South Everett Foursquare Church

Date: December 1, 2024
Worship Leader: Chris Norby
Speaker: Chris Peppler
Passage: Genesis 3:1-15 / John 1:1-5

Music Devotion: Worth the Wait

Questions: (For our 300 Seconds of Silence) 

• What (or Who) is it, on the precipice of 2025, that I am placing my hope in?
• How is HOPE requiring me to wait?
• What might be the positive outcomes as I wait on Jesus for HOPE to come?

Date: November 24, 2024
Worship Leader: Chris Tien
Speaker: Laura Ospino
Passage: John 14:15-31 / Acts 1:8

"Right after Jesus left and right before the Holy Spirit came, what were the disciples doing? They were together, praying fervently. They were in agreement, united with one mind and purpose. It is so important that we continue to do this, let's do what He did. There are so many more opportunities to experience the outpouring of His Holy Spirit." - Laura

Date: November 17, 2024
Worship: Chris Norby
Speaker: Lauren Phillips
Passage: Matthew 28:1-10 / 16-20

Date: November 10, 2024
Worship Leader: Danessa Gonzalez
Speaker: Chris Peppler
Passage: Matthew 27:62-66 and Luke 23:56b

Changes in our life often require waiting. Waiting is a biblical value, but not a western cultural value.

Reflection Questions: 

What are you waiting for?
What do you think the waiting is for? 
Are you waiting the way you want to?

Date: November 3, 2024
Worship Leader: Addy Norby
Speaker: Chris Peppler
Passage: Matthew 26-27

Reflection Questions:

• What is your long obedience in the same direction? 
• What, by faith, are you compelled to pursue with your life?
• What is the preferred and lasting legacy of your life as a follower of Jesus?

Date: October 27, 2024
Worship Leader: Chris Tien
Speaker: Lauren Phillips
Passage: Matthew 26

Church of Gethsemane Video Clip (0:00-07:23:00)

Reflection Questions: (With audio guide, Into the Garden of Gethsemane) 

When you’re under pressure:

• How can you honor others’ gifts and kindness towards you?
• How can you face betrayal or dishonesty of others with grace?
• How can you create spaces that foster community and share the love you have found?
• How can you be vulnerable in your weakness and call others to join you in prayer?
• How can you be generous with your resources towards others?

Date: October 13, 2024
Worship Leader: Emily Holmes
Speaker: Chris Peppler
Passage: Matthew 21:23-23:39 (A Composite) 

The Seven Woes (Matthew 23:13-36)

Grief unto you. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. 
Blessed are the meek. (accurate self-view) Lost without God, complete in Him!

 

You shut the door of heaven in people's faces.

• Who might I be excluding from the kingdom?
  
• How might I be doing it?
  
• Why am I doing it?

You corrupt your disciples.

• What kind of disciple is my life producing? (Grace or works dependent)

You wobble in your commitments.

• As a growing disciple of Jesus, how firm is my yes?
• What is my motivation for saying yes?
  

You've neglected mercy and justice.

• What demonstrations of justice and mercy impact me the most?

You're full of greed and self-indulgence.

• Who in your life has unrestricted access to call you out on your shortcomings?
  

You put up a spiritual front, but you're dead inside.

• What is one dead or dying area you would like to invite Jesus to bring new life back to?

You criticize others and follow their lead.

• What is a practice you call out in others that you’re also guilty of practicing at times?

 

Date: October 6, 2024
Worship Leader: Chris Tien
Speaker: Robin Suh
Passage: Matthew 21:21-21

Discussion Questions

1. What practices do you have in place that helps you listen to and hear God?

2. In what ways have you experienced laying down your own agenda?

3. What do you want God to do for you? What are you asking God for?

Date: September 29, 2024
Worship Leader: Danessa Gonzalez
Speaker: Chris Peppler
Passage: John 11:1-44
Video Clip: Jesus and Lazarus

Grief Worksheet:

What is your first response, typically, when you receive troubling news?

• Denial
• Shock
• Fear /Anxiety
• Sadness
• Disorientation
• Rescue Mode
• Peace and Hope
  

Think of a few times when receiving bad news hit you pretty hard and make note of them.

Four Observations About Grief From this Text:

• Grief Takes Time and Requires Our Attention  | Because we’re not great at waiting, Jesus gives us opportunities to wait. This won’t be the first time.
  
  
  • Jesus, for our sake, waits. Why? This was the grievance both Martha and Mary had when Jesus showed up late (according to their own understanding.) “If you had been here…that’s bargaining.
    
    
  • Waiting increases dependence and dependence increases intimacy with Jesus.
    
    
  • We will make time for grief or grief will choose a time for us.
    

• Jesus Responds Uniquely to Each of Us in Our Grief
  

• • Martha and Mary approached Jesus with the same grievance and different responses to it. Jesus made space for each of them in their grief journey.
    
    
• Jesus Joins Us in Our Grief
  
  
  • This is empathy. Sometimes we see that words are helpful. Sometimes we see that they aren’t. Regardless of the circumstance, what is most helpful is presence.
    
    
• Jesus Leads Us From Grief to a Resurrected Life
  
  • This sickness will not end in death….Sometimes in what is temporary, but always in what is eternal. From an eternal perspective, we can know the end from the beginning!
    
    
  • Because we know that goodness and mercy will follow us, we can stop, feel our emotions, name our emotions and speak truth to our emotions.  

Date: September 22, 2024
Worship Leader: Chris Tien
Speaker: Chris Peppler
Passage: Matthew 19:16-30

The Rich Life Worksheet:

What makes us rich? 

How would you define The Rich Life? 

Think about a few things you’ve really wanted throughout your life. (Physical possessions, experiences, achievements, relationships, etc.)

1. Why did you want it?
2. To what extent did you go to get the things you wanted? 
3. Did you get it? If so, how? If not, what kept you from getting it?
4. How did you feel once you got, or didn’t get what you wanted? 
5. Did your pursuit of the thing you wanted add a sense of richness to your life?

The FIVE Capitals

A More Complete Picture of the Rich Life - Take an Inventory of Your Capital

• Spiritual Capital | Wisdom, Holy Spirit Power, Authority:
• Relational Capital | Friends, Family, Forerunners and Followers:
• Physical Capital | Time, Energy and Health:
• Intellectual Capital | Creativity, Content, and Credential:
• Financial Capital | Cash, Assets and Investments