The Idol of Self Image | Deep Fake | Week 3
Opening
Consider opening your group by asking everyone if they tend to see themselves as superior or inferior to others? Most of us lean one direction or another and it is helpful to be aware of our tendencies. Invite people to consider why they lean one way or the other and share that with the group as well.
Overview
Our consistent theme of this series is that an idol-free lifestyle frees us from the influence of dark forces and allows us to love our neighbor genuinely. Humanity’s first idol was a misplaced view of self: I don’t need God to be like God. All sin and idolatry flow from that first dysfunction. Most of us still struggle with that first idol: we view ourselves as superior to others or inferior to others. We think we are bigger or small than what we are and that self-image idolatry hinders our growth in Christlikeness, leaving us trapped in cycles of self-deception, self-defeat, and self-loathing.
Maturing in Christlikeness and community means growing in unity and peace with one another in the gospel. Jesus spiritually equips His church to help its members mature in God’s image. One way we know that this is working is that fewer and fewer people in the church are prone to false teaching and demonic agreements. Speaking and receiving the truth in love through church-community breaks self-image idolatry and matures us into Christlikeness.
Discussion Questions
- How is God confronting you in love about the way you view yourself?
- Can you name growth that has happened in your life because of church community?
Practice
Ephesians 4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Read this passage aloud. Consider one of the following two paths for your group.
- After reading the passage, allow for five to ten minutes of silence where each person invites the Spirit to search their heart. How do they view themselves? Is it the way God views them? How is that hindering their progress toward Christlikeness? This might be especially helpful if your group had problems answering the opening question. Take turns speaking the truth of who we are in Christ over one another, opening space to repent for where we have agreed with other identities over what Jesus says.
- After reading the passage, allow for five to ten minutes of silence for each member to assess how they are growing in the attributes mentioned in Ephesians 4:2: humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with others. Allow space for confession or celebration of growth. Then invite people to share which gifts they have been given and how they are using them to help their fellow believers grow.
Closing
Pray for all of us to see ourselves properly and grow in Christlikeness.