We’re made to worship God alone.

SCRIPTURE | Exodus 32:1-14

CENTRAL TRUTH

Deeply embedded in our makeup is the desire to worship because we were created to give God glory. But because of sin, we’re prone to idolatry. Our hearts, which were created to worship only God, drift into worshiping created things.

Key question

Why do you think humans are so prone to worship things other than God? What are some of those things?

Keep in Mind

Many of your students may struggle with thinking they can have both God and other things. We live in a culture that teaches we can be a Christian and also be worldly: We can both love Him and our sin; we can both worship Him and obsessively follow culture’s guidelines; we want both to go to heaven and to live like the world; we want both to praise Him and to gossip or curse. We justify that it’s okay because God loves us; we’re only human. God does love us, and we are imperfect. But we must remind students that we don’t—we can’t—follow God and other gods. The Bible makes it clear: gain the world and lose your soul (Matt. 16:26-27). It’s never both/and. But here’s the good news: losing the world and finding life in Christ is so much better. When we follow God’s commands, we live the way God designed us to live—free from sin and shame.

APPLICATION

The Israelites grew impatient waiting for Moses and fell into idolatry. What steps can you take to worship God even when you’re waiting?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: When students can’t see what God is doing, they sometimes look to other things for comfort. Instead of doing this, they can pause. They can look back at their lives and see where God has already been faithful. They can look at His faithfulness in the lives of others too.

FOR THE LEADER: Most of us can look back and see how God has been faithful. When we are walking through times of uncertainty or having to wait on God, we must cling to the truth we know: God has been faithful, He is faithful, and He will be faithful.