August 11: Can I Keep on Going?

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HeART of Teaching

If you missed last Sunday's session, be sure to try and attend this week at 6pm. We will be sending out a syllabus soon so that you can see what you will be receiving from this important training.

 

Pray for Connecting Church & Home

This weekend was Nick's launch of our ministry to parents. This is a vital ministry that we should all be praying for daily. There is a sense of urgency we should all embrace as we seek to keep the connection between church and home strong so our children will grow up knowing, and hopefully responding to, Christ.

Transform: Teaching to Change Lives, September 28

This is the one major fall training event that we are expecting every teacher to try and attend if at all possible. Be sure to mark your calendar. More info to follow.
 

Guests registration: 

We missed visiting six guests last week! As you may recall, our deacons are dedicated to following up with every Sunday guest. They make those visits on Sunday afternoon. We had six guests who did not receive a follow-up visit. Please help us out by placing your guest registrations in the drop box in the Connect Group office. If you are teaching at 11am, please try to check your roll and bring your roll and guest information back to the CG office by 11:15 if at all possible. We want to be good stewards of the guests God brings us!

Absentees:

Thanks for continuing to reach out to your absentees! Since we are moving away from summer vacation time, this would be a good time to check on all those who have been absent several times. We don't want to lose anyone!

BIBLE STUDY SESSION

THE TARGET: Focus on what adults should leave knowing, understanding and doing.

Our goal this week is to challenge adults to choose to trust God and live for Him regardless of their circumstances. They will answer the question, "What can I do when problems around me seem too tough to change?"

Suggested Resources:

Articles: Use as a reference while discussing Ecclesiastes 8:11.

• Hussan Trial: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20130807-judge-halts-trial-in-fort-hood-shooting-rampage.ece
• How long does it take for a case to go to trial?

QuickSource: There is a good object lesson on page 49 you might want to consider using as your "Look Up" activity.

Discovery Study Guide Teaching Plan: There are ideas you might want to insert into your discussion. Check it out: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2s291i0zazypbyd/TP11Sum13edited.docx

PowerPoint Slide: I have included a PowerPoint slide with a picture of a detour sign. You may print this and place in each chair or display the PPT slide as a part of the LOOK UP discussion. LINK TO SLIDE

LOOK UP: "Soft methods" to draw attention to the study as adults are arriving, visiting, and gathering for Bible study.

Option One:

Display the Detour PowerPoint slide or place copies of the image in chairs around the room. As adults begin to arrive, ask them to discuss with others how they respond when they see a detour sign.  After most adults have arrived, ask several to share their responses. Discuss the frustrations that road detours can cause. Ask the group to share how people respond to life's detours?

Option Two: 

See QuickSource, page 49 - battery object lesson.

Context: 

We continue to look at Solomon's quest for meaning in life. His effort was to discover which human endeavors could bring a sense of meaning and significance to people's lives. This week we are going to look at Solomon's exploration of wisdom, foolish extremes, and the Sovereignty of God.

Transition:

Solomon uses these three areas to provide us with advice when facing the detours life may give us. He first focuses on accepting godly wisdom.

LOOK IN: Ideas for unpacking the text.

Accept Godly Wisdom

Have volunteer read: Ecclesiastes 7:11-14

Explain:

Verse 11 denotes wisdom that comes from God rather than from mere human insight. It is godly wisdom, or better yet, God-given wisdom.

Discuss:

Identify all the benefits of this kind of wisdom as described in verses 11-12.

"As good as an inheritance."

• What are examples of what people receive as an inheritance today? What can be the benefit of an inheritance? What kinds of responsibility or burden come with receiving an inheritance? What kind of emotions can be attached to receiving an inheritance?
• Why would Solomon say wisdom is as good as an inheritance?
• Is an inheritance deserved or earned? (no, it is usually given freely without conditions)
• How does this relate to the wisdom given to us by God? (It is given as an act of grace)

"An advantage to those who see the sun."

• This wisdom is valuable while we are living our lives for Him today. We should use it! 

"Is protection as money is protection."

• How is wisdom better than money when you are going through a crisis or tough times? 

"Preserves the life of its owner." 

• It keeps us from going places we should never go - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Ask the group to work with two or three others to prepare a list of top 10 frustrating circumstances in life. (example: my auto insurance goes up even though I drive safely and haven't had any accidents or tickets)

• How can wisdom from God help us understand these circumstances?
• How can verses 13-15 help us understand the frustrating circumstances and detours we face in life? 
• What are some occasions when you followed worldly advice rather than God’s wisdom? How would your life be different if you had listened to God? 
• What are some experiences in your life that have contributed to you relying on godly wisdom?
• How can these past experiences contribute to living a meaningful life in the future?

What if your life had no crooked turns in it? What would your relationship with Christ look like? What can we do to learn to trust God's wisdom, even when things aren't going well?

Transition:

Solomon compared God’s wisdom to an inheritance—something of great worth given in love, without being earned. He also compared wisdom's benefits to the benefits of wealth. God's wisdom is grace given and is more valuable than riches! Solomon's advice was to enjoy the good days God gives us but also to accept that He is still in control on the bad ones.

As we continue to look at Ecclesiastes, Solomon offers additional advice when we face life's frustrations. He warns us not to focus on foolish extremes.

Avoid Foolish Extremes

Have a volunteer read: Ecclesiastes 7:15-18

Discuss:

• Remind the group of Job's observation about the wicked and the righteous - many times the wicked would not experience any problems in life. Solomon had a similar conclusion. He had lived long enough and seen enough to conclude that sometimes the good die young, and the wicked live long.
• How would you summarize Solomon's advice in verses 16-18? (avoid religious extremism and unfettered indulgence in sin.)

How can religious legalism lead to frustrations when we experience life's detours? 

• Is Solomon saying that "a little sin" is o.k.? (No, if this were the meaning, it would contradict the whole of Scripture - Solomon declared that adherence to extreme philosophies was pointless. The phrase "don’t be excessively righteous" should not be understood to imply that sinning a little is OK and perhaps is even preferred. Rather, it is a reference to excessive righteousness in terms of legalism. During the New Testament era, the excessive legalism of the Pharisees placed impossible religious demands upon people - see Matt. 23:23-24.)
• Discovery Study Guide (DSG), p76: What forms of religious extremism have you personally experienced that really didn't benefit you spiritually?
• DSG, p76: How would you distinguish religious extremism from radical faith?
• DSG, p76: No matter how carefully or religiously you control yourself, no matter how hard you try to do all the right things, you cannot entirely regulate all of life; only God can do that.

Some people respond to life's detours by diving further into sinful indulgences.

• If you are a Christian, why would you do this? (sometimes it is done to somehow get back at God, or it is because you just give up and, therefore, give in.)
• Does verse 17 give us permission to practice sin in moderation? (No, rather, it reflects the sinful nature of humanity. The Teacher recognized that sin is a reality in every human life - see Ps. 14:2-3; Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8. However, wicked behavior is not irreversible. It can be changed. Therefore, the Teacher encouraged the rejection of wicked conduct and warned that those who embrace sin will be destroyed by it.)
• How will this action lead to frustration?

Would both of these extremes be viewed by someone as a way of trying to manipulate God? Can we really manipulate Him with either extreme?

Transition:

When we experience frustrations or difficulties we can't blame God or manipulate God. Some people respond by trying to be more "righteous" expecting God to take away the difficulties. Still others totally rebel against God and pursue evil, even as a form of retribution toward God. Either extreme produces the same results. 

Solomon then begins a series of discussions regarding political leaders and the importance of following the laws of the land. He describes a series of circumstances that might cause us to doubt that God is in control. Yet, we still need to hold to our belief that He is in control.

Know God Is in Control 

Read Ecclesiastes 8:10-12.

Explain:

In verse 10, the first set of circumstances relates to wicked politicians who were praised, even in their death. Solomon indicated they were praised as if people had forgotten all the evil they had done.

Discuss:

• Do you feel it is unfair when someone is eulogized as a saint when everyone knew they weren't?
• How might we be tempted to respond to God when we see this take place?
•  Solomon reminds us that this is futile. We must hold on to our trust in God and His justice.

Verse 11 focuses on another of Solomon's observations. It is the slow pace of the justice system after someone commits a crime.

• Do you believe justice is slow today? (i.e. It has taken 4 years for the trial to begin for Major Hasan, the shooter in the 2009 terror attack at Fort Hood, Texas) 
• How might we be tempted to respond to God when we see such delays?

Solomon offers wisdom on how to respond to these travesties of justice. How would you summarize what he says?

Transition:

Solomon did not want his readers to think that evil people were really in control. Rather God was in control in spite of the wickedness we observe around us.

LOOK OUT: Hitting the target and applying it to daily living.

Read Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

Explain: 

Solomon had spent hours studying and trying to apply his mind to know wisdom. The intensity in which he observed all the activity that is done on the earth is emphasized by the fact that he would not even close his eyes in sleep day or night. Even though he had asked God for wisdom, he still had to strive to understand it all.

DSG, p77: The bottom line for Solomon is this: No matter how hard we try to make sense of life, we can't. Troubling inconsistencies or ironies will crop up. Unless we accept God's design for our lives by faith, we may experience ongoing frustration that stems from our own expectations, desires, and ambitions.

Application:

• What are some questions you have about how God is working through situations in your life?
• How much of the frustration you feel about life's detours stem from an unwillingness to turn things over to God? What steps can you take to accept God's sovereignty?
• What situations are you facing this week for which we can pray for God’s wisdom for you? Close in a time of prayer.