1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things that are in the world … the lust of the FLESH (sex) and the lust of the EYES (money) and the pride of life (power) … are of the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but he who does the WILL of God abides FOREVER.
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Connect group:

• Choose ONE NIGHT a week to hold your connect group.
• Ask each member of your connect group to bring their Bible.
• If you want, you can also take communion together.

WELCOME

Icebreaker:
Choose one of the following topics and talk about it:
a) Tell of a time when you got into trouble as a child because you were bored and not busy with what you were supposed to do? What happened?

b) What is a daily temptation or “guilty pleasure” that you sometimes give in to too easily (e.g., eating too much chocolate, social media, etc.)?

Prayer: Open with prayer.

WORD

Read:

Our Core Text for Today:

2 Sam 11:1-2
At the time when kings go off to WAR, David STAYED BEHIND in Jerusalem… From the roof he saw a woman bathing. She was a very beautiful woman.

2 Sam 11:4
Then David SENT messengers and FETCHED her … She came to him, and he slept with her.

2 Sam 11:27
She became his wife and bore him a son. But what David had DONE was WRONG in the eyes of the Lord.

2 Sam 12:13
This is what the Lord says: From now on I will bring DISASTER upon you out of your own house… Then David said to Nathan: “I have SINNED against the Lord.” And Nathan said to him: “The Lord has FORGIVEN your sin: you will not die now.

Talk in your Connect Group about the following:

In this series, we learn about the difference between God’s ways and the world’s ways. We also look at the lie of ownership and the truth of stewardship.

In Part 5, we look specifically at Power and Control. We look at David in this lesson and see how he mishandled his position of power and surrendered himself to the lust of the flesh.

David was supposed to be on the battlefield as king, but he stayed behind and exposed himself to temptation. This temptation led to him not only sleeping with Bathsheba but also abusing his power to have her fetched. He also arranged for her husband to die in the war, so that he could marry Bathsheba.

God was displeased with David’s sin and actions. Yet we also learn of God’s wonderful grace when David realized he had sinned, confessed his sin, and received forgiveness from the Lord.

Reread today’s texts and talk about them:

a) David’s fall begins with the fact that he stayed behind in Jerusalem instead of being at the war. How do we today sometimes place ourselves in situations or places (physically or on the internet/social media) that unnecessarily expose us to fleshly temptations?

b) When Nathan confronts David, his immediate reaction is: “I have sinned against the Lord.” Why is it so difficult for us to take ownership of our sins, and what does God’s immediate forgiveness teach us in this passage?

WORSHIP

Make time to worship God today. Use the playlist on our Word and Life website under Connect Groups. Or bring your own worship songs.

WORKS

Now enjoy Communion together as a Connect Group:

Love for God, Love for People

Now, as a Connect Group, spend just 5 minutes in silence, and each member should answer the questions below individually. Create a peaceful atmosphere and allow the Lord to speak to each one individually.

• Confess before the Lord any areas where you gave in to the lust of the flesh, and where you may have allowed your thoughts or actions to become impure or go astray.
• Ask the Lord to help you to confess faults and sins before Him honestly. Thank Him for His faithfulness to respond, just as with David, with immeasurable grace and forgiveness when we sincerely turn to Him.