Imagine being asked to do or help with something that seems impossible, overwhelming, or takes you out of your comfort zone. Moses was asked to do something seemingly impossible. God wanted him to go back to Egypt, the homeland he had left 40 years earlier, and to rescue the people of God from the slavery, tyranny, and oppression of the Egyptians. This is how we begin LifeWay's Explore the Bible study of the book of Exodus.

The challenge of this study is to help your group understand that, God's rescue plan in the Exodus points to His grand plan of redemption through Christ. As God invites Moses, He invites us to be a part of His plan to rescue and redeem the lost. The question for all of us is, "How will or do we respond?"

While there are many more themes that could be discussed as you look at this passage, be sure to zero in on the TARGET: God invites, expects, and empowers His people to be involved in His plan to redeem the lost.

ILLUSTRATIONS
There are numerous illustrations that could be used from those responding to rescue people caught in the floods of Hurricane Harvey. Here are a couple I suggest using.

• LOOK UP (TO FOCUS ATTENTION): This week a man from a local church was sent by his company to help with the rescue and clean up in the Houston area due to Hurricane Harvey. He was to pack immediately, get on a plane for Dallas, pick up equipment, and drive to the Houston area. His company purchased a one-way ticket for him, and he was told that he needed to plan on being there long-term, possibly as long as 3 months. He is married and has two little girls.  Ask: What if you were asked to do this? What would your response be? 
• FOR EXODUS 3:7-10: During this week’s floods in Houston, there was a desperate message and horrifying photo on social media. It was a message and photo showing four children asleep on a counter in a flooded kitchen, including a little girl reportedly on a ventilator. “Still trying to get a water rescue,” the message said. “Please send some help quick.” (Washington Post). State: There are people around you longing and waiting to be rescued from sin. They need your help! We don’t need a burning bush experience in order to know what God expects from us as believers.

Discouragement, despair, depression. This may seem to be an unusual way to end a study of the book of Psalms, but considering the difficulties this world is facing, it might possibly be one of the most important discussions you will have with your group. Psalm 42:1-11 gives us a snapshot of a follower of God who is struggling with holding on to his faith during some of the greatest struggles of his life. I pray that all who dive into LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: The Longing, will be encouraged as they discover how the psalmist fought his battles with discouragement, despair, and depression.

When you face discouraging times, are you more like Eeyore or Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh stories? This is a question you could use to introduce the session. The following video clip could be used to help illustrate the two extremes as you emphasize how the lessons from the psalmist's life can help us reside somewhere in the middle while striving to avoid either extreme.


SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED TEACHING OUTLINE
You will discover in this week's teaching helps that I have adjusted the approach to the study significantly.

Identify the Symptoms of Discouragement, Despair, and Depression - All of Psalm 42

The Psalmists' response to Discouragement, Despair, and Depression

1. He didn't quit thirsting for God - Psalm 42:1-2
2. He remembers - Psalm 42:4 and Psalm 42:6
3. He preaches to his own soul - Psalm 42:5
4. He affirms God's love - Psalm 42:8
5. He sings praises to God - Psalm 42:8
6. He asks why - Psalm 42:9
7. He reminds himself what he believes about God - Psalm 42:11

William Cowper was one of the church's greatest hymn writers, a person mightily used by God. But this gifted composer was not without frequent bouts of deep discouragement, even depression. The first attacks of despair struck him when he was a young man. He was admitted to St. Albans Insane Asylum, where he made several attempts to commit suicide. One of the doctors gave Cowper a Bible, and he began to read it. In learning of the grace of God, he put his trust in Christ and was gloriously saved.

It seems everywhere you go people are talking about the solar eclipse that is taking place on August 21. Everyone has been told they need certified protective glasses, but, sadly, there have been a lot of vendors who have sold counterfeits which could lead to eye damage. In this week's Explore The Bible Study: The Protector, David tells of of another type of protection we need. Through King David's prayer in Psalm 141:1-10 we can come to understand more fully how to pray to God for protection from sin that seeks to destroy us.

Suggestions For This Study

• Display a pair of sunglasses or a pair of the certified eclipse glasses to begin your discussion.
• Use a group activity to brainstorm ways in which various activities during the week can affect our speech and our desires. Examples could include Facebook, friends, movies, commercials, TV shows, news, and books.
• Optional PowerPoint: CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
• Consider using the following video clip to illustrate the request David makes regarding traps in Psalm 141:9-10.

Helping others know that they can be forgiven is easy. Helping others feel as if they are forgiven is another story. David wants us to learn from his own devastating sin how to seek forgiveness and experience the full restoration that comes from God when we are forgiven. He is our teacher for our study of the sequel to Psalm 51 which is Psalm 32 as we focus on this week's Explore the Bible Study: Experiencing Forgiveness from LifeWay. 

As you have noticed, I have tweaked the title. I have also included a TARGET for the session that focuses on the following:

We recently had a young man knock on our door and try to sell us a cleaning solution for removing stains. I find it interesting how much money and time we spend trying to keep everything clean - clothes, windows, cars, and our bodies, just to name a few. We have some products called "deep cleaning" solutions and people go on special diets to do a "body cleanse." We do all of this just so we can feel clean or feel better. What if cleansing was as simple as making a heartfelt confession? When it comes to sin, this is the only action that can bring the cleansing we so desperately desire. This is the focus of LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: The Confession.

As you prepare this week, keep in mind that not everyone in your group will know the background of David's sin. Take time to review the context in order to help the group understand the full impact of David's sin on his life. The Bible study helps provides you with some background helps.

Psalm 51 Overview: Much of my teaching content was based on information I gleaned from a sermon by John MacArthur. Click here to listen to his message.

Teaching Outline Variation. The Bible study helps will follow this breakdown of the passages:
Psalm 51:1-5; Psalm 51:6-12; Psalm 51:12-19

LOOK UP (FOCUSING THE GROUP) OPTIONS. There are two options. The first option focuses on bringing in and displaying various cleaning products or supplies. The second option is the following vintage household cleaning supply commercial.



Secondary Passages. Consider assigning these or listing them in advance on the whiteboard.

• Sin is a part of our nature - Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23
• God's faithful love and abundant compassion - Psalm 103:10; Psalm 130:3
• Only God can bring forgiveness and restoration. No one is capable of restoring himself/herself. - Psalm 103:12; Micah 7:18-19; Psalm 86:5; 1 John 1:9

Additional Thoughts To Consider

• While David’s heart was passionate for God (1 Samuel 16:7; Acts 13:22) it was still corrupted (Psalm 51:5). God was still working on David’s heart and David knew it. His adultery wasn’t the only issue; it was his heart – in this case, his lust that led to adultery, murder, deceit, and tragedy. When we come before God, confessing our sin, we need to understand that we are coming before a holy God who won’t be content with a superficial change.
• Don’t get ambushed by your sinful nature. In the past, David had relied on God more than he did the armor and weapons of Saul when fighting Goliath, he had resisted the temptation to kill Saul on several occasions, he had led his men to act with integrity on multiple occasions, but when it came to lust, he was ambushed. He couldn’t blame anyone but himself. He took complete responsibility for his sins, hated the rift that it had created between him and God, and acknowledged that only God could change his heart.
• This is the heart cry of a truly repentant man: I want to be purified; I want forgiveness; I want a clean heart; I want a steadfast heart; I want to experience your presence again; I want to rejoice again.
• “Sin had made him dirty and he wanted to be clean. Guilt had made him sick and he wanted to be well. Disobedience had made him lonely and he wanted to reconciled. Rebellion had made him fearful and he wanted to be pardoned.” - John MacArthur