What happens when our emotions overwhelm us and we are self-absorbed in them? In this study of 2 Samuel 19:1-8, we look at David’s devastating loss of his son Absalom and the fallout that followed. Though Absalom had led a coup against his own father, David was still shattered by his death — so consumed with sorrow that he shamed the very soldiers who had risked their lives to defend him. Joab’s sharp rebuke forced the king to face a hard truth: others are watching, and our conduct affects everyone around us. We explore what the Bible teaches about who is watching our lives — God, angels, Satan, fellow Christians, and our own families — and why self-examination matters. This lesson challenges us to consider what others see when life overwhelms us: faith and trust in God, or fear and self-absorption?
What does it look like for stronger Christians to bear with the weaknesses of others without compromising the truth? In this study of Romans 15:1-13, we examine Paul’s call for believers to stop pleasing themselves and start building each other up — following the example of Christ, who did not please Himself but bore the brunt of man’s rejection of God. We explore how the Old Testament Scriptures still give us patience, comfort, and hope today, from God’s fulfilled promises to Abraham and Joshua to His sovereign rule over nations and His help in overcoming sin. Paul’s ultimate goal is that the church would glorify God “with one mind and one mouth,” receiving one another just as Christ received us — not in rebellion and sin, but with the grace and tolerance that unity demands.
