Ready for Impact (10 minutes)
Catch up on how things have been since the last time your Impact Group met. Allow anyone new to introduce themselves. Then ask group members:
- How do you decide if something is worth giving your time and energy to?
Ask for a volunteer to read Exodus 34: 5-8 & 14 to the group, praying a short prayer that – however much they’ve come to know Jesus, they’d get to know him better because of your time together.
Impacted by the Word (25 minutes)
Watch the first part of the video.
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
It can feel odd to talk about God being jealous. Re-read verse 14.
- When you hear the word jealousy, what comes to mind?
- How do you relate to the feeling of being consumed by the things you value most?
- In what ways do you think God is rightfully jealous?
Now watch the second part of the video.
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
- What words and phrases does God use to describe himself in verses 6-7?
- What strikes you most about what God is like in these verses?
God’s self-description becomes a central way his people remember what God is like. God says that he is characterised by both mercy and justice.
- Why is it important to know that God is angry at wickedness and betrayal?
- How do verses 6-7 correct potential misunderstandings about God's judgement?
- What do you think Moses has concluded about God as he bows down?
As the Bible’s story unfolds, we witness how God can be entirely fair and yet show grace to condemned people. At the cross Jesus dies the death we deserved. At the very same time, our wickedness is punished and we are forgiven. God is both gracious to us and justice is done.
Paul writes in his letter, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
- How might knowing this kind of love cause you to consider Jesus worthy of your worship?
It can be strange for us to read about God’s jealousy, partly because we equate jealousy and envy. God is not envious (i.e. he does not want what others have) but he is jealous (i.e. he does want what is rightly his).
Exodus 36 depicts God as being rightly jealous for the affections of his people. He is jealous for their worship, as the one whom all life rests upon.
In the Bible, God’s jealousy doesn’t lead him to rage but to outrageous love. His jealousy drives him to win back his people’s affections again and again. For example, Hosea pictures God as a jealous husband whose wife has led a life of prostitution. Despite this, the husband seeks her out, buys her back and welcomes her home. Therefore God’s jealousy for his people is part of an expression of his love.
Does God hold us accountable for the mistakes our ancestors made? At first, Exodus 34:7 seems to say so. But perhaps there’s more going on.
The history of Israel depicts a people who mirror humanity. Time and again, they walk away from God. We’ve already seen this in the book of Exodus. Yet, though the nation deserves God’s judgement, we’ve seen that God is in this relationship for the long haul. God still wants future generations to come to know and trust him.
‘To the third and fourth’ is a Hebrew idiom for ‘however many it takes.’ This means that Exodus 34:7 is a warning. Though God does not punish a generation for the sins of a former generation, he does hold them accountable for learning from previous generations’ failure. Each generation is called to ensure that they do not simply repeat the errors of those who went before them. To blindly accept the sinful habits, values and mindset of previous generations is to enter into their guilt.
Though Jesus’ death covers all guilt – including the sin of not being discerning enough – God asks us to test what we have inherited against his word. As the Bible Project’s article, The Sins of the Fathers, puts it: “When we rightly remember past wrongs, we open ourselves up to the opportunity to do things differently in our own lives and in the lives of future generations, and we create space to celebrate God’s miraculous, loyal love.”
Impacting our Hearts (10 minutes)
What we value reveals what we worship. The problem is that the things we value most can’t give us what we most long for. We look to them for what only Jesus can be for us.
On a piece of paper list all the things that we can be drawn to worship.
Then in small groups, take one example and ask the following questions.
- What are we looking for these things to provide when we worship them?
- How does Jesus offer something better?
Use Exodus 34:6-7 to be a basis of your prayers. Spend some time asking that you might see God as more worthy than any other alternative.
You may also wish to sing Is He Worthy?
Impacting the University (15 minutes)
The kind of worship are called to transforms not just the way we relate to God, but to others too. We are called to display compassion, kindness, slowness to anger and love in our relationships.
In two and threes, discuss what these relationships could look like:
- With friends
- On your course
- As a member of a society
- Where you live
Pray that God would give you a new joy to live for him in these ways and he’d equip you to live for him.
Wrap-up – TACOS 🌮
Thank You – Thank everyone for coming, and ask someone to thank God for your time together in prayer.
Ask – Ask those who are new to reading the Bible if they’d like to explore Uncover, a set of sessions in Mark’s Gospel, allowing them to investigate one of the earliest accounts of Jesus’ life alongside one of you.
Church and CU – What does the CU have planned ahead? And what help would group members value in finding a local church?
Others – Who else could you invite to join your CU Impact Group next week? These friends don’t need to be followers of Jesus and may really appreciate being invited.
See You Soon – Tell the group where and when you’ll meet next week, and arrange who will bring snacks. (You might like to alternate healthy and less healthy weeks!). See if anyone would be up for sharing a meal or just hanging out in the meantime!