“The Peace of Wholeness”Contemporary Worship

Grand Lake United Methodist Church

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“The Peace of Wholeness”Contemporary Worship

May 12, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • Colossians 3:12–17

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Scripture for Study and Reflection:

Read Colossians 3: 12-17.

1. Today we finish our sermon series “Healing Hearts: A Journey to Wholeness.”

What does wholeness mean to you? What do you think it takes to make you,

and/or the congregation, whole?

2. What are the virtues with which Paul tells us to clothe ourselves? Why do

you think he chose those virtues? What does it mean to clothe yourself

with them?

3. How is clothing yourself with virtue different than putting on the armor of

God (see Ephesians 6: 10-18)? How do we know when to put on virtues

versus putting on armor?

4. Paul says in verse 13 to “bear with each other.” What does he mean by that?

Why is this important? Can you think of times when you struggled to bear

with someone?

5. Paul says “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” What does this mean to you?

Is this easy or hard to do? What are some consequences of not forgiving

like this? What happens when we do?

6. Paul describes love as above all the other virtues (see verse 14 and

1 Corinthians 13: 13). Why is love so important? What does the kind of love

Paul describes accomplish?

7. Paul talks about peace in verse 15. What does peace mean to you? How

do you understand the Biblical description of “a peace that passes all

understanding”? (see Philippians 4: 7) How can we find such peace / what

is the source? How are peace and wholeness related?

8. Paul says in verse 15, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.”

What is the message of Christ? How can you let it dwell within you and

among others?

9. Why is it important to “sing to God with gratitude in your hearts” as Paul

says in verse 16? How can gratitude lead to peace and wholeness?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and loving God, we humbly and hopefully come before you seeking the

healing and wholeness only you can provide. Bind us together in perfect unity

through the love of Christ as we share His message with the whole world. Let the

peace of Christ keep us in tune with each other as we give the gospel room to

work in all of our lives. Clothe us with righteousness and fill our spirits with

forgiveness and gratitude. Grant us the peace that comes from truly being

humble, hopeful, healed and whole, so we can share that peace with the world.

We pray all of this in the name of the One who makes it 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.

'How Can I Help?" - Contemporary Worship

June 9, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • 1 Thessalonians 5:14–15

Read 1 Thessalonians 5: 14-15. 1. What does it mean to be a child of God? (Hint: see John 1: 12-13) 2. In the book “The 6 Needs of Every Child,” the second need is “support.” Why is support so important? What kind of support do you long for as a child of God? 3. What are the three specific ways Paul urges us to support one another in today’s passage? 4. Pastor Mick referenced the baptismal covenant when describing this kind of support? In what ways is baptism a commitment to support one another? 5. Pastor Mick described Paul’s urging to “warn” people as guiding them by correcting them with love, humility and gentleness. Why is this an effective way to “warn” people? What are some less effective ways to “warn” people? What ways are most often used? 6. What did you think about the “5 Why’s” technique of addressing issues? Is this a technique you think you could use in the future? 7. What does it mean to be disheartened? Have you ever been disheartened? Recently? What did you think about Pastor Mick’s real life church examples of encouraging the disheartened? (Hint: testing God and believing the Bible) 8. To whom do you think Paul is referring by the term “weak”? Can you think of a time when you were weak and someone helped you? How about when you helped someone in their weakness? 9. How can God use our weaknesses to display God’s power? What does this tell us about how we should treat the weak? Prayer for the Week: Lord Jesus, forgive us for the times we have torn each other down rather than lifting each other up. Remind us that we all fall short of your glory, but through your love, mercy and grace, we can still be called children of God. Help us to patiently love and support one another, so the world will see you living in us. We ask all of this in your precious, holy and strong name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

"Children of God: Delight" Contemporary Worship

June 2, 2024 • Pastor Matt Overman • Zephaniah 3:14–20

Read Zephaniah 3: 14-20. 1. In Zephaniah 3: 14, the people of Zion are called to sing, shout, and rejoice with all their hearts. How does this passage encourage you to express your joy in God's love in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to cultivate a spirit of delight? 2. Zephaniah 3: 17 mentions that God will take great delight in His people, quiet them with His love, and rejoice over them with singing. How does the concept of God delighting in you personally affect your self-perception and your relationship with God? How can this understanding impact the way you interact with others? 3. Verses 18-20 speak of God gathering the outcasts, removing their shame, and restoring their fortunes. How do these promises of restoration resonate with your own experiences of feeling broken or rejected? How can embracing God's restorative love empower you to be a source of encouragement and restoration for others? 4. Considering the theme of delighting in God's love, how can you intentionally create an atmosphere of delight and positivity in your relationships with family, friends, church, and community? What are some specific actions or attitudes that reflect this delightfulness? 5. How can the joy and delight you find in your relationship with God serve as a testimony to those around you? Share examples of how you have seen delight in God’s love impact someone’s life or how you have used this delight to bless others. Prayer for the Week: Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts full of gratitude and joy, rejoicing in Your boundless love and faithfulness. Thank You for delighting in us and assuring us that You sing over us with gladness. Help us to truly understand and embrace the depth of Your love so that it transforms our hearts and minds. Grant us the grace to live out our faith in ways that encourage and give others hope. Teach us to create an atmosphere of positivity and delight in our relationships, reflecting Your love in all we do. Use us as instruments of Your peace and restoration, helping us to uplift and restore those who feel broken or rejected. We ask that Your love and joy overflow from our hearts, touching the lives of everyone we encounter. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"Entering the Kingdom" - Contemporary Worship

May 26, 2024 • Pastor Mick Whistler • John 3:1–17

Read John 3: 1-17. 1. Who is Nicodemus? Why does he come to Jesus at night? 2. Read Matthew 23. What does Jesus think about the Pharisees based on this passage? What are the Pharisees doing wrong? 3. Do you ever see modern-day Christians acting like Pharisees? If so, in what way? Do you ever act like a Pharisee? If so, what needs to change? 4. Why do you think Nicodemus was drawn to Jesus? Why do you think Nicodemus struggled so much with Jesus’ teaching? 5. The Greek word “anothen” is used in verse 3 meaning one must be born again/from above. What does this mean? Why are both of these meanings important? 6. Read verses 5 & 6. What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit? 7. What is Jesus talking about in verse 14 regarding being “lifted up”? How does this relate to Moses lifting up the snake in the wilderness? (Hint: see Numbers 21: 4-9) 8. Think about John 3: 16. Can you quote it from memory? If not, go ahead and read it. What does this verse mean to you? 9. Now think about John 3: 17. Can you quote it from memory (probably not)? If not, go ahead and read it. What does this verse mean to you? How might these two verses be difficult for a Pharisee to accept? Prayer for the Week: Gracious and Loving God, We come before you in gratitude for the wisdom and truth unveiled through Your Word. We thank you for your boundless love and the gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ. May the seeds of faith planted in our hearts today take root and flourish, bearing fruits of righteousness and love in our lives. Grant us the courage to embrace your truth and the humility to surrender to your will. As we depart from this sacred space, may your presence go with us, guiding our steps and illuminating our paths. Help us to be beacons of your light in a world shrouded in darkness, sharing your love and grace with all whom we encounter. We entrust our lives into your loving hands, knowing that you provide for all of our needs. May your name be glorified in all that we say and do. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.