- Preacher: Steve Constable
- Sermon Series: Knowing God Through Spiritual Disciplines
- Sermon Title: Knowing God Through Confession
- Scripture: Psalm 32
Sermon Discussion Questions
Psalm 32 – The Spiritual Discipline of Confession
1. Let’s begin with a word association game. Someone in the group say the word ‘confession’ and let the others in the group honestly say in turn the first word that comes to their mind.
As you all gather the words you have shared, how many of the words are positive associations and which are negative? My guess is – in asking the question – that our responses are mixed. While we see, of course, the value of coming clean to God and others about some sin, if it is we who are being asked to confess our sin, we probably can also think of some good reasons for keeping quiet.
READ Psalm 32
2. For David, writing the psalm, almost all the words that come to his mind when he thinks of the word ‘confession’ are positive. The word he begins with and probably the word he means us to keep in mind, is the word ‘blessed’. What does the word mean, who does it involve and what connection does this have with David’s obvious relief and joy in the psalm?
3. David, perhaps retelling the story of the sin that almost entirely ruined his life, describes in verses 3-5 how he experienced the opportunity to confess his sins. What does he tell us?
4. Thinking that other people will experience something similar, David encourages “all the faithful” to do like he did. “Surely,” he says in verse 6, “the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.” What does he mean? How can confession protect the person who confesses their sin [verse 7] and surround him with assurances of rescue?
5. In the last phase [verses 8-10] David thinks of two groups of people. What are the experiences of the person who has openly confessed his or her sins and received God’s forgiveness? What are the experiences of the person who has not confessed his or her sins and will not listen to God’s rebuke?
6. Given the carrot and stick approach that David lays out here, how can we encourage one another to keep closer accounts with the LORD and with each other?
7. Close the group time in prayer, inviting people to join in with this general confession, remembering a specific and recent sin or sins. Have each person also hear the assurance of pardon that in Christ although our sins were “as red as scarlet” [heinous and outrageous]. God has covered them at the Cross and we are now as “white as snow” [innocent, fresh and uncorrupted] before Him.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our fellow men,
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry,
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.