Pride & Humility - Lesson 4: Confessing (Admitting Guilt)

Pride and Humility

Lesson 4: Confessing (Admitting Guilt)

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

The Main Points for This Lesson:

The main purpose of this series of lessons on pride and humility is to emphasize what God has shown us – that he resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. These lessons should help show what pride and humility are, how they appear in our own lives, and what the end result of each is, encouraging and exhorting us to put off pride and clothe ourselves with humility.

In the first lesson, we gave simple definitions for pride and humility. Pride is thinking more highly of ourselves than is right and true. Humility is thinking rightly of ourselves in the sight of (or in relation to) God the Father Almighty and his son Jesus Christ, our lord.

Confessing past sin. In some cases, we may go on in sin, practicing sin. We need to humble ourselves by confessing our sin repenting, by turning away from that sin. In other cases, we may have committed a sin, more a one time, or one situation type sin. While we may not still be practicing that sin, we still need to humble ourselves by confessing it as sin.

In the previous lesson, we focused more on the idea of pride and humility and their relation to going on in sin and repentance (turning away from sin). In this lesson, we will focus more on the idea of pride and humility and its relation to our willingness or unwillingness to confess a sin we have committed.

Pride teaches us to pretend that we didn't do anything wrong when we have sinned. Pride hardened our heart so that we will not listen to rebuke and admit we have done wrong. Even if the consequences of that sin are quite manifest in our life, our pride keeps us from admitting to our sin and seeking help from God, who alone is the healer of men. King Asa had such pride (2 Chronicles 16:1-14).

Humility teaches us to admit to and confess our sin. It reminds us that the truth will set us free, and so will listen to rebuke and admit to sin. God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. King David committed sin. His sin blinded him to what he was doing. When the prophet came, David humbled himself. He listened to the rebuke, and confessed his sin. He found forgiveness and grace from God.

Suggestions:

To open the lesson, pray for the teacher and the students.

Let the children know that we are now having a few lessons on pride and humility. This is important because God has said in his word, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

In this lesson, we will compare the stories of king David and king Asa to learn more about pride and humility and confessing our sin.

Let the children know that you will read to them two stories. You want them to listen to the stories and notice when the main character in each story is proud and/or humble, and what their pride and humility looks like.

Read to them the story of king David in 2 Samuel 12:1-15. You may need to remind them of David's sin in committing adultery and then murder to cover up his adultery. They don't need the details of that part of the story, just to know that he had sinned, and had not yet confessed this sin. When you have read the story, you can ask the children some questions related to the story. Had David already confessed and made right his sin? Why do you think Nathan first told the story of the man taking the lamb? When Nathan told David about his sin, do you think it sounded like a pleasant thing to hear? How did king David respond to this? Is this an example of pride or humility? (Humility.) What happened when David confessed his sin? (Though he still experienced some consequences, he was forgiven.)

Read the second story about king Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:1-14. Let the children know that when king Asa was younger, a large army came to fight against Judah, and king Asa trusted in God to deliver them. This story about king Asa takes place when he is older. You can ask the children some questions about this story. Who came to attack Judah, where Asa was king? (Baasha, king of Israel.) Asa needed help. To whom did he look for help? (The king of Syria.) Did the king of Syria deliver him and his kingdom from Baasha and his army? (Yes.) Hanani the seer/prophet came. Why was God not pleased with Asa? (He trusted in the king of Syria instead of trusting in God.) How did Asa respond to what Hanani said? (He became angry and put Hanani in prison.) Is this an example of pride or humility? (Pride.) What did Asa's pride lead to? (His heart grew harder. He became diseased, and grew further apart from God until his death.)

Another option is to read the two stories, and then help the children to compare David and Asa in the two stories, helping them to see the pride and humility in the stories, and the results of each.

To close the lesson, pray with the children and have all the children read the Lord's prayer together.

Stories:

2 Samuel 12:1-15 [7] Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. [8] I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things. [9] Why have you despised Yahweh’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. [10] Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ [11] “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. [12] For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’” [13] David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.

When David was king, he committed adultery and then murdered to cover up his first sin (2 Samuel 11:1-27). God sent Nathan the prophet to speak to David. Nathan brought to David God's rebuke and punishment for his sin. David, hearing this message, humbled himself. He confessed his sin, and confessing he received forgiveness from God.

2 Chronicles 16:1-14 [1] In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. [2] Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of Yahweh’s house and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, [3] “Let there be a treaty between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.” [4] Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. [5] When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease. [6] Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. [7] At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand. [8] Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand. [9] For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; for from henceforth you shall have wars.” [10] Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. [11] Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. [12] In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but to the physicians. [13] Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. [14] They buried him in his own tombs, which he had dug out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.

Earlier in his reign, king Asa faced a massive Ethiopian army. He sought the Lord for help, and the Lord gave them a great victory. In the 36^th year of his reign, Baasha, from the northern kingdom (Israel), came out to fight against Judah. King Asa did not seek the Lord for help, but sought help instead from the king of Syria. Through this means, Judah was delivered from Baasha and his army. God sent Hanani the prophet to rebuke Asa from trusting in the king of Syria rather than in God. When Asa heard this rebuke, he did not humble himself. He did not confess his sin. Instead, in pride, he grew angry ad put Hanani in prison. His heart grew harder as time went on.

More Stories and Examples:

1 Kings 21:16-29 [16] When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. [17] Yahweh’s word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, [18] “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwells in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. [19] You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.”’” [20] Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh. [21] Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel. [22] I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin.” [23] Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. [24] The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field.” [25] But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. [26] He did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. [27] When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. [28] Yahweh’s word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, [29] “See how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son’s days will I bring the evil on his house.”

2 Chronicles 12:1-8 [1] When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, he abandoned Yahweh’s law, and all Israel with him. [2] In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, [3] with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. [4] He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. [5] Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’” [6] Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “Yahweh is righteous.” [7] When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. [8] Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”

Other Verses:

2 Chronicles 6:36-39 [36] “If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near; [37] yet if they shall repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly;’ [38] if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, and the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name: [39] then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

Psalm 32:1-5 [1] Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. [2] Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn’t impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit. [3] When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. [4] For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah. [5] I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Psalm 51:1-4 [1] Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. [4] Against you, and you only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight; that you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.

Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Matthew 3:6 They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Matthew 9:12-13 [12] When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. [13] But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Matthew 18:15-17 [15] “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. [16] But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

Jesus spoke this as instructions to those whose brother sins against them. From this, the sinner may also learn that God desires the restoration of the sinner, and not the hardening of his heart.

Mark 1:4-5 [4] John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. [5] All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

Luke 17:3-4 [3] Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. [4] If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Acts 19:18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

1 John 1:5-10 [5] This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 3:4-5 [4] Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. [5] You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.