1. Try to describe, in your own words, the main point of this sermon.
2. Is the problem that the Father doesn’t want images to represent him? Why or why not? What does “representation” mean? How does an “image” do the work of representation? Why is this such a big deal that it makes it into the “top ten”?
3. Andy suggested that if ancient pagans could time-travel to 21st-century Zurich, they would consider our society and city to be even more ‘religious’ than their own ancient societies. What do you think of this? In what sense is our secular society still profoundly “religious”? What are humans hoping to do by honoring images?
4. This second commandment is a good introduction to the way that a “negative” command (“thou shalt not …”) implies a “positive” command (“thou shalt …”). If the “no” of the second good word is “no worship via images,” then what is the “yes” of the second good word? Is there more than one “yes”? Can you think of a “yes” in each direction: Up (toward God), In (toward fellow Christians in community) and Out (toward our neighbor)?
5. Can you and I even avoid projecting an “image” of ourselves? Is it even possible to be one’s authentic self? Is it possible for us to experience someone else’s authentic self, or are we always only experiencing their “image”? Do you have any ideas how we might avoid the “idolatry” of dealing only in “images” and become authentic in our dealings with other people and with God, without making “authenticity” its own bizarre “idol”? Is this something that can be achieved in this fallen world, or do we have to wait till the world come before we can be “fully seen, and fully known”?
6. Last week we quoted Luther. Let’s quote John Calvin this week. He said that the human heart is an idol factory. What do you think?
7. What would change in your life if you treasured God’s face?
8. What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Who is going to help you?