Chapel Series - Veteran's Day

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV

Part 1 – Watch Veteran’s Day Tribute Video: 4 minutes

Part 2 – Discussion: 10 minutes

• Do you believe that a strong military is more important, less important, or of the same importance today as it was 50 years ago? Explain your answer.

• What, if anything, should disqualify individuals from serving in the armed forces?

• Veterans of the past and of the present literally risk--and sometimes sacrifice--their lives to protect our lives and freedoms. What can we as private individuals do to honor these men and women?

Part 3 – Group Leader Closing Prayer:

• With 1 Timothy 2:1-4 in mind, close the group meeting with prayer .

• Ask someone to post takeaways, thoughts, and questions as a comment below.

• Thank you!

Devotions - BE HUMBLE IN YOUR THEOLOGY

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Thorn, Joe. Note to Self (Foreword by Sam Storms) (p. 54). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Reflections:

Reflections:

1. Is God just arbitrarily “opposed to the proud”? What would be a deeper explanation for his opposition? Hints… submission, lordship, control, servanthood, stewardship,

2. Have you ever been proud of your humility? LOL! What does that pride reveal about your theology and your thinking in that crazy moment? Hints… impressing God and others, earning approval, religion,

3. Rehearse the Gospel/Rehearse Humility: We are fallen, high maintenance sheep, very young children, and always in an absolute need for Jesus. Daily, if not more frequently, we need to remind ourselves of these and other things that help us live out our professed faith in Jesus Christ. Here are some of my ways that I use to remind myself of my need for Jesus -- walks in cemeteries, knelling, long stretches of worship music, reading scripture, deep prayer, funerals, and worship. What are some practical ways you humble yourself and rehearse the Gospel?

Please write a brief encouraging comment below. Doing so creates community and dialog with the Emmanuel Family and Friends. Thank you. Pastor John

Student Engagement - SOCIAL MEDIA day 2

In John 13:35 Jesus says, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” One way we show love to one another that is easy to overlook is by giving each another our full attention.

Part 1 – DIGITAL EMPATHY: 11 minutes

• Click on this link to watch the video – DIGITAL EMPATHY

  • During the video, you might be asked to respond to brief discussion questions.

• Discussion or Prayer and Sharing: 5 minutes

  • Do you think you have a habit of being thankful? How much do you think you complain versus express gratitude for something?

  • When it comes to social media, is there something you are considering changing? If so, what is it?

Part 2 – THE LOST ARTS: 17 minutes

• Click on this link to watch the video – THE LOST ARTS

  • During the video, you might be asked to respond to brief discussion questions.

• Discussion – 5 minutes

  • Have you ever experienced someone using a smartphone to avoid talking to you? Have you ever done that to someone else?

  • What is a specific example of how you could choose a real-life interaction over spending time on social media?

  • What are some examples of how Jesus took time to really listen to people well and be with them in the moment?

Part 3 –Sharing and Prayer: 17 minutes

• Share prayer requests and pray for each other.

Group Leader and members, please post takeaways, thoughts, and questions as a comment below. Thank you!

Student Engagement - SOCIAL MEDIA DAY 1

Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” There are many areas of life where it is not obvious how we should proceed. Instead, God wants us to seek wisdom and His leading as we attempt to make good decisions.

Part 1 – A SOCIAL EXPERIMENT: 13 minutes

• Click on this link to watch the video – A SOCIAL EXPERIMENT

  • During the video, you might be asked to respond to brief discussion questions.

• Discussion or Prayer and Sharing: 5 minutes

  • Do you think “addictive“ is an accurate way of describing social media? Why or why not?

  • Does it surprise you that social media platforms are guiding your habits according to their own agendas? Why or why not?

Part 2 – PERFECT PICTURE: 12 minutes

• Click on this link to watch the video – PERFECT PICTURE

  • During the video, you might be asked to respond to brief discussion questions.

• Discussion – 5 minutes

  • Do you think you compare yourself to others on social media even though you know you’re only getting a small glimpse into their lives?

  • How has being on social media or not being on social media, impacted your relationship with God and with your relationships?

Part 3 –Sharing and Prayer: 10 minutes

• Share prayer requests and pray for each other.

Group Leader and members, please post takeaways, thoughts, and questions as a comment below. Thank you!

Devotions - GOD DOES NOT ANSWER TO YOU

Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked . . . until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. PSALM 73:1–3, 17

Thorn, Joe. Note to Self (Foreword by Sam Storms) (p. 52). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Reflections:

Reflections:

1. Supposition I: What do you suppose was running through the Psalmist mind when he entered the temple?

2. Supposition II: What do you suppose changed the Psalmist’s perspective after being in the presence of God?

3. Deep Question: How has your theology (e.g. how God works) changed since you first followed Jesus? How has it improved? Has your view of Jesus narrowed, or has your expectations lowered? Devote some time to pray over these questions… be gut level honest with yourself and with God.

Please write a brief encouraging comment below. Doing so creates community and dialog with the Emmanuel Family and Friends. Thank you. Pastor John

WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO CHAPEL?

“You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22

Part 1 – Message from Pastor John (Superintendent): 8 minutes

• Watch today’s video – What Just Happened to Chapel?

Part 2 – Discussion or Prayer and Sharing: 12 minutes

• Your choice … either engage the questions below or share and pray or use a combination.

• Intentionality

  • List some ideas of how group members can intentionally build relationships with each other.

• Incorporate

  • What are some things you can do as a group or individuals between meetings?

• Intimacy

  • What are the roadblocks keeping your group to being more open with each other?

Group Leader and members, please post takeaways, thoughts, and questions as a comment below. Thank you!

Devotions - JESUS IS ENOUGH

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. PHILIPPIANS 4:11–13

Thorn, Joe. Note to Self (Foreword by Sam Storms) (p. 49). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Reflections:

We know that Jesus is enough, but probably none of us believe that to be true 100% of the time. Last week’s topic was BIG JESUS. This week’s topic is ENOUGH JESUS. In other words, is Jesus our source of contentment?  

1. Read Romans 8:37–39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

2. Are you experiencing Jesus in prayer, worship, devotion, and mission? If not, Jesus might not be enough, and you might be discontented.

3. What are your secondary sources? In other words, where do you go besides Jesus?

4. What are your primary sources? In other words, what feeds you, what promotes a healthy relationship with Jesus? What encourages you to follow Jesus?

5. What does verse 13 say about our ability to be content without Jesus? “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“

Please write a brief encouraging comment below. Doing so creates community and dialog with the Emmanuel Family and Friends. Thank you. Pastor John

Chapel Series - IDENTITY PART III

“To follow the vocation does not mean happiness, but once it has been heard, there is no happiness for those who do not follow.” C.S. Lewis

Part 1 – Identity: 10 minutes

• Click on this link to watch today’s video – Your Calling

Part 2 – Sharing: 25 minutes

• Have three different individuals read the following verses aloud and briefly explain the meaning of the verse.

Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisors they succeed.”

Ecclesiastes 11:9, “You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

• Group Leader read the quote by author Fredrick Buechner Then use the following questions to dig deeper and to lead into your prayer time.

  1. "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet."

  2. Discussion questions for each person to answer:

     1. Describe what gives you “deep gladness“.

     2. What “cause“ or “mission“ is intriguing to you?

     3. Just dreaming here… how might God use your calling to meet a need in our culture some day?

     4. None of us have our calling completely figured out. Describe what you don’t know about your calling.

Part 3 – Prayer: 10 minutes

• Use your remaining time to pray for each other.

• Group Leader, please post takeaways, thoughts, and questions as a comment below. Thank you!

Devotions - BIG JESUS

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. PHILIPPIANS 2:8–11

Thorn, Joe. Note to Self (Foreword by Sam Storms) (p. 47). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

I love this passage. Here is an excerpt from one of my sermons. Hopefully, it will encourage you to see GIANT JESUS:

It is one of the most incredible statements in the bible. Jesus humbles himself from his pre-existent state and becomes a man. Then being found as a man, he humbles himself below what any man would or could. If you are measuring humility distance, Jesus wins by an incredible margin. He went from the heights of heaven to the depth of human existence. The span cannot be measured it is so great.

I have trouble grasping it all. No human could do it. If we arrived on another planet with inhabitants less capable than ourselves, we would not serve them but become their master. Jesus shows up on earth, and instead of setting up a throne, allows us to treat him as a criminal subjecting him to the worst form of torture and execution ever know to humankind.

Yet, due to his great humility distance traveled, God lifted him up higher than any other being on earth, under the earth, or above for all time. The Heavenly Father gave Jesus the name and position that is only next to his own. That is why we can worship Jesus – because God lifted him up!

The apostle Paul carefully pictures for us the descent of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ from, the highest possible position in the universe down, to His becoming a servant and dying His death on the cross, and then carrying the reader up again to see Jesus seated once more on the throne of His glory in heaven, where every knee shall bow and every tongue of men will confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Reflections:

1. What are some examples of a “shrinking Jesus”?

2. Humble yourself and ask God how your expectations of Jesus have narrowed?

3. Expect Jesus to meet you in this moment!

Please write a brief encouraging comment below. Doing so creates community and dialog with the Emmanuel Family and Friends. Thank you. Pastor John