Lies About God
Prayer
Introductory Activity
Focus: Ourworldpromotestheideaoftolerance.Infact,theonlysinistosaythatsomeoneelse iswrong! Tolerance istheconceptthattruthisdeterminedbyeachperson,notbythemoral absolutesofGod.Thereasonthislieissoappealingisthatpeoplewanttohavefreedomtodo anythingtheywant.Theydon’twantyouortheirconsciencegettingintheway.Inthislesson, wewillexplorewhatGod’sWordsaysaboutjudging.
Activity:
Devil’s Advocate. Inyourgroupspicktworeaders(looksupandreadsthepassages),aleader (makessurethediscussionmovesforward),adevil’sadvocate(takesthepositionoutlined below),andananswerperson(answersthedevil’sadvocatewithabiblicalresponse).
Readthefollowingpassagesasagroupandcommentonwhattheysayaboutjudging.
Matthew7:2,15,16,21-24
John7:24
Romans2:1
Galatians6:1
“God Doesn’t Judge Anyone, and Neither Should You”
Ephesians4:15
2Timothy2:25;3:16
Nowtheanswererandthedevil’sadvocatewilldiscusstheseissues.Devil’sadvocate: Starttheconversationwiththequotebelow.
• “YouarejustlikethePharisees alwaysjudging!Whoareyoutotellmethatmychurch isn’trightorthatwhatI’mdoingiswrong?Don’tyouknowthatJesussaid,‘Don’tjudge!’”?
Judge for Yourself
1. Goddoesjudge.Whatdothefollowingpassagessayaboutjudgment?
Psalm9:8 “Herulestheworldinrighteousnessandjudgesthepeopleswithequity. ”
John12:47,48
“Ifanyonehearsmywordsbutdoesnotkeepthem,Idonotjudgethat person.ForIdidnotcometojudgetheworld,buttosavetheworld.Thereisajudgeforthe onewhorejectsmeanddoesnotacceptmywords;theverywordsIhavespokenwill condemnthematthelastday.”
Acts17:31
“Forhehassetadaywhenhewilljudgetheworldwithjusticebythemanhe hasappointed.Hehasgivenproofofthistoeveryonebyraisinghimfromthedead.”
• Thinkaboutit!WhatfalseideasdopeopleholdwhothinkGoddoesnotjudge?
2. Godtellsustomakejudgmentsoutoflove.
James5:19,20 “Mybrothersandsisters,ifoneofyoushouldwanderfromthetruthand someoneshouldbringthatpersonback,rememberthis:Whoeverturnsasinnerfromthe erroroftheirwaywillsavethemfromdeathandcoveroveramultitudeofsins.”
• Whatisatstakeifonedoesnotjudge?
3. ReadMatthew18:15-22.HowdoesthisportionofScripturedemonstratethatGod’sdelight isnotcatchingpeopleintheirsinsbutforgivingthem?
4. Jesustellsustowarnsomeoneoftheirsininprogressivesteps Why?IfJesusexpectsthat theadmonishmentbytheentirechurchmighthavethegreatestimpact,whynotjuststart withthat?
5. HowdidJesustreatpagansandtaxcollectors?Howdoesthatshapethewayyoutreat someonewhohasnotrepentedofasin?
6. ButwhataboutJesus’openingwordsinMatthew7,“Donotjudge,oryoutoowillbe judged”?
• ReadMatthew7:1-5.Take30secondsonyourowntothinkaboutwhatJesusisactually sayingaboutjudgmentintheseverses.Writedownyouranswerandshareyour thoughtswithyourgroup.
Group Discussion
• Respondtothefollowingpeople:
“Thatchurchkickedmeout!”
“Haven’tyoueverheardof‘Loveyourneighborasyourself?’”
“Thisismylife!Idon’tpokemynoseintoyourlifeandjudgeyou!”
“Whoareyoutojudgetwomenwholoveeachother?Weareallsinnersanyway.”
• Listsomeinstanceswhenjudgingisinappropriate.
• Ofthemanythingstokeepinmindwhenwitnessingtosomeonewhosays,“Don’t judge,”what,inyouropinion,isthemostimportant?Explain.
• Peoplewhoholdtothislieenvisionautopiainthechurchandunityindiversityof opinioninsociety.Howwould(does)thisconceptof“nojudging”playoutpracticallyin thechurchandourworld?
Closing Activity
Making Metaphors and Synthesizing Similes. Comeupwithanoriginalmetaphororsimile fortheconceptoffailingtomakejudgments.“Failuretojudgeis(like)... ”