Each child is unique, and worthy – because of Jesus and who He is! This week we will contrast two stories from 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25 & 3:1-10, that highlight what all children are worthy of, and how as disciples of Jesus we can be part of the story God is writing in their lives.
While we might consider ourselves grown up in many ways, something we can all do better at is our friendships. This isn’t just about choosing wisely who we spend our time with, it’s also about who we are as a friend to others. This week we continue in our “Worthy” series by exploring friendship through the story of Jonathan and his armour-bearer (1 Samuel 14:1-14).
There is no doubt that God values relationships. It is something we see throughout the pages of the Bible and it’s evident in how He seeks out connection with us. In the beginning God valued marriage and family so much that He created a perfect environment and then introduced Adam and Eve to that environment. This Sabbath we explore God’s picture of love through the context of marriage.
We know that Jesus is worthy. And because of that, there is an incredible value He places on our lives, too! We don’t have to build our identity from ourselves or comparing with others. God sees US as worthy. This Sabbath we build a framework to uphold and grow the worth that God has over our lives.
There isn’t a greater contrast than a lion and a lamb. Each is almost everything the other is not. In fact, the lamb would make a great meal for a lion. Yet in Revelation, the lion and the lamb are the same being. The strong, powerful lion is the same meek and sacrificial lamb that climbed that hill of Calvary. Why did the lion assume the demeanour of a lamb when its life was under threat? It had to do with love. It was out of love that the great powerful lion chose to be the sacrificial lamb. J...
This Sabbath we begin our new sermon series simply entitled “Worthy”. Of all the things, people, systems, or beliefs we can give worth to, none of them compares to the worth of Jesus: Teacher, Defender, Advocate, Rescuer, Redeemer, Restorer, and Saviour. It is going to be a blessed time of worship this week as we celebrate communion together and explore the relationship we are invited into with Jesus.
God has given so much for us! And His generosity is so big that He wants to live it through us. As part of our Make Room series, this week we wrestle with the spiritual discipline of giving. It relates to the practice of returning tithe and offering, and in a deeper manner, it relates to a life of giving like Jesus did.
How come life gets so busy, so complicated, so quickly? Simplifying does not mean we do less or give all our stuff away, rather it gives us a focal point, bringing everything into perspective and making room for God. We will explore how the apostle Paul’s life was simplified when he ended up in jail yet was content and joyful. Paul’s letter to the Philippians will help us put things in perspective and simplify our lives.
In a world consumed by the noise of life we can easily forget both the power and necessity of quietness. Yes, God speaks above the chaos and can come marching boldly into our situations, but He also desires to speak to us in moments of quiet, where we lean in and experience the intimacy of His gentle whisper. Let’s come together this Saturday as we explore the spiritual discipline of “Quieting” from the perspective of 1 Kings 19:9-18. Getting started: 1. What is the noisiest part of your life? O...
In this passage, Jesus shares on the need for self-denial and sacrifice in following Him. He highlights that true life is found in losing one's life for His sake and questions the value of worldly gain if it costs one's soul for eternity. This teaching underlines the eternal significance of prioritising spiritual over material wealth in our lives. Join us this Saturday as we dig deeper into this passage. Getting started: 1. Share a time when you had to yield or surrender something for someone el...
Our society proclaims messages of ‘if it feels good do it”, or “live YOUR truth”, which fly in opposition to God’s truth and ways. This week we will explore how Biblical fasting is a call to seek God’s ways, and discover that He has so much more for us, like he did for Daniel, when we acknowledge Him! Getting Started: 1. Share a time that you fasted, or intentionally said no to something in order to make room for something better? Digging Deeper - Daniel 1:8-16 2. Describe how you think Daniel f...
Of all the spiritual disciplines “Sabbathing” may not actually seem like it’s something we need to worry about because it just is. If we choose to go to church on Saturday then we are keeping the Sabbath. This week we explore Isaiah 58:13-14 as we consider just how significant honouring the Sabbath is for our growth in Jesus as His disciples. Getting Started: 1. What is your favourite thing about Sabbath? 2. What is your favourite thing to do on Sabbath? Digging Deeper - Isaiah 58:13-14 3. What ...
God’s Word is so good that it’s worth holding onto! The days of the Bible held a culture of memorising scripture. How could this practice become a discipline in your life though? This Sabbath we explore a second way of Making Room with God’s Word, by hiding it in our heart. Let’s find creative ways to hold onto the Bible, so it can hold onto us! Getting Started 1 . The last part of our “Make Room” series invited us to hear God through His Word more. How have you been making your time in the Bibl...
It’s amazing to think that God wants to speak to us. That’s right, that includes YOU. How available are we to hear God’s voice though? This week we make room for the habit of hearing. And this is all about making God’s Word a priority in your life. Let’s continue to build our lives on the transforming power of the Bible. Getting Started: 1. Last week’s spiritual discipline was PRAISING. How have you practiced this in your life over the last week? Digging Deeper - Romans 10:14-17: 2. What are the...
Being thankful is something that can boost our mood, shift our perspective, and even open our eyes to God’s active presence in our lives. Praising however, is next level, as it calls us even closer to experience a deepening intimacy with God. This week we continue with part 3 in our sermon series MAKE ROOM as we explore the spiritual discipline of “Praising”. Getting Started: 1. Where is the place that you connect most with God? OR what is your favourite way to praise God? Digging Deeper: 2. How...
Where we start in our relationship with Jesus, strongly determines the way we live life. This week we are exploring the practise of Stopping, (yes you heard correctly) in order to position ourselves in the best starting place to make room for our relationship with God. Discussion Question - Luke 10:38-42 (also John 12:1-3) Getting Started: Share a time when you needed to, or were brought to a STOP, that changed the direction of your life? Digging Deeper – Luke 10:38-42 (also John 12:1-3) - Descr...
Sometimes we need to make room for the important things in life. This week we begin a new series about doing this through spiritual disciplines. How are you making room for God in your life? The series will unpack a discipline each week for the next 3 months. We first paint the over all purpose, that Jesus invites us to live an intentional life that prioritises abiding with Him. Discussion Questions - John 15:4-6 Ice-Breaker What does it means to abide? How does Jesus’ analogy of a vine/branch h...
