48 SESSION LifeWay

Transcription

1 48 SESSION 3

2 The Point God s forgiveness brings restoration and joy. The Passage Psalm 32:1-7 The Bible Meets Life There is a terrible weight we carry when we ve made a mistake or hurt another person. If they refuse to forgive us, it s like a power they have over us. Unforgiveness can be a weapon used against us; we never know when the person will fire one of our failures back at us. God never responds this way. Psalm 32 reveals just how forgiving God is and, subsequently, just how freeing it can be living under the shelter of His forgiveness. The Setting Despite being identified by God as a man after my own heart (Acts 13:22, NIV), David sinned in his affair with Bathsheba and in attempting to cover up his illicit activity. God did not fall for any of the cover up and sent Nathan to spotlight David s guilt. In Psalm 51, David poured out his heart in repentance over the sin and sought God s forgiveness. In Psalm 32, David rejoiced over that forgiveness. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 49

3 What does the Bible say? Key Words Hand was heavy (v. 4) This phrase describes the weight of God s judgment, whether in a sinful conscience (Psalm 32:4) or in a physical affliction (1 Samuel 5:6, 11). Hiding place (v. 7) The Hebrew term appears to mean something that hides or protects, like a shelter, covering, refuge, or hiding place (Psalm 18:11; 61:4; 91:1; 119:114). Psalm 32:1-7 (HCSB) 1 How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How joyful is the man the LORD does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer s heat. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and You took away the guilt of my sin. 6 Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You at a time that You may be found. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance. 50 SESSION 3

4 THE POINT God s forgiveness brings restoration and joy. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Invite your group members to turn their attention to the image on page 41 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG). Ask: What guilty pleasure would be hard for you to give up? RECAP THE PSG: Life is not always a Hallmark Christmas movie. In these TV movies, a long-standing feud between brothers is mended when everyone gathers at Mom s house for Christmas dinner. Or maybe it s former best friends. Or estranged spouses. You would think the holidays would be an easy time to repair damaged relationships. After all, we re in a festive spirit, parties are going on, food is everywhere, and gifts are exchanged. But festive moods don t necessarily translate into mending relational fences. Forgiveness is a gift that is often hard to give. It costs so much. The person doing the forgiving essentially forks over the whole payment; the cost is letting go of the hurt and giving up the offense that was committed (PSG, p. 42). TIP: Encourage group members to read next week s session prior to the group meeting. This will strengthen the group discussion. Notes SAY: Forgiveness was costly for God, too. Jesus took our punishment, and through Him God offers us forgiveness. No matter what we ve done, God forgives. This truth defies reason. Psalm 27 shows us that God s forgiveness moves us to a place of restoration and joy. GUIDE: Invite group members to share their initial reaction when they read The Point on page 42 of the PSG: God s forgiveness brings restoration and joy. Explain that this key idea will drive your discussion. ENHANCEMENT: Bring your group s attention to Pack Item #5, Psalm 32:7 poster, to highlight the focus of today s study. PRAY: Transition to the Bible study by praying. Thank God for the restoration His forgiveness brings and the joy that comes from a life spent following HIm. Display Pack Item #5 to communicate the session topic. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 51

5 10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Psalm 32:1-2 Notes 1 How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How joyful is the man the LORD does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit! READ: Ask a group member to read Psalm 32:1-2 aloud. RECAP: At the peak of David s reign as king over Israel, he blew it. He lusted for a woman named Bathsheba. Taking advantage of his power as king, David brought her to his chambers and made her pregnant. Then he tried to cover his sin. He thought he had succeeded when he put her husband, Uriah, into an impossible situation in battle so he would be killed (2 Samuel 11). Later, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin. When he was confronted, David confessed his wrong and turned from it (2 Samuel 12:1-14). Psalm 51 contains David s beautiful confession to God. And in Psalm 32 we see David s response to the forgiveness of God: joy (PSG, p. 44). ALTERNATE QUESTION: What emotions do you experience when you extend forgiveness? DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 44 of the PSG: What emotions do you experience when you receive forgiveness? SAY: Joy can feel like a rare commodity in our lives. It may even feel as if we re constantly looking for joy in temporary things. TRANSITION: In verse 2, David expressed joy that came from laying down his deceit. What rang true in David s life is also true for us the deepest deception is often the kind we do to ourselves. My sin wasn t that bad. I can stop whenever I want to. It s OK because no one really got hurt. When we choose to give up on the self-deception that comes with a rebellious life, then we can fully experience the joy that comes with God s forgiveness (PSG, p. 44). 52 SESSION 3

6 THE POINT God s forgiveness brings restoration and joy. Psalm 32:1-2 Commentary Psalm 32, written by David, is the first psalm called a Maskil. The word may come from a Hebrew verb meaning to make wise or instruct (see v. 8, I will instruct you ). Maskil may be regarded as a general title for a didactic or contemplative poem, or, in essence, a psalm of instruction. In creating this psalm of instruction, David taught that owning up to sin and confessing it brings God s forgiveness and restoration. David began Psalm 32 with a proclamation of blessing designed to show that joy and blessing are clearly the by-products of God s forgiveness. The blessing contains two parts. Each part starts how joyful and is followed by two poetic lines. How joyful is actually one word in Hebrew, used twice in verses 1-2. Altogether the word is used 26 times in the Psalter and traditionally is translated blessed or happy (Psalm 1:1). The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) uses the corresponding Greek word at the beginning of the statements of Jesus in the Beatitudes. In the lines of the blessing David used four different words to describe the full breadth of human sinfulness. Three of the four are paired with an appropriate image of divine deliverance and forgiveness. Transgression refers to acts of rebellion against God (v. 1). The Hebrew word for forgiven involves God lifting up, carrying, or taking away the burden of rebellion (Psalm 25:18). Sin in verse 1 identifies a breach of the law, usually by missing the mark or veering off the right path. God s response is to cover or conceal the sin (Psalm 85:2; Nehemiah 4:5). Sin in verse 2 indicates perverted, criminal, or willful disobedience. In turn, God does not charge it to the sinner s account (2 Kings 12:15; 22:7). The manner of forgiveness in each line points to the completeness of divine deliverance, which in turn provides happiness, joy, and blessing. The fourth word used by David to describe human evil is deceit. This word denotes fraud and deception, especially as carried out by a scheming, plotting person. While the other three words are commonly employed as synonyms for sin in the Old Testament (Genesis 50:17; Job 13:23; Micah 6:7), deceit is rare and is found only 15 times, mostly in the Psalms, Job, and Proverbs. The rare occurrence of this word, and the way David used it, sets it apart from the other three. Because it refers to an individual without sin, the statement in whose spirit is no deceit does not require a divine response. However, this does not refer to someone with a claim to absolute moral purity, but to the individual who aspires to be true to God, as one who may enter the temple (Psalm 24:3-4). David seemed to alter the poetic structure of the last line in order to lead the reader to the confession of sin in verse 5. The individual in whose spirit is no deceit is the one who is willing to confess sin to God. When we confess our sins, we admit to God that we have rebelled against Him in our thoughts, words, and deeds. We seek God s forgiveness and repent by turning away from ourself and to God. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 53

7 10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Psalm 32:3-5 Notes 3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer s heat. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and You took away the guilt of my sin. READ: Ask a group member to read Psalm 32:3-5 aloud. RECAP: Ever kept quiet when you knew you needed to make a confession? Our silence eats away at us. David knew that feeling too. During the time when he refused to confess his sins, it sounds like he was dying on the inside. He had the sense that his bones were groaning and breaking. And it was constant. The heavy sense of conviction David experienced was with him day and night (PSG, p. 45). ALTERNATE QUESTION: Why does unconfessed sin eat away at a believer? DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 45 of the PSG: What s at stake when we hold on to unconfessed sin? SAY: When we confess, God acts in two specific ways. 1. The sin itself is removed. God s forgiveness puts us back into a right relationship with Him. 2. The weight of conviction is removed. God also removes the foreboding feeling that our life is wasting away (PSG, p. 45). DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 46 of the PSG: How would you describe the process of confessing sin to God? TRANSITION: Not only does God forgive our sin when we confess, he graciously lifts the burden of conviction from our conscience. In the next verses, David described this feeling of forgiveness and offered a response to the Lord. 54 SESSION 3

8 THE POINT God s forgiveness brings restoration and joy. Psalm 32:3-5 Commentary David had personally experienced the pain and suffering of a deceitful spirit in the aftermath of attempting to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba by conspiring to murder her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11 12). As punishment, God would return to David in broad daylight exactly what he had endeavored to do in secret (12:12). In these three verses of Psalm 32, David offered a personal example of moving from an experience of anguish over sin, to the act of confession, then to the gracious response of God s forgiveness. David attributed the cause of distress in verses 3-4 to keeping silent and refusing to confess sin. He first admitted that when he kept silent his bones became brittle or wore out in groaning all day long. Day and night David felt the hand of God was heavy on him. This pressure weighed on his conscience and it signaled David s own recognition of the need for repentance. The turning point in David s distress comes in verse 5 when David opened up and acknowledged his hidden sin to God. What caused David to confess is not stated, but it is understandable that the pressure of hiding his sin moved him to turn to God and pour out his heart. Verse 5 contains the same three words found in the blessing in verses 1-2: sin (sin, v. 1), iniquity (sin, v. 2), and transgression. The order is different, but their use signals the thoroughness of the confession. David declared to God: I acknowledged my sin to You. Next, David quoted himself in his determination to reveal his sin to God. I will confess indicates David s personal resolve to end the physical and emotional pain that came from harboring sin in the heart. The verb confess occurs 66 times in the Psalms. It can mean to praise or give thanksgiving as well as confess one s sin. David also acknowledged that the recipient of the confession was the Lord. David s confession in the first three lines of verse 5 is immediately met with God s forgiveness in the fourth. There is no further punishment or penance required. David reported that God simply took away the guilt of his sin. Two interesting points are found here in the fourth line. First, the verb translated took away is the same verb rendered forgiven in verse in verse 1. The Hebrew word involves God s lifting up, carrying, or taking away the burden of rebellion (Psalm 25:18). God lifted or carried away David s sin. Second, the phrase the guilt of my sin combines two of the words for sin in verses 1-2 (sin, v. 2; sin, v. 1). The doubling of the words emphasizes the completeness of God s forgiveness. Therefore, the blessed state of being forgiven in verses 1-2 is the product of the Lord s carrying the totality of our sin. David had learned that the sinner only needed to confess to gain the Lord s forgiveness. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 55

9 10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Psalm 32:6-7 Notes 6 Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You at a time that You may be found. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance. READ: Ask a group member to read Psalm 32:6-7 aloud. RECAP: David compared the withholding of judgment to great floodwaters that never reach us. Because of your sin, judgment is coming like a huge tsunami, and you have no place to hide. But then everything suddenly goes dry and the world is put back into perfect condition. It s a miracle. When we confess our sin to God, He removes our sin completely and restores our relationship with Himself (PSG, p. 47). ALTERNATE QUESTION: What steps can we take to celebrate forgiveness? DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 47 of the PSG: How have you experienced God s forgiveness as protection or a hiding place? RECAP: It is the way of God to celebrate when what has been lost is found. And we are what has been lost. Only Christ can offer what s needed complete restoration and joy (PSG, p. 47). DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity on page 46 of the PSG on their own. Afterwards, invite volunteers to share their responses as time allows. Set Free: ]] When it comes to confessing sin, which of the following best represents you currently? I m not sure how to begin. I m for it, I just don t do it. I occasionally talk with God about my sin. This is a regular part of my conversations with God. ]] What obstacles hinder you from fully confessing to God? ]] What do you consider the greatest benefit(s) of this spiritual discipline? TRANSITION: Confession puts us in a right relationship with God and leads to deliverance from sin and its strongholds. 56 SESSION 3

10 THE POINT God s forgiveness brings restoration and joy. Psalm 32:6-7 Commentary After sharing his personal testimony on the debilitating effects of unconfessed sin, David then turned in verses 6-7 to speak about his restored relationship with God. There is a cyclical nature implied here. When we turn from our sins and confess them, we commit to trusting in the Lord instead of following our own ways. Because of God s faithful love, He offers us forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Then when we follow His ways and trust in Him, we become more aware of the depths of His faithful care. This constant opening up to God brings about deeper connections with Him. The use of therefore at the beginning of verse 6 connects the prayer with the joyous affirmation that God had forgiven him at the end of verse 5. Because David understood the impact of this forgiveness, he first raised a request to God that others might not follow his example. David did not want others to experience that pain and suffering he went through in trying to hide his sin. David prayed that the faithful would seek God at a time that He may be found. David recognized a sense of realistic urgency at this point. Everyone sins (Romans 3:23). Hiding sin hardens our hearts and strains our relationship with God and may make it difficult to confess to Him (Psalm 66:18). David argued here for an established pattern of ongoing communication with the Lord (Isaiah 55:6; James 4:8). Such a relationship must be built over time as the believer matures in faith. David also recognized that trouble will inevitably come to the faithful. David used the imagery of the great floodwaters to represent the chaos that often confronts us in the problems and worries we face in life. The psalms recognize that only God can rescue us from these chaotic forces (Psalms 18:16; 69:1-2,14-15). The torrential floodwaters will not reach the one who has an ongoing relationship with the Lord (Psalm 124:4-5; Isaiah 43:2). God s care will enable us to be braced for the bombardments of life without being dislodged or overwhelmed. In the second part of the prayer David turned his attention to address the Lord directly. Its purpose is to celebrate the blessings and joys of being restored to God. Three phrases express David s confidence in the protective care of God. David declared first that the Lord was his hiding place or shelter. The Hebrew word occurs 10 times in the Psalms and appears to mean something that hides or protects, like a shelter or hiding place (Psalms 18:11; 31:20; 61:4; 119:114). David then proclaimed that the Lord would protect him from trouble. The prayer ends with a reference to songs of rescue. David was grateful that God surrounded him with joyful shouts of deliverance. It was God who had brought him out, helped him to escape. Thus God had saved him (Psalms 37:40; 43:1; 71:4). But David was not only praising God for his own personal deliverance; he recognized at the end of his prayer that other worshipers singing songs of deliverance surrounded him. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 57

11 5 minutes LIVE IT OUT SAY: What will you do with God s forgiveness? Notes GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 48 of the PSG. ]] Confess any sin that has plagued you. Turn from it, accept God s forgiveness, and make a plan with God about how to refuse its power in your life from this point forward. ]] Evaluate your level of joy. Do you have the kind of joy found in Psalm 32? Pause to thank Him for this priceless gift. ]] Be ready to share what God has done for you. What has He forgiven you of? What protection has He provided? The next time you encounter someone who is struggling, let them know of the difference He has made in your life. Wrap It Up SAY: We all want joy. Our natural impulse is usually to try to gain it by accumulating stuff until we realize that things don t deliver lasting joy. Found only in Christ, real joy comes when we surrender. Surrender your will, let go of your sin, and enjoy the restoration and joy that only God brings. 58 SESSION 3

12 My group's prayer requests Additional suggestions for specific groups (women, men, collegiates, and singles) are available at BibleStudiesForLife.com/blog. And for free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife. Love Is Reclaiming 1 Corinthians 13 My freshman year of college, I made the mistake of letting my roommate see me type. It s one thing to tell people you type more than 90 words a minute; it s another to let them see you do it especially when you live in a small space condensed with hundreds of desperate people stalking the dorm halls in search of someone to quickly type their papers. To continue reading Love Is from Threadsmedia.com, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 59