Scripture & Questions for Sunday (7/1/18)

• VBS is coming SOON! VBS will be Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28 at the McMillan Cabins. Children are invited to spend the night, younger children will need a parent to stay with them. Help is needed.  If you are willing to help, please contact Mary Whitworth or Teena Hagood.
• Saturday, July 28th there will be an all church Fish Fry at the McMillan cabins starting at 5 pm. Please bring a dessert or a side dish to share. You may want to bring a lawn chair as well.

SCRIPTURE
Romans 11:25-32 (ESV)  

Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  [26] And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

    "The Deliverer will come from Zion,
        he will banish ungodliness from Jacob";
    [27] "and this will be my covenant with them
        when I take away their sins."

[28] As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.  [29] For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  [30] Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,  [31] so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.  [32] For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.           

Questions for Reflection
1.    How can a bad situation bring good results?
2.    How had Israel responded to the message Paul preached?
3.    What promise has God made to Israel? (11:26-27)
4.    What did Paul say about God’s promises? (11:29)
5.    What makes God’s plan of salvation a mystery?
6.    What does this passage reveal about God’s character?
7.    When has God shown you mercy despite your disobedience?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (6/24/18)

Scripture for Sunday
Proverbs 18:20-21 (ESV)  

From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. 

[21] Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 

Luke 6:39-45 (ESV)  

He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? [40] A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. [41] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [42] How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. [43] "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,  [44] for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [45] The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 

Questions for Reflection
1.    How have you been fooled by someone whose words were contrary to his or her actions?
2.    What specific statements did Jesus make about fruit before applying the same truths to people? (6:43-44)
3.    In what different but related ways is the word “good” used in these verses? (6:43, 45)
4.    What do the tree and fruit symbolize in these words of Jesus? (6:43, 45)
5.    What did Jesus describe as the source of good and evil things? (6:45)
6.    How did Jesus describe the role of the human heart? (6:45)
7.    How do people ultimately know about the state of our hearts? (6:45)
8.    What is it about a person that actually has to change in order for good behavior to be produced?
9.    When was the last time someone helped you examine how your life reflects or doesn’t reflect the presence of Christ?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (6/17/18)

• During the week of June 18-22, we are responsible for the summer lunch program.  We will need 4 to 5 people to help each day from 11 am to 1 pm. If you are available and willing to help we will have a brief meeting following worship Sunday morning.
• Beginning this Sunday there will be a box at the back of the church with note cards. If you have a particular scripture or topic that you would like for us to use write it down and put it in the box. for the rest of the summer Laurie and I will choose a card from the box to preach from each Sunday. 

Scripture for Sunday Romans 6:1-14 (ESV)  

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? [2] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? [3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 

[5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. [7] For one who has died has been set free from sin. [8] Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. [9] We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. [10] For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. [11] So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 

[12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. [13] Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. [14] For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Questions for Reflection
1.    What motivates people to make major changes in their lives?
2.    What makes it possible for a person to live a new life? (6:4)
3.    How will uniting with Christ in His death change the future of our lives? (6:8-10)
4.    In a person’s new relationship with God, what is his or her relationship to sin supposed to be? (6:11-12)
5.    What change in attitude and action toward God happens in a person who follows Christ? (6:11-13)
6.    What does this passage tell us about God and Christ?
7.    What does this passage tell us about all people and their relationship to God?
8.    What kind of changes does God want to make in our lives when we become Christians?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (6/10/18)

Announcements:

• Services for Ann Elizabeth Alexander Hurtte will be at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 9th in our sanctuary.
• Men's Breakfast Saturday morning 8 AM. Coffee will be on at 6:30 so come early to visit and bring a friend.

Scripture for Sunday
ESV Romans 8:12-25

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Questions for Reflection
1.    By what means can a person find life? (8:13)
2.    What is true of people who are led by God’s Spirit? (8:14)
3.    What kind of spirit do God’s children have? (8:15)
4.    What are the benefits of being a child of God? (8:15-17)
5.    What type of sacrifices do people commonly make for the sake of a future reward?
6.    How did Paul describe the difference between his present and his future? (8:18)
7.    What is and is not genuine hope? (8:24-25)