This page is put together by Pastor Brandon and is updated on Thursdays to help you prepare your heart for the next Sunday Gathering.
Use prayer to help guide you through these areas of preparation, and then use the drop-down boxes below to find the sermon text, songs and more!
Confess sin to God and others. Come with a believing heart ready to receive and believe God’s Word. Come ready to engage in fellowship with others.
Sunday, April 21st
Pastor Bob Bolander
Mark 3:20-35
As you read through the text to prepare for Sunday, pray for the Holy Spirit to open your heart and keep these questions in mind:
• What does this text say about God?
• What does this text say about people?
• How can I apply this text in context?
• How is the Spirit leading me to respond?
• Did these verses raise any questions as I read?
Check Back for a Song Highlight
For the month of April we will be memorizing Philippians 2:1-2 in our corporate gatherings.
“1 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”
There are many different things you can do to help you memorize Scripture. Our family likes to make songs. We’ll sing it in the car or while having dinner. Pastor Bob has memorized this passage by creating hand motions. (Next time you see Pastor Bob, ask him to recite the verse with the motions!) Others like to practice writing out the text. Find whatever helps you and go for it!
If you are like us, here is a song of Philippians 2:1-2 to help you memorize it: https://vimeo.com/930836429
What is a lament and can it be an act of worship to God?
Lament is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. Biblical lament is taking those griefs and sorrows to the Lord through prayer. Lamenting is something that we don’t often practice or even like to think about. It requires us to be honest and real with how we feel, which is sometimes hard. We may even feel like it’s not Christ-like to express emotion in that way. It’s better to just think “happy thoughts”. But God created emotion. We know that emotion should not govern our lives, but the Bible is clear in books like Lamentations and Psalms and in Jesus who modeled lament perfectly, God never calls us to suppress feelings of sorrow or grief. In His grace, He has given us a way to express how we feel in a way that is helpful and even glorifying to Him through lamenting. Lament is also a prayer to appeal to God’s character, a way to weep with those who weep, and it actually reminds us of our hope. We lament with the hope that one day, we will no longer have to lament when Christ comes again. So, my encouragement to you is to take your frustrations and sorrow to the Lord. Whether it be in response to something you’re going through personally or even in response to what is happening around you – take it all to the Lord who hears, answers and comforts us.
Next date: April 21st
Here are some ways that you can prepare your hearts to sit at the Lord’s Table, which we partake in twice a month together:
Reflect – Reflect on the person and work of Christ.
Meditate on who He is and what He has done.
Examine your heart – Examine your heart and confess any sin or areas of misplaced hope.
Examine your love – Examine your relationships. Is there anyone that you need to reconcile with before taking the Lord’s Supper.
Rejoice – Come with gladness and thanksgiving that God has made you worthy to enter His presence.