What are Your Foundations?

Week 33: Recognising the Need to Know God's Character

As this meeting comes after a two-month hiatus, this week's main point was to review some of the things we've learned so far and to examine why it's so important to know these things.  What's the big deal about knowing God's character and how does this relate to our lives?

1. Spend a few minutes recapping some of the key points from the first session through to our last meeting.  Invite the youth to contribute three things each that they've learned.

2. Read Matthew 7:24-29 and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

3. Discuss what it means to build on foundations.  What are they and why are they important?  If it helps, share the handout with the group which shows the process of creating foundations.

Foundations are important for providing a secure, level base to the house.  You can't build straight onto the ground as it's not stable.... Sand moves, Clay shrinks and Chalk crumbles.  The only way to build a secure building is to lay foundations first.  If it's rushed or the builders are lazy and do a bad job, the whole building could fall apart.  Strong, deep foundations are crucial.... and the taller the building, the deeper these foundations need to be.  The average house has foundations 3 feet deep while those of a skyscraper go 30 feet underground.

4. To understand the spiritual importance of foundations first invite the group to add to their previous lists some life issues that they currently face and perhaps anticipate facing in the near future.  Stress that the only way to act in these situations is in accordance with what we know of God's character - what our foundations consist of.  IE: We've learned a lot about how God is a jealous God and how He won't accept compromise - so if we're stuck in a situation such as sex outside of marriage, we can look to these things that we know of Him to help us in making the right decisions.

Another point that is always worth stressing is that foundations should be built on Christ, not our leaders.  Encourage the youth to always, always check the teaching they receive against God's word and His nature.  As Mark Hall continually emphasises in Your Own Jesus, our youth need to know Him for themselves - not through someone else.

5. It's not just our actions that should be built on these foundations, but also our reactions.  

Read Psalm 31 and look at David's situation: the conspiracies and death threats he was facing, plus the fact that his friends had abandoned him, yet in the entire psalm, only one third of it is attributed to this.  In fact, just three verses (11-13) directly address his circumstances.  The rest is completely God-focused.  If the youth have their own Bibles, encourage them to underline the parts that concentrate on what God's nature is like and what He has done for David so that they can see the weighting of David's focus for themselves.  Give examples, using the life issues from earlier, of times when we'll be in difficult situations and where our focus should be in those times.

A final point on...

...Actions and foundations: If we don't understand the character of God and have this as our foundation - that, for instance, he is a Just Judge, is a Jealous God and that He keeps His promises - then passages that teach us about holy living such as Ephesians 4, will go right over our heads.  It will sound like 'law', rather than a right response to grace and acts of love to One who loves us.  The building of 'works' without a right foundation of 'know the grace and nature of God' will crumble.

...Reactions and foundations: If you don't have foundations (God's character) in place, how we build a house on them?  If you don't know His character, how do know where to turn in a crisis? IE: If you don't know Him as comforter, how can you go to him when you're hurting? If you don't know that He is or strength, what do you do when you feel weak?

What are YOUR foundations? How deep do they go?

Interlude

Growing in Grace is presently on hiatus; with our Pastor being so ill we feel it right to support our church in prayer and fellowship. Please bear with us and remember our small branch of the body in your prayers. We aim to be back soon with notes from the new teachings and with the blog fully up to date... watch this space!

A Wise Man Once Said...

Week 32: Discovering the Character of God through Proverbs

32.1 Pose the group the question of what they think it means to be 'wise'. Let it generate discussion as we share our answers.

32.2 Recap some of what we learned about Solomon from Series 1. Read 1 Kings 3:4-15 to help the group remember how Solomon had gone 'all out' for God in seeking the right kind of wisdom for ruling the kingdom. Follow this up by reading 1 Kings 4:29-34 and hone in on verse 32.

Talk about "wise sayings" referred to in this passage and perhaps share some we're familiar with; who says them? what do they mean? do we live by them?

32.3 Discuss the differences and similarities between these and the types of proverbs/sayings that Solomon might have written. Introduce Proverbs, explaining the authorship and purpose.

Read Proverbs 1:1-7 and highlight how this underlines the purpose of this book straight away. It's all about the right kind of wisdom. Read Proverbs 2:1-11 and see how, again, Solomon is setting the scene for what he is going to say with his proverbs: seek wisdom.

32.4 Return to this idea of the right kind of wisdom - what is the 'right/wrong' kind (check out James 3:13-18).

Why is all of this so important? It teaches us about God's character. Read Prov 3:5-6 (NIV). Here, it made really plain: God wants us to rely on Him (compare Jesus to His disciples in JOhn 15:5).

32.5 So, is that it, then? Is it all about wisdom? No. Think of it like a teacher handing out a textbook: the students won't learn just by reading the introduction; they need to get to grips with the actual text/facts that the introduction simply introduces. Let's apply this theory by looking at the first chapter of 'sayings'.

Split into small groups and assign each several verses to pore over. As they read, see if they can see the lesson in the proverb and what this might teach them about God (eg: v4 - God wants us to do well, etc). If time allows, change groups and look at a different chapter and feed back to the wider group. See how much we can learn of God!

Finally, invite each person to choose a proverb to action in their lives this week.


Week 32: Summary
Proverbs is another rich book and viewing it through this 'establishing shot' is a great way to introduce characteristics of God that you may not see directly elsewhere. The best way of studying, 'though, having seen this broader view is to then view it in detail. Zoom in on chapters and verses and before long you'll be finding characteristics of God, one after another...

• He wants us to trust in, and rely on Him
• If we only count on our own wisdom, everything will soon fall apart
• He guides and directs us

Finally, the proverbs aren't just for reading or even memorising. They're for living!

More Than a Feeling...

Week 31: Discovering the Character of God through the Psalms

31.1 This week's session begins by introducing the group to the concept of an 'establishing shot.' Over the next few weeks, we will 'viewing' some of these 'establishing shots' as we look at a handful of Books of the Bible. We're still going to be checking out God's character, but more from a 'birds' eye view' than in the tiniest details.

The first in this mini-sub-series is the book of Psalms. It is book rich with characteristics of God and, therefore, a great place to start.

Share and discuss the handout.

31.2 Before rushing into the Psalms, discuss - as a group - the types of songs we generally sing: their lyrics, where the focus is, the type of language/imagery is and the intention behind them.

We're going to compare these with some of the psalms.

Read Psalm 19: read this with the same set of questions in mind (ie: lyrics/focus/imagery/motive)
Now have a look at Psalm 121 and work through the same questions.

What do these Psalms have in common? How are they different to the songs of the world - and even some in the church?

The answer may not be immediately obvious as it's quote 'deep'. The Psalms, unlike most secular (and some 'churchy') songs, are based on truth, not emotion. Being led by emotion and feeling can be deceptive. Compare this with Jeremiah 17:9.

31.3 The Psalms are written from experience, so we can trust them to give a true account of God's character. If they were based on feeling, they would be unreliable. For example, if the Psalmist was in a bad mood with God and let that lead him when writing his songs, he would probably say stuff that wasn't true.

Invite the group to share experience where our feelings have led us to say things we don't mean so that they understand the point.

31.4 To see this at work more fully, have a look at some more Psalms. Read Psalm 51 and discuss its purpose (context), the imagery - and even the structure (compare with Ps 54:1). Notice how confident David is in approaching God in verse 1. This is the very advantage of knowing God's character... and we can share in it.

31.5 Split up and, in groups, study some other Psalms (suggested reading: Ps 25, 62, 91, 103, 139). Encourage each group to look for God's character in their Psalm. Maybe try to summarise the Psalm in one line and/or pick a few verses that highlight the key points/attributes. Finally, get the groups to think about how they can apply their findings to their daily living.


Week 31: Summary

The Psalms have lots to teach us about God's character and about how we can approach God with the same confidence that the Psalmists had. We can learn that God:

• is merciful
• is our help
• never rests from watching over us
• is Creator
• ...and so much more!