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Leader Guide

Bible Study

  • Bibles or the Superbook Bible App  

Have children take turns reading aloud the verses in each passage, then lead a discussion using the questions below:

1. Read Joshua 24:14-16:

14 “So fear the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” 16 The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods.”

Read 1 Kings 18:21:

Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.

  • What is similar between the two passages? People were challenged to make a decision about serving idols or God.
  • How is the people’s response different in the two passages? In Joshua the people replied; in 1 Kings, they were silent.
  • In Joshua 24:15, did Joshua wait to see what everyone else would do before he made up his own mind? What did he choose? He chose before they answered, he chose God for himself and his family.
  • Do you think some people today try to serve both God and idols? If so, give an example.

2. Matthew 6:24:

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

  • Who is speaking here? Jesus.
  • What idol is Jesus talking about? Money.
  • How can people serve money? Driven or obsessed with gaining more, spending time trying to earn it.
  • Why can’t we serve both God and idols such as money or other possessions?     

3. Exodus 23:24–25a:

24 “You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars. 25 “You must serve only the Lord your God.” 

  • In verse 24, what did God warn the Israelites not to do? Don’t worship or serve other gods or imitate evil practices.
  • Was it all right to have some idols around just as decorations? What if the people just removed some of them? No! They were to completely destroy all of them.
  • What is the danger of keeping something that you know is sinful or evil? Tempted by it, attracted to it.
  • Does God still speak to us—how? Yes, through the Bible and the Holy Spirit. 
  • Do you think it is harder or easier to make a choice to serve only God today compared to in Bible times? Please explain.
  • Don’t answer this question out loud—but silently think about the answer. Has God ever spoken to your heart about removing something in your life that that was harmful or sinful to you in some way?  

Conclusion: God has not changed since the beginning of time. He still desires for all people to love and to serve Him over anything else. When we make the choice to serve God, we open the door for God’s blessings in our lives. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, we pray that You will speak to our hearts and show us what is right and what is wrong. Help us to guard our hearts from anything that does not please You. You desire that we put You first in everything that we say and do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.