February 7 - 13 -

Weekly Reading for February 7 – 13

Preparing for Next Week’s Message

Sermon Series: Pathways
Sermon Title: Experiencing the Joy of the Journey

This reading plan will get your heart and mind set for the next message on February 14, 2021:

SUNDAY: Romans 12,
MONDAY: 1 Corinthians 12,
TUESDAY: Philippians 2,
WEDNESDAY: 1 Timothy 4,
THURSDAY: James 1,
FRIDAY: 2 Peter 1,
SATURDAY: Romans 12,

Reflecting on the Most Recent Sermon

Sermon Series: Pathways
Sermon Title: Engaging in the Pathways of Action
Delivered On: February 7, 2021

VIEW SERMON NOTES

Memorize and Reflect

8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God. Micah 6:8

Prayer Direction

Spend time in your group praying in some of the following directions:
- Thank God for the believers who have extended care and compassion in your church, your community, and around the world. Be sure to pray for specific people and acts of care.
- Pray for believers you know who are taking action to right wrongs and overcome injustice. Ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to fill them and make them effective in each action they take for Jesus.
- Invite the Holy Spirit to fill the enthusiasts who are part of your church to be an example of deep praise and joyful celebration. Pray that they will inspire others in your church to go to deeper places of praise and worship.

“Live It!” Challenge

Plan a Feast - Take an evening as a family and have a meal together. During the meal, read some Bible passages that you love. Have people offer to read a favorite passage and share what it means to them. Play a worship song and share why it leads you into the presence of God. Spend time lifting up prayers of praise and thanksgiving. And, lift up prayers for God to move Christians into the world with actions that honor Jesus and help the world. Do these things around the table while you have a slow and leisurely meal together.

Small Group Discussion

If you have been around a person who is moved to God-honoring action on a regular basis (it just gushes out of them), how have you seen God glorified through the life of a person who walks a pathway of action?
Some people meet Jesus when they are caring for those who are broken, hurting, and in need. Why do you think caregivers encounter Jesus in such a deep and personal way when they are serving and extending compassion to those who are often forgotten and marginalized?
Read James 1:26-27
Caregivers would lift up a hearty “Amen!” to these words from the book of James. Why is this kind of care a beautiful picture of true religion that honors God?
Caregiving can take many shapes and forms. It can be caring for an unresponsive child, repairing cars for people struggling financially, preparing and serving meals to the hungry, volunteering to take care of the church grounds as a volunteer, and the list goes on. Describe a time you had the privilege of serving and helping meet a need and how did you encounter God through this act of service.
Read Exodus 2:11-12; Exodus 2:16-19; Exodus 10:24-26; Exodus 20:18-21 - How do you see Moses as a powerful example of a person who took action for God each time he saw a need that could be met or injustice that could be corrected?
Many of the greatest activists in the history of the church were also people who believed in the power of prayer and who moved people to prayer while they called them to action. Why do you think prayer and action are so often bound up in the life of the same person? What are ways we can add more prayer to the actions we take in Jesus’ name?
Read Acts 26:19-29
When you think of the life of the apostle Paul, what are some signs and indicators that he was a serious activist? What were some of the world-changing results of Paul’s activism?
Tell about a Christian you know and respect who is highly expressive and who loves encountering God in new and exciting ways. What have you learned from this person and their example of faith?
Christians who walk the pathways of action meet God in activity, movement, and engagement. Why are these people so needed in the church and world and how does their action show others the presence of God?

February 7 – 13