June 11: The People Promised to be Faithful
Bible Passage: Nehemiah 9-10
Christ Connection: God has always done what is right even when His people have done what is wrong. We have God’s kindness and love through Jesus, who died on the cross so we can have life with God forever.
Bottom Line: I am faithful to God because He is always faithful to me.
Leader Study: What comes to mind when you think about confession? Do you think of sadness? Weeping and guilt? Shame and failure? What about worship? When was the last time you came before God in true confession? What led to your admission of failure before a holy God? The Bible is clear that “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4). But what does the Bible say about what confession should look like? What does the Bible say should lead us to confession? Nehemiah 9 gives insight in how to answer that question. God’s people had gathered and were fasting and beginning to confess their sin when the priests chimed in with an appropriate pattern for how that confession ought to progress. In this text, we discover that true confession of sin will never come before genuine recognition of the holiness of God. God’s people had promised to be faithful, but following their return from exile, the men of Judah intermarried with foreign women. They were unfaithful to God, disobeying His commands. Yet God remained faithful. The pattern of the priests is to first recognize, exclaim, and celebrate God’s goodness, faithfulness, holiness, and righteousness. Only out of these truths comes the reason for confession. For it is only when we see the majesty of the holy God that we see the weight of our sin and the punishment due to us as a result. Then, and only then, will we be drawn to the altar of honest confession before God. Yes, conviction must come, but it will only come when there is first an awareness of the greatness of God. Set aside time to intentionally approach God to confess the sin in your life. God wants your eyes fixed firmly on Him, even in moments of reflection and confession. For the moment we lose sight of Him is the moment we negate the gravity of our sin and the necessity of confession.
Bible Passage: Nehemiah 9-10
Christ Connection: God has always done what is right even when His people have done what is wrong. We have God’s kindness and love through Jesus, who died on the cross so we can have life with God forever.
Bottom Line: I am faithful to God because He is always faithful to me.
Leader Study: What comes to mind when you think about confession? Do you think of sadness? Weeping and guilt? Shame and failure? What about worship? When was the last time you came before God in true confession? What led to your admission of failure before a holy God? The Bible is clear that “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Rom. 2:4). But what does the Bible say about what confession should look like? What does the Bible say should lead us to confession? Nehemiah 9 gives insight in how to answer that question. God’s people had gathered and were fasting and beginning to confess their sin when the priests chimed in with an appropriate pattern for how that confession ought to progress. In this text, we discover that true confession of sin will never come before genuine recognition of the holiness of God. God’s people had promised to be faithful, but following their return from exile, the men of Judah intermarried with foreign women. They were unfaithful to God, disobeying His commands. Yet God remained faithful. The pattern of the priests is to first recognize, exclaim, and celebrate God’s goodness, faithfulness, holiness, and righteousness. Only out of these truths comes the reason for confession. For it is only when we see the majesty of the holy God that we see the weight of our sin and the punishment due to us as a result. Then, and only then, will we be drawn to the altar of honest confession before God. Yes, conviction must come, but it will only come when there is first an awareness of the greatness of God. Set aside time to intentionally approach God to confess the sin in your life. God wants your eyes fixed firmly on Him, even in moments of reflection and confession. For the moment we lose sight of Him is the moment we negate the gravity of our sin and the necessity of confession.
Small Group Plans
Takeaways
Discussion Questions
- Today, we learn how God is faithful to us even when we are unfaithful to Him.
- Even in their sin, God remained faithful and loving.
- God showed us His faithfulness and love by sending Jesus to die for our sin.
- When we put our faith in Jesus, we become God’s kids and He will always remain faithful and loving to us.
- Bottom Line: I am faithful to God because He is always faithful to me.
Discussion Questions
- When was a time God was faithful to you? Answers will vary. Encourage kids to share about God’s faithfulness in good and hard times. Help kids think about the ways God is faithful to do the little things like clothe them, feed them, etc. Remind kids that God is faithful to always be with them.
- Did God leave His people when they sinned? [Allow responses.] Even in their sin, God remained faithful and loving. God also loves us and promises to be faithful to us. No matter what we do or think, He will always love us. When we trust in Jesus, we become children of God. God will remain faithful and loving to us.
- Do we need to be faithful for God to love us and save us from our sin? Why not? Remind kids that because of sin we will never be perfectly faithful to God. Help kids understand that God’s love for us does not depend on our obedience. Lead kids to understand that our obedience cannot save us from our sin. Encourage kids to remember that God loves us because He made us and that it is only through faith in Jesus that we can be saved.
- Why is it important to remember the faithfulness of God? When we remember that God is always faithful to us, it leads us to be more faithful and loving to Him.
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