Sermon Overview & Discussion Questions: "Breaking the Fourth Wall"

Sermon Overview:
In Psalm 37, Steve directed us to three repeated commands concerning all that we face each day. The first command to “Fret not,” guards us from the depressing questions we can tend to ponder when life doesn’t seem fair. The second command to “Trust in the Lord,” comes with vivid pictures of what God is like and why we can trust Him. Finally, we are called to “Do good,” which is the fruitful effect of moving away from fretting toward trusting in the Lord. The last two verses focus us on our savior Jesus Christ, who is our Refuge, our Help, and our Deliverer who keeps us and guides us into good works each day.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you in any circumstances that seem unfair and tempt you to envy the unrighteous? How does this Psalm encourage or challenge you?

2. This psalm provides examples for how to obey the commands "do not fret," "trust God," and "do good." How do these illustrations change your understanding of these commands?

3. Steve defined trust as leaning your weight on something sure with confidence. How do the
promises of Psalm 37 guard you from leaning on faulty hopes in your life?

4. God makes us righteous through Jesus, and that alone puts us among the righteous people
addressed by this psalm. How does reflecting on that reality affect you and your relationships
with others?

5. Steve referred to the final focus of vs 39-40 as a North Star to guide us into tomorrow. How do
the promises of these verses inform your hope in the troubles you are facing?