Sermon Recap
Pastor Dan Kromidas expounded on God's character through Moses' encounter on Mount Sinai in Exodus 34. He unpacked how God's true names—compassionate, slow to anger, steadfast love—transforms our understanding of His heart toward us, even in our failures. God is close, not withdrawn; patient, not impulsive; and loyal, not transactional. Pastor Dan then showed how this account points to Jesus, who perfectly demonstrated God's merciful yet just character through His sacrifice. He concluded with a call to respond in worship and intentionally recalibrate one’s view of God.
Ice Breaker Option: What is one name or label that means a lot to you, and why does it hold significant importance in your life?
HEAD: Read Exodus 34:1-8
- What is the context of this passage? What happened to the first set of tablets and why is this significant to this passage?
- Identify the names the Lord proclaimed in this text. How do we see these names exemplified in the lives of the Israelites?
- How does this text point to Christ?
HEART
- What are some common ways people misname or misunderstand God's character?
- How does experiencing God as close, patient and loyal change how you view your current life’s moments?
- “We respond like Moses, who bowed down and worshipped.” Where are you struggling in your intimacy with God? How is this revealing a need to intentionally recalibrate your view of Him?
HANDS — Go Deeper Together
(Choose one or two practices below)
“How you name God deep down in your heart will determine how you relate to God. It's going to shape your expectations of him. It's going to guide your trust in God. “
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1. Recalibrate Your View of God
Moses’ response to God’s self-revelation was to bow down and worship (Exod. 34:8).
Practice:
Give the group a few quiet moments to reflect on the following:
- Where has disappointment, failure, or sin subtly reshaped how you see God?
- How might believing God is withdrawn, impatient, or transactional be affecting your intimacy with Him?
- What would it look like to intentionally recalibrate your view of God this week?
Action Step:
Invite participants to write a simple prayer of recalibration, such as:
“Lord, I confess that I’ve seen You as ______.
Teach me to trust You as ______.”
Group Option:
How can this practice help you in your relationship with God this week? Invite participants to share one specific way they will use this practice in the week ahead to keep a right view of God and respond to Him in worship. Encourage them to be practical and honest, naming the rhythm, reminder, or moment where they most need their heart calibrated to who God is.
Closing Posture:
Close with a brief moment of silence, inviting the group to bow their heads together, mirroring Moses’ response of humility and worship before the Lord.
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2. Respond to God’s Character Through Jesus
Practice:
Exodus 34 ultimately points to Jesus, who fully reveals God’s mercy and justice through the cross.
Discuss together:
- How does Jesus’ sacrifice confirm that God is loyal, not transactional?
- How does knowing God does not abandon us in failure change the way we approach repentance and worship?
- What is one tangible way you can respond to God’s mercy this week—toward Him or toward others?
Action Step:
Encourage each participant to identify one intentional response this week:
- An act of worship
- A step of repentance
- An expression of mercy toward someone else
Group Prayer Option:
End by thanking God aloud for revealing His true name and asking for hearts that respond like Moses—with humility, trust, and worship.
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3. Sharpening Your View of God (Building Holy Rhythms)
“So the question is, what are you doing to intentionally sharpen your view of God? You need a plan to sharpen your view of God day after day, to know Him rightly by His name.”
Group Activity:
Ask:
- What practices have kept your heart calibrated to who God is?
- Currently, where do you notice your view of God becoming blurry or shaped more by circumstances than by truth?
Personal Reflection
This practice is about building small, faithful rhythms that keep our hearts aligned with who God truly is.
Invite participants to consider the following prompts quietly:
- Which rhythm do you sense God inviting you to strengthen or begin right now?
- Daily Scripture
- Leaning into church attendance
- Going deeper in community (small group engagement, mentor, trusted friends)
- Worship music that names God rightly
Write It Down:
Ask each person to complete this sentence in writing: “To sharpen my view of God, I will commit to ______ as a regular rhythm in my life.”
Commitment & Encouragement
Invite participants to share their chosen rhythm with the group or with one partner. Encourage one another to keep it simple, realistic, and repeatable.
Closing Prayer:
Pray together, thanking God for revealing His name and asking for grace to build rhythms that keep hearts calibrated to who He is.
“Jesus, the name above every name, help us to press deeper into knowing You.
Recalibrate our hearts when we forget. Transform us from glory to glory, and shape the world around us through the name we carry.”
Prayer
- Pray for a deeper understanding of God's name and character in your life.
- Ask God to help you identify and let go of any false names you may have assigned to Him.
- Thank God for His unchanging love and forgiveness.
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