December 21 – 27

Weekly Reading for December 21 – 27

Preparing for Next Week’s Message

Sermon Series:
Sermon Title: Charting Your Course…The Adventure of a New Year

This reading plan will get your heart and mind set for the next message on December 28, 2014:

• SUNDAY: Proverbs 15, Proverbs 15,
• MONDAY: Proverbs 16, Proverbs 16,
• TUESDAY: Proverbs 18, Proverbs 18,
• WEDNESDAY: Proverbs 19, Proverbs 19,
• THURSDAY: Proverbs 20, Proverbs 20,
• FRIDAY: Proverbs 21, Proverbs 21,
• SATURDAY: Proverbs 27, Proverbs 27,

Reflecting on the Most Recent Sermon

Sermon Series: The Return of the King
Sermon Title: The King Was, Is, and Will Ever Be Worthy of Praise
Delivered On: December 21, 2014

WATCH SERMON VIDEO
VIEW WEEKLY BULLETIN
VIEW SERMON NOTES

Memorize and Reflect

"that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. " (Philippians 2:10-11 )

Prayer Direction

Lift up praise to God as you think through the last week. Begin with Monday, think through each day, and seek to remember things that happened that should move you to praise. Then, lift up praise to God. If you missed the chance to stop and praise God earlier in the week, don’t feel bad, but use the time now to celebrate God’s goodness, grace, and glory!

“Live It!” Challenge

History of Praise: Write down or reflect on two genuine praises you want to lift to God in three different seasons of your life: Your childhood, your teenage and young adult years, and where you are today. Once you have a list, lift up this brief history of praise. You might just think of something God did for you or a way He worked in your life that you have never praised Him for.

Small Group Discussion

1. There are so many ways to lift up praise to God: Prayer, songs, offerings, obedience, dance, written reflections, and more. Tell about what kind of expression of praise comes most naturally to you. How can you broaden the way you express your praise to God.

2. Read: Matthew 2:1-12 . What did these wise men sacrifice and give up as they worshipped Jesus? What do you learn from their example and how can this help you grow as one who seeks and lifts up praise to Jesus each day?

3. The wise men offered gifts, offerings of material goods. Why do you think God calls His children, in every generation, to learn to be generous and to give freely of their resources?

4. What do we gain and how does our faith grow when we learn to be generous and share freely with God and those in need? What do we miss out on when we don’t give and we invest all our resources in ourselves?

5. Read: Philippians 2:6-11 . What truth in this passage moves you to worship Jesus with greater passion and intensity?

6. This passage talks about bending our knees and bowing down. Why do you think engaging our bodies in worship (bowing, lifting hands, clapping, and other expressions) helps us engage fully? Why do we sometimes resist these physical expressions?

7. Read: Revelation 5:8-14 .
   In this passage we see concentric circles of heavenly worshippers moving from the throne of God outward. What do you learn from the worship of:
   • The four living creatures and the 24 elders…
   • The angels…
   • All the creatures in heaven and on earth…

8. If God is so absolutely worthy of worship from the beginning and into eternity, what gets in the way of us worshipping Him more and lifting up praise to Him on a daily basis? What can we do to bring praise and worship into the flow of our daily lives?

9. There are so many ways to lift up praise to God: Prayer, songs, offerings, obedience, dance, written reflections, and more. Tell about what kind of expression of praise comes most naturally to you. How can you broaden the way you express your praise to God.

10. Read: Matthew 2:1-12 . What did these wise men sacrifice and give up as they worshipped Jesus? What do you learn from their example and how can this help you grow as one who seeks and lifts up praise to Jesus each day?

11. The wise men offered gifts, offerings of material goods. Why do you think God calls His children, in every generation, to learn to be generous and to give freely of their resources?

12. What do we gain and how does our faith grow when we learn to be generous and share freely with God and those in need? What do we miss out on when we don’t give and we invest all our resources in ourselves?

13. Read: Philippians 2:6-11 . What truth in this passage moves you to worship Jesus with greater passion and intensity?

14. This passage talks about bending our knees and bowing down. Why do you think engaging our bodies in worship (bowing, lifting hands, clapping, and other expressions) helps us engage fully? Why do we sometimes resist these physical expressions?

15. Read: Revelation 5:8-14 .
    In this passage we see concentric circles of heavenly worshippers moving from the throne of God outward. What do you learn from the worship of:
    • The four living creatures and the 24 elders…
    • The angels…
    • All the creatures in heaven and on earth…

16. If God is so absolutely worthy of worship from the beginning and into eternity, what gets in the way of us worshipping Him more and lifting up praise to Him on a daily basis? What can we do to bring praise and worship into the flow of our daily lives?