Before the Messiah came, the people of God would often cry out “how long, o Lord?” when it came to the troubles in our lives and in the world. Now that Jesus has come, we can have hope when we cry out “how long will | struggle with this sin in my life?” even as we look forward to his second coming.

Discussion Questions

When you think about idolatry, does it sound strange to you? Why do you think that ancient people had gods/idols for literally everything? How does that connect to our modern lives?
Share openly with those in your community: what idols are you the most prone to give a place in your heart? Why do those particular idols “grab” you (personality, childhood wounds, fears, etc.)?
How is the gospel of Jesus our only true hope when it comes to removing idols from our hearts and making genuine progress? Why does “more law” not work?
As the world celebrates Christmas, how can our commitment to Jesus be a witness to a world that is ensnared by many idols?

Prayer Points

Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would help you focus on Jesus and smash your idols.
Pray for grace for yourself and others when the progress isn’t as fast as you would like.
Pray that your witness for Jesus would grow as you put sin to death in your life.