Study
Week 3
The Christian faith centers on God saving the world through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, a story revealed in the Bible that Jesus himself treated as authoritative. Therefore, following Jesus means taking Scripture seriously and allowing God’s Spirit to shape us as we study, meditate on, and memorize His inspired words.
Learn more about practicing the liturgy.
Leader prays. Group Prays.
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Let us share in the joys and sorrows of one another's life.
What has been the highlight of your week?
What has been the low of your week? -
Let’s prepare our hearts in worship.
Let us hear the record of God's saving deeds in history, how he saved his people in ages past; and let us pray that our God will bring each of us to the fullness of redemption.
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We will take a moment in quiet to reflect on our actions this past week. Then, together, we will confess and be reminded that we are the forgiven community.
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.
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Let us hear the word of the Lord from the Psalms.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
–Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV) -
Let us affirm our faith with the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day, he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the global Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen. -
An introduction to scripture.
The Christian faith is built on the belief that God is saving the world through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. That story of God’s work in human history is detailed in a library of works we call the Bible. Jesus himself, a teacher of the Bible, viewed these writings as authoritative. Therefore, any serious attempt to follow Jesus demands that we take the Bible seriously and let it play a central role in our lives and communities. As we encounter that story through study, meditation, and memorization, we let God's Spirit shape us through his inspired words.
This week we reflect on how studying of the scriptures can nourish our life with God.
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Let us open the scriptures and learn the story of Christ.
When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” be sure to appoint over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
–Deuteronomy 17:14-20 -
Let’s take a moment to talk through what we have heard, reflecting on what it is saying to us.
What can we learn about this week's practice through this passage?
Have you ever studied a passage of Scripture before? If so, what did you take away from it?
Is there a topic, theme, or question related to the bible that you’d like to explore?
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Let us consider how to follow Jesus in our everyday lives.
Choose a passage or theme of Scripture that resonates with your heart, study it thoughtfully and prayerfully using various resources, and share your insights with someone else to deepen your understanding and connection with God.
Here are a few resources to help you get started studying the scriptures.
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (Keener & Walton)
Email our pastoral team: questions@midtownkc.church
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At this time, if you have a prayer request, we’ll hear those and conclude with the Lord’s prayer. What would you like to lift up in prayer?
As our Savior taught us, so we pray;
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.Give us today 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 the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Amen. -
Let us confess the Mystery of our Faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again. -
May we go from this place prepared to reveal the Kingdom of Jesus, together.
Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.Stir us, strengthen us,
teach and inspire us to live your love
with generosity and joy, imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world and in the name of Jesus,Amen.
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