Nehemiah - Part 4 Leader

NEHEMIAH – PART 4

DEALING

WITH

YOUNG ADULT CELLS DEC 2005 WEEK 2

DISCOURAGEMENT

FOCUS (10 mins)

Leader’s Notes

Brainstorming Exercise:

Learning Outcomes: Understanding, Behaviour

Prepare a whiteboard or big piece of paper and divide it into two columns. Tell them that all of us had at one time of other been discouraged before. Explain that discouragement is something that has plagued every human being. No matter who were are, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, man or woman, powerful politician or normal citizens, we have been discouraged before. Ask if they agree. (All will agree).

Objective: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to: • Remember 3 causes of discouragement. • Implement 3 cures for discouragement in your life. • Encourage and spur one another in a practical way.

On the paper, write down “Causes” and “Cures” on each column and ask them to brainstorm on what are the causes and cures of discouragement. Summarize their answers. Remember there are no wrong answers. Next, move from the general causes and cures to personal sharing by asking if they can remember a time when they were discouraged and how they deal with it. Give time for those members who want to share. Again, summarize or paraphrase their answers, be quick to affirm spiritually right answers. Tell them that today’s lesson is dealing with discouragement. You can hand out the lesson notes at this time. You can read the last paragraph of the introduction and explain that we will look at three causes and cures of discouragement from the passage in Nehemiah. Read the objectives of the lesson to the people as well. Tell them that the causes and cures in the notes are not exhaustive but what we can glean from the passage in Nehemiah.

II. The Causes of Discouragement (15 mins) Have someone read Neh 4:6-12.

As the lesson is quite straight-forward, I don’t think there is a necessity to divide the cell into small groups.

A. Fatigue

Explain that fatigue is the first cause of discouragement using the information in the member’s notes. Ask the discussion question: You may look around and direct someone to share. You may also share something personal about projects that you have given up halfway. Get another person to Read 1 Kings 19:3-9. Ask him/her to explain the situation or describe the story up to the passage. Ask him/her what was God’s solution for Elijah? Answer  rest and nourishment. Say, if we are tired, sometime the most spiritual thing to do is to sleep.

Eg. Packing your room, bring out all the stuffs on the floor, but halfway through tired and leave it lying around overnight. Scolded by mum etc.

B. Frustration

Again, ask the first person to repeat verse 10. Explain the second cause of discouragement is frustration. Paint a picture (in words) for them about the amount of rubble, debris, stones, burn-down gates that the people has to clear. Leader’s Notes page 1 of 2

NEHEMIAH – PART 4

YOUNG ADULT CELLS DEC 2005 WEEK 2

Ask them the discussion question: Try to get them to picture themselves in the story. Facilitate the discussion by working on good thoughts from the people. Some possible answers in overcoming frustration: Prayer, walk away from the problem to cool down, don’t look at the problem but look at the promise of God. (Actually, try to steer the people to know that when faced with difficulty, we should always fix our eyes on promise of God rather than the difficulty of the task.)

C. Fear

Get another person to read verses 11 and 12. Explain that fear is the third cause and can be contagious as seen by the passage of the Jews repeating 10 times they will be attacked. What fear did to them? Paralyzed them into inaction. Explain that fear can be a big stumbling block from us in achieving anything in God and life. Ask the question if they are worrier or happy-go-lucky? Just go one around quickly to understand each other better. Many will say depends on situations. It is ok.

III. The Cures of Discouragement (15 mins) Have someone read Neh 4:13-18. Explain that Nehemiah took discouragement in the camp.

certain

steps

to

overcome

A. Reorganize Your Priorities Steps Nehemiah took: Explain that Neh 4:9, Nehemiah has already posted guard. Now new challenge, so he equipped the people with weapons (v 13) and posted them at the lowest point. (lowest point  most vulnerable) How this help overcome the problem: 1) Discourage the enemy 2) Encourage the people. Ask the personal application question: eg. if they are tired constantly, maybe re-look at their schedule, encourage them to find a place for quiet time.

B. Remember the Lord Explain that remembering the Lord is not just thinking about Him, but recalling the greatness and promises of God. This will help us focus on the greatness of God rather than on the bigness of the task. Some practical steps: praying in tongues, praying silently on the train, recall how God has helped you in past, proclaim the promises of God in the Bible etc.

C. Resist the Enemy Explain that as Christian, we are in warfare. (Eph 6:12, 2 Cor 10:4) James 4:7 -> we are to resist the enemy. Nehemiah took practical actions of equipping the people to face the threat of war. He is basically telling the enemy not to mess with him. He will fight them if attacked. Some practical ways: sharing with friends, encourage yourself, things are not as bad as it seems, praying against discouragement, do not wallow in self-pity, hang around with cheery/faith people rather than doom-gloom people etc.

IV. Conclusion Throw a virtual ball around by asking the people to thank God for someone in the God and encourage that person. Try not to get the ball thrown to the same person twice. After everybody has finished, open up the whole group for anybody to thank or encourage someone they wanted to but has not done so in the first round. Leader’s Notes page 2 of 2