Empathy and Lament Study (Week 3)
Confession: Lamenting (with) Ourselves
“Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So, we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy... He who is alone with his sins is utterly alone.”
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The purpose of this week's study is to:
Grow in our understanding of the practice of confession.
Deepen our understanding of the vital nature of confession and lamenting with ourselves as the pathway to life beyond regret.
Continue listening empathetically to the story of members of the St. Mark’s community, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us through others’ experiences
Video
This video is divided into 2 parts. We recommend pausing it after part 1 and engaging in the part 1 discussion questions below, before moving to part 2 of the video.
Part 1 Discussion
Understanding the Practice of Confession
What experiences have influenced your ability to give and receive forgiveness?
Does your personal confession tend to go along the lines of " Dear Lord, please forgive all my sins," or, specifically naming your sins one by one in the presence of God? What does explicitly naming your sins do (or not do) to your self-awareness?
When have you tasted the joy of a good confession? What was that like for you?
What is it like for you to confess your sins to a member of your family or a friend? How may this courageous practice help restore any relationships that need mending or restoration?
(When your group has discussed these questions, return to the video and watch part 2. Discussion questions for part 2 are below.)
Part 2 Discussion
Lamenting (with) Ourselves
What makes confession difficult for you? What may hold you back from this practice?
What's your response to the question that was asked on the video: "What do you think would happen in people’s lives if somehow they could believe that there’s nothing they could ever do to get God to love them any more or any less?"
Look again at the quote at the top of the study guide. What do you think Bonhoeffer means by “real sinner” and “the righteous”?
How can the way of looking at sin that Bonhoeffer references become a roadblock to confession, Christian community, and the Church at large?
Reflection Exercises
Imagine being in a safe place, surrounded by the welcoming presence and love of Jesus.
Ask Jesus to help you see yourself as He sees you. Remember He sees you completely, without judgment, and only with love.
Using the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) or the "seven deadly sins", Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, & Pride as a guide, journal your sins. When you have finished, go through each one at a time, asking God to forgive you and help you to become more like Jesus.
Then burn your list as a symbolic act of what It means to have God remove your sins from you and to set you free from their burdens.
Set aside some time for self-examination and confession.
In God's presence, ask yourself: Who have I injured recently through thoughtlessness, neglect, anger, or in some other way?
As the Holy Spirit brings people to mind, confess your feelings about these people to God, asking God for guidance about the way forward (especially If you sense you need to confess your offense to them & seek their forgiveness).
