Love as a Way of Life



Study Series: The Life of DavidBy: Alexander MacLarenLesson Title: “The Exile, Cont’d.” (pp. 89-99)July 21, 2019Session 08The main point of this lesson is: The righteous and faithful are not immune to fear and despair.Focus on this goal: To help adults address their fear and despair by taking refuge in God.Key Bible Passages: Psalms 54; 56; 57To the Leader: If you are displaying a timeline of David’s life, add Psalms 54; 56; and 57 under “Exile.” Before the SessionDo an Internet search for inspirational quotes about overcoming fear. (Step 1)2. Read 1 Samuel 21:10–22:10 and 23–24 to obtain the context for Psalms 54; 56; and 57.During the SessionStep 1. Lead-in / Illustration Invite volunteers to quote popular sayings about overcoming fear (they may want to search on their mobile devices). Add to the discussion with quotes you discovered. Ask: Which of these sayings would help you address your fear appropriately and why? Should Christians ever feel fear? Explain. Declare: Being faithful doesn’t mean not being fearful at times. The righteous are not immune to fear and despair. Perhaps the best saying to help us address fear appropriately is a verse we may have memorized as children, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Ps.?56:3).Step 2. Day 1 – Psalm 56Request adults read the superscription to Psalm 56 and identify when David wrote verse 3. Then request they consult 1 Samuel 17:4 and 21:8-9 and state where Goliath was from and what sword David had. Discuss Day One, activity 1 (p. 89). Consider reasons David would have gone to Gath. Note David is called a man after God’s own heart, but he wasn’t perfect. He despaired, was discouraged, and deceived himself by thinking that any shelter could protect him. He ran from Saul into a very dangerous situation, for King Achish wasn’t about to let the man who killed his champion warrior live. David made a bad choice, but God’s grace is greater than our choices. We can turn to Him even when our choices put us in bad situations, and even when we have a conflict between faith and fear. Read the Day One margin/pull quote (p. 90). Request adults listen for David’s conflict between faith and fear as you read Psalm 56. Call for responses. Use Day One remarks to elaborate on the discussion. Evaluate whether fear or faith won out in the end and why. Invite responses to Day One, activity 2 (p. 91).Step 3. Day 2 – Psalm 54, Part 1Read aloud 1 Samuel 22:1,3,5; 23:7-8, 13-14, 19-25. Ask: How would you describe David’s life at this point? What could have been his mindset during this time? Ask a volunteer to read the second Day Two paragraph (p. 92). Discuss Day Two, activity 1 (p. 92). Ask: Scripture tells us Jesus spent all night in prayer (Luke 6:12), so what’s the point of long extended times of prayer if we’re not to use many words? Invite a volunteer to read Psalm 54:1-3. Determine who the strangers and tyrants were. Ask: Do you think it would have been easier on David if they really had been strangers? Why? What was the real reason these enemies rejected David (see v. 3b)? Invite responses to Day Two, activity 2 (pp. 92-93). Point out we, like David, can pray and trust in God’s character to bring justice to unjust situations.Step 4. Day 3 – Psalm 54, Part 2Invite a volunteer to read Psalm 54:4-7. Evaluate why David’s prayer in verse 5 may make believers uncomfortable. Note that while Jesus taught us to love our enemies (Matt 5:43-44), there’s nothing wrong with wanting God’s truth and goodness to triumph over evil. David prayed for God’s justice but left vengeance up to Him. Request adults identify what David appealed to in Psalm 54:1 and praised in verse 6. Explore why David prayed to and praised God’s “name.”Add to the discussion with comments from the last paragraph of Day Three (p.?94). Discuss Day Three, activity 2 (p.95).Step 5. Day 4 – Psalm 57, Part 1Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 57:1, including the superscription. Ask: What did David see as his real refuge—the cave or God? What leads you to that conclusion? Analyze how David could have regarded the cave as a means of sheltering under God’s wings. Discuss the Day Four pull quote (p. 96). Work together the Day Four, activity 1 (p. 96) and urge adults to silently consider activity 2 (p. 97) again.Step 6. Day 5 – Psalm 57, Part 2Discuss Day Five, activity 1 (p. 97). Invite a volunteer to read Psalm?57:3-11. Analyze how David again demonstrated a conflict between fear and faith. Ask whether fear or faith won out in the end and why. Ask: How can we possibly praise God when we’re afraid, despairing, or depressed? How can our sacrifice of praise be a place of refuge?Step 7. Reflection and Personal ApplicationNote one popular quote about overcoming fear states, “Let your faith be bigger than your fear.” Ask: What will happen if we put our faith in the size of our faith? Declare: The object, not the size, of your faith is key to overcoming fear. No matter how feeble your faith is, remember that God is bigger than your fear. Invite responses to the second question of Day Five, activity 2 (p. 99). Close in prayer. ................
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