YouTube Discussions

I Am Second – The Robertsons

December 12, 2013

Main Point of Discussion: God saw our desperate situation of being lost in sin and took action to rescue us from death.

Discussion Starter: Jesus Makes Duck Dynasty Crew Different…Very, Very Different
The hillbilly crew from Duck Dynasty has taken over America. Their bearded faces are on TV, billboards, product endorsements, magazine covers, and much, much more. But they’re taking advantage of all the press and promoting their faith in Jesus Christ throughout the process.

In this featured clip, we (mostly) hear from Phil, his son, and his grandson. Each of them talks about their life choices and the consequences of them…and how they met Jesus as a result. It’s a great video, mainly because the guys speak genuinely about their flaws.

This clip is a bit long. In fact, it’s quite longer than most of our YOUTUBE/ONLINE VIDEO DISCUSSION STARTERS. Consequently, the list of small group questions will be a bit shorter than usual, to compensate.

Introducing the Clip:
If you’ve ever seen an episode of Duck Dynasty, you’ll know that the family patriarch, Phil Robertson, is not afraid to say what he thinks about culture and technology. Every episode of the hit A&E show ends with the Robertson clan and some friends enjoying a meal together and someone (usually Phil) praying over the meal. You may have noticed that these prayers have been ending more frequently with something like “in Jesus name Amen”. Tonight I want to show you The Duck Dynasty “I am Second” video. It is one of the most powerful testimonies I’ve ever watched. Take a look and see what you think.

The Video Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjqccYmx13w

Transitional Statement:
In the video, Phil talks about parties, bar room brawling, infidelity, and drug and alcohol abuse. At one point he even hid from the police and abandoned his family! His wife, Mrs. Kay, told their three small boys, “That’s not your Daddy—that’s the devil in your Daddy.” Even Phil knew that he was lost in sin. But the best part was, he knew what he had to do. He turned his life over to Jesus and asked Him to be the leader of his life. It was the best decision he ever made. The same was true of his son. And his grandson. Let’s spend some time discussing how Phil’s life was changed by Jesus and how ours can be, too.

Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:

AROUND THE CIRCLE: Before we begin, let’s all take a second to share our names and our favorite TV show.

ASK A FEW: How did Phil describe his life before meeting Jesus?

ASK A FEW: Do you remember what happened to the man who tried to tell him about Jesus?

ASK A FEW: What was Phil’s reaction after the pastor told him about the story of Jesus? (Leaders – The answer you’re looking for is, “I was blown away when I heard that Jesus died for me.”)

ASK A FEW: What did Jep and Reed have to say? How were their stories similar to Phil’s? (Leaders – Both of them tried to do life on their own, only to come to ruin. It wasn’t until they gave their life to Jesus that they begun to have a sense of peace and forgiveness.)

Read the following passage:

10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” 13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”

14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15“They rush to commit murder. 16 Destruction and misery always follow them. 17They don’t know where to find peace.” 18 “They have no fear of God at all.”

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

ASK A FEW: How does this passage relate to Phil’s testimony?

ASK A FEW: How does the Bible describe a person who lives a life of sin?

ASK A FEW: What does this passage say God has done to solve the problem of our sin?

ASK A FEW: Can you identify with Phil about being “blown away” by what Christ did for you? If so, how?

AROUND THE CIRCLE: Phil, Jep, and Reed took the time to sit down and share the good news through their testimonies. With whom will you share this good news of Jesus Christ this week?

Wrap Up:
In our small group time, you got to hear one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture talk about his relationship with Jesus. But not only did Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty renown share his testimony, so did his son and grandson. And they all said the same thing: Jesus saved me from my sin. I could not do it on my own; He had to rescue me.

The Duck Dynasty “I am Second” video is one of the most powerful testimonies I’ve ever seen. This family makes it crystal clear: They were all sinners and Jesus is the One who saved them.

Just like the passage we read from Romans, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and expectation. The Bible calls that sin. Anytime we do something or say something or think something that is contrary to God’s will, we sin. The Bible also teaches that the penalty for our sin is eternal death.

Fortunately, the Bible also tells us in many places just like the passage we read, that Jesus came to Earth to give His life to pay the penalty of our sin. It is through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that we are made righteous before God. There is no other way.

I hope that all of you have finally come to the point that Phil came to years ago. You must realize that you need to be saved, but that you cannot save yourself. Only Jesus can save you by rescuing you from your sin.

If you’d like to have the eternal life that Phil and Jep and Reed – and millions more – have, then I invite you to put your trust in Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you of your sin. Ask Him to be the Leader of your life. Ask Him to save you from your sin and yourself.

I promise you He will.

If you need to talk with someone about this further, then hang around after we pray in a moment. Any of our adult leaders will be glad to speak with you about Jesus and His love for us.

In his testimony, Phil said, “We all go six feet deep in the ground. The grave is a problem. So is sin. Jesus came down in the flesh and solved both of them. I am giving the credit to God Almighty in heaven for the duck call sales and for my life. We shall see at the end how it turns out. I feel pretty good about it.”

So do I.

Do you?

Close in Prayer

Written by Paschoal Trentini