Gratitude: The Great Multiplier
Sermon Notes
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Philippians 4:4-6
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:7
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
- Proverbs 4:23
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- Ephesians 2:10
Created in Christ
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- I Thessalonians 5:16-18
REJOICE (Always)
PRAY (without stopping)
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
- Hebrews 14:15-16
GIVE THANKS (In every little thing)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Philippians 4:4-6
Table Group Resources
Mixer
Make introductions by playing N.A.M.E. Each person thinks of some interesting fact about themselves that corresponds to each letter of their first name: Hi, I’m Heather. H is for horses, my favorite animal. E is for....
Neighborly - Daily Devotional
To get the Daily Devotionals delivered to you every morning, text ‘dailydevotional’ to 97000.
In the 1/23/23 entry, When Do You Eat Your Fries?, Pastor Sean reminds us that it is God’s grace that saves us - but then we have some work to do: We need training to renounce, or say no to, ungodliness and worldly passions. As you reflect on this statement, what comes to mind about something God is wanting to remove from your life? What is the reason? What benefits might you see to making this change? What is/are the things that cause you to resist this training?
In the 1/24/23 entry, You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile, Kyle Moss shares some stats on the benefits of smiling. Do some of your own research this week, Go First leader! Go first and be the one who smiles at someone you don’t even know. What happens in you when you smile, and when you receive a smile? What happens in you if you approach a difficult situation/conversation with a smile - what would that look like? What would Jesus’ smile say to you right now... and how can you say the same things with your smile?
Sermon Questions
Scriptures: Philippians 4:4-6, 7; Proverbs 4:23; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 4:15-16
Pastor Josh began the sermon with a spoiler – that all God wants is for us to have hearts of gratitude. Did this come as a surprise to you? Why or why not? Prior to the sermon, when you thought about what God might want for you, what types of things came to mind?
Pastor Josh stated that “joy and happiness help to build relationships in our lives.” Take an inventory of your relationships and share if these are more life-giving or life-taking. How can you bring more life-giving relationships in your life?
Read Hebrews 4:15-16. What does this verse tell us about Christ and our sin? In light of God’s throne of grace, how can we approach our circumstances with confidence that God will not leave us in our time of need?
Read Philippians 4:6, I Thessalonians 5:16-18, and Hebrews 4:16 again. When we sin, how can we regain our footing?
Pastor Josh reminded us that “God’s will for your life is to live a life of vibrancy and joy.” What is one step you can take to be a vibrant and joy-filled representation of God this week?
Serve
Throughout February & March, we'll be hyper-focusing our Impact efforts on activities which benefit youth and promote their wellbeing. We're calling it YOUTH WELLBEING and are excited to get YOU involved!!! Head over here to Serve in the Community.
Pray
Pray for your Table Group this week! Give thanks for the group that God has assembled and ask Him to be in the center of your next 10 weeks together. Through His Spirit, may He speak life-changing words into your lives, and may His promises be revealed to be true in the midst of the ebbs and flows of your personal endeavors, family togetherness, and finding purpose in your daily work.
Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other and the LORD listened to what they said.
Malachi 3:16
