Preparing for Sunday – Psalms, Part 2

Preparing for Sunday – Psalms, Part 2

by | Jul 10, 2015 | Featured Articles, Music, Ordinary Pastor, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching

Below is the weekly post our church produces to help prepare our congregation for the Sunday morning gathering. Each summer, I take time to preach overview sermons through the Old Testament. We began last week in Psalms. This week we’ll look at a few more significant take-aways from this beautiful book. For those who live in the Kansas City metro area, we invite you to come to Summit Woods Baptist Church at 10:30 am. Carefully Think Last week we considered the book of Psalms as a whole. This week we will focus on how the Psalms affects our faith in God. Look through several headings of several psalms in each of the five sections of the book. List some of the musical terms that you see referred to (i.e.., “to the choirmaster,” “maskil,” “mahalat,” etc.). While it is difficult (if not impossible) to know what these refer to specifically, what do they indicate about the importance of music and how these psalms were to be played? Read through the following psalms: 7, 35, 58, 69, 85, 109, 137. What does the psalmist say about his enemies? Why does this not contradict the gospel of Jesus in the New Testament? Or does it? If you think so, explain. Read through the following psalms: 2, 8, 22, 69, 110. These are often referred to as Messianic psalms; those that speak of the coming of the Messiah. What characteristics do you learn about the Messiah? What indicators are there in each passage that this refers to the future Messiah and not someone else? Prayerfully Meditate  If the book of Psalms is an ancient...
Preparing for Sunday – Matthew 5:4

Preparing for Sunday – Matthew 5:4

by | Mar 22, 2012 | Biblical Studies, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching

Carefully Think Read Matthew 5:4 Recall from last week what it does and does not mean to be “blessed.” How is this beatitude related to the first? How would it relate to the next one? Over what would a person mourn if they are to find this kind of blessing? Why? What is the result of mourning? When should you expect that result? To what degree? Can you think of any illustrations from the Bible of people who mourned in the way this beatitude commends? How so? Can you think of any illustrations from the Bible of people who mourned in a way contrary to what this beatitude commends? How so? Prayerfully Meditate How does this beatitude differ from general grief? What would produce this kind of mourning in a person? What is it that you find regularly moves you to this sort of mourning? If we are to be people who mourn, how can we be people who are comforted at the same time? When was the last time you found yourself mourning over your own sin, the sin around you and sin’s effects in our world? What have you found to bring the most satisfying comfort when you do mourn as this beatitude commends? How does the gospel create this beatitude in us? Intentionally Act What steps could you take to elevate your comprehension and meditation on the character of God so that you have a vision of Him that creates a greater sensitivity to sin? What sins have you become accustomed to rather than mourn over? Spend time confessing these sins with godly sorrow. Pray specifically...