SERMON RECAPIn Psalm 51, Pastor Shawn Haggerty led us through King David’s journey of genuine repentance following his greatest moral failure. From David’s example, he showed how repentance requires us to take full responsibility for our sin and recognize that our sin is ultimately against God. Pastor Shawn reminded us that repentance begins when we stop hiding our brokenness and bring it before a God whose hesed—His unfailing love—cleanses and restores. Genuine repentance isn’t a one-time act but a continual way of walking with Christ, confident that God’s mercy meets us in our messiest moments.
Ice Breaker Option:
What is your favorite fall activity?
HEAD Read Psalm 51:1–17
• How does David describe his sin? Based on his words, what emotions is he expressing?
• How do we see David taking full responsibility for his sin in this passage?
• What does he ask God to do, and how does he express it?
• Why is David confident in God’s forgiveness?
HEART
• When sin is pointed out in your life, what’s your natural first response—defensiveness, avoidance, justification, or humility?
• “God has bound Himself to us in covenant love.” How have you personally experienced that truth?
• How does understanding God’s hesed (unfailing love) change the way you approach repentance and confession?
• What might it look like to live a lifestyle of repenting your way forward—not just returning to God occasionally but walking daily in honesty and grace?
HANDS — Go Deeper Together (Choose one or two practices below)
Repentance is not about guilt—it’s about grace. These practices help us move from awareness to action, learning to live in God’s restoring love.
1. Make It Personal: The Mirror Moment - Take a few quiet minutes to reread Psalm 51:1–12 slowly.
- Which verse or phrase stands out to you? Why might God be highlighting it?
- What truth about God—or about yourself—do you need to face today?
- Write a brief prayer in your own words, echoing David’s honesty:
“God, here’s where I’ve hidden. Here’s what I need You to clean and restore.”
Group Option: Invite one or two volunteers to share a phrase or image that resonated with them and why.
2. Practice Repentance as Reorientation - Repentance literally means to “turn.”
- Identify one area in your life where you’ve been walking in the wrong direction—maybe a habit, attitude, or relational pattern.
- What would it look like to turn toward God in that area this week?
Action Step: Write down one specific act of obedience or surrender you will take this week to reorient your heart toward God’s presence and purpose.
3. Experience God’s Hesed Love - Repentance is sustained by love, not shame.
- Reflect on a moment when you felt God’s love in spite of your failure.
- How did that experience draw you closer rather than push you away?
- How could you extend that same hesed love to someone else this week?
Group Prayer Option: Pray Psalm 51:10–12 aloud together, asking the Holy Spirit to renew hearts and restore joy.
4. Practice Lectio Divina Together
- Read Psalm 51:1–17 again slowly. After each reading, pause to reflect and share:
- Read: What word or phrase stands out to you?
- Reflect: Why might the Holy Spirit be drawing your attention to it?
- Respond: How will you put this into practice this week?
Encourage each participant to journal their reflections or pray silently between readings.
PRAYER
- Thank God for His hesed—His unfailing love that meets us in our brokenness.
- Pray for courage to face truth without fear and to repent deeply and genuinely.
- Ask for renewed joy and a steadfast spirit that stays tender before God.
- End together by reading aloud:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)