Scripture for Study and Reflection: Friday before Palm Sunday, Arrival in Bethany – John 12: 1-11 Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Passover to spend time with his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Sunday, The Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday) Matthew 21: 1-11, Mark 11: 1-11; Luke 19: 28-44; John 12: 12-19 On the first day of the week, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling an ancient prophecy (Zechariah 9:9). Monday, Clearing the Temple Matthew 21: 12-17; Mark 11:...

1. What chaos is in your life, or affecting you? 2. Read: James 1:19-20 Colossians 2:7 John 10:10 Romans 5:4-5 Mark 8:34-35 Deuteronomy 30:19 3. After reading these, how can you let Jesus calm your chaos? 4. What repeated mistakes or same choice, are you continuously choosing, over and over, that is affecting your life in a negative way? 5. Will you allow Jesus to finally lead the way? 6. How will you surrender your will to him today? Prayer For the Week: All to Jesus I surrender; all...

1. Read Psalm 22: 1-22. In what ways have you felt these same ways? 2. Read Psalm 22: 23-31. Have you ever praised God in the midst of being forsaken, despised, mocked, insulted, and/or bullied? It’s hard. How does the Psalmist respond? 3. As we approach Holy Week, what parts of Psalm are parts of the Passion Story (of Jesus’ suffering and death)? 4. In what ways have you been healed through prayer? 5. In what way(s) has another been healed through prayer? 6. In what ways have you been...

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection: 1. What is your idea of a better life? 2. What does Jesus want for you? 3. What has Jesus done for you? 4. Have you had a spiritual experience? What happened? What was it like? Read Romans 8: 1-6. 1. In what ways have you been set free through Jesus Christ? Read Hebrews 12: 1-2. 1. In what ways is God calling you to deepen or strengthen your faith? Prayer for the Week: Father, allow me to remember your words and your promise of, "My...

Read 1 John 1:1 – 2:11. 1. In what ways have you been living in the darkness? 2. What have you done differently to live into the light? 3. What else might you do? 4. What is stopping you? Read Matthew 11:28-30. 1. John Wesley taught his followers to ask one another, “How is it with your soul?” So how is it with your soul? 2. In what ways are you weary? 3. How heavy is the baggage you’ve been carrying? 4. What pieces and parts can you give to Jesus? 5. What pieces and parts are you...

Read Ephesians 4:4-7, 11-17 and Mark 7:1-23. Communication is like 'a process by which information is confused by individuals through a conflicting system of emotions, behaviors, backgrounds, and desires.' The six distinct messages heard when we speak are: 1. What we mean to say; 2. What we actually say; 3. What the other person hears; 4. What the other person thinks he or she hears; 5. What the other person says about what we said; 6. What we think the other person said about what we...

Read Matthew 5: 23-24. 1. Have you witnessed anyone going to another during a worship service to make amends? 2. How would you feel if someone came up to you during the offering to make an apology? Read Hebrews 12: 14-15. 1. What are some of the disagreements, issues, and problems which have spread throughout our church? 2. How did they make you feel? 3. Did you and others feel defiled? 4. People can agree to disagree and live in peace. Read Matthew 18: 15-17a. 1. Why is it so hard...

Read Matthew 6: 5-15 1. The Lord’s Prayer is broken down into four sections, regarding how one should pray to God. Jesus taught the first thing is to offer praise to God. Do you begin your prayers with praise, or do you get right down to the reason for your prayer? How might your prayers begin if you began with praise? 2. The second part of Jesus’ prayer is to ask God for your needs. What are the needs you generally pray for? 3. Third, Jesus taught us to pray/ask for our forgiveness, as we...

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection: 1. What is the hardest thing you have ever done or been asked to do? 2. Read 1 Samuel. Have you heard God speak to you audibly or in your head? What did God say? 3. Read the Book of Jonah found between Obadiah & Micah in your Bible. What country would you refuse to go to if God wanted you to go to them and ask them to repent? Why? 4. Has God ever given you a ‘time-out’ to reconsider what God wants you to do? What happened? 5. Was...

1. Read Daniel 1. When have you stood fast in your faith, yet worked in an environment that was different? What was that like? 2. Read Daniel 3. Have you considered whether you would suffer or die for your faith? Would you stand fast, no matter what? Why or why not? 3. Read Daniel 6. When has God rescued you? 4. Read Psalm 34. How do you glorify God for the times and ways He has rescued you? 5. Read Psalm 63. In what ways do you tell of the wondrous things God has done for you? 6. Read...

Read John 1: 6–28 and Matthew 3: 1-17. 1. What surprises you about these accounts? 2. Have you been baptized? When were you baptized? Where were you baptized? What led you to be baptized? 3. How did you feel? If you were an infant, how did you feel today as you reaffirmed your baptismal covenant? 4. In what ways have you lived out your baptismal covenant as your ordination to ministry? 5. Being baptized into Jesus’ mission, how have you taken His message to others, and shared your new...

Read Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:10-14; Micah 5:2-5a; & Matthew 2:1-12. 1. These are the prophetic scriptures and the story from Matthew - to the Jewish people - to show from scripture Jesus was the Messiah. Write down how you are certain that Jesus is the Messiah. 2. What new background information, regarding the time of Jesus’ birth, did you learn through today’s sermon? 3. How have you seen God work in your life and in the life of others, amid government or work-related...

Decide How You Want Your Holidays to Look: 1. List words or phrases of how you’d like your life to look from Thanksgiving to the New Year: 2. List words that describe how you do not want your holidays to be/ look: 3. List what you like the most about the holiday season. What do you absolutely love or want to do? 4. Consider/admit what you don’t like about the holidays. List them: 5. I am thankful for these 20 things: 6. Add to the list until you have at least 100 things you are thankful...

1. Read John 14. 2. Verses 1-4 are often read at funerals. In what ways do these verses give you comfort and assurance that Jesus will guide you to the place He is? 3. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life; and the only way to the Father.” Do you believe this as a foundational Christian principle of faith? 4. How would you explain this to a non-believer? 5. Verses 15–19 are often read at funerals. What specifically gives you the assurance you are never abandoned, never...

1. Read Matthew 14: 13-21. 2. What would you have said if Jesus asked you to feed 20,000 people? 3. How did one offering become a miracle? 4. Read Luke 14: 16-24. This parable is more than a meal; it’s about accepting God’s invitation to include others. 5. When have you included people in your home gatherings that are not of your family or friends? 6. Why does this feel or not feel comfortable? 7. Read Luke 17: 20-35. Compare it to 2 Peter 3: 8-14. What is the same? What is...

1. What is your favorite Christmas memory? 2. What is your least favorite memory? 3. Why are the holidays so difficult for you or another? 4. What is your focus regarding the holidays? 5. Read Mark 13: 24-37. Jesus said to expect His return - at any time. If He comes at 5:00pm today, will you be ready? Why or why not? 6. Have you done as He asked? In what ways? 7. Read Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. In what ways have you fallen short? 8. What is the most difficult part for you in being...

Why Are You Here? Four traits explain the apostles’ witness in the book of Acts—boldness, humility, tenacity, and urgency; these same four traits should characterize our witness. Peter and John constantly went around reminding the religious leaders that they had killed Jesus, a fact they were less than thrilled to recount. Their boldness astonished the religious leaders, especially since Acts 4: 13 tells us Peter and John were not educated. When a fisherman stands up to the most powerful...

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection: 1. Read Luke 10: 25-37. 2. Who are you in this story, and why? 3. Read Luke 17: 11-19. 4. When all seems lost, who do you turn to for help? 5. What do you need to give up control over? 6. Why is this so hard? 7. Where is our “Go?” 8. Read Isaiah 40: 21-31. 9. What are God’s promises to you? Prayer for the Week: Lord, far too often our plans for our life do not go as we would like. Sometimes we are confused about the path our life is...

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection:  1. In what ways do you serve Jesus in and through Grand Lake United Methodist Church?  2. Are you aware there is a program in and through the United Methodist Church which helps equip and empower people in the church? Lay Servant Ministries has a multitude of classes that can equip and enhance your skills and understanding. These can be found at: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/lay-servant- ministries-catalog. Ray and Valerie...

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection: 1. What stories have your heard that have given you the hope and promise there really is life after death? 2. As Christians, we believe in the resurrection of the body, (stated in the Apostle’s Creed). Do you believe in the resurrection of the body or only a spiritual body? Why? 3. Read 1 Corinthians 15: 12-14, 20-22. 4. What stands out to you? 5. What questions cause you to reflect and ponder? 6. Read 1 Corinthians 15: 35-38, 42-44,...

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection: 1. When is the first time you remember hearing about giving money to the church? What were your thoughts? 2. Over the years were you taught to give to God, or did your giving depend upon what was left over by Sunday morning? 3. Why do you think people become apprehensive when we talk about money in the church? 4. In what ways do you become apprehensive? Why? 5. Read Deuteronomy 8: 6-18. What stands out to you? Why? 6. Read Malachi 3: 7b...