Message Notes

Christian-ish
A Faith That Puts God Second

A faith that puts God second reflects a divided heart where God is first in your words, but not in your life.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 NIV

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21 NIV

Idolatry isn’t just bowing to golden statues; it’s putting anything before God.

God is a jealous God.

“Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14 NIV

“You shall not bow down to [idols] or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God ...” Exodus 20:5 NIV

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24 NIV

קַנָּא
qanna: God’s righteous, consuming, covenant-keeping jealousy that relentlessly pursues and protects His relationship with His people

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. ... 2 Corinthians 11:2 NIV

Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. ... Psalm 16:4 NIV

Even good things become idols when they take God’s place in your heart.

How Do You Know if Something Is an Idol?
• Does this lead me closer to God or distract me from God?
• Do I rely on this more than God for my comfort, my identity, or my worth?
• If God asked me to give this up, would I give it up without hesitation?

What you resist the hardest
often reveals what controls you the most.

You don’t just remove the idol; you replace it.

TALK-IT-OVER Notes

Message Summary

A faith that puts God second reflects a divided heart, where God is first in your words but not in your life. The Bible calls this “idolatry,” and it means putting anything before God.

3 Questions to Identify Idols
1. Does this lead me closer to God or distract me from God?

2. Do I rely on this more than God for my comfort, my identity, or my worth?

3. If God asked me to give this up, would I give it up without hesitation?

Key Scripture

“Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14 NIV

Additional Scriptures

• Exodus 20:3 NIV
• 1 John 5:21 NIV
• Exodus 20:5 NIV
• Deuteronomy 4:24 NIV
• 2 Corinthians 11:2 NIV
• Psalm 16:4 NIV

Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.

• Talk about ways you practiced full obedience and surrender this past week.

Start thinking. Ask a question to get your group thinking.

• What are your top five priorities in life right now?

• Read Exodus 34:14. As you read about God being jealous, what thoughts or feelings come up? How is His jealousy different than human jealousy?

Start sharing. Choose a question to create openness.

• Share about your early faith experiences. How did you prioritize God when you first started following Jesus, and how has that changed over time?

• Is there an area of your life that’s taking priority over God? How could you make God more of a priority, and how might your life look different as a result?

Start praying. Be bold and pray with power.

Father, thank You for being jealous for us. It can be tempting to put things of this world above You, and we don’t want to do that. Please show us where we need to remove idols and replace them with more of You. Soften our hearts to hear Your voice as You lead us this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.

• If you’ve identified an idol that you need to remove, focus on replacing it with more of God this week. Share how it’s going with your LifeGroup throughout the week or the next time you meet.

• Start the Bible Plan What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus using Plans With Friends: www.go2.lc/jesus

• Consider how you could love others by serving on the weekend or with a Local Mission Partner.