This week Pastor Clint challenged us to serve strategically, spiritually, and sacrificially based on Paul’s example in Philippi (Acts 16:11-40). As we watched three very different characters come to saving faith in Christ through Paul’s extraordinary servanthood, we saw God’s heart for all people.
If you haven’t had a chance to catch the online worship experience this week, you can do so here.
Personal Devotional
As we consider serving this week, let’s turn our attention to Colossians 3.
Read Colossians 3:1-4
Draw a horizontal line in your journal or on a sheet of paper. Below the line, list the “earthly things” to which your mind is constantly drawn. Above the line, list spiritual truths.
Surrender each of the earthly concerns to God. List some practical steps you could take to actively set your mind on things above.
Read Colossians 3:5-11
List all of the things Paul exhorts believers to “put off” in these verses. Group the items on your list in categories since some of them are similar. (For instance, sexual immorality, impurity, and lust could all be considered “sexual sin.”)
Beside each category, briefly jot down any specific sins you need to confess. Go to God in prayer and repentance.
Read Colossians 3:12-17
List the seven attributes Paul urges believers to “put on” in verses 12-14. Beside each one, rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 in terms of how much you’ve “put on” each attribute in the past week.
Thank Jesus that you are saved by His work on the cross, not yours. Ask for supernatural power to put on the attributes that are most contrary to your natural disposition.
How many times does Paul mention some form of gratitude in verses 15-17? How could you welcome a little more gratitude into your life?
Read Colossians 3:18-25
These verses talk about loving and serving one another in the home. Reread verses 23-24. Ultimately, why should we serve one another whole-heartedly?
Think about everyday areas where you most struggle to serve others. Fill in the blanks in this prayer to God: “Lord Jesus, help me recognize that when I ______ with an attitude of _____, I am actually serving You.”
Close by choosing your favorite verse from this passage. Copy it onto a notecard. Make it as artistic or simple as you prefer, and place it somewhere visible in your home.
Grace Communities: Sermon Discussion Questions
Pastor Clint talked about three different characters Paul encountered in Philippi. Which character do you resonate with the most and why?
How was Paul strategic in the way that he served? How can we serve strategically in this season?
When he encountered the Greek slave girl, Paul recognized spiritual warfare. How have you been struggling in this season? Do you see elements of spiritual warfare? How do we resist spiritual warfare? (See Ephesians 6:10-18)
Paul sacrificed freedom and personal justice to serve an “undeserving” jailer. Who is God calling you to serve sacrificially? Which resources are the most challenging for you to sacrifice and why? (Time, money, toilet paper?)
Pastor Clint concluded by teaching that the gospel is for everyone. Do you believe the gospel is for you? How have you personally experienced the love of Christ in the past few weeks?
GraceStudents 5th/6th Grade
Word of the Week—Omniscient
There are three “omni” words for God. A few weeks ago we learned one of them: omnipresent. Do you remember what it means? “Omni” means “all or every” so omnipresent means God is “all-present”—He’s everywhere!
Another word for God is omniscient. Time for our guessing game! What do you think omniscient means?
- knowing everything
- eating everything
- buying everything
- breaking everything
Who guessed “1”? Brilliant! You must be omniscient. Just kidding! You may have known that “omniscient” means “knowing everything,” but you probably don’t know everything, right? Do you know how many stars are in the sky? Or how many grains of sand are at Cocoa Beach? Do you know how many hairs are on your head?
I didn’t think so. But God does. Psalm 139:4 says that God knows what you’re going to say before you even say it. Amazing!
Sometimes the things we don’t know make us nervous. We don’t know if our best friend will be in our class next year, or when we’ll be allowed to play sports again. But next time you find yourself worrying about the things you don’t know, remind yourself that God knows what will happen. You can abide in Him because He loves you, and He knows everything. God is omniscient.
GraceStudents (7-12 Grades)
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to download the zoom app on your device so you can tune in to our live GraceStudents service every Sunday night! For more information and links, head to the calendar.
