19th July Sermon Discussion - “Standing Tall in Turbulent Times – God and God Alone”

A) Warm-up activity: Tear Down Pride

Logistics: Enough balloons for each cell members (can substitute with nice colored papers too if you can’t get hold of balloons), 1 sharp toothpick, Some markers & 2 “surprised” gifts ( e.g. Chocolates; flowers etc)

1) Distribute a balloon to every cell member and ask them to inflate it (or pass out the sheets of paper).
2) Write on the balloons (or papers) 3-5 things that they are proud of about themselves / what they have.
3) Everyone takes turn to share what they wrote.
4) Cell leader to choose to burst 2 balloons after all have shared (or tear up the papers if papers are used).
5) Cell leader to get the 2 members to share how they felt about having their balloons burst (papers torn); in view of the rest still having theirs left untouched. (Possible responses: Upset, puzzled, feel picked on, unfair why the rest still have their balloons, papers, hurt.)

Transition Statement: We all tend to find our significance / security in the areas we wrote on our balloon. How would you feel if God took that all away? Let’s study the life of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 and learn how and why God humbled him.

B) Sermon Discussion:

1) Read Daniel 4:28-37
2) How did God humble Nebuchadnezzar? (v33- He lost his sanity; driven away by his people; lived like a wild man)
3) Why did God humble Nebuchadnezzar? (v28- He took credit for his status and achievements without recognising that God ALONE governs.)

How did God restore him and why did God restore him?
(v34-36 Only when Nebuchadnezzar looked to God and humbled himself to recognize that only God alone rules, then he regained his sanity, splendor and honor was restored and he returned to the throne even greater than before.)

Seeing how God restored King Nebuchadnezzar, restoring to him all that he lost and even more, we know we have a gracious God.

At this moment, cell leader to present the surprised gifts to the cell members whom he/she had earlier on, burst their balloons (torn their papers). This is to help them recognize that we have a gracious God by giving them now more than what they had at the beginning.

C) Application:

In view of God’s sovereignty and graciousness,
1) What is an area of pride that you would like God to tear down?
2) Share a difficult moment you are walking through. Instead of resisting God, LOOK UP to Him now and acknowledge that He alone rules and thank Him for helping you grow in humility through that struggle.
3) Pray for each other.