The Mission Goes On | 2 Timothy 2:8-13

The Mission Goes On | 2 Timothy 2:8-13
Jason Smith
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Sermon Description

Paul was imprisoned by the Roman government and we have been quarantined at home for safety by order of our government.  In both cases, the Gospel is not restricted but flows powerfully and effectively.  In fact, the more you restrict the Gospel, the more powerfully it advances.  The question now is: will you and I join in the powerful overflowing of the Gospel into the world and the lives of people who so desperately need Jesus the Savior?

Discussion Questions

  1. Do I know the core parts of the Gospel message and can I communicate them in my own words right now?  How do I need to improve on this?

  2. How can I build connections with others both in the church and outside of the church?  

  3. Am I living my life more for my own personal kingdom or for the Kingdom of God?  What areas of my heart or my life are insulated from the mission of the Gospel?

  4. Who in my circle of influence needs to hear the Good News of Jesus?  What are some steps I can take to begin to share Christ with them?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that we will not be discouraged by the uncertainty of the future but will be confident in the power and effectiveness of the Gospel of Jesus.

  • Pray that we will each answer the call to join with Christ in the mission to share the Gospel and advance the Kingdom.

  • Pray for one individual who needs to hear the gospel and for the opportunity to share with them.

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Don’t Judge Each Other | Romans 14

Don’t Judge Each Other | Romans 14
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

As we enter into discussions about reentering public life—worship gatherings, small groups, family gatherings—people have a wide variety of opinions and feelings on what we should do. Jesus cares deeply about the manner in which we approach these subjects. While we can disagree, we have an obligation to do so in love and free from judgment.

Discussion Questions

  1. If we truly kept our eyes on Jesus and ourselves instead of on the actions of others, how would that free us from the trap of judgmentalism?

  2. In what areas of your life are you a “stronger” brother or sister? What areas are you a “weaker” brother or sister? How can you relate to both positions?

  3. How does the gospel free us to disagree with our brothers and sisters in love? How does Jesus’ accommodation of our weakness help us to sympathize with those who we might deem “weaker” than ourselves?

  4. How does our loving, judgment-free disagreement fuel evangelism in a world that is so polarized and fractured?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would break down your pride, particularly for those who are “stronger.”

  • Pray that we would love each other without judgment as brothers and sisters.

  • Pray that our unity and love would cause others to come to faith in Jesus.

Stability In Unstable Times | Matthew 16:13-20

Stability In Unstable Times | Matthew 16:13-20
John Fox
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Sermon Description

What we see today is that Jesus prepares his disciples, namely Peter, for the life-shaking events of his death, burial, and resurrection by giving them at least three rock-solid truths to believe in no matter what comes.

Discussion Questions

  1. How is the truth that Jesus will build his church a comfort to you right now?

  2. Do you take comfort in the fact that there is no power or authority that can overcome Jesus or his church? How?

  3. When was the last time you longed for Jesus Kingdom to come on this earth?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for our church and others in the North Puget Sound area to be built on the right foundation- the gospel.

  • Pray for courage to share Christ with people during this season.

  • Pray for Jesus's Kingdom to become manifest through our lives.

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The Lifestyle of Jesus | Mark 1:29-38

The Lifestyle of Jesus | Mark 1:29-38
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

As we face this global event, many of us deeply desire to “get back to normal.” But, what is the “normal” that we want to get back to? What if this season was an opportunity for followers of Jesus to reevaluate the rhythms of our life to see if they match up with how Jesus lived his life?

Discussion Questions

  1. Be honest with yourself and others: does your lifestyle (not just ethics) match up with the patterns of Jesus? Why does our culture seem diametrically opposed to the spiritual habits and disciplines of Jesus?

  2. Of the four life-rhythms highlighted (Scripture, solitude, Sabbath, and simplicity), which is the hardest for you to practice and why?

  3. Even if we had the spiritual disciplines nailed, how is the gospel—what Jesus had done for us—our only true hope?

  4. How can the spiritual habits and lifestyle of Jesus actually serve to further the mission of Jesus in our lives?

Prayer Points

  • Set aside time for individual solitude and prayer. Pray both out-loud and silently. Bring your requests before God, but also spend time in stillness and reflection on God’s truths.

  • Pray that God would shape us to be a church that doesn’t just only believe the truths of Jesus but lives the lifestyle of Jesus.

  • Pray that our lifestyles would further the mission of Jesus by showing his easy yoke to a world that is living under a crushing weight.

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I Hate Zoom | Genesis 2:4-24

I Hate Zoom | Genesis 2:4-24
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

During the current COVID-19 world event, we are spending more time than ever on Zoom, Facetime, Facebook Live, and the like. And while this technology can be helpful, it serves as a reminder of how important physicality and embodiment truly are. In Genesis 2, we see that God makes the man from “the dust of the earth,” which means that having a body is part of what makes us truly human. God cares about the spiritual and the physical.

Discussion Questions

  1. As a group, everybody share a favorite Bible verse that has something to do with the body (e.g. Romans 12). As you read these verses, what stands out to you?

  2. Why is it so hard to live in the tension between the physical and the spiritual? Why do you think that we are so prone to separate the two, or emphasize one and not the other?

  3. What are the implications of the incarnation of Jesus? How is the embodiment of God our only hope? What does it mean that right now, Jesus exists in heaven in his resurrection body?

  4. Read through 1 Corinthians 15:35-58. How does the idea of our “spiritual bodies” help us to always be “abounding in the work of the Lord”? How does the idea of embodiment fuel mission.

Prayer Points

  • Pray that you would always take your body seriously as a part of your spiritual life.

  • Pray for passion to share the gospel with people in your life who don’t yet know Jesus and the hope of eternal, embodied, perfected life.

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Why Do I Feel So Sad? | Jeremiah 6:22-26

Why Do I Feel So Sad? | Jeremiah 6:22-26
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

When faced with difficulties in life, people respond in a variety of ways, like denial, escapism, or despair. In the Bible, we see that lament  is God’s gift to those who are troubled and hurting. Christ’s immanence means that we can experience his comfort, and his transcendence means that we can be lifted above the troubles of this life.

Discussion Questions

  1. Does the Biblical language of lament sound strange to your ears? For example, read Jeremiah 7:29, Psalm 44:23-24, or Lamentations 5:20. Do some of the verses even sound disrespectful toward God? Why or why not?

  2. Where do you need to truly lament right now? How can we encourage each other to lament well?

  3. Jesus is the “man of sorrows” but he is also the “king of kings.” How does his immanence (closeness) help us to experience his comfort? How does his transcendence (above-ness) help us rise above life’s troubles?

  4. In what ways might our witness be more effective if we truly knew how to lament well? How could true lament help show the gospel to those in our lives who don’t know Jesus?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that we would experience the comfort and closeness of Jesus as we lament well.

  • Pray that our eyes would be fixed on Jesus, who is above all things.

  • Pray that our lamenting would be a witness to the gospel in a world that doesn’t lament well.

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Followers of Jesus Need Not Fear Death | Philippians 1:20-30

Followers of Jesus Need Not Fear Death | Philippians 1:20-30
Jason Smith
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Death is an ever-present reality that all people must face. We must reshape our view of mortality so that it is in proper alignment with what the Scripture teaches us. When we recognize that Christ has defeated the totality of death through his resurrection, we can live knowing that our work is not in vain and that to die is to be with Christ.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are some unhealthy reactions to the reality of death that you witness in the world around you? What unhealthy reactions are you most prone to committing?

  2. How does the sovereignty and goodness of God help to provide comfort in the face of a world of suffering and death?

  3. How has Christ’s resurrection changed our view of death? How does it change our view of life?

  4. How can you take the message and hope of the eternal life found in the gospel to a dying world? How can you be a comfort to those who are suffering the death of a loved one or are suffering in a profound way?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for opportunities to comfort others with the message of eternal life during this current time of pandemic.

  • Pray that whether in life or in death you may seek to labor unto glory and find your delight in the sovereignty of God.

The Resurrection and Chaos | Luke 24:1-12

The Resurrection and Chaos | Luke 24:1-12
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

The morning of Jesus’ resurrection seemed chaotic to his first disciples—the end of an already-chaotic week. But, the resurrection is the opposite of chaos. It was God’s first and most important step of a New Creation plan, a plan to bring peace and order into a world that has been broken and disordered by sin.

Discussion Questions

  1. Read the four resurrection accounts in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20. What differences do you see? Contra what some skeptics say, how might these differences actually be evidence of the reliability of these accounts?

  2. With your group, discuss the chaos that the first disciples experienced during the week between Palm Sunday and the resurrection. How does it comfort you to know that you are not alone in feeling like the world is chaotic?

  3. What does it mean that Jesus’ resurrection is the first, decisive action in God’s “new creation project”? How does this help orient our perspective on what is happening in the world?

  4. Where do you notice chaos in our world? Where are you currently experiencing chaos in your heart and mind? How does the gospel bring order into our own hearts, and then into the world?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that you would personally experience God’s new creation reordering in your own heart and mind.

  • Pray that God would use you to help bring his new creation into this world.

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Only Jesus Truly Saves | Matthew 21:1-17

Only Jesus Truly Saves
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

The Sunday before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus entered into Jerusalem to much praise and fanfare, because the crowds saw him as the long-awaited king who brings salvation. As we consider our lives and the challenges that we face, we are confronted with a question from Jesus: who or what do we trust for our ultimate salvation?

Discussion Questions

  1. Where is your heart prone to seek salvation apart from Jesus? Why does this specific person or thing hold such sway in your heart and mind?

  2. How can we help each other remember that our ultimate salvation is found in Jesus? How can we keep that thought connected to the fact that Jesus does care about our lives in the here-and-now?

  3. Read through Psalm 118 and identify all the places where the Messiah is pointed to. How does reading the Scriptures with a Christ-focus help you understand the Bible better?

  4. Why is it important to remember our ultimate salvation from Jesus as we  work and serve the poor, the mistreated, and the downtrodden? Why must we never separate spiritual and physical “salvation”?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that Jesus would be your foundation, and your ultimate hope for salvation.

  • Pray for opportunities to serve the poor, administer justice, and care for the fearful—all from the motivation of being given ultimate salvation from Jesus.

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When I Don’t Have Control | Mark 4:26-29

When I Don’t Have Control | Mark 4:26-29
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

Jesus told many parables, simple stories that are used to illustrate profound truths about himself and the nature of his kingdom. In what has been called The Parable of the Growing Seed, Jesus teaches that even though there are so many things in our lives that are beyond our understanding or control, we can trust him with our ultimate salvation.

Discussion Questions

  1. Discussion Questions Why do you think it is so easy for us to buy into the illusion that we have ultimate control over our lives, even when the Bible so often teaches us otherwise? 

  2. Even if it doesn’t feel like it, it’s an act of God’s grace and mercy to remove the heavy burden of “sovereignty” from us. Why do we so often push back on this? 

  3. How is this parable ultimately about Jesus and not about us? Why is it so important to always remember this truth? 

  4. Of the things that we can do (e.g. pray, love, serve), which one(s) is God prompting you to focus on as an area of growth?  

Prayer Points

  1. Pray against the illusion of complete control in our hearts. Pray that God would help us to live in the tension of trusting him and taking action where we can. 

  2. Pray that we would be used by God to bring the love of Jesus and the message of the gospel to those in our lives who are struggling with feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness.

Conflict, Fear, and Comfort | 2 Corinthians 7:2-7

Conflict, Fear, and Comfort | 2 Corinthians 7:2-7
Aaron Gray
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In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he acknowledges a season in his life where he was “troubled in every way, with conflicts on the outside and fears within.” When we are honest about the difficulties of life and the fear in our hearts, we can truly experience God’s comfort—a comfort that he often delivers through connection with his people.

Discussion Questions

  1. Of the four ways listed (avoid, escape, trivialize, deny), how are you prone to avoid being honest about the troubles of life and the fears in your heart? Why?

  2. How does Jesus’ life, suffering, death, and resurrection bring us comfort in the here-and-now? Why is it so important to focus on him in this season?

  3. How does God use the community of faith to bring comfort and encouragement in our lives? How can we practice committed connection, even in these difficult days?

  4. How can we be agents of God’s comfort to the outside world?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for God to bring health and well-being to our world in light of all the sickness and hardship.

  • Pray that we would be honest about our hardships, but experience God’s comfort.

  • Pray that we would be able to share the hope of Jesus with a world that needs to know his love, forgiveness, and comfort in troubling times.

Pastor Shane's Heart Attack | A One Year Retrospective

March 20 is the one-year anniversary of when life for the Patrick family (and the Sound City family) changed dramatically. In this special episode, Pastors Aaron, Shane, and Kyle sit down to discuss what they remember from that painful night and how God’s grace has been displayed in the year since.

Pastor Shane's Heart Attack | A One Year Retrospective
Aaron Gray, Kyle Hackett, Shane Patrick
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Make the Best Use of the Time | Colossians 4:2-18

Make the Best Use of the Time | Colossians 4:2-18
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

In the final section of Colossians, Paul instructs his hearers to make the best use of the time that we have. In particular, he urges his hearers to be diligent in prayer, and to be wise in our interactions with those who are outside of the community of faith. Finally, he lists a long list of people within the community of faith, showing us the beauty of deep relationships that are founded on the gospel of Jesus. When you put it all together, we learn that God wants our interactions with others—both Christian and non—to be an overflow of our interaction with him.

Discussion Questions

  1. Is your prayer life marked by devotion, alertness, and gratitude? Why or why not? How is God stirring you to grow in your prayer life?

  2. Are your interactions with non-Christians marked by wisdom and graciousness? Is your speech “seasoned with salt” and desirable to such people? How does trusting in God’s sovereignty help us in this endeavor?

  3. How do the riches of the Christian community personally bring blessing to your life? How does Jesus invitation into his family shape the way that we interact with other Christians?

  4. Participation in the Christian community will inevitably lead to some heartache because all are sinners. Where have you experienced God’s grace even in the middle of heartache with other Christians?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that God’s people will live their lives according to Gospel priorities and purposes.

  2. Pray for opportunities and courage for our church family to boldly share the Gospel of Jesus!

  3. Pray for God’s continued guidance in the forming of the partnership between SCBC and MLBC through the merger.

No Longer Slaves | Colossians 3:22-4:1, Philemon

No Longer Slaves | Colossians 3:22-4:1, Philemon
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

Colossians 3 brings up slavery, which is a particularly troublesome and controversial subject in our cultural context. By looking at the letter of Philemon—the short companion letter to Colossians—we see that Jesus radically transforms human relationships, particularly where dynamics of power exist.

Discussion Questions

  1. Where do you have power? Where are you under someone else’s power? How does the gospel inform and transform your relationship to both?

  2. Where does God currently want you to use your authority, influence, and power to lift up those who lack power and influence?

  3. If the Bible is both divine and human, how does that affect our reading? What are the dangers of emphasizing one over the other? Which “side” comes more naturally to you?

  4. Do you personally know any non-Christians who discount Jesus because of passages like Colossians 3:22-4:1? How might a better understanding of the Bible and its cultural context help you share the gospel with such people?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that we would live as slaves to righteousness, not slaves to sin.

  • Pray for wisdom in sharing the gospel with people who largely discount the Bible because of passages like this.

For Further Study

  • ESV Study Bible Footnote on translation of the Greek word “Doulos”

Christ in the Home | Colossians 3:18-4:1

Christ in the Home | Colossians 3:18-4:1
Aaron Gray
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At the end of chapter 3, Paul and Timothy turn their attention to the Christian household, giving instructions for husbands, wives, and children in light of what Jesus has done for us. In fact, the family exists—in the ultimate sense—to live out a demonstration of the gospel.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are the strengths of the nuclear family? What are the weaknesses? Why is it so important that our individual families be connected in an extended community?

  2. Regardless of your gender, family status, etc., where does God want you to grow: love, submission, obedience, graciousness? What practical steps can you take in obedience?

  3. How does the family and its various roles all serve to point to Jesus? How is the gospel our foundation for a healthy, loving family life?

  4. How does the gospel motivate you to want to go and invite others into the family of God?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray that you would grow in Christlikeness, more fully reflecting his character in all aspects of your life.

  2. Pray that your family and your life as an individual would serve as a witness to the gospel, inviting people from all walks of life into the family of God.

For Further Reading

Living as God's People | Colossians 3:1-17

Living as God's People | Colossians 3:1-17
Aaron Gray
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After spending two chapters teaching on the supremacy of Christ and refuting false teaching, Paul and Timothy turn their attention to the lives of the Colossian Christians. In this long list of commands and prohibitions, we see that the gospel fundamentally changes how we relate to rules, law, and commandments.

Discussion Questions

  1. When it comes to your relationship to rules and instructions, which direction do you lean: naturally submissive or naturally resistant?

  2. Which areas of the “negative” list are you wrestling with? Relatedly, which elements of the “positive” list do you struggle with and need to grow in? Share with your group.

  3. Read Ephesians 4:25-32 and compare to this list in Colossians? Why is it important to remember that lists like these are not exhaustive but representative?

  4. How is Jesus the perfect fulfillment of all the commandments of God? How can we help one another to grow

Prayer Points

  1. Take time in your group for silent, reflective prayer on these commands and prohibitions. Then collectively, give God praise that our relationship with him is based on Christ’s perfect life, not our own moral efforts.

  2. Pray that we would share the gospel of Jesus, not a list of behaviors that people ought to do. Pray that our lives would look more like Jesus so that we would be effective witnesses.

For Further Reading

  1. Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters by Carmen Joy Imes

Christ is What You Truly Want and Need | Colossians 2:16-23

Christ Is What You Truly Want and Need | Colossians 2:16-23
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

  1. In Colossians 2, Paul and Timothy directly address the false teaching that threatens to derail the Colossian church. This false teaching has elements of traditionalism, mysticism, and legalism—but all of these fall short of the gospel. At the end of the day, Jesus is truly all that we want and all that we need.

    Discussion Questions

  1. As you read through this passage, what are the good parts of each of these beliefs and practices? How do they become spiritually harmful when untethered from Jesus?

  2. Do you tend more toward the traditionalist, the mystic, or the disciplined? Ask those in your group for their perspective. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

  3. How does each element—Sabbath, festivals, angels, visions, and even rules—point us to Jesus? What harm comes when we elevate one of these things over Jesus?

  4. What—if any—of these elements do the non-Christians in your life focus on? How does this clarity help you to share the gospel with them?

    Prayer Points

  1. Pray that no matter your natural disposition or what things tend to grab your attention, you would approach those things with Jesus as central in your life.

  2. Pray that the Spirit would help you to grow in your ability to share the gospel with people in your life who are focused/fixated on various things in life.

Your Christ Isn't Big Enough | Colossians 2:6-15

Your Christ Isn't Big Enough | Colossians 2:6-15
Aaron Gray
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Sermon Description

In Colossians 2, Paul and Timothy come to the heart of why they wrote this letter: addressing certain false teaching that threatens the spiritual well-being of this church. By forgetting how truly amazing Jesus is, these Colossian Christians were prone to seek out truth and security in other sources. This only can happen when we forget that Christ can’t be overestimated or overstated.

Discussion Questions

  1. Ask those in your group who know you what is “big” in your life? What do you often talk about? What do you most often share on social media? Relatedly, what keeps you up at night? Where do you seek security? What feels like “true” knowledge?

  2. What does it mean that “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ”? What are the implications of the truth that Christ still exists in a (resurrected, perfected) body?

  3. Jesus’ work at the cross operates at three levels: individual regeneration, corporate debt forgiveness, spiritual victory over the forces of evil. Which one do you tend to think of most often? How are all three levels connected?

  4. As you think of the non-Christians in your life, what things tend to be “big” in their hearts and minds? How can you help them to see that Christ is more loving, more secure, more true?

Prayer Points

  1. Spend some time in personal silent prayer this week (Psalm 131) and see where your mind starts to wonder? Ask Jesus to help your heart focus less on those things and more on him.

  2. As a group, pray that our church would keep our focus on Jesus over and above any other thing.

  3. Pray that God would help you share with the non-Christians in your life how Jesus is the absolute greatest.

For Further Study

  • Selection (ch. 37) from “The Unseen Realm” from Dr. Michael Heiser