MARCH 22
10:15 I Facebook Live
UTTERLY AMAZED
Well friends, we’re all one week into the national emergency due to the COVID-19 virus. How y’all doing? I’m sure the answers are all over the board. And our answers say much about us — things like where we work, what personality type we have, where we gather our information. But most importantly, this is a great time to find out what we truly value. Testing has a way of making some things clear to us that we can’t see when life is easy, when nothing is asked of us. And what is testing but a time of being asked for things? Let’s dig in this week and see how Jesus handles this, and what it has to teach us, and let’s see why his answers let the crowds utterly amazed.
Living Grace
Grace Church Learning Guide / Week of June 4, 2017
Key Text: Acts 2:1-4 and Galatians 4:1-7 (NET)
THE SET-UP
The coming of the Holy Spirit changes everything: our identity, our relationships and our values.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The transformative nature of the Holy Spirit
changes our identity.
The transformative nature of the Holy Spirit
changes our relationships.
The transformative nature of the Holy Spirit
changes our values.
THE HEAD AND THE HEART
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To help us understand the transformative nature of the Holy Spirit regarding our identity, consider the following questions: Who are you at the core of your being? What are the sources of your identity? Did you encounter a radical transformation of your identity since becoming a follower of Jesus, or has it been more gradual?
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To help us understand the transformative nature of the Holy Spirit regarding our relationships, think about how being a follower of Christ should lead us to regard other people.
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Finally, to better understand the transformative nature of the Holy Spirit regarding our values, make a short list of the things you value the most. How does that list reflect what Christ seems to value the most?
REFLECTION
Consider the following from 2 Corinthians 5: “For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view.” What role do you think the Holy Spirit has in helping us adopt this mindset? How do we practice it? What difference do you think it would make in your life?
KIDS' CREATION CONNECTION
If you’d like to help your kids better understand what Pentecost is all about, this lesson offers some great tools—including a fun craft you can use outside to get a visual on the Holy Spirit.
THE LINKS
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“Commentary on Acts 2:1-4; Galatians 4:1-7 and/or Galatians 5:16-26” with “Pentecost” lectionary podcast, Working Preacher
GRACE IN THE MOMENT
In this week’s blog post on gracechurchnwa.org: Teri Naylor reflects on the connection between grace and works. Leave comments! Share it! Tweet it! Pin it! Post it!
LOOKING AHEAD
We pick up where we left off last summer, beginning our trek through the second half of the Psalms of Ascent. We’ll start with a liturgy that reminds us how God enters our space, and how we enter God’s. Read about it in Psalm 24.
Grace Church Learning Guide / Week of June 11, 2017
THE SET-UP
Who can ascend to worship the one true God? Because of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, the invitation is open to all of us.
THE BOTTOM LINE
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What does it mean to recognize God’s sovereignty in our lives? What are some specific ways we can do it? And what are some practical things we can do to give God the right to rule in our lives?
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Do you think it comes naturally for us to function as a unified church body with common practices at Grace? Why or why not? How does it honor the Lord when we do?
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What does it mean for us to “tabernacle with God”? How do we do it?
REFLECTION
How can I better make Christ the King of my life and my family’s life?
KIDS' CREATION CONNECTION
We can worship God outside, where we’re surrounded by evidence of God’s sovereignty, creativity and love, just as we can at church. Take your kids on a hike this week, and look with them for different things that were made by God. See how specific they can get: How many different kinds of leaves can you find? Flowers? Rocks? Bugs? How are you inspired to worship together as you go?
THE LINKS
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“Commentary on Psalm 24,” Working Preacher
GRACE IN THE MOMENT
In this week’s blog post on gracechurchnwa.org: Teri Naylor reflects on the connection between grace and works. Leave comments! Share it! Tweet it! Pin it! Post it!
LOOKING AHEAD
Without God’s provision, our efforts don’t amount to much. Read about it in Psalm 127.
Grace Church Learning Guide / Week of June 18, 2017
Key Text: Psalm 127 (MSG)
THE SET-UP
We can find hope in all we do through community, perspective and faith.
THE BOTTOM LINE
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When we find ourselves in situations where we want something that’s out of our reach, learning how to hope in the midst of our circumstance seems impossible. If we take Psalm 127 as some kind of magic promise, hope will be impossible to attain. So what do we do with this passage? First, we have to consider it in communal terms as opposed to individual. Look around: Where are you seeing God’s provision? God answering prayers? It can be difficult to take joy in others’ blessings when we feel left out, overlooked or forgotten. If you can relate, examine where those feelings come from and what might fuel that perspective. What would it take to really feel connected to others?
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Just as we can be overwhelmed by thoughts of what we lack, the things we have can overwhelm us, too. Do you ever feel overwhelmed with responsibility for others? For things you may have once thought you wanted, but now seem like burdens? Most of these things can only be properly understood in the perspective of time, of trusting that things are not always—or often—how they appear at the moment. What would it take for you have more of that perspective?
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Last, there are the things that threaten us. Whether it’s people or situations, all of us have “enemies” of one sort or another. They may seem far off, or like they are breaking down the door. What do you think it means to trust God as our defender, they One who will sweep our enemies right off our “doorstep”?
REFLECTION
This week, think about your life in terms of community and time, and as held by God. No matter what your situation—good, bad, dull or exciting—how does it “fit” with others? How do you see the things and people you are responsible for impacting the future? What does it mean to trust God in the midst of it all?
JUST FOR KIDS
Kids' Creation Connection: This week, our young church members are learning about David and Goliath. God taught David that even though he was small, he could do big things! Take a family outing to a lake or pond to skip rocks. Discuss with your Grace Kid the ripple effects a small rock has when it hits the water. How do the little things we do make a big impact? How can God use each one of us?
Car Talk: Once you have everyone in the car and you’re on the way to worship, talk about the word “hope” and ask your kids what it means to them. Let them know that the word “hope” will come up a lot during worship, and challenge them to count how many times they hear it.
THE LINKS
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“Psalm 127” from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, StudyLight
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“3 Ways to Practice Love Through Neighboring,” Missio Alliance
GRACE IN THE MOMENT
In this week’s blog post on gracechurchnwa.org: Sometimes the words you really need only come 29 years later. Leave comments! Share it! Tweet it! Pin it! Post it!
LOOKING AHEAD
Blessing comes to those who serve God. But what, exactly, does that look like? Read about it in Psalm 128.
Grace Church Learning Guide / Week of June 25, 2017
Key Text: Psalm 128 (MSG)
THE SET-UP
In a culture where a prosperity gospel has corrupted almost every part of our imagination, what does it mean to believe and proclaim a prosperous future as an act of faith?
THE BOTTOM LINE
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When Scripture teaches us to “fear God,” what does that mean? (If you need some direction, you could start here or here.)
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The “fear of the Lord” is more than a theological concept to be understood; it’s a core experience and practice of the Christian’s life. If we understand that we are seen, known and related to by God, how do you think this makes the fear of the Lord real to us? Is it possible to have a healthy, Biblically-informed practice without a similar experience of being known by God?
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Those living without hope often ignore or fear the future. Yet many places in Scripture, including this Psalm, encourage us to look with joyful anticipation to the future. How can we practice faithful hope in a way that gives us a similar imagination for the future? How we can encourage others to do the same?
REFLECTION
Theologian G.K. Chesterton observed, “We fear men so much because we fear God so little.” How are our lives shaped differently when we fear men, but not God? Consider what happens when you turn Psalm 128 on its head. If you replace “fear God” with “fear man” in verse 1, how would you complete it?
All you who fear ______ , how ______ you are!
how ______ you walk on his ______ ______ road!
Now, think about the rest of the Psalm: How would the message change if the emphasis were on fearing man instead of God? How would you recast the passage in your own words?
JUST FOR KIDS
Kids' Creation Connection: We can show love for God’s creation by paying attention to how we use its resources, even when we play. Here’s an easy game you can enjoy with your kids—you can make it together using recycled materials!
Car Talk: When you have everyone in the car and you’re on the way to worship, tell your kids that they’ll get to hear from two people who tell people in another country about Jesus. Challenge them to listen for these folks’ names and think about how you can pray for them this week.
THE LINKS
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“How Should Christians Think About Power?” Biola Magazine
GRACE IN THE MOMENT
In this week’s blog post on gracechurchnwa.org: Teresa Cornett reflects on how God uses us to bless others when we have compassion for outsiders and newcomers. Leave comments! Share it! Tweet it! Pin it! Post it!
LOOKING AHEAD
Enemies of Israel are put on notice: God will overturn evil plans against His people. Read about it in Psalm 129.