"American Idols" - Traditional Worship - Grand Lake United Methodist Church

Grand Lake United Methodist Church

Media Give App

"American Idols" - Traditional Worship

July 21, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • Exodus 20:4–6

Give

Read Exodus 20: 1-17. (today’s focus is v. 4-6)

1. What does the word idolatry mean to you? How would you describe an

idol?

2. What kind of idolatry were the ancient Israelites guilty of practicing? What

kind of idolatry is prevalent in today’s society? Why is modern idolatry

sometimes harder to recognize?

3. Why is God so concerned about idols? How does this Commandment

compare with the first Commandment we discussed last week?

4. Why do you think people tend to drift into idolatry? Can good things

become idols? What are some otherwise good things that can become

idols if we’re not careful?

5. Read Romans 1: 18-25. How does this passage relate to the 2nd

Commandment? (hint: focus on verses 23 and 25)

6. When we fall into idolatry, what tends to happen to the relationship

between us and God? How about the relationship between us and others?

(hint: see Romans 1: 28-31)

7. Read Psalm 106. How does this Psalm tell the story of Israel’s idolatry

and redemption? (hint: focus on verses 13-14, 20, 28, 35-39, and 45)

8. The most famous (and easily recognizable) idol in Scripture is the golden

calf (see Exodus 32). What “golden calves” or “sacred cows” still exist in

the church today? How do these idols impact our worship and mission?

9. Pastor Mick’s commentary says, “The point is: Exchange your God for an

idol, and you will exchange your genuine humanness for a distorted

version, which will do you no good.” In what ways does idolatry distort our

genuine humanness? (hint: see Romans 1: 28-31)

10. Is there any hope for an idolatrous nation? (hint: see Psalm 106: 44-48 and

2 Chronicles 7: 14)

Prayer for the Week:

Almighty God, forgive us for our tendencies toward idolatry, in which we lift up

parts of creation over our Creator. Help us to identify and eradicate any and all

sacred cows in our lives that we have allowed to reside in the sacred space of

our hearts that is reserved for you and you alone. Hear our cries, O Lord, and

through your great love, relent from punishing us as we deserve. Through our

repentance, give us clean hands and clean hearts, drawing us back into a deep

and abiding relationship with you. Restore your image within us, that others

may see you in and through us, and return to you as well. We pray all of this in

the name of the One who makes all things possible, our Risen Lord and Savior,

Jesus the Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God,

now and forever. Amen.

"All You Need is Love" - Traditional Worship

October 13, 2024 • Pastor Matt Overman • Lamentations 3:21–26

1. What does it mean that God’s heart is loving? How has your understanding of God's love grown or changed over time? 2. How do we reconcile God's love with the suffering we see in the world? How can we trust in God’s love even in difficult circumstances? 3. We believe that God’s love is not earned but is a free gift (Romans 6: 23). How does this concept challenge the way you think about your relationship with God? 4. In what ways have you experienced God's love personally? Can you share a moment when you felt God's love most clearly in your life? 5. The Bible says God is love (1 John 4: 8). How does knowing that God's very nature is love impact the way you view God? 6. What practical steps can we take to love others the way God loves us? How can we show unconditional love in our daily relationships? 7. How does God's loving heart motivate us to serve others? In what areas of your life is God calling you to reflect His love more clearly? 8. What role does repentance and forgiveness play in understanding and experiencing God's love? 9. How have you seen God’s love transform you or others through forgiveness? 10. How can we grow in trusting God's love when we feel distant from God? Prayer for the Week: Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the depth of Your love that knows no bounds. Thank You for loving us, not because of anything we have done, but because of who You are. Help us to truly grasp that Your love is unconditional, freely given, and never earned. Let this truth take root deep in our hearts. When life is hard and suffering surrounds us, remind us that Your love remains constant. Teach us to lean into Your love, knowing that You are with us in every moment of joy and every valley of pain. Lord, as we experience Your love, help us to reflect it to others. Open our eyes to those around us who are in need of love, and show us practical ways to serve them with a heart like Yours—one that is patient, kind, and sacrificial. May we be people who love without conditions, just as You love us. This week, draw us closer to You, especially when we feel distant. Remind us of Your loving presence and help us to trust in it more deeply. May our lives be a witness to the world of Your great love, so that others may come to know You through the way we love and serve them. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

"God's Heart is Gracious" - Traditional Worship

October 6, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • Hebrews 4:14–16

Read Hebrews 4: 14-16. 1. What does the word “grace” mean to you? 2. How is grace different than “mercy” that we discussed last week? How are they similar? 3. Pastor Mick said one of his seminary leaders used to say, “The answer is always grace.” What do you think of that sentiment? Do you agree? Why/why not? 4. What do you think about the Wesleyan understanding of grace as Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, and Sanctifying Grace? What do each of these forms of grace represent? How have you experienced each form of grace in your own life? 5. What does it mean to “approach the throne of grace with confidence”? Are you able to do that? Why/why not? 6. Read Ephesians 2: 8-9. What does this passage mean to you? 7. Read 2 Corinthians 12: 9. Have you ever felt like God has said the same thing to you that God said to Paul? How does that make you feel? 8. Read 2 Corinthians 5: 17. How is God’s grace “sufficient” to make you a new creation? What does life as a “new creation” look like? 9. How might the Communion Table represent God’s Throne of Grace? How should we come to this Table? 10. Who is invited to the Table? Who made up the guest list? Prayer for the Week: Almighty God, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for the gifts of forgiveness and salvation that we could never earn, but freely receive through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. We were once dead in our sins, but you have made us alive in Christ. Indeed, we are new creations in Christ because of your grace. Remind us that you invite us to approach your throne of grace with confidence. You are the solution to that God-shaped hole in our hearts. Give us ears to hear your still small voice calling us to you. Give us wisdom and courage to respond to you by surrendering our lives to you. And when we are afraid to really do this in earnest, remind us that your grace is sufficient and we need not be afraid. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your amazing grace. We pray all of this in the name of the One who makes it possible, Jesus the Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

"God's Heart is Merciful" - Traditional Worship

September 29, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • Exodus 34:5–9

Read Exodus 34: 5-9. 1. What does the word “mercy” mean to you? 2. Can you think of some ways others have shown mercy to you in the past? How have you shown mercy to others? How has God shown mercy to you? 3. Read John 8: 1-11 about the woman caught in adultery. How is this an example of mercy? 4. Pastor Mick talked about how we often want mercy for ourselves, but justice for others. What did he mean by that? Have you ever felt that way? 5. Read Micah 6: 8. What does the Lord require? What does it look like to live this way? Is it easy to “seek justice” and “love mercy” at the same time? Why/why not? 6. If we are made in God’s image, why is it so hard to live in accordance with Micah 6: 8? 7. Read Ephesians 2: 1-10. What do the first three verses tell us about ourselves? What does the rest of the passage tell us about God’s mercy? 8. What does it mean to be “God’s handiwork” in Ephesians 2: 10? How does this verse relate to Philippian 1: 6 and 2 Corinthians 5: 17? 9. Read Matthew 5: 7 and James 2: 13. What do these verses teach us about the importance of mercy? Prayer for the Week: Almighty God, we are so thankful for your mercy. We confess that too often we follow the ways of the world rather than your ways, by nature deserving of wrath and being dead in our sin. But through your rich mercy, you have made us alive in Christ. Indeed, we are new creations in Christ, your handiwork which you are bringing to completion in each and every one of us through the transforming power of your Holy Spirit. Help us to be all that you created us to be. Inspire and empower us to truly seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, O God. We pray all of this in the strong name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.