If you missed Sunday's broadcast, please catch up by following the link below. (For the foreseeable future, we be running our Sunday morning services digitally. Please go to our website on Sundays at 10:30 to join in)
Each Wednesday we take a break from our usual devotional series.
Today, I want you to do the work, it’s over to you!
Take a moment to pray that the Father would speak to you today.
Maybe you’d like to use the words of Samuel as a basis for your prayer,
‘The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”’ (1 Samuel 3:10)
What is God speaking to you about?
Write down what the Father is speaking to you about; Maybe the is something you’ve read in the bible, some teaching you’ve heard, the experiences that you are going through…
What are you going to do in response?
Write down any response that you are going to take. The response can be a new attitude, new action, new habit, new direction…
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY – PARTNERSHIP IS THE FINGERPRINT OF GOD
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Quiz Night
We are planning to hold an online quiz night on Tuesday 7th July starting at 8pm.
This therefore means that Community Groups won't be meeting for that week.
More details to follow!
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
Who was your first 'best friend'? Why were you friends with them and are you still in contact?
Introduction - please share in your group
‘I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 1:3-6)
Sunday's message was entitled 'Partnership is the fingerprint of God'. Partnership is a key theme of Philippians.
How do you think most people would define fellowship?
Partnership comes from the Greek word ‘koinónia’ and is often translated as ‘fellowship’. It means to be united and working together toward a shared goal. In Philippians we see three aspects of fellowship:
1. Partnership is loving the gospel together
This is believing in and loving the gospel together. Many clubs and churches can focus on unity around various things. However, the church is to be united in and celebrate the gospel together.
2. Partnership is sharing the gospel together
Paul teaches that partnership is also about sharing the gospel message - seeking to make Jesus known outside of the church community. Paul writes,
‘The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.’ (Philippians 1:18)
When we see an individual or church community that is loving and sharing the gospel, we are seeing the fingerprints of God.
3. Partnership is giving to the gospel together
Partnership is loving and sharing the gospel together, but it is also giving, financially’ to gospel work. This letter is, partly, a thankful response to a recent gift to the Paul in prison. Paul writes,
‘Yet it was good of you to share (‘partner) in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared (‘partnered’) with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.’ (Philippians 4:14-16)