Powerful Prayer // May 19, 2024

Read: Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians is unique among all the letters in the NT because the apostle Paul wrote it as a general letter to be read and circulated among many churches in one region. He wrote it as a summary of the Christian faith and life, so we should not be surprised to find it saturated with prayer. Prayer can feel intimidating for Christians at any season in their faith. That is why Paul invites us into prayer as he writes about the most precious truths of our faith. Would you listen if someone told you they had something powerful to help your Christian life grow in any season? In our passage, Paul reveals to us that it is prayer.

1. Why We Pray

Paul's unwavering commitment to prayer comes from his understanding that God is constantly at work in the world and our lives. The “I never stop giving thanks” in v. 16 points back to God's loving plan of redemption in v. 3-14. We don’t pray because God isn’t at work but because He is already at work in the world and our lives. We often pray as if He is absent or inactive and needs to intervene. Instead, our prayers should be anchored in gratitude, recognizing and appreciating how God's grace is already manifest in our lives. This posture of gratitude connects our prayers to the praise of God's glorious grace lavished upon us in Christ.

Just as it is unhealthy for any relationship to focus exclusively on what the other person is not doing, it is even more detrimental to our relationship with God. We pray to recognize how God is at work, which guards us against cynicism and disillusionment. We can truly develop eyes to see and discern God's grace at work, even amid many imperfections and struggles in our lives. We find such an example in Barnabas, who rejoiced in seeing God's hand upon the early church in Antioch despite their shortcomings (Acts 11:21-24). 

2. What We Pray

Paul's approach to prayer stands in stark contrast to the customary well-wishes and prayers for health that were prevalent in ancient letter writing. Rather than focusing on external circumstances, Paul directs his prayers to the very core of our being – our hearts. His central prayer is that, by the work of the Spirit, the “eyes of our hearts” would be enlightened to see that “what is” is what is. “What is” the hope of his calling, the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us are not contingent upon the fervor of our prayer or our moral performance. These truths are unshakeable realities for all who have placed their faith in Christ. What if the secret to Christian prayer is not in something you don’t yet have but in knowing what you already have?

If Paul’s prayer is for the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened, then one way to describe our greatest spiritual problem is when our hearts are darkened and our vision is cloudy. Powerful prayer is prayer that clears the fog to help us see what is real and true. It is only because of the Gospel that we have real hope, value, and power. Here is where the fog can become the thickest. It is a “hope of his calling” (v. 18) and not merely our own. Our value is not found in working for our own inheritance but in being God’s inheritance in Christ. Power does not come from us but from Christ’s resurrection (v. 20-23). His resurrection power alone brings life to what is dead in us and light to what is dark in us. Through prayer, we can see our true hope, value, and power in Christ through any fog and thus face anything in this life. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?

2. Read Ephesians 6:18 as a group. Do you find this encouraging or intimidating? What makes it difficult to pray like this? Share something that distracts you from prayer and how you have faced it over time.

3. When you do pray, what do you pray for most? Why do you gravitate toward that? How might your prayers be more “what is” prayers rather than prayers for “what isn’t?” Where is God at work in your life right now?

4. Where have you found pockets of doubt, cynicism, or disillusionment in your prayer life? Is it toward God, others, or both? How can the “why” in v. 3-14 contribute to gratitude in your prayer life as it does for Paul? Is there a promise that stands out most that keeps you oriented?

5. Is there a moment in your life where you realized God had truly provided you with precisely what you needed or more? What about a friend or family member? Did you pray more or less during that time? What does this have to do with praying for God to enlighten the “eyes of your heart” right now?

6. Where is the fog thickest in your prayer life? Is it about a struggle to find hope in your circumstances? Is it in recognizing your value? Are you intimidated by your own lack of power or what seems to be more powerful forces around you in our culture and time? How are these three related in your life?

7. How might this passage provide you with a new powerful way to pray? Where do you need to rely upon God’s resurrection power and not your own? Is it a particular sin, struggle, relationship, work/family situation, or fear about the world?

8. Close your group by praying for one another using this prayer as a springboard. Pray for what was shared in response to question #6.

The Church: Reexamined and Reimagined // May 12, 2024

Read: 1 Corinthians 12

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?

2. What aspects of our modern church do you believe go against what Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 12? Where might we have gone wrong? How much is related to the influence of secular culture (outside) or specific issues within churches (inside)?

3. What recommendations would you give to help reimagine the modern church to look more like 1 Corinthians 12? As you listen to others, what kind of people, ministries, qualities, or gifts come up?

4. Which gifts and ministries are valued highly in the modern church? Which are valued lower but are just as important? How might you pray for and encourage those who serve in these ministries?

5. What are some qualities, roles, or commitments you expect from a pastor or an elder? What about an individual church member? A group of church members? How and why are they different? Have you ever changed your expectations over time? Why or why not?

6. How has God used others in the church to minister to you and your family? How have you witnessed the variety of God’s gifts, services, or activities on display in seasons of joy and contentment? Seasons of hardship and disappointment?

7. Did you find it challenging to hear that our church may need you more than new staff or pastoral roles? Have you found a way to share the variety of your gifts and abilities in our church? Why or Why not? Where might the Lord be calling you to serve more? Rest more?

8. Take some time to share what gifts and abilities you see in those in your group. Let this be a time of encouragement and affirmation.

A Loving Plan // May 5, 2024

read ephrsians 1:1-14

Ephesians is unique among all the letters in the NT because the apostle Paul wrote it as a general letter to be read and circulated among many churches in one region. If you have ever wondered how to summarize the Christian life or what it is all about, this is a great place to begin. Paul begins with the big picture, which will not only help us not only survive through another day. It will give us a vantage point to help us grow and mature. No matter what is happening in your life now, what has happened, or even what will happen, we must never forget that our loving, wise, and powerful God is sovereign. His ways might not look like ours, but they are more loving than we could ever imagine.

1. There Is A Plan

Despite how random, chaotic, and devoid of deeper meaning the world can seem, our lives are part of a purposeful, divine plan orchestrated by God. Paul’s passionate and powerful language assures us we don’t need to be bogged down by doubts about the what, how, or why of the plan. The text calls us to focus on the "Who" behind the plan, and it is not a language of debate or speculation but pure worship. God, our Father, is working out everything according to His wise and gracious plan for the praise of His glory. Just as children can trust their parents' care on a trip, so can we find peace and security in knowing our lives are unfolding according to God's providence, which goes back before the foundation of the world. 

2. It Is Not Our Plan

Knowing there is a divine plan behind our lives can bring comfort, but it can also be deeply frustrating. God's plan for this world and our lives does not always align with our own desires. As Prov 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." We are free to make plans, and we should! But we must ultimately accept that God's purpose will prevail, even when things unfold in ways we did not expect or want. There are two levels, without which we will never mature:

Head Level - Verses 8-9 remind us that God makes known the mystery of His will with perfect wisdom and insight that far surpasses our finite human understanding. To object to His plan is to claim we have more wisdom than God.

Heart Level - Verse 4 reveals the goal behind God’s plan is to make us holy and blameless before Him. The struggles, losses, and humbling experiences we would never choose for ourselves are exactly what God uses to shape our maturity in Christ. Though painful, accepting that God's plan transcends our own is vital to our growth.

3. It Is A Loving Plan

To possess the confidence and courage to grow and mature as a Christian, we must be convinced deep in our souls of one thing: God's plan is a loving plan moving towards our ultimate good and His ultimate glory. In verses 4-6, we see that the driving force behind God's plan is the same perfect love He has for His beloved Son, Jesus. From eternity past, God has lavished this divine, covenantal, and unassailable love upon us "in the Beloved One." It is not based on our merit but only achieved through faith alone. The love between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the very fabric of all reality. They will forever exist in an eternal fellowship of good pleasure and joyous delight that can never be broken. Are you looking for a new vantage point? This is the peak! If we are in the beloved, we are beloved nothing can separate us from God’s loving plan for us. 

No matter how fragmented or broken our lives may seem, verse 10 reveals God's plan is to unite all things in Christ. He is merging our stories with the greater cosmic narrative that unveils His glory. Though its unfolding remains a mystery, we can trust that every piece (even the most painful) will ultimately be redeemed and built to showcase God's passionate love for us. If God set his love on you before the world began – you didn’t earn it, you can’t lose it. The Holy Spirit helps us embrace this truth in the midst of our present struggles. Allow God’s loving plan to fill you with joy, peace, and hope. Most of all, let it give you rest!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?

2. Would you call yourself a planner? Why or Why Not? What are the strengths and weaknesses of establishing your own detailed plans? How do you typically react when things don’t go according to your plans?

3. What words or verses in this passage stick out to you as you reflect on God’s plan for us? Which ones encourage you the most? Which do you wrestle with the most?

4. Are there specific questions or doubts you have (or have had before) that distract you from the “Who” of the plan? Can you narrow it down to the head level or heart level? Why are both essential?

5. Share an experience when something didn’t go according to your plan but ultimately led to your growth or maturity in Christ. What did you learn about God? Yourself? How do you encourage others from your own experiences without diminishing the difficulty of these experiences for others?

6. Why is it so difficult to believe that God’s plan for you is a loving plan? How does the gospel provide us with assurance that no matter what - God’s plans for us are loving? What are some areas in your life where you are tempted to doubt or ignore the loving plan of God? What would it look like to believe wholeheartedly that God’s love drives al his plans for you? 

7. What is a psalm, song, or hymn that reminds you of God’s loving plan? How might you prepare for those times when it goes silent? How do you make sense of these moments if you can’t earn or lose God’s love?

Embodiment and Doxology // April 28, 2024

READ: Hebrews 10:5-10; 19-25

Worship is the heart of the Christian life, but how do we define it? It is not about a moral report card, passing a theological test, or even attending the right events. The author of Hebrews defines worship as “drawing near” to God, which can be done in all kinds of places. But what about when God doesn’t feel close, or we feel like we are drifting away? This passage will encourage us to consider the role of our bodies in drawing near to God in true worship.

1. What to Bring When We Draw Near

Because of what Jesus has done, we can boldly draw near to God through the curtain, the holy of holies, and into His direct presence. What good news! But what do we bring? Thankfully, this passage gives us a direct answer in v. 22. We bring two things: “a true heart in full assurance of faith, and our bodies washed in pure water.” As you can see, our bodies are not an afterthought but integral to our worship. After all, Jesus came into the world with a body and offered it back to God as worship to sanctify us. 

God doesn’t just want our hearts or souls as if they are separate from our bodies. God wants us to bring all of us to Him in worship. We struggle with our bodies in this age, whether it's anxiety, illness, sexuality, race, or appearance. It may leave us feeling as if God is not interested in all of us, but that cannot be further from the truth. Consider David’s prayer in Psalm 63. He was tired, hungry, afraid, and confused. When God felt distant, what did he do? He presented his body, his lips, and his hands as he laid himself before God in worship..

2. What to Do When We Draw Near

The Bible gives very practical, embodied examples of how to worship God, such as standing, kneeling, shouting, clapping, lifting hands, and speaking out loud. When our hearts are far away, the Bible treats us as whole people by commanding us to draw near with our bodies. Engaging our bodies purposefully in worship is not an empty ritual but steers our entire being into worship. Our postures, movements, and vocalizations are ways to express honor, submission, joy, and need before the Lord.

Worship on Sunday is meant to invite us into complete, embodied participation and not passive spectating. It is not surprising that we find this challenging. Most of our modern lives are very sedentary and one-dimensional. We sit a lot! Of course, we may have physical limitations, but we are generally called to embrace embodied worship in the community by incorporating bodily practices like kneeling in private prayer or lifting hands while singing corporately. This kind of stretch combines our inner posture of faith with outward expressions of worship. Perhaps it’s not even our own movements that strengthen us but observing others. Our community can encourage us even in our darkest moments.

3. Why We Can Draw Near

At the root, we may feel an inability or hesitation to draw near to God because of our sin, shame, and sense of unworthiness before Him. We often don’t believe God wants us near. Our consciences remind us that we are stained and unclean. We know we haven’t lived a holy life in the body as God intends. How could the holy God want us in His presence? But the Gospel truth is that Jesus became incarnate, taking on a body so He could draw near to us in our embodied existence.

By offering His very body as the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus has sanctified and cleansed us to enter God's presence. We do not worship a distant god who wants to keep us there, but a loving Father who has removed every barrier through Christ's work. God doesn’t just tolerate us. He deeply desires for us to draw near to Him with our whole selves. To reject that invitation is to insult the significant cost and demanding journey that Jesus made for us. We must never forget the beautiful truth of the Gospel that He drew near to us when we couldn’t draw near to Him. We can boldly sing, “Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord to Thee.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?

2. Describe something memorable and personal you have learned in this series about how you view the body in relation to the Christian life. How would you respond to someone who tells you that the body is just a “prison for the soul” and that we just need to pay attention to our spiritual lives?

3. What does it mean for you to “draw near” to God in worship? Does this command leave you feeling encouraged or confused? Why or Why not? Have you always felt this way? 

4. Which forms of bodily engagement in worship - standing, kneeling, shouting, clapping, lifting hands, singing -  are you most comfortable with? Least comfortable with? How has God used one or more of these in your life to help you “draw near” to Him?

5. How can we resist the modern temptation to be one-dimensional, sedentary, and passive in our worship? What can you do to be more present, embodied, and active in corporate and private worship?

6. Bonhoeffer says, “The mere physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.” Have you experienced this recently in the Christian community? How can this community help you when you don’t feel joy and strength yourself?

7. How are you tempted to believe that God does not want you near? Have you withheld some struggles in your life from Him, whether bodily or spiritually? How does the gospel truth that He has drawn near to you encourage you to draw near to Him?

Embodied Marriage and Singleness // April 21, 2024

1 Cor 7:1-17, 25-40

Last week, we discussed the Bible’s clear teaching about sex. Sex is for the expression, enjoyment, and enactment of the whole-life union of one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage. Anything outside of this is what Paul calls “sexual immorality” (porneia), which is “not what the body is for.” This means that the Bible presents two options: 1) marriage between one man and one woman, and 2) celibate singleness. Easy, right? Not so fast. If it was so easy, why did Paul have to describe so much in this passage? It’s certainly not easy to follow, and there are more groups than two that he addresses. As with the Corinthians, we don’t fit neatly into this passage. Still, Paul’s message gives us a powerful vision for elevating marriage and singleness today. 

1. Two Gifts

Christianity recognizes two gifts from God regarding our bodies and sexuality: marriage and singleness. The apostle Paul addresses both gifts, stating that while he personally prefers singleness, each person has their own gift from God. It is difficult in any culture to value both of them equally. The challenge for us is to elevate and honor both marriage and singleness as sacred gifts from God within the church. Historically, the church has elevated one gift over another at different times. There are even early church debates questioning whether married individuals could attain the same spiritual virtue as those who are celibate and single. Today, marriage seems more valued in most churches than singleness, despite nearly half of U.S. adults being single. It is a hard lesson, but if our church is not interacting with singleness, then we aren’t being faithful to Scripture. We must seek to elevate and honor both, especially when it seems complicated.

2. One Goal

Paul elevates both gifts of marriage and singleness by showing how they are different ways God assigns or calls people to live out the same overarching goal of undivided devotion to the Lord (v. 17). He presents a rule for all Christians in whatever condition they were called to “remain with God” (v.24). You are not alone. God is faithful even amid the toughest struggles. For those called to marriage, the goal is to concentrate your love on your spouse and children so they might live devoted to Christ. For those called to singleness, the goal is devoting yourself exclusively to the Lord so that all kinds of people might witness the satisfying fullness of God's love in your life. Though the expressions differ, the core purpose remains the same - a wholehearted and embodied commitment to Jesus as Lord.

3. One Body

Based on the sexual culture of the Greco-Roman world at that time, Paul likely recognized that the church in Corinth struggled to view marriage and singleness as true gifts from God and to live out faithful sexual ethics. While many affirm the Christian sexual ethic intellectually, it is another matter entirely to live it out in one body comprised of people from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of contentment and struggle. Paul addressed at least six different groups of people in this section alone. If any group is isolated, looked down upon, or left to "figure it out" alone, then the church fails to be the body of Christ where all gifts are mutually shared. Embracing God's design for embodied life requires all kinds of believers to live in unity with one another as equal but unique members of the body of Christ. 

4. One Story

Amid the different stories of relationships in Corinth, Paul points them beyond themselves and their temporal conditions. He calls them to live as if unmarried (v. 29) - not weeping or rejoicing, or owning possessions - because the present form of this world is passing away (v. 31). With the imagery of a drama, Paul reminds us all that marriage and singleness are temporary parts in a greater story. This greater story begins with a human wedding in Genesis and culminates with the divine wedding in Revelation, where the church is the bride presented to Christ.

Everything in between is a love story where God’s covenant love and faithfulness meet our brokenness. Our story of marriage will end by presenting our spouse to Christ. Our story of singleness will end by presenting ourselves and those we have served to Jesus. Neither one can ultimately satisfy humanity's longing to be known and loved. Only Jesus, our bridegroom, can address sin, brokenness, and our deepest spiritual longings. All believers everywhere are called to play their assigned part, married or single, with the assurance that Jesus will remain eternally faithful.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?

2. How are marriage and singleness both sacred gifts to the church? Which one is more valued in American evangelical culture? Secular culture? Has this changed in the course of your lifetime?

3. How do we elevate and honor both gifts of marriage and singleness in the church? Which one do you tend to elevate more? Why? What would honoring both change about the way you live your life now? 

4. How are the goals of married Christians and single Christians different? How are they the same? What are some strengths and weaknesses of married and single Christians as they move toward the same goal? 

5. Why is contentment so difficult in both marriage and singleness? How have you wrestled with contentment in either one or both? What has helped you grow in contentment over time?

6. Consider the different categories of relationships mentioned in this passage. What would it look like for married couples and singles to offer their gifts to one another as the body of Christ? What is something you can do in your current season to give the gift God has given you? to receive the gifts of singles or married couples/families?

7. How does the “greater story” help you contextualize your own marriage or singleness? What are some things only Jesus can satisfy that singleness or marriage will never satisfy? What does this tell you about God’s covenant with you?