Sunday Review: 12/22/2019
On Sunday, December 22, 2019, Matthew Williams led worship, Will Hagen shared a Prayer of Confession, and Quinton Cools preached the message, “Preach the Word" as part of our current series, Sunday Matters from 2 Timothy 4:1-4. To listen to this message again, click here.
Prayer of Confession:
Lord, you created us for your pleasure, in the image of God, to reflect your very glory, to be like you and to have fellowship with you. Your creation was very good, but we turned away from you. We spurned your goodness and your holiness to seek our own way. Your word says that all of us like sheep have gone astray. We have all fallen away. We are all corrupt, and there is none of us who does good. We have sought after pleasures apart from your will. We seek after idols of pleasure, popularity, wealth, security and long life. We are selfish, slanderers, murderers, haters of God and of other people who are not like us. None of us even had an inkling of desire to follow you, and even if we did, we had no way to atone for what we have done or to attain to your righteous standard for us.
We lived and walked in deep darkness, by our own choosing because we rejected you, but then you shone your light on our hearts. Even though we had no desire for you and couldn't turn to you, your Holy Spirit awakened us, and at the right time you sent forth your son to redeem us. To us a child was born! To us a son was given! He bore our sins and bestowed on us his righteousness. And yet even still, if we are honest we admit that we would still fall away if left to our own devices, but your grace holds us secure! By your grace you train us to renounce ungodliness and the worldly passions that still bombard us on every side. Only be your grace, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, can we live self controlled, upright and godly lives. By your grace alone we look for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. By your grace alone can we walk in the righteousness you have called us to.
In summary Lord, we turned away from you, we never sought after you, and even after receiving your forgiveness we would still walk away, were it not for you sending your son to atone for all of our sins (past, present and future), and for your grace securely holding onto us until the day that Jesus returns, we see him face to face, and your work of sanctification is fully completed in us. We look forward to that day!
In Jesus name, Amen.
Discussion Questions:
Quin said that pastors have a holy responsibility to preach the Word because we are all prone to wander. How have you seen God use the preached Word on Sunday to correct or encourage you?
Are you committed to sitting under Word-based preaching every week?
Do you come to church with a heart geared towards actively listening, participating, and responding to the Word?
Quin said that God's Word shapes us week after week as the people of God. He listed several practical tools like listening to missed messages, bringing your Bible, and putting away your phone. As he was speaking, was there some practice that came to mind that would help you grow as an active listener on Sunday morning?
Do you make a habit of praying for your pastors, especially that they would preach the Word faithfully?