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) What is a rule or boundary your parents set in the house when you were growing up that you hated at the time, but now completely understand and appreciate?
b) If you have to be honest, what modern distraction or technology takes up too much of your time or attention?
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 ways of the world.
Today we focus specifically on “the lust of the flesh,” which in our modern culture is very strongly linked to sexuality and lust.
God created sex as something beautiful and holy – an intimate bond intended for the safe environment of marriage. The world, on the other hand, has distorted this gift into something selfish, casual, and insatiable.
When we look again at the story of David and Bathsheba, we see how quickly one can give in to the flesh. David’s sin did not start in the bedroom; it started when he was in the wrong place, and when he looked and kept looking. His position of power enabled him to carry out his lust, but it was the lust of the flesh that was the cause of his fall.
However, we also learn that there is always hope, grace, and forgiveness with God when we humble ourselves and confess our sin, just as David did after Nathan confronted him.
Reread today’s texts and talk about them:
a) The world tries to convince us that boundaries around sexuality are “old-fashioned” and that absolute sexual freedom leads to happiness. Why do we as Christians believe that God’s boundaries around sex (within marriage) are there to protect us and give us true freedom and wholeness?
b) Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 that anyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Today we are constantly bombarded with sexual images on social media, TV, series, and the internet. What are practical ways or lines of defence (boundaries) that we can implement in our own lives (and in our families) to keep our eyes, thoughts, and hearts pure from the things of the world?
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.