[Sunday] My Yoke is Rest - Kingdom Way - Matthew 11

- There are just so many burdens we are yoked to, but Jesus offers a different way, a kingdom of love and rest. Take on His Yoke of Rest. Matthew Chapter 11

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way: My Yoke is Rest

1. Can you think of a time when you felt tempted to respond to a situation with anger or retaliation instead of love and forgiveness?

2. Read Matthew 11.  Why do you think John the Baptist doubted Jesus while he was in prison? What were his expectations for the Messiah?

3. What does it mean that 'the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he' (Matthew 11:11)? How does this challenge our own understanding of greatness?

4. What does it practically mean to "take Jesus' yoke" upon you? What might that look like in your daily interactions?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Cool Cup of Water - Kingdom Way - Matthew 10

- Jesus sends out the disciples amidst a flurry of expectations. But these serious expectations can bring the heat which only a cool cup of water can satisfy.  Matthew Chapter 10

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way: Cool Cup of Water

1. How does the image of a 'cold glass of water' resonate with you? Have you ever experienced something similar to that kind of refreshing change?" 

2. Read Matthew 10.  The text addresses the seemingly contradictory messages of peace and division. How do you reconcile the idea of following Jesus with the potential for conflict or hardship?

3. Read Micah 7:1-9.  This is quoted in Matthew 10:35.  How does this relate to the challenges of following Jesus in His mission? How can we maintain our relationship with God even when facing opposition or division within our families?

4. The sermon concludes by encouraging listeners to offer a "cold cup of water" to others. What does it look like in practical terms to offer compassion and hope to a hurting world in your own context?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Only Jesus Can Save Them - Kingdom Way

- Jesus does not become unclean by touching the afflicted; instead, HE imparts healing and life. It shows the kingdom is for everyone.  Matthew Chapters 8-9

Questions for the Week: Only Jesus Can Save Them - The Kingdom Way

1. Who are the people we have difficulty with Jesus loving today?  How does the grace of Jesus challenge those perceptions? 

2. Read Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26. The examples of the woman with the bleeding disorder and the dead girl illustrate how Jesus imparts healing and life instead of becoming "unclean." What does this image tell us about the nature of Jesus's power and His kingdom?

3. The repeated phrase "Only Jesus can save them…you…me" was a key takeaway in the sermon.. What does "salvation" mean to you personally, and how have you experienced or witnessed this saving power in your own life or the lives of others?

4. How can we better reflect Jesus's example of reaching out to the "wrong people" in our community?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] The Kingdom Way - Sermon on the Mount

- From the mount, Jesus reveals the Kingdom Way. "Blessed are the poor in spirit," He proclaims, urging us to "turn the other cheek," and to pray, "Father, Your will be done." For His kingdom is at hand, and through Him, we find the Golden Way.

Questions for the Week: The Kingdom Way - The Sermon on the Mount

1. What does the phrase "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done" mean to you personally? How can we invite God’s kingdom into our daily lives?

2. Read Matthew 5:1-12. The sermon on the mount emphasized the Beatitudes as blessings for the "poor in spirit," the grieving, and the meek. How does this understanding of the kingdom challenge traditional ideas of power and success?

3. The sermon contrasted different approaches to bringing about God's kingdom (Pharisees, Sadducees, Rome). In your own life, what are some "modern-day" equivalents of these approaches where we try to cover up our insufficiencies to make ourselves look more powerful?  Why ultimately is there no hope in this approach?

4. Jesus calls us to be salt and light, bringing His kingdom to others. Who in our lives might be like the “little children”-- those feeling scared or lost? How can we bring God’s love and balance to them this week?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Tempted - Kingdom Way

- For Jesus is not some high priest who has no sympathy for our weaknesses and flaws. He has already been tested in every way that we are tested; but He emerged victorious, without failing God.

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Baptism of Our Lord - Kingdom Way

- Jesus comes out of the water as Emmanuel, experiencing a baptism like our own.

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Christmas Day] Christmas Light - Kingdom Way

- When the world was darkest, the light came in bringing hope to the creation.

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

Christmas Eve - The Pageant

Candlelight Service 4&7
Live Stream 4PM

God’s Story Shines
Through Our Imperfect Pageants

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Those Whos - Kingdom Way

- This Christmas, let’s see Jesus as the one who came for us and is with us, and let our hearts grow—just like the Grinch’s—so we can go out, celebrate, and share this good news with all “those” people.

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way: Those Whos

1. Why do you think it’s so easy to point at others and say, “Don’t be like those people?” Have there been times when you felt tempted to do this?

2. Read Matthew 3:1-17.  What does John the Baptist seem to be doing?  How do people respond?  How does Jesus respond?

3. The sermon talked about hearts "growing three sizes," like the Grinch. What would it look like for our hearts to grow in love toward others this Christmas? Who are the “those people” in your life that you might need to love or celebrate with?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Bells On Christmas - Kingdom Way

- Listen to the bells being rung, God’s promise of peace, hope, and salvation breaking into the world, even in the midst of suffering.

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way: Bells on Christmas

1. Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you felt like you could hear "bells" breaking through a time of pain or despair? How did that moment impact you?

2. Read Matthew 2:13-23  (See also Exodus 1:1-13). What similarities do you see in Matthew to what God’s people went through in Exodus?  How is God always at work saving His people in both accounts?

3. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day during the Civil War, a time of personal and national struggle. How can we find hope in difficult circumstances, even when it feels like there is no peace?

4. The sermon compared the despair at the cross with the hope of Jesus’ resurrection.  How does knowing that Jesus was raised give you hope when facing struggles or brokenness in your life?

Notes for the Sermon

Information on Charles Longfellow

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Wednesday] Christmas Variety - Mid-week Advent

- Join us for some Fun and Game at our Christmas Variety Show

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Guiding Light - Kingdom Way

- The Magi following the light of a star mirrors how God has always worked, giving a light to follow through the wilderness, away from the darkness that holds us down.

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way: Guiding Light

1. What do you have on top of your Christmas tree?  A star?  An angel?  Something else?  Why is that important to your household?

2. What do you think the star represented for the Magi in the story? How does it compare to the angels' role in other parts of the Christmas story?

3. Read Matthew 2:1-13. People often get too focused on the power of earthly rulers like Herod. What are some examples of times when we might be tempted to focus more on worldly power than on God's true power?

4. The sermon talks about how the Magi were “unlikely” people to be part of the story. How does this remind us of God’s ability to use anyone, no matter their background, for His purposes? Can you think of examples from your own life where God brought an unexpected person into His family?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Wednesday] Century of Gifts - Mid-week Advent

- Singing some classic Christmas Carols and talking about gifts over the last 100 Years

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Named Expectation - Kingdom Way

- Christmas expectations are often Joshed. Yet the name Emmanuel breaks all expectations as Jesus comes to be with us.

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way: Named Expectation

1. Can you think of a time when you had high expectations for something, only to be disappointed? How did you feel? How did you cope with the disappointment?

2. Read Matthew 1:18-25.  Joseph faced a situation that completely shattered his expectations. Can you think of a time when your expectations were not met, but looking back, you saw how God worked through that situation?

3. Jesus was an ordinary name in the days Matthew wrote his Gospel.  Emmanuel was not an ordinary name.  How does the idea of the ordinary connected to the extraordinary of God coming to be with us (Jesus & Emmanuel), change our understanding of how God works?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Royal Introduction - Kingdom Way

- Introducing Him who completes all of creation with everything humanity has to offer.

Questions for the Week: Kingdom Way -  Royal Introduction

1. Share the greatest ancestor that you have in your family.  What is so significant about them?

2. Read Matthew 1:1-17.  Discuss the inclusion of Rahab, Tamar, and Ruth. How does their presence challenge our understanding of holiness and God's plan?

3. The sermon emphasized the significance of the number seven in the Bible. How does this biblical symbolism deepen our understanding of Jesus' role as the culmination of God's plan?

4.  The sermon emphasized that God's kingdom is not limited to the perfect. How does this understanding challenge our own expectations of ourselves and others?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] All Things - Keep It Simple

- It's right there, all around us is the party of God's abundance. The question for us all is: Will we enjoy ourselves in God’s generosity, or will we rely on our own strength?

Questions for the Week: KEEP IT SIMPLE: - All Things

1. In what specific areas of your life are you currently relying on your own strength instead of trusting in God's? How can you shift your perspective to embrace God's sufficiency?

2. Read Philippians 4:10-20.  How can we practically apply Paul's example of contentment in all circumstances to our daily lives, especially when facing challenges or hardships?

3. How can we share the message of God's abundance with others, particularly those who may be struggling or feeling overwhelmed? What specific actions can we take to encourage and support them?

4. The sermon challenges us to "keep it simple." How can you simplify your life to focus more on God's abundance and less on your own worries and anxieties?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] One Another- Keep It Simple

- This is the Kingdom plan: Love one another. This is how they will know you are Christians, that you love one another.

Questions for the Week: KEEP IT SIMPLE: - One Another

1. Describe a time you’ve seen the body of Christ love one another in a beneficial way.

2. Read John 13:31-38.   What is Jesus’ commandment?  In context around this, how do the disciples fail to love another?

3. In what ways might selfishness hinder our ability to love others fully? How can we recognize and address this tendency in ourselves?

4. How can we actively demonstrate love for one another, especially during challenging times or when we disagree with each other?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Stewardship - Keep It Simple

Stewardship can be something that we overcomplicate. Keep it Simple; Jesus has saved you.

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Reformation - Keep It Simple

Let’s rediscover the beauty of God's uncomplicated gift of salvation and how it frees us to joyfully participate in His work.

Questions for the Week: KEEP IT SIMPLE:  Reformation

1. In what ways do we tend to overcomplicate our relationship with God, and how can we simplify it in light of the message of salvation by grace?

2. Read John 10:22-30  How does the Jews’ request of Jesus overcomplicate things?  How does Jesus’ response simplify what He is about to do?

3. What are some practical ways we can live out the understanding that salvation is a gift, not something we earn? How does this affect our daily lives and interactions with others?

4. How can we effectively share the message of salvation by grace with others, especially those who may be struggling with legalistic or works-based beliefs?

---

What Had happened at Grace this week. 

[Sunday] Ambition - Serving Challenge

- Nobel ambition is shown through humility and a genuine desire to serve others, rather than the pursuit of personal recognition or power.

QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK:  See This weeks Together Group Study

Sunday October 20th is Day 34 in the Book!

New Together Groups Materals
Releases at 11Am on Sunday

---

What Had happened at Grace this week.