A reason for hope
Theme:
Songs of Worship
Scripture:
Psalms 121, 127, 130
Objectives:
(From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)
Know:
The Lord alone is our source of help, hope, and forgiveness.
Think:
I am always conscious of the fact that I need God in every area of
life.
Do:
Look to God for help in all areas of our lives.
B1
Psalm 121
C1 Setting: people were
traveling to Jerusalem to go to the Temple. The had to climb up to
Jerusalem. Whether the people feared what was in the hills or looked
to the hills for safety doesn’t matter.
C2 Points to know: Safety
comes from the Lord.
D1 He can provide spiritual
safety for us in good doctrine, faith, and hope: 2 Peter 2:9 WEL The
Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of trials and to reserve the
unrighteous for punishment on the Day of Judgment.
D2 He can provide emotional
safety: Luke 4:18 MKJV The
Spirit of the Lord is on Me; because of this He has anointed Me to
proclaim the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and new sight
to the blind, to set at liberty those having been crushed.
D3 He can provide physical
safety: 2 Timothy 4:17-18 MKJV But
the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that through me the
preaching might be fulfilled, and that all the nations might hear.
And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord
shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to His
heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
D4 He does not promise
immunity from trials but deliverance. This deliverance may come
quickly or wait until our death and carriage into heaven by the
angels.
C3 More points to know
D1 Psalm 121:2 God helps us to
remain steadfast and faithful. Psalms 62:1-2 NKJV TRULY
my soul silently [waits] for God; From Him [comes] my salvation. He
only [is] my rock and my salvation; [He is] my defense; I shall not
be greatly moved.
D2 Psalm 121:3-4 God doesn’t
need sleep and doesn’t sleep. He is alert to everything that
happens. Jude 1:24 WEL Now
to him who is able to protect you from falling and to present [you]
without blame before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
D3 Psalm 121:5 God is always
with us. Hebrews 13:5 ESV
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you
have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
D4 Psalm 121:6 God is able to
protect us day and/or night: 2 Corinthians 1:10 WPNT He
did deliver us from that deadly peril, and still delivers; in whom we
trust that He will keep on delivering.
D5 Psalm 121:7-8 God is able
to protect our soul: Psalms 32:7 HCSB You
are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me
with joyful shouts of deliverance. Selah
C4 Questions:
D1 Who is our guardian, our
protection?
D2 Why does He do this?
D3 What does this tell us
about God’s character?
D4 How can we help others?
B2
Psalm 127,
C1 Setting: this is a song of
ascents just as Psalm 121. Solomon wrote this under inspiration of
God. Since it is a song of ascents, it is written about God’s
house. There are many applications of needing God’s help and
blessing for everything we do.
C2 Points to know:
D1 Psalm 127:1 Perfect success
only comes from God. John 15:5 WEL I
am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains attached to me
(and I to him) will bear much fruit, for you can do nothing without
me.
D2 Psalm 127:2 A workaholic
might get more money, but he/she loses much.
E1 Proverbs 15:16 GNB92 Better
to be poor and fear the LORD than to be rich and in trouble.
E2 1 Timothy 6:10 WEB For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led
astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.
D3 Psalm 127:3-5
E1 Children are better than
money.
E2 This blessing is
particularly towards Israel: Deuteronomy 7:13 NASB77 “And
He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless
the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and
your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herd and the young
of your flock, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give
you.
E3 If someone does not want
children, they do not sin.
E4 If someone cannot have
children, they are not being cursed by God.
D4 Questions
E1 How should we define
success?
E2 Why is God’s blessing
necessary for real success?
E3 Why are children a
blessing?
E4 What about those that do
not or can not have children?
B3
Psalm 130,
C1 Setting: this is another
song of ascents. As the people travel closer to Jerusalem and the
Temple, people need to think about their standing with God. They need
to ask, “Are there any sins I have committed?”
C2 Psalm 130:1 Despair is
present from personal, family, or national sins in Israel. Psalms
71:20 NKJV You, who
have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And
bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
C3 Psalm 130:2 The Psalmist is
serious and pleads for God to listen to him, forgive him, and restore
him. Psalms 28:2 GNB92 Hear
me when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy
Temple.
C4 Psalm 130:3 Sin, breaking
God’s law, must be punished. It is either Messiah Jesus or me.
Colossians 2:14 NLT - He
canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by
nailing it to the cross.
C5 Psalm 130:4 Only God can
forgive sins. Psalms 51:1-2 NKJV HAVE
mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to
the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
C6 Psalm 130:5 Waiting for
God’s counsel, blessing, forgiveness, wisdom, etc. is always a good
thing.
D1 Lamentations 3:25-27 GNB92
The LORD is good to
everyone who trusts in him, So it is best for us to wait in
patience—to wait for him to save us— And it is best to learn
this patience in our youth.
D2 We must watch and wait.
Micah 7:7 GNB92 But
I will watch for the LORD; I will wait confidently for God, who will
save me. My God will hear me.
C7 Psalm 130:6 If we are
troubled at night, we eagerly wait for the morning. A Christian does
not want darkness. He/she wants light to come—God’s light.
D1 Psalms 90:8 GW You
have set our sins in front of you. You have put our secret sins in
the light of your presence.
D2 John 1:4-5 GNB92 The
Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it
out.
C8 Psalm 130:7 In this
passage, we see confidence and hope in God.
D1 Hebrews 6:17-19 GW God
wouldn't change his plan. He wanted to make this perfectly clear to
those who would receive his promise, so he took an oath. 18 God did
this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an
oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those
of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have
been given. 19 We have this confidence as a sure and strong anchor
for our lives. This confidence goes into the holy place behind the
curtain.
D2 Psalms 42:5 GW Why
are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope
in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God.
D3 Romans 5:7-10 NRSV Indeed,
rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a
good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves
his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for
us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his
blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For
if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death
of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be
saved by his life.
C9 Psalm 130:8 Forgiveness of
ALL sins Titus 2:13-14 WEL Looking
for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ,
14 Who gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and
purify for himself a special people, zealous for good works.
C10 Questions
D1 When should we ask God to
forgive our sins?
D2 Why does God forgive our
sins?
D3 What are some blessings for
forgiveness of sins?
D4 Why is waiting good for a
Christian?
D5 Why is confessing and
asking God for forgiveness so difficult for a non-Christian?
B4
Next week
C1 Truth you can count on
C2 Theme: Absolute truth
C3 Scripture: Psalm 119:89,
Psalm 119:142, Psalm 119:160, John 17:17, John 8:31-32
