Sermon Discussion Guide: Disputing with God: Repairing Relationships

Scripture: Exodus 33:1–23; 34:4–9
Main Themes: Idolatry, the mystery of God, honest faith, divine anger and compassion, repairing relationships, doubt and trust, God’s unconditional love.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Recognizing Our Images of God:
  • Pastor Mark says, “The god they proclaim is so often small and unworthy of the title.” What are some ways people, including ourselves, can make God too small?
  • How can we tell the difference between the living God we encounter in scripture and an idol we have created in our own image?
  1. Idolatry and Certainty:
  • The sermon reflects on Barbara Brown Taylor’s line, “Only an idol always answers.” How does this challenge the desire for certainty in faith?
  • Have you ever experienced a season when God felt silent, mysterious, or hard to understand? What did that season teach you?
  1. Moses and Honest Relationship with God:
  • In Exodus 33:1–23; 34:4–9, Moses argues with God and acts as a mediator for the people. What does this suggest about the kind of relationship God invites us into?
  • Pastor Mark says, “God is pleased with Moses, who feels free to disagree with God.” How might disagreement, questioning, or wrestling become part of a faithful life?
  1. Wrath, Compassion, and Repair:
  • The sermon describes God’s anger not as fragile ego, but as grief over harm, injustice, and broken relationship. How does this change the way you understand divine wrath?
  • What does it mean to say that God remains committed to relationship, even in the messiness?
  1. Faith Beyond Formulas:
  • Pastor Mark invites us to shed “the image of God as a taskmaster in the sky.” What images of God do you need to release in order to trust more deeply in God’s love?
  • How does the idea that God loves us “period” — with no qualifications or explanations — shape the way we treat ourselves and others?
  1. Applying the Sermon:
  • This week, where might you practice a faith that is more honest, humble, and open to mystery?
  • How can RPPC continue to be a community where people are free to ask questions, repair relationships, pursue justice, practice hospitality, and engage curious faith?
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