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THIS WEEK:
From the Sermon: Psalm 39
Preacher: Pastor Jon Needham
Scripture: Psalm 39
In Psalm 39, David is struggling through some hard things. He is suffering. David teaches us that we can go to God with our suffering and questions. We can go to God when we are angry and hurting, even if our anger and hurt is toward him! God uses suffering to discipline his children because he loves them. In this sermon, we looked at the question of meaning, the purpose of sorrow, and the hope of heaven.
Family Discussion Questions:
- What’s something that surprised or confused you about this Bible passage? (Look back at your Sermon Notes for help remembering!)
- Who is David directing his pain and suffering toward in this Psalm?
- When we have questions or issues with God, who should we go to with those? What could happen if we deal with those issues publicly?
- What is the purpose of our sorrow and suffering? (Growth, healing, holiness, and ultimately joy.)
- Talk about times of suffering you’ve gone through and how God used those times to bring you closer to him.
Parent Tip:
· Read the sermon summary together as a family. Build this into your normal routine, perhaps reading together around the table during a meal.
· There are five questions, each with a different theme. You can choose one night a week to go over all five, do a couple questions a few times a week, or discuss one question per day.
· Each question is meant to be a conversation starter. Model for your children how to answer these questions by sharing your own personal insights.
· Even if your conversations don’t go as planned, don’t be discouraged. ALL time spent talking about and reading God’s word is valuable!
· The more consistent you are in having these discussions, the more fruitful they will be. As this becomes part of your weekly rhythm, your kids will anticipate the questions and listen more attentively at church.
Other Scriptures:
- Psalm 37:16
- Ecclesiastes 7:16-19
- Hebrews 11:10, 16; 12:5-7
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
Parent Tip:
Use these additional scriptures as daily reading. These are also a great way to help your children learn to locate passages in the Bible.
Attribute of God:
GLORY: God’s glory is all of his attributes combined. God’s glory is revealed through his grace, mercy, love, and all his other characteristics. God’s glory is revealed perfectly in Jesus Christ.
Parent Tip:
We focus on a new attribute of God each week to discuss as a family. Use this time to discuss who God is, answer questions the kids might have, and talk about what that week’s attribute means to each person in your family.
Prayer Focus:
CHURCH: Take time this week to pray for the kids at our church. Specifically, pray for our Sunday School classes, Youth Community, and our new Kids Community groups launching in October.
Parent Tip:
Each week of the month has its own prayer theme: Church, Family, Community and Repentance. Use these themes to show your children how to pray. It can be helpful to add this to an already existing routine like at bedtime or when you’re in the car together.
THIS MONTH:
‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take him at his Word;
Just to rest upon his promise,
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust his cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
‘Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that thou are with me,
Will be with me to the end.
Parent Tip:
Each month we highlight a different song for you to sing together. Singing is an integral part of worship! Singing as a family helps teach the kids how to worship at church, and as they learn more songs, they will be able to participate more on Sunday mornings. You can practice your songs in the car, at the dinner table, when you wake up, or at bedtime! You can also check out our playlist on Spotify and sing along with your favorite worship songs.
Memory Verse:
Titus 3:6-7
“...whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Parent Tip:
This is the same memory verse that the whole church is learning and it rotates monthly. Practice reciting it as a family each day at least once. Dinner time is a great opportunity to practice together.
New City Catechism:
Question 7: What does the law of God require?
Answer: That we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves.
