"God's Heart is Gracious" - Traditional Worship - Grand Lake United Methodist Church

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"God's Heart is Gracious" - Traditional Worship

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

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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.

"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 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.

"God's Heart is Holy" - Traditional Worship

September 22, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • Exodus 19:16–20

Read Exodus 19: 16-20. 1. The word “holy” most literally means “set apart” or “separate.” In what ways is God holy? In what ways are you called to be holy? 2. What is significant about the opening phrase of this passage, “On the morning of the third day”? What is significant about the number 3? Where else do we see “3” show up in key Biblical passages? 3. In what ways does today’s passage describe God’s “Holy Revelation”? 4. What does the word “theophany” mean? How does this passage describe a theophany and why is it important? 5. How does this passage describe God’s “Holy Presence”? 6. How does God’s “Holy Presence” affect the way we see and respond to situations? How can God’s “Holy Presence” help us overcome fear? 7. Read the last sentence of Matthew 28: 20 and 1 Corinthians 6: 19. What do these verses promise us regarding God’s “Holy Presence”? 8. How does God’s “Holy Presence” lead us to “Holy Living”? What does “Holy Living” look like? 9. Pastor Mick described a “Circle of Grace,” in which Holy Revelation -> Holy Presence -> Holy Living. What do you think about that? Have you experienced this in your own life? 10. In what ways does this “Circle of Grace” represent the way God draws us in and sends us out? How has God drawn you in? How has God sent you out? Prayer for the Week: Almighty God, we know that your heart is holy. In you there is no sin, evil or darkness. God, we ask that you transform our hearts to be more like your heart. Set us apart from worldly living. Draw us into your presence and send us out into the world as holy and living sacrifices, that we might be your answer to someone else’s prayer. Use us as agents of change and transformation in this hurting and broken world. Help us to live the abundant life Jesus offers and empower us to help others do the same. 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.