18th Oct Sermon Discussion - "Recovering From a Fall"

Sermon Scripture Reference: 1 CHRONICLES 21-22:1

1st Activity: (Game)

Let’s start today’s Word Discussion with a Simple Activity:

Step 1: Ask for a “brave” volunteer from your cell group. If yours is a mixed gender cell, only a guy can volunteer.

Step 2: The volunteer stands in a circle formed by the other cell members. The cell members should stand closely together and all have both hands open to the person in the middle but not touching him/her.

Step 3: At the count of 1,2,3, the person in the middle locks his/her legs and arms by the side and starts falling in any direction her/she wants without moving legs at anytime (like a doll). The cell members forming the circle ensure the person is within the circle and does not fall down at any time.

Step 4: Keep going for about a minute and try with one or two more volunteers if time permits.

Debrief for the Game: How does this activity tie in with the sermon we just heard today?

• Sermon is about falling back into the merciful hands of God.
• Humility needed to depend on others’ help not to fall.
• We are sometimes not in complete control although we think we are.

Today’s Message:

How then can we recover from a fall or a failure? We need to know the two characteristics of God.

1. FLEE FROM THE HOLD OF SATAN – GOD HATES THE SIN OF PRIDE
2. FALL INTO THE HAND OF GOD – GOD HEARS THE POOR IN SPIRIT


1. Flee from the hold of Satan - God hates the sin of Pride

a. According to Ps Melvyn’s sermon, was taking a census (counting of number of troops) wrong? Why then was God angry with King David for doing so?

Answer: The reason King David ordered the census because he wanted to know for his own pride how big and powerful his army was.

2nd Activity: (Deeper into the Word)

b. Pick a few teens to read the following verses using their Bibles:

• Proverbs 6:16-19 - There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

• Proverbs 8:13 - To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

• Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

• James 4:6 - But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Ask the teens to share what they think “pride” is and why it displeases God.

Answers: What is pride? It is self importance and self reliance versus depending on God for guidance and blessing.

Pride is the very sin that Satan has committed that caused Satan (also known as Lucifer) to be cast down from heaven. In fact, pride is the very nature of Satan. Pride opens the door wide for Satan to attack us! It attacked David and cause him to think that Israel’s success depended upon the strength of Israel’s army.

2. Fall into the hand of God – God Hears the Poor in Spirit

King’s David prideful action brought grave consequences; let’s learn how he recovered from this fall. Let’s read three verses from 1 Chronicles together:

1 Chron 21:8 - Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."

1 Chron 21:13 - David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men

1 Chron 21:17 - David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O LORD my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."

Learning points:

1. The turning point of this episode came when David realized his great sin and realized he has nothing if not for the blessing of God in his life. Twice, he confessed and repented of his great sin. He became poor in spirit – apart from God he is nothing and has nothing. He recognized that he needs to fall completely into the hand of God once again.

2. It was really a divine step that the angel of the Lord stood at the threshing floor of Araunah (a place in Jerusalem) when God, filled with His heart of compassion – stopped the killing. The threshing floor is a place of where what is precious is separated from what is perish – what is treasure is separated from what is trash.

3. God wants to remove what is useless from our lives so that He can bring out what is precious. In spite of the pain of the sin, David was being constantly changed to be a man after God’s own heart. Out of the gross sins of David came the most beautiful thing – the location for the building of the Temple of God!

4. God’s grace and mercy for us is paid by Jesus on the cross. Jesus set the example for us by humbling Himself to go to the cross. The cross gives us a fresh start from our prideful fall.

3rd Activity: (Doers of the Word)

1. Share one area of pride God convicted your heart about today.
Examples: performance in school, good looks, success, family, wealth.

2. Ask your friend to pray for you to help you surrender that area of pride to the Lord today. Pray for God’s grace.