before the video actually starts. Take time to consider questions and new insights of the group before you begin the video.

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The study may be used by an individual or in a group setting. Although these four presentations are each approximately one hour in length, you may choose to stop the video at the point indicated in this study guide. If you do so, you’ll end up with twelve approximately twenty minute viewings with questions for each. The time to stop will not be indicated in the DVD itself, so you’ll need to watch the time counter on your DVD player and stop the video then. Or, the DVDs may be viewed in one hour segments. Feel free to craft these sessions and your study of this material as best suits you and your group.

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This Is the Law: No Other Gods Session 1 Before you begin to watch the DVD take a few moments to discuss: * What are you hoping to learn through this study? * What do you think you already know about idolatry? * Do you have any concerns as you begin? * Spend time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to illumine your heart.

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[Disc 1, Session 1]

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* How can we be motivated to single-hearted worship?

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* Are we motivated to true worship by guilt? Why or why not?

* Elyse hopes to show you Jesus. Why?

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* John writes, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). To whom was he speaking?

* Is idolatry a problem only in other cultures?

* Why is it important for us to know that idolatry isn’t just an ancient problem?

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* Elyse introduces these three questions for you to consider: What do you love?



What do you worship?



What do you serve?

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* Materialism is just one way to think about idolatry. What does Elyse want to focus on instead?

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* Why is worry an important key to understanding our idolatry?

In the Old Testament: “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the

LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.’” Ex 20:1-5

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* What is the good news in the passage above? How does this good news motivate true worship?

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“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deut 6:5

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"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?” Deut 10:12-13

“And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deut 30:6-7

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* None of us love like this all the time. We need God’s work in our hearts, don’t we?

[If you are viewing this DVD in three segments, stop at the 20:24 minute mark. You may spend the remainder of your meeting time discussing the questions above.]

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This Is the Law: No Other Gods Session 2 Before you begin take a few moments to discuss: * What questions do you have about last session’s video? * What stood out most prominently as you have thought about it? * What are you hoping to learn?

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[Disc 1, Session 2: If you are viewing this DVD in three segments, begin this session at the 20:25 minute mark]

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* Biblical teaching on idolatry isn’t limited to the Old Testament. Does this surprise you? How seriously have you taken its teaching on idolatry?

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In the New Testament: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in

the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Matt 22:36-40 * What is the connection between loving God and loving your neighbor?

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"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." Heb 10:16-17 * What is the good news in Hebrews 10:16-17? How does it change us?

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“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:2-5

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* Did you ever struggle with whether God’s commandments were a burden? What changes your view of God’s commands?

* What kind of obedience is God looking for?

* “Love and obedience are the fruit of faith in what Christ has done.” What does this statement mean?

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* How can we know whether or not we have other gods? •

What are you willing to _______ in order to get?



What are you willing to sin because you ______________?



What does Elyse mean when she talks about “functional” gods?

* Does love for God always eventuate in obedience? Why or why not?

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* Where does this loving obedience come from?

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* The command to shun idolatry has not been abrogated. Our hearts are

life today?

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created to worship and bent on idolatry. How do you see idolatry in your

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21 * Why is idolatry at the core of every other sin? How do you see this in your life?

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* What category of sin do you usually struggle with? How does answering the question, “Who are you loving? What are you longing for?” help you understand your propensity to sin in this way?

“Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." 1 Cor 10:7 “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Cor 10:14 “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters …will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor 6:9-11

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“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry…I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who

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do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal 5:19-21

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[If you are viewing this DVD in three segments, stop at the 42:51 minute mark. You may spend the remainder of your meeting time discussing the questions above.]

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This Is the Law: No Other Gods Session 3 Before you begin take a few moments to discuss: * What questions do you have about last session’s video? * What stood out most prominently as you have thought about it? * What are you hoping to learn?

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[Disc 1, Session 3: If you are viewing this DVD in three segments, begin this session at the 42:51 minute mark]

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“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Col 3:5

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* What is the sin of covetousness? Where do you see it in your life?

* Elyse says that it doesn’t matter what you have, if you are an idolater you’ll never be happy. Why?

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* Idolatry is wanting something other than Jesus. Is this true in your life? Where?

The WCF Question 105: What are the sins forbidden in the first commandment?

Answer: The sins forbidden in the first commandment are, atheism, in denying or not having a God; idolatry, in having or worshiping more gods than one, or any with or instead of the true God; the not having and avouching him for God, and our God; the omission or neglect of anything due to him, required

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in this commandment; ignorance, forgetfulness, misapprehensions, false opinions, unworthy and wicked thoughts of him; bold and curious searching

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into his secrets; all profaneness, hatred of God; self-love, self-seeking, and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, or affections upon other things, and taking them off from him in whole or in part; vain credulity, unbelief, heresy, misbelief, distrust, despair, incorrigibleness, and insensibleness

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under judgments, hardness of heart, pride, presumption, carnal security, tempting of God; using unlawful means, and trusting in lawful means; carnal delights and joys; corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal; lukewarmness, and deadness in the things of God; estranging ourselves, and apostatizing from God; praying, or giving any religious worship, to saints, angels, or any other creatures; all compacts and consulting with the devil, and hearkening to his suggestions; making men the lords of our faith and conscience; slighting and despising God and his commands; resisting and grieving of his Spirit, discontent and impatience at his dispensations, charging him foolishly for the evils he 12

inflicts on us; and ascribing the praise of any good we either are, have, or can do, to fortune, idols, ourselves, or any other creature.

* Why is this bad news really good news?

* As a group, review the definition of idolatry found above. What are the primary areas that you find yourself struggling with? Why would these writers define idolatry in this way?

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[End of Disc 1: You may spend the remainder of your meeting time discussing the questions above.]

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