THE STUDY
Launch
Tell of a time you have willfully done something to go against a parent or a sibling? How did it affect you? How did it affect the relationship?
Explore
Read Psalm 32:1-7
Israel’s King David wrote this after committing adultery and murder and being confronted by Nathan, the prophet. David, a married king, saw the beautiful Bathsheba and slept with her. To cover his sin, he had her husband murdered and took Bathsheba as another wife. You can read the whole story in 2 Samuel 11 and 12.
1. Describe how David feels physically in verses 3-4.
2. What caused him to feel this way?
3. What did he do to deal with his sin?
4. In verses 1, 2, and 5, what is God’s response to David’s sin?
“Sin” means “missing the mark.” We sin any time we miss the mark of God’s perfection. On a regular basis we sin without even realizing it, but we also willfully choose to disobey God.
“Forgive”means “to lift, to carry, to bear.” God doesn’t hold David’s sin against David ever again. In the same way, Jesus took our sin from us, placed it on Himself, and bore the consequences for that sin by dying on the cross. In the place of sin, Jesus gives us His righteousness or right standing with God and purity so that he sees us as if we had never sinned.)
5. In verses 1 and 2, how does David feel after acknowledging his sin and acknowledging God’s forgiveness?
6. In verses 6 and 7, how does David respond after being forgiven and relieved of his guilt?
Apply
7. Think of a sin you have committed recently. How does holding onto that sin affect you internally? How does it affect your fellowship with God?
8. Read 2 Corinthians 5:21. What does God do through Jesus to let us experience his love and forgiveness?
9. Just as David experienced God’s love and forgiveness when he confessed his sin, we can too. Confession involves these three things on a regular basis, each time we notice that we have sinned:
Call it sin–Agree with God about your sin.
Call it forgiven-Thank Him for His forgiveness because of Christ’s death and payment for you (1 John 1:9). Thanking is an outward expression of believing it and receiving it.
Call on God to change you- Choose to move toward God instead of away from him and invite Him to take control back of your life.
Take time right now to apply confession:
1. Write down on a piece of paper the ways you have sinned
2. Thank God for forgiving your sin and rip up the paper to show the sin and guilt have been taken care of
3 Ask God to change you and take control back of your life.
Growing Deeper
Read Romans 6:23, Isaiah 59:2, Psalm 5:4, Isaiah 1:18-20, Psalm 103:10-14. Reflect on what these passages say about our sin and how God works to restore our fellowship with him.
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