2-9-25 Liturgy

Main Theme:  A Christian Response to Trials.

Opening
Goal: Focus our attention on Jesus and be open to what He wants to do & say in our gathering.

Suggested Practice:
Pray the Lord’s Prayer as a Small Church. Either one person can read the entire prayer or ask different people to read one line at a time. Either way, go slow and briefly pause after each line to allow people to reflect on what they are saying:

Our Father in heaven,
Holy is your name,
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those
Who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power,
And the glory, forever. Amen.

Worship
Goal: Make Jesus central in our gathering. This could be done through songs, prayerful scripture reading, communion, etc.

Suggested Practice:
Choose 2 songs to sing together (or listen to) that focus on trusting in the goodness, provision and wisdom of God.

Possible Options:

• Goodness of God (YouTube)
• I Surrender All (YouTube)
• Great Is Thy Faithfulness (YouTube)

____[Dismiss the Kids/Youth]____

Sharing
Goal: To know each other's stories.

Suggested Practice A:
Select one person to answer the following question:

• When was a time where you experienced God’s goodness, provision or wisdom during one of life’s trials? What difference did it make? How has it changed you?

Suggested Practice B:
Select one person to answer the following question:

• Who has been an example to you of experiencing God’s goodness, provision or wisdom during one of life’s trials? How have they inspired you? How has their example changed you?

Suggested Practice C:
Break into groups of 3 people. Answer the following questions:

• What are you thankful for this week?
• What has stressed you out this week?

Give the groups 10 minutes to answer the question. Encourage everyone to share.

Discussion
Goal: Learn how to follow Jesus in everyday life.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand that trials are a reality of life.
• Explain how a Christian should and shouldn’t respond to trials.
• Describe how one lets God activate the word of truth in their lives.

Suggested Practice A:
Possible Questions:

1. Why can we expect to “face trials of many kinds” (1:2)?
2. In 1:2, James is not commanding how one should feel, but rather how one should think about one’s circumstances. What does James mean when he urges believers to “consider [trials] pure joy”?
3. The Holy Spirit prioritizes our “wholeness” over our “happiness”. Discuss.
4. In 1:13, James is commanding believers to take personal responsibility to resist temptation. Practically, what does it look like to take personal responsibility in resisting temptation?
5. If the word of truth is implanted in believers at salvation, then they don’t need to receive it during trials but need to let God activate it within them (1:21).
   • Why is this distinction important?
   • How does one let God activate the implanted word of truth?
   • What difference does it make to activate the word of truth in our lives?

Suggested Practice B:
Read James 1:2-11 together. What do you notice? What questions do these words provoke? What does this passage reveal about being a follower of Jesus?

____[Kids/Youth Rejoin Adults]____

Prayer
Goal: Respond appropriately to what Jesus is doing & saying in our gathering.

Suggested Practice A:
Read the prayer below aloud to your Small Church. Ask everyone to take a few minutes to pray to confess their sins and acknowledge their need for God’s grace and forgiveness.

“Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son
Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen”.

Suggested Practice B:
Break into groups of 3 people and ask everyone to identify a family member or friend that is currently facing one of life’s trials. Pray for these people. Ask the Holy Spirit to do a work in their life that only He can do. Pray that they would experience God’s goodness, provision and wisdom during the trial.

Communion
Goal: Remember Jesus' death and resurrection. Receive strength & joy that He is with us. Renew our hope for Jesus' return and the restoration of creation.

Suggested Practice:

• Distribute bread and juice.
• Read Luke 22:19-20.
• Read the following statement…“the body of Christ has been given, broken for us and the entire world. This bread reminds us that He paid a debt that He did not owe so that we wouldn’t have to pay a debt that we did owe”.
• Eat the bread.
• Read the following statement…“The blood of Christ has been poured out, shed for us and the entire world. This juice reminds us that we have a permanent and unbreakable relationship with Him and that death has no power over us and no power over creation”.
• Drink the juice.

Blessing
Goal: Focus our attention on Jesus and consider what He wants to do & say this coming week.

Suggested Practice:
Read James 1:17 aloud and on behalf of your Small Church, thank God that He does not change and that we can put our hope and trust in Him.