December 8, 2024
When The King Comes | How Do I Find Peace?
Advent 2024
1 Samuel 8:4-22
The Israelites want peace without God as king. They have their own solution for national success: a new system of government. But there’s a flaw in their solution that will ultimately see them trapped by it … until the true king comes to rescue them.
Songs for this week: Spotify
- In the Bible, the word shalom (peace) means more than just the absence of conflict. It means everything is restored, completed, integrated, and flourishing. What image comes to mind when you think of this kind of peace?
- Can you describe a time when you experienced broken peace? How about a time when you experienced restored peace?
- What are some of the ways, or solutions, people use to find peace and happiness without God? Can you spot the flaws in some of these solutions?
- What does it look like for someone to live with Jesus as their true king?
- How would you explain to a spiritually curious friend Jesus’ promise that he gives us real peace?
- What habits help you be with Jesus in your everyday life?
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Recent Sermons
Colossians 3:5-11-Paul points to two areas that reveal who we are at the deepest level: sex and speech. The path to health and freedom isn’t harsh rules or self-focus, but staying close to Jesus, knowing him and growing in him. Christianity isn’t harsh rules; it’s a vibrant friendship.
Colossians 2:20-3:4 - Religious baggage can pull us in all kinds of directions—from expecting God to fit our preferences to trying to earn His approval. Paul’s message to the Colossians was simple: stop guessing what God wants and get back to the core of Christianity—Jesus.
Colossians 2:13-19 - Humans have a problem that we can’t save ourselves from—not through secular programs or religious systems. The good news of Jesus is that on the cross, Jesus dealt with it all. In him we are alive, forgiven, and free!
Colossians 2:8-12 - Paul warns the Colossian church not to trade the freedom found in Christ for religion or spiritual experiences. Jesus is more than enough.
Colossians 2:1-7-The way forward for the first Christians wasn't always easy. False teachers brought confusion and deception, prompting Paul to point believers back to the truth. Just as the best way to spot a counterfeit is to know the genuine article, the best way to recognize false teaching is to know Jesus.
Colossians 1:24-29-Suffering is one of life's hardest realities. We might expect that following Jesus would mean less pain, but Jesus himself suffered and made it clear that his followers would too. The good news is that our suffering is never lost on God and is never in vain.
