TOUGHUESTIONS Q Honest Prayers From the Psalms LeaderLeader GuideGuide TOUGH QUESTIONS Leader Guide Welcome to Tough Questions! Each week, we’ll take a deeper look at the weekend message, examining the truth of God’s Word and discovering its impact on our lives, relationships, and the world around us. Below you’ll see a glossary of terms you’ll find in each lesson. Unless otherwise instructed, don’t feel pressured to use every question in every section. The purpose of your group time is discussion, not working through all of the questions. Pick one or two per section, and remember to listen to the Holy Spirit as you lead your group. MAIN POINT An understanding and internalization of the main point should be the goal of your group time. Let each section and question build toward a deeper realization of this truth. LEAN IN | Break the Ice GOAL: Warm up the group and prepare for transition into a deeper conversation. This is a bridge question to prepare the group mentally and emotionally. It is optional for the group. You are welcome to use one of these questions or come up with one that is unrelated (e.g., highs/lows). LOOK DOWN | encourage different people GOAL: Read and examine the Bible together. Encourage different people to read the passage, allowing people to become more familiar with both reading and digesting the Bible. leader guide 2 LOOK OUT | Identify the relevance of God’s Word in the world GOAL: See the relevance of the passage playing out in the world/church. These questions should cause the group to come to an insight about a passage in the Bible as relevant facts and details in the passage are examined—which can then be seen and witnessed in reality in real-world terms. LOOK IN | Apply God’s Word to your life GOAL: Create space for participants to confess honestly and draw connections as they apply the meaning and implications of the passages to their lives. WHAT IF? Kingdom Living GOAL: Give space for participants to envision a “better future” if this passage was applied in their lives. Give space to brainstorm about applications. Leader Notes These notes will provide tips on how to steer the conversation, care for your group, and guidance for how to troubleshoot and anticipate difficult topics. Connection Connections will provide you with transitional statements to help move your group from one section to the next. leader guide 3 Context Context can give you insight into the background of a passage, the mentality of the author, the connection to another book of the Bible, or a cultural context that brings deeper understanding. Commentary A verse--by-verse look at the passage for further study and insight. Scripture from the CSB unless noted. leader guide 4 WHYWHY ISIS LIFELIFE notnot fair?fair? psalm 73 | week 1 main point Ultimately, God will give everyone what they deserve. Until then, life doesn’t always seem fair, and it’s okay to share your frustrations with God. This psalm explores what it means to be near or far from God. Ultimately, “the near” will be saved, and “the far” will be destroyed (Psalm 73:27-28). Until that time, “the near” struggle with difficult feelings (like envy and hopelessness). Meanwhile, “the far” have no struggles (Psalm 73:4) and appear to be doing great, at least with material blessings. In many ways, this psalm is a complaint to God. The writer is essentially saying, “I’m not perfect, but why is my life so hard when the wicked have it so easy?” If you’ve ever felt like life isn’t fair, allow this psalm to encourage and change your heart, and make it your prayer back to God. psalm 73 | week 1 7 Lean In break the ice leader notes: The best relationships are based on honesty and transparency—not image management. This is true about our relationship with God. While He knows everything about us (and still loves us completely), we need to be honest with ourselves to be honest with God. To be human is to rationalize our behavior—we need to learn new habits to be honest with God about how we feel. This psalm models honest conversations with God. group questions: Consider some of your closest relationships and how they got to the point they are now. Naturally, it takes more than just time to build a great friendship. How are relationships strengthened? What are some of the things that happen between people that draw them closer together? This psalm goes deep quickly. It doesn’t pull any punches as the psalmist shares his very real and raw emotions. Based on your experience, why do you think many people work hard to project a perfect image to others? psalm 73 | week 1 8 Look Down Look at God’s Word leader notes: In your time together as a group, it will be difficult to explore the fullness of this psalm so don’t make this an unrealistic expectation. Use this section to explore envy and hope. These are key characteristics of “the far” and “the near.” If you would rather explore different parts of this psalm, by all means, do so! The goal is to allow the text to speak so that you can see how it applies to today. Ask volunteers to read Psalm 73. Have one person in the group read verses 1-14, and have a different person read verses 15-28. Do this a second time with two different people. 1 God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray. 3 For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have an easy time until they die, and their bodies are well fed. 5 They are not in trouble like others; they are not afflicted like most people. 6 Therefore, pride is their necklace, and violence covers them like a garment. 7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness; the imaginations of their hearts run wild. psalm 73 | week 1 9 8 They mock, and they speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues strut across the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn to them and drink in their overflowing words. 11 The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?” 12 Look at them—the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth. 13 Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? 14 For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning. 15 If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless 17 until I entered God’s sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny. 18 Indeed, you put them in slippery places; you make them fall into ruin. 19 How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors. 20 Like one waking from a dream, Lord, when arising, you will despise their image. psalm 73 | week 1 10 21 When I became embittered and my innermost being was wounded, 22 I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me up in glory. 25 Who do I have in heaven but you? And I desire nothing on earth but you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. 27 Those far from you will certainly perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, so I can tell about all you do. psalm 73 | week 1 11 leader notes: Have each person in the group write their own definition of envy (no longer than a sentence or two). Once everyone is finished, each person should share their definition. After everyone has shared lead the group in the following questions: group questions: In our world today, where do you see people acting out of envy? Ultimately, how does envy make an impact? Another powerful theme in this passage is hope (re-read verses 23-28). In what ways are hope and envy similar? How are they different? psalm 73 | week 1 12 Look out Identify the relevance of God’s Word in the world group question: When a person hopes for the wrong thing or person, eventually they are disappointed and let down. Where do you see people putting their hope in the wrong thing? notes: psalm 73 | week 1 13 LOOK in apply god’s word to your life The psalmist expresses several powerful attitudes and mindsets. Which of the following do you identify with the most right now, and why? ENVY: “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (verse 3) HELPLESSNESS: “Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?” (verse 13) OVERWHELMED: “I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you.” (verse 22) CONFIDENCE: “Yet I am always with you; you hold my right hand.” (verse 23) HOPE: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (verse 26) How does the attitude/mindset you selected impact your life? How does it shape how you think, what you say, and the decisions you make? group questions: How have you experienced the goodness of God? What does it look like for you to be Re-read the near Him? last verse in this psalm and answer one of the following questions: Describe a time in your life when you made God your refuge.