Home Worship Guide (5-17-2020)

Overview: This is a guide. It has been designed to help you and can be modified by you however you see fit. Especially for those with younger kids, it might be best to read through this in advance and use elements that will fit the attention span of your kids. 

Main Point: The fruit of the Spirit in our lives is an essential evidence of our attachment to God.   

Read: Psalm 130

1 From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. 

2 Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer. 

3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? 

4 But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. 

5 I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. 

6 I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn. 

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. 

8 He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin. 

Encouragement: There is a sobering reality that the works of the flesh still hold to us in this life. But we can wait for the Lord like the watchman for the morning eagerly looking to the east for that first glimpse of light from the sun. We can lean into Him for forgiveness and strength, to produce in us through the Spirit that which is pleasing to Him. He has redeemed His people from all their sins and given them new life. It is that new life, Him working in us that will produce good fruit. 

Prayer: 

Spend some time praying for the following

1. Pray that God would bless your time with him

2. Pray that God would open your heart and enlarge your love for him

3. Pray that God would show you how he is calling you to respond

Devotion: Gal 5:19-25

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you see yourself exhibiting more of the works of the flesh or more of the fruit of the Spirit? Is your life (thought, motive and action) trending toward one or the other?

2. How do you see the works of the flesh rising up in your life? 

3. How do you see the fruit of the Spirit in your life? 

4. What are practical ways that you abide in Christ and yield to the Spirit? Where do you struggle in yielding to the Spirit? How will you respond to that? 

5. What sin(s) are underneath those moments when exhibit the works of the flesh?  How does the gospel address that? 

6. How does the truth of this text impact how we disciple people (including children if you have them)? How does it impact how we address sin in our lives and in the lives of others?   

7. How does the truth of this text impact our relationships with one another at Arbor Drive? What is the root cause of division/strife/etc… in church life? How do we address that when it rises up?  

Application:

1. Our actions and motives of obedience matter. They authenticate the reality that we are saved, led by the Spirit, and belong to God. (Matt 15:8; Matt 15:18-20; John 6:63-64; Romans 8:6)

2. As Christians, we will still sin. We still struggle with sin. Yielding to the Spirit means acknowledging that sin, repenting of it, and living in light of the truth of the gospel/depending upon God more. (1 John 1:8; 1 John 2:1; Phil 4:19; Prov 3:5-6)

3. The Christian life is a struggle against the old self waging war on us and therefore, the fight against sin is a fight of faith and to yield to the Spirit. (Jeremiah 17:5-9; 1 Timothy 6:12; 1 Cor 9:27; Col 3:10)

Respond in Song: I Will Wait For You (Consider discussing how the words of this song connect with the truths you saw in the text after singing).

Respond in Prayer (Pray specifically for an increased dependence upon the Spirit and that He would shape you inwardly to be more like Christ)