Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
This lesson is the first in a four-part series on the book of Habakkuk that is written just for youth. We have another series called “Through the Book of Habakkuk” that is designed for adults. In that series, we go over the whole book of Habakkuk. If you are interested in learning more about this Old Testament book, then check out that series.
We are taking some of the main truths from Habakkuk and applying them to our everyday lives. We are also going to see how other places in the Bible teach these same truths. This first lesson is called “You Can’t Get Away with Your Sin Forever.”
I want you to think about a time when you tried to get away with something that you knew your parents didn’t want you to do. Be honest with yourself, we’ve all done this. We’ve all tried to get away with some stuff that we knew mom and dad didn’t want us to do. To be honest, we also do the same thing with God. A lot of teenagers act like their sin is no big deal and God is never going to catch them.
In the time of Habakkuk, people acted the same way. God’s people were sinning a lot and they thought that they were getting away with their sins. They were wrong. God was going to punish them for their sins, and we see that judgment in the book of Habakkuk.
So, what does this mean for us? It means that we need to understand some important things about our sins.
God notices everything we do
Everyone does things that they know are wrong. The Bible calls this sin. The truth is that we sin sometimes and nothing really happens to us. Maybe you sin in secret or with non-Christians and they aren’t really bothered about what you do. You might think you are getting away with your sins. But that’s not true. Look at what Jesus said:
Luke 8:17 “For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.”
This is a scary verse to think about. Jesus is saying that everything that we do in secret is known to God. You aren’t really doing your sin in secret. God knows about it. Jesus is also teaching us something else. He’s telling us that almost all of our sins will be brought to light. In other words, the sins that you are committing in secret are going to be found out by others.
Maybe you are cheating at school and think you are getting away with it. Well, you aren’t. And probably your cheating is going to be found out. Maybe you are doing something you shouldn’t with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Again, others are probably going to find out about what is going on. Even if no one finds out about your sin, God knows.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 “God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
We don’t ever really get away with anything in life. You might think that you can trick God, but you can’t. If you don’t admit your sins to God, then God is going to punish you for what you are doing wrong. So, if God will judge our sins how come he doesn’t just judge us right away?
God wants you to admit your sins to him
The reason that God allows you to keep sinning is so that you will get smart and turn to God.
Romans 2:4 “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
God is patient with you so that you will admit your sins to him. This means that when you realize you have sin in your life, you confess it to God. You don’t try and make excuses. You simply tell God what you have done and ask for forgiveness.
Also, talk to someone else about this. Talk to your small group leader or a mentor that you trust. Once you admit your sin, you can move past it, experience God’s forgiveness, and live a life that honors God. We aren’t tricking God with our sin. Instead, every time we sin, it’s a reminder about how much we need God.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- Share about a time when you got away with something that you knew was wrong.
- Read Luke 8:17. How have you seen secret sin cause trouble when it eventually became known?
- Are there things in your life that you would stop doing if Jesus was right next to you in person? Explain.
- Read Ecclesiastes 12:14. How is this verse convicting? How does it give you hope?
- Read Romans 2:4. Does God’s kindness and patience make it easier or harder for you to confess your sins to him? Explain.
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
