Before the Session
Facilitator: In advance of the session
- Have the Bible Background Video ready to view.
- Review today’s scripture text and the session activities to help better facilitate the discussion.
- Encourage your group to listen to the Faithelement podcast ahead of the next session (Share the link via email or social media)
Context (From the Current Session Page)
Inform your group that you regret the need to do this, but you need to start this session with a couple of commercials, then play this commercial from the fearmonger’s shop, followed by this one and ask:
- Which, if any, or the fears expressed in these commercials do you also sometimes share and why??
- What kinds of things are you usually afraid of, and why?
- What are some commonly held fears that you think are a bit irrational and why?
- How do you deal with those times when you or those closest to you are afraid?
- In what ways do you think your reactions to fear define you as a person?
Content (From the Mind Session Page)
Read Psalm 27, then watch the Bible Background Video.
Tell the group:
In verse 1 David calls God his light, salvation and stronghold. Look at the psalm in other translations if you have them available, to see further possible meanings of these terms (remember that in this time, “salvation” did not have the Christian meaning it does now, but rather spoke of rescue/victory from a dangerous situation.)
Ask:
- Discuss each of these images – what is David saying about who God is to him?
- Why is it significant that God is these things, and not merely a source of these things (i.e., God is not the source of light, but the light itself)?
- What challenges does this psalm reflect David as facing – specifically, who are his “enemies” and what do they intend to do to him?
- What is David asking God to do about his problems?
- Some psalms ask God directly for intervention, or express confidence that God will change the situation (Psalm 91 is a good example). In contrast, what does this psalm ask of God?
- Of what is David confident in verses 13-14 and in what ways are these verses a summary of the entire psalm?
Closure (from the Media Session page)
Play the Josh McCown video clip and ask:
- If someone was to ask you what your true calling is, what would you say and why?
- If you were a professional football player and you suddenly no longer were playing, how do you think you would feel?
- If you were no longer able to do the things for which you feel you are called, how might you feel?
- At what point does fear enter into the way you may feel about such things and how does someone overcome such a fear?
- How does someone embrace the power of God’s light as life takes them in new directions that they could not anticipate?
- What can we do to offer hope and support to people who are struggling through such times?
Close in prayer