Sermon Based Small Group Lessons
Adam Robinson
October 26, 2008
Opening Question
What were your feelings upon hearing the
announcement? (anger,
disappointment, fear, hurt)
Focus Passage
Psalm 46
God is our
refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth
give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of
the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their
surging.
Selah
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
1 Cor. 2:1-5
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come
with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about
God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was
with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with
much trembling. 4My
message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's
wisdom, but on God's power.
1. God’s foundation is solid, ours is
not. Times like this help us to
realize this is true. What is the
problem caused when we forget this truth and lean on men instead of God?
2. The old hymn, “The Solid Rock”,
is a good one to remember in this time.
How do these words make you feel?
My hope is built on nothing
less
Than
Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I
dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But
wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
We’re
walking through this together as a family.
3. 2 Cor. 4:7 says, “But we have
this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from
God and not from us.” What
from this passage do we need to remember during this time?
4.
What can we do to strengthen our family or marital relationship to help
protect us from temptation?
5.
It is okay to be angry. As
believers, we must deal with our anger in godly ways. Discuss some productive ways to deal
with the happenings of this week?
Eph.
4:26 Be ye
angry, and sin not: let not the sun
go down upon your wrath
6.
Pastor Les said, “We need to remember that Satan will gain no
victory over ground God has claimed as His own.” What does this mean to you?
Below are some notes shared with
Student Leaders.
Some of these may be a help to you in discussion.
1. As humans, we
are all capable of sin.
18I know that nothing good
lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a]
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For
what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to
do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want
to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:18-20
2. God loves us and forgives us when we
repent.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
3. Jesus sets the example of forgiveness.
Jesus stood up and asked her (the
prostitute caught in adultery), "Where is everyone? Isn't there anyone
left to accuse you?"
"No sir," the woman
answered.
Then Jesus told her, "I am
not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don't sin anymore."
John 8:10-11
4. God’s design is
that people be restored following their sin.
Brothers, if someone is caught in a
sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you
also may be tempted. Gal. 6:1
5. We need to place our
trust in God, not in our understanding or in other people.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
What We Can Learn (to avoid
sin ourselves)…
6. The Bible tells us to be
on guard against temptation.
Watch and pray so that you will not
fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Matthew 26:41
7. We need to run from temptation.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist
the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar's house to do his work, and none of the other
servants were there. Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of
his coat and said, "Make love to me!" Joseph ran out of the house,
leaving her hanging onto his coat. Genesis 39:11-12
8. We need to be our
brother’s keeper.
And let us consider how we may spur one
another on toward love and good deeds…Let us not give up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one
another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb. 10:24-25
9. God uses these times to
help us grow.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because
you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5
What
is God calling you to do as a result of today’s study?