Worship

Sermon 546: Attitude of Gratitude (1st Thessalonians 5:12-18)


One off sermon on Gratitude today

Today’s Bulletin



1st Thessalonians 5:12-18

1 Thessalonians 5:12–18 “12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”


Sermon 545: For Such A Time As This (Exodus 35:4-29)


Today’s Bulletin

Preaching today is George Boomer, the Senior Pastor of Grace PCA in Lawrence.




Exodus 35:4-29

Exodus 35:4–29, “4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’S contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 12 the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; 13 the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.”

20 Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’S contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. 23 And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’S contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. 25 And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. 26 All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD.”


Sermon Discussion questions
for such a time as this: exodus 35:4-29

Ice Breaker: What family tradition do you look forward to most, and why?

This Week Specific

  1. Boomer shared a story about his grandfather being generous with candy and his own selfish response as a child. What are some ways you've experienced either giving or receiving generosity that shaped your view of money and possessions? How did those experiences affect you?

  2. The sermon emphasized that everything we have is "a gracious gift from God." How might viewing your possessions, skills, and resources as gifts from God (rather than things you've earned) change how you use them? Be specific about areas like your home, career abilities, or education. 1st Chronicles 29:11-12, 14, Haggai 2:8, 1st Corinthians 10:26.

  3. Pastor Boomer mentioned that the Israelites gave out of their poverty, having just been slaves. What holds you back from being more generous - is it actually a lack of resources, or something else like fear, desire for control, or concerns about the future? How can the gospel address those hesitations?

  4. The sermon highlighted how children led the way in joyful giving through lemonade stands and garage sales. What creative ways could you and your family work together to be more generous? How might you teach and model generous giving to the next generation?

  5. Tim Keller was quoted saying "money itself isn't usually an idol, but what you put your money towards does show you where your idols are." Looking at your spending over the last month, what patterns do you see? What might those patterns reveal about what you truly value or trust in?

  6. The speaker suggested praying this prayer for 21 days: "Lord, what would you do through me to accomplish your vision for our church? Help me discern a sacrifice for our campaign that is meaningful and joyful." Beyond church giving, how could this prayer mindset reshape your approach to generosity in all areas of life - work, neighborhood, family needs, etc.?

Weekly Questions

  1. What stood out to you/challenged you most in this sermon?

  2. What’s one area you feel the Lord wants to grow you into more Christ likeness?

  3. How can this group pray for you this week?

Sermon 544: Okay, So We're Doing This (Genesis 22)


Today’s Bulletin


OUTLINE

I. Worst Test Ever (v.1-2)
II. Road Trip (v.3-5)
III. Isaac’s Awkward Question (v.6-8)
IV. You Don’t Know Submission (v.9-10)
V. Jehovah Jireh Ram Providah (v.11-14)
VI. I Will Surely Bless You (v.15-19)
VII. Expansion (v.20-24)




Genesis 22

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, 4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.” 7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.””


Sermon Discussion questions
Ok, So We’re Doing This: Genesis 22

Ice Breaker: What family tradition do you look forward to most, and why?

This Week Specific

  1. Just discuss this quote by John Ortberg
    “Obedience to Jesus in all things is the journey. Obedience is a far more creative, proactive, grace-powered, intelligent way of life than is normally thought in our day. The obedience Jesus called for requires judgment, discernment, creativity and initiative. It is about becoming an excellent person not an excellent rule follower. In fact, an obsessive concern with following rules will hinder your development in becoming the kind of person that does what Jesus says.”

  2. Abraham Abraham
    In verse 11 the angel speaks Abraham’s name twice, this is the first of seven instances in Scripture where God or his angel refers to someone by their name in this manner, what do think is the significance?


    Here are the other instances.

    1. Abraham, Abraham – Genesis 22:11

    2. Jacob, Jacob – Genesis 46:2

    3. Moses, Moses – Exodus 3:4

    4. Samuel, Samuel – 1 Samuel 3:10

    5. Martha, Martha – Luke 10:41

    6. Simon, Simon – Luke 22:31

    7. Saul, Saul – Acts 9:4

  3. Reflecting on Tests of Faith
    Think about a time when you felt God was testing your faith. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience?

    How does seeing God’s testing as an opportunity for growth change how you view current challenges?

  4. Trusting God’s Provision
    Abraham said, “God will provide” without knowing how. Where in your life do you need to trust that God will provide, even if the way forward seems unclear?

  5. Sacrificing Idols in Our Lives
    Sometimes we value God’s gifts (like family, career, relationships) over God Himself. What areas of your life have you have made an idol of a good gift? What does it look like to practically “lay it on the altar” and place it under God’s control?

  6. Facing ‘Unreasonable’ Commands with Faith
    Abraham’s command felt impossible and unreasonable, yet he chose faith. What teachings of Scripture feel especially challenging for you to follow (e.g., forgiveness, purity, generosity)? What does obedience in these areas look like for you this week?

  7. Confidence in God’s Promises
    Abraham’s obedience was anchored in confidence in God’s promises. What specific promises from Scripture encourage you in difficult times?

Weekly Questions

  1. What stood out to you/challenged you most in this sermon?

  2. What’s one area you feel the Lord wants to grow you into more Christ likeness?

  3. How can this group pray for you this week?