Psalm 51 Discussion Guide
Sermon date: Mar. 12, 2023 Passage: Psalm 51
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Here are a few things your group needs to know!
Parenting Classes
Are you a tired parent? Feel like you're messing up? Desire a better vision for discipline in your home? You're not alone!
At Citylight Bennington, children are dedicated through the commissioning of their parents, who commit to care for their children in ways that introduce them to the person and work of Jesus. This involves a 4-week Zoom class that explores “Parenting by the Book” in a cohort with other parents of like mind and faith. You can see the dates below!
*This class is best for parents with kids ages newborn through pre-teen.
*You must be able to attend at least three classes.
Class Dates (on Zoom):
Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 2pm-3pm
Sunday, March 12, 2023 - 2pm-3pm
Sunday, March 19, 2023 - 2pm-3pm
Sunday March 26, 2023 - 2pm-3pm
Upon completion of the classes:
Parent Commissioning on Sunday, April 2, 2023 - in-service during the worship gathering
Register at clb.church under “Upcoming”
Easter Baptism Classes
Do you have questions about baptism? Have you been baptized? Do you wonder if you should be baptized again?
We are offering a baptism Zoom class to talk about what baptism is, why it matters, and how we do it here at CLB to prepare us for our Easter Sunday Baptism Celebration April 9, 2023!
We will have the same class offered:
-Sunday, Mar. 26th, 2023 from 1:00pm-1:30pm
-Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 from 1:00pm-1:30pm
*Choose which class you want to register for, and then you will receive a Zoom link for the class!
Student Ministry Video Game Outing
Sunday, March 19th
The Office
Middle School Students! Join us as we all hangout at our office with pizza and video games on Sunday, March 19th!
This will be a time where we get together and enjoy community and fun!
Students are encouraged to bring their friends along with any video games, consoles and TV's!
Register at clb.church under “Upcoming”
Student Ministry Retreat
April 14th-15th at Camp Carol Joy Holling (Hotel Theodore)
Students! Join us for our VERY FIRST Student Spring Retreat! Come and enjoy a weekend of worship, games, food and fun! Our speaker Ben Phillips from Dare2Share Ministries will talk on the topic: “Full Send - going all in for Jesus!”
Cost is $60 per student and that will cover food (dinner Friday night, breakfast Saturday morning and lunch Saturday) and lodging.
Students who bring friends will be entered into a raffle first night of retreat! Retreat will be at Camp Carol Joy Holling at The Hotel Theodore.
Register at clb.church under “Upcoming”
WHAT IS THIS FOR? WHERE ARE WE GOING TOGETHER?
Remind your group that City Groups exist to…
Apply God’s Word to our everyday lives through the power of the Holy Spirit
Multiply faithful disciples who make more disciples of Jesus Christ
PRAY
Ask if anyone would like to open up in prayer and ask God to bless your time together
STORY
Break the ice with a testimony..
Someone shares their salvation story
Or someone shares a celebration of God’s goodness in the past week
VISION FOR THIS DISCUSSION
As we’ve gone through Genesis, we talked a lot about sin. For the last handful of weeks, we have talked about Cain and Abel and what is looks like to give an acceptable offering to God by faith and how difficult that can actually be. From this story, we’ve also recognized that sin is always crouching at the door ready to attack and drag us away from God.
We’ve also looked at Noah and how the whole earth outside of him and his family rejected God, and because of their sin, God’s wrath was poured out and wiped out every living creature outside of the ark. And when the flood recedes, humanity continues in sin by pridefully attempting to build a tower for themselves as they blatantly disobey God.
So before we just move on in Genesis, we want to create space to pause and reflect on the heavy topics and lessons we’ve learned. Using Psalm 51, we want to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us, convict us, and show us where we have sin in our own lives and how we can confess and turn back to God with honest, broken hearts—the type of heart that God never rejects but always receives.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PASSAGE
The context of Psalm 51 is right after David has committed adultery with Bathsheba, sent her husband off to die in the frontlines of battle, and now David and Bathsheba’s baby has died.
-Read Psalm 51 aloud as a group. What are some initial observations that caught your attention in these verses?
David says in verse 6 that God desires honesty right from the womb. How does David model honesty in this Psalm? What does he say about his own sin?
Up to verse 12 we see complete, honest confession of sin from David. In verses 12-15, however, we begin to see a shift. He begins to use “if/then” statements in order to show how confession unlocks his “sealed lips” to praise again. What do you think is keeping you most from praising God in your life right now? Is there anything in your life hardening your heart towards God right now? Impure/greedy/selfish thoughts or actions?
QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION
To make this more personal and practical, we want to turn the question to ourselves.
1. Head—Why do you think it’s so difficult to confess our sins and mistakes? What do you think is underneath that?
2. Heart—What do we really want from our sin? (Ex: We may want money to have more “pleasures” in life or feelings of “security”) Why do we believe that sin can give us something God can’t?
3. Hands—What is God asking you to confess and turn away from? What is God asking you to turn to instead? (Ex: greed to contentment, busyness to stillness, etc.)
PRAYER
PRAY ‘TACOS’ after collecting prayer requests
Thanksgiving - “Father, thank you…”
Adoration - “Father, you are…”
Confession - “Father, I confess…”
Others - “Father, I pray for…”
Self - “Father, please help me…”
*If size or group dynamics seem to hinder prayer, consider dividing into groups of men/women or groups of 3-4 to reduce barriers to praying out loud
DON’T FORGET
Re-confirm schedule
Urgent needs for serving in the church
We need Citylight Kids volunteers! Email Trish at trish@citylightbennington.church to volunteer today!
“See you Sunday! Here’s where we’ll be sitting…”
Plan serving opportunity or prayer night and put it in everyone’s calendar