NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the YOU curriculum.
Bible Passage: Psalm 8
Discussion Questions: Pause and think about God’s magnificence. Then think about humans. What does it mean to you that Almighty God takes note of you? How does recognizing that God made you special affect the way you feel about being significant?
Food for Thought:
Has anyone ever said this to you: “Just who do you think you are?” or this: “What makes you so special?” While those questions may have been uttered sarcastically, the reality is you are special! God made you that way! Isn’t it amazing that the awesome God, Creator and Ruler of the universe, made you His best creation? Sometimes we all need to be reminded about that fact.
Today’s lesson on significance provides just that reminder. It offers encouragement in a world that stresses conformity and sometimes makes us feel, well, anything but special. God made each of us special and significant!
Psalm 8 is a hymn of praise that begins and ends with adoration. Verse 2 prepares the reader for what follows. God’s strength is more than sufficient to empower the weakest of men and to overturn the mightiest of foes. The vastness of the universe God has created imparts to humans a sense of their own smallness and insignificance (vv. 3-4), but God has given humans a position of unusual strength and honor (vv. 5-8).
Verses 1 and 2 describe God’s awesome power and glory. The word “magnificent” (also translated “majestic”) refers to the radiant, revealed splendor of who God is and what He says and does. God’s perfect character is seen in the beauty of His created world.
Verses 3 and 4 contrast the vastness of creation with the smallness and insignificance of man. In addition to being personalized, we are characterized by God. What does that mean? God recognizes us as having character. Verse 5 provides the answer to David’s question in verse 4: What is man that You remember him, the son of man that You look after him? The Message states it like this: “Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?”
Because God takes note of us, we are personalized. We are not a number or represented by a password. We are God’s creation, chosen and cared for by Him.
Sometimes you may feel burdened down with responsibilities. That’s part of life! But think for a moment how you would feel if you had no responsibilities. Being given responsibility actually is a compliment. It means that someone has placed his or her trust in you to do something important.
God has given us responsibility. He has authorized us by making us “…lord over the works of your hands” (Ps. 8:6).
God’s list of responsibilities is all-inclusive. He has made us responsible for all creation. God’s greatness is seen in the fact that He has entrusted so much to us. This responsibility includes authority and accountability. We are responsible to care for God’s earth and all He created. As believers, we can show good stewardship for God’s creation by taking care of the earth’s natural resources. Think of the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle.
YOU
Intentionally focused on urban and multicultural believers, YOU is biblically based with culturally relevant and affirming lessons to help your members connect, grow, serve, and ultimately be engaged in impacting the world for Christ. This flexible, non-dated all-in-one quarterly resource offers weekly Bible study for leaders and learners, devotionals, and teaching plans, as well as articles on hot topics and missions. For additional online teaching resources, visit LifeWay.com/YOU .
Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at www.LifeWay.com/SundaySchool.
