On Sunday night we talked about Idols of the Heart. Here are a few resources to help you continue to think about the topic and search your own heart for Idols.
- X-Ray Questions by David Powlison (html) (PDF) – 34 questions that get at the sin under the sin and help you determine where your heart is worshipping things other than Christ.
- Extended Version: X-Ray Questions by David Powlison (PDF) – This is an extended version of the X-Ray Questions. Powlison talks through what each question is getting at.
- “How the Cross Changes Us” by Tim Keller (mp3)
- My handout. Most of this is taken from other sources(doc).
August 5, 2008 at 8:43 pm
All these questions are very useful and soul piercing. Without a huge amount of grace, though, they will choke me up and depress me beyond reason. I am nothing without Christ. I can do nothing without him. I am weak and made of dust. I will never be how Jesus wants me to be until I meet him face to face. I already know these facts and find my shelter in the cross of Christ and his endless mercy and grace.
August 5, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Meryem, there is so much gospel truth in this sentence, “without a huge amount of grace, they will choke me up and depress me beyond reason.” You are right on. These kinds of questions really do expose our idols and show us the twistedness (yes I did make that word up) of even the “good” things we do.
You are right. In pondering our sin and idols we also have to look to the cross where we get not only a huge amount of grace but an infinite amount of Grace!
August 5, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Thank you, Chris. I just finish listening to Tim Keller’s sermon. He makes it sound so easy when he says, “We need to remember our identity in Christ.” My prayer is as we are transformed into the community Christ desires, those who serve and humble themselves for other people, may we never forget who we are in Christ. We are truly ransomed by our awesome God. He loves us because he loves us and we should love each other because we love each other.
January 20, 2009 at 5:43 pm
[…] under 1 Peter, Gospel, One Peter, Story Formed Sunday Night we talked through some of the idols that still grip our hearts as people seeking to live out the mission of God together. The first […]
January 28, 2009 at 2:12 pm
[…] 1. Reflect on why you feel like you are weak in community, communion, and/or mission. Pray about it. Ask “Why” a whole bunch and get to the sin under the sin- it’s a heart issue not a lack of techniques we are struggling from. (these resources might prove helpful.) […]