1/13/2008

Home Up

Search for:

 

EXTRA!
Weekly Supplemental Teaching Plans

 

Adult

Explore the Bible
ETB Adult EXTRA

January 13, 2008

God Allows Us to Choose
Gregory T. Pouncey

Genesis 12:1-9; 13:8-13
 

Before the Session

 

For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lessons, consult the Explore the Bible leader guide or commentary.

Make sure each learner has his or her own Explore the Bible learner guide.

 

 

Choose to Obey (Gen. 12:1-4)

Read the excerpt from Created to Be God’s Friend by Henry Blackaby:

Abram’s obedience to God in leaving Ur did something special in his relationship with God. God had His heart set on Abram, and Abram now had his heart set on obedience to God. God saw his obedience and his heart, and immediately established a covenant with him. This is one of the most holy and sensitive moments, revealed by God, in all of Scripture. It is so fundamental and basic to anyone’s walk with God, especially from God’s perspective! God’s people are a people not of “vision” but of revelation (that is, what God reveals of His will). God now opens His Heart to Abram, to reveal what is on the Heart of God. Though Abram did not fully understand it, it was very simple and very real. But it could be understood only by experience—one day at a time and one step of faith at a time.

Source: Blackaby, Henry (1999). Created to Be God’s Friend, p. 54.

Read Genesis 12:1-4 and ask:

  • What was special about God’s call of Abram and his subsequent obedience?
  • How did this occur through God’s revelation as opposed to Abram’s vision?
  • How are you walking in what God has called you to do?
  • What blessings have you experienced because of obedience to that call?

 

 

Choose to Worship (Gen. 12:5-9)

 

Ask learners to read Genesis 12:5-9 and ask:

  • How was God present in Abram’s worship?
  • What actions did Abram take to worship the Lord?
  • Why is it significant that Abram kept building altars in the places where he met God?
  • What alters do you need to build so you will remember God's work in your own life?
Read the following article from Discipleship Journal:

Remember His Deeds

In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to commemorate the ways they saw Him at work. They built altars (Gen. 12:7), held yearly festivals (Ex. 12:42, 13:8–9), and recounted God's faithfulness from generation to generation.

I often have my small groups read passages illustrating these acts of worship. Then we brainstorm ways we can commemorate how God is working among us. One group decided to create a "worship wall." They covered a wall in our meeting room with paper so they could write down ways they'd seen God at work (you could use poster board if you don't have a whole wall available). Another group made a "God Box." In it, they placed items representing how they'd seen God at work, such as a fork to commemorate God's provision of food in a particular situation.

Each of these projects visibly reminded us that God was indeed at work and encouraged us to remember His faithfulness.

Source: Anderson, Julie (2002, July/August). Remember His Deeds. Retrieved December 31, 2007 from http://www.navpress.com/EPubs/DisplayArticle/1/1.130.24.html.

Ask:

  • What are ways you see God at work that inspire you to worship Him?
  • What items would you put in a “God Box” to remind you of God’s work in your life?

 

 

Choose to Avoid Sinful Influences (Gen. 13:8-13)

 

After reading Genesis 13:8-13, read the following article about why birds of a feather flock together:

Simple science governs herd mentality: Study illustrates the power of 'little guys' with a goal

Bees do it. Birds do it. So do fish and wildebeests. They are all able to gracefully flock or swarm in a particular direction even though not every member of the group knows where they are going.

Even human beings will tend to follow each other with a herd mentality — say, out of a crowded theater. New research provides some surprising insight into what's going on, including a group penchant for democratic decisions.

"Groups of animals move purposefully, yet often only relatively few individuals have pertinent information as to where to travel," said Iain Couzin of the University of Oxford.

Biologists have often wondered if there is some complex communication that goes on between the informed and the uninformed. But Couzin and his collaborators have shown in simulations that a simple set of behavioral rules can control a group.

"There’s no explicit signaling in our model," Couzin told LiveScience. "No one is saying, ‘I know something – come follow me.’"

The only requirement seems to be a balance between a need to stay in the group and a desire on the part of some to go off in their own preferred direction. These goal-oriented individuals look just like their naïve colleagues.

"No inherent differences — genetic or otherwise, such as dominance or body size— need to be invoked to explain leadership," Couzin said.

The fact that the followers in the simulation have no way to recognize who is leading them may explain how animals efficiently move in crowded environments, where they can only see their nearest neighbors.

Source: Schirber, Michael (2005, February 8).Simple science governs herd mentality: Study illustrates the power of 'little guys' with a goal. Retrieved December 31, 2007 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6934951/.

Ask:

  • What factors in the animal world cause the herd mentality?
  • Why should the environment have been an important part of Lot’s choice of land?
  • Instead, what factors drove his decision?
  • Read the line from the article—“Animals efficiently move in crowded environments, where they can only see their nearest neighbors"—and ask what difference it might have made for Lot if he had followed the example Abram had set for him throughout his life.

Remind learners that our choices tremendously influence how our lives will unfold. Close with prayer.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXTRA! is a supplement designed to enhance and expand the effectiveness of printed curriculum provided by LifeWay Church Resources.

EXTRA! is produced by Publishing Services and Multimedia, LifeWay Church Resources, Copyright 2007, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

SPECIAL NOTE: Some Internet addresses given in EXTRA! are outside the LifeWay Internet domain. Because of the changing nature of the Web, EXTRA! editors cannot be held responsible for content on pages outside their control. At the time of this posting, the specific pages mentioned have been viewed and approved by the EXTRA! editorial staff. However, at the time of your viewing, the information on these pages may have changed. Links from the specific page addresses referenced in this material possibly could link to inappropriate material.

 


EXTRA!
Weekly Supplemental Teaching Plans

 

Adult

Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life EXTRA

January 13, 2008

Breakthrough in Forgiveness
Dana Armstrong

Psalm 32:1-11
 

Before the Session

 

For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lesson, consult any of the Bible Studies for Life leader guides or commentaries.

Make sure each learner has his or her own learner guide.

 

 

Psalm 32:1-2

 

Enlist a volunteer to read Psalm 32:1-2.

Ask: What is the difference between happiness and joy?

Write the following information on the board or on chart paper:

Happiness

  • Is unsteady.
  • Covers up discouragement.
  • Is temporary and dependent on what happens.

Joy

  • Is steady as long as we trust God.
  • Defeats discouragement.
  • Is lasting and independent of circumstances.
  • Is a by-product of God's forgiveness.

Read and discuss the following article:

Find the Keys to Joy in God's Word

Happiness is based on circumstances: getting good grades, making the team, not having a big zit on the first day of school. Unfortunately, all those things can change pretty quickly, which means happiness isn’t always long-lasting. Joy, on the other hand, can hang around regardless of the circumstances.

The Bible is full of people who were challenged to rejoice in spite of difficult situations: famine (Hab. 3:17-18); persecution (Acts 5:41); imprisonment (Acts 16:23-25); poverty (2 Cor. 6:10); and trials (1 Pet. 4:12-13). I’d rather have a huge zit than be in the middle of those circumstances! What was the source of their joy?

I see evidence of it in some girls at my church. First, there’s Christie. Whenever I see her, she has a smile on her face and a light in her eyes. Sometimes, that’s hard for me to believe because I know what she’s been experiencing.

Christie’s mom recently died after a 15-year battle with cancer. When I asked Christie about the source of her joy, her answer was pretty simple.

“My mom was sick for a long time,” she said. “I had to learn that God is always in control no matter what. He had a plan, and I needed to trust Him. He is the only constant I can count on, and His joy is something I can always draw from.”

Christie believes the joy Christians seek comes through a daily reliance on God through prayer and the Bible. She also has made wise choices about the people who surround her, and that has made a difference in her life.

“They encourage me in my walk with the Lord because of their positive outlook on life,” Christie said.

The other girl, Renee, was recently diagnosed with depression, yet she has an attitude much like Christie’s. I asked Renee how she managed it. She reached into her purse and handed me a little packet of verses she keeps with her all the time.

“When I start to feel sad, I read these verses,” Renee told me. “They remind me that God is in control no matter what I’m going through or how I’m feeling.”

The verses she carries contain principles that will work for anyone looking to discover joy in his or her Christian journey. Here are just a few of them:

John 15:5, 9-12 — Stay Connected to Jesus

Jesus was all about living the abundant, joyful life. In John 10:10, He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” He was talking about right now, right here—regardless of circumstances. Tapping into His joy means staying connected to Him through His Word, through prayer, through church, and through Christian friends.

Psalm 51:12 — Make a “Spiritual Joy List”

Spend some time playing “Remember When” with God. Let Him remind you of all He has done for you, starting with your salvation. Ask Him to help you remember times when you had joy in your life and why you had it. Just like my kids with their happy lists, it will be hard for you to remain unjoyful when you focus on how much God loves you.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Colossians 3:2 — See the Big “Heavenly” Picture

Have you noticed your joy tends to diminish when you focus on what is happening around you? Train yourself to focus on God and all He is doing – things you might not even be able to see or begin to understand. He will give you a new perspective on things, and it will result in an attitude adjustment in your life.

Renee just might be onto something. Maybe you could create your own packet of “joyful” verses. Pull them out whenever you find your joy fading and meditate on the truths contained in them. Psalm 19:8 promises that God’s Word gives joy to the heart.

Source: Sallee, Carol. Find the Keys to Joy in God's Word. Retrieved December 31, from www.lifeway.com.

Say: It is our human nature to pursue that which will make us happy, but happiness can be elusive or temporary. Real joy does not come from circumstances but from God.

 

 

Psalm 32:3-7

Read Psalm 32:3-7 and read the excerpt about Jouko Ahola:

Jouko "Jokke" Ahola is regarded as one of the strongest men in the world. In fact, he holds the world's record for lifting the heaviest Atlas stone sphere over 3.5 feet onto a barrel. The stone weighed 474 lbs. In addition, he once carried a small car (978 lbs) more than 90 feet!

Source: http://www.dlc.fi/~gold-cam/jokke.html

Say: The weight Ahola is able to carry pales in comparison with the weight we carry when we do not confess our sins. Only God can lift the burden of sin. We must confess, which is seeing sin as God sees it, and repent , which is turning away from sin.

Read the following article:

The Effects of Guilt

When we sin and refuse to come to Christ for forgiveness, our guilt may express itself in a number of different ways. For instance, before David repented of the terrible sins of adultery and murder, he experienced physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish. In Psalm 32:3-4, describing how his guilt affected him, he wrote these words:

When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long [emotional]. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me [spiritual]; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer [physical].

Here are some ways we may be affected by guilt.

1. Physical. Unresolved guilt may affect us physically. It usually manifests itself in one of these ways:
  • listlessness
  • imagined sickness
  • real illness
  • headaches, stomach disorders, vague pains
  • exhaustion

If we try to run from our guilt, immersing ourselves in work or turning to sin in reckless abandon, we will pay a price. Eventually our bodies will force us to slow down.

2. Emotional. Psychologists and counselors see these emotional effects of guilt:

  • depression
  • anger
  • self-pity
  • feelings of inadequacy
  • denial of responsibility
3. Spiritual. Unresolved guilt may have the following spiritual effects on us:
  • a sense of alienation from God
  • inability to pray
  • reduced fellowship with believers
  • no feeling of joy
  • inability to read the Bible
4. Relational. A lack of forgiveness will have an impact on our relationships with others in these ways:
  • irritability
  • blaming others
  • withdrawal
  • profuse apologies
  • inability to relax
  • self-justification
  • refusal to accept compliments
  • outbursts of temper

David's entire life was affected by his guilt. It touched him physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. But he cried out to God, found the assurance of forgiveness, and was able to enjoy life again-damaged but hopeful.

Would David have been more honorable not to seek God's forgiveness? Would he have been more respectful of his victim's survivors to refuse any mercy? Would self-condemnation and suicide have been a more noble course of action?

Only if there is no life beyond the grave. Only if the rest of us were not sinners. Only if a forgiven person has nothing to offer. Only if God doesn't love us enough to long for our restoration. But as the Scriptures show, God loves sinners.

Source: Retrieved December 31, 2007 from http://rbc.gospelcom.net/ds/q0602/page7.html.

Lead learners in reading aloud Romans 8:1.

Say: Unresolved guilt can weigh heavily on us, even affecting us physically and emotionally. There are times when we have asked for God's forgiveness, but we still feel guilty. We must always remember that God is eager to forgive. There is no reason to live in guilt when we have confessed, repented, and turned away from sin.

 

 

Psalm 32:8-11

Read Psalm 32:8-11.

Ask:

  • What lies do people tell themselves about their sins?
  • What causes hesitation when it comes to us confessing our sins?

Read the following excerpt from The Herschel Hobbs Commentary for Winter 2007-2008, page 73.

After David's double sins of adultery and murder, he went for several months without confessing his sins to God. During that time he was miserable; his soul felt the drought of a hot, dry summer without the presence of the Lord--the source of David's life and joy. Finally David confessed his sins, and the Lord forgave his sins, transgressions, and iniquities. David described this experience in terms of having these evils forgiven (taken away), covered, and not held against him. This was a blessed and joyful experience. David counseled others to be quick to seek divine forgiveness, for God alone meets their needs.

Say: Our growing, maturing relationship with God is cyclical. Because of God's faithful love, He offers us forgiveness. We must turn from our sins and choose to trust in the Lord instead of following our own ways. When we trust and obey the Lord, we find ourselves in the depths of His faithful love.

Close with prayer.

Home Up