Embrace Church: Recent Episodes

Embrace Church

Embrace Church is a Spirit-filled movement seeking to embrace a life with Jesus, and includes radical compassion for our world. Our end goal is holiness--Spirit-filled lives where we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

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SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 14:13-21

GO DEEPER:

  1. If you tend to stop at sympathy, what stands in your way of moving into empathy?

  2. What does Jesus say, hear, and feel when He looks into your eyes?

  3. Do you see compassion when you look into Jesus' eyes?

  4. How will you choose to see the people around you today?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Take a moment and talk to God about helping you to see others through His eyes and not your own.

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SCRIPTURE: 

John 13:1-17, Luke 18:9-14

GO DEEPER:

  1. What is one truth that you took away from today’s sermon?

  2. The disciples struggled with who would be considered the greatest. Why is it so hard to take on the position of “lower status?” What makes it so hard to submit to someone else?

  3. Foot-washing in the day of Jesus was a menial task - one set aside for a servant. In your sphere of influence, what are some menial tasks or services that are not being performed that may meet the need of another? How can you respond?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Pray that God would reveal to you the people around you that you ought to being serving in the simplest of ways.

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SCRIPTURE: 

Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:1-3, Matthew 4:1-11  

GO DEEPER: 

  1. What is one truth you took away from todays sermon? 

  2. Discuss your thoughts about being out of your mind, yet, being in your right mind in Christ. What has to happen in your life in order for this to occur? 

  3. Satan tries to fill our minds with lies. Living into that lie leads to defeat. What is one lie that he directs toward you?

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SCRIPTURE:

John 3:16-17

GO DEEPER:

  1. Brandon talked about how our view of God impacts the way live and the way we treat people. What did you learn about God from Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman?
  2. How does the understanding that we are a “sent people” change the way we live and the way we think about our daily interactions with others?
  3. From this message, what is one key takeaway God has taught you? How can you apply this truth to your life this week? How can you share this key takeaway with others (conversation, text, social media)?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Who do you find harder to love? Is it the Nicodemus of the world? The arrogant and prideful? Obnoxious religious people? Or is it the Samaritan woman? Is it those who look different or think different? Is it the broken and the poor? Those with checkered pasts? Spend some time confessing to God and asking Him to give you a greater love and compassion people.

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SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 5:38-39, 43-47, Romans 12:21

GO DEEPER:

  1. Brandon spoke about the difference between liking someone and loving someone. How can you still love a person that is difficult for you to like?
  2. Who is someone in your life that you can love better? (Spouse, kids, co-worker) Take time to process and pray about that relationship?
  3. From this message, what is one key takeaway God has taught you? How can you apply this truth to your life this week? How can you share this key takeaway with others (conversation, text, social media)?

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SCRIPTURE:

John 13:34-35, Ephesians 2:14-19

GO DEEPER:

  1. How does being connected to God’s community help you grow in your faith?

  2. Read Ephesians 2. How does the gospel bring unity in the midst of diversity? How does the gospel make us into one family?

  3. Why do you think Jesus said if we love one another, everyone will know we are his disciples?

  4. What are some of the main truths that God wants you to know from the message today? What actions does God want you to take according to these truths?

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SCRIPTURE:

Romans 1:16-17

GO DEEPER:

  1. What's one truth you took away from today's sermon? 

  2. Do you identify with any of the story illustrations from the sermon (little boy praying out loud, woman in India, Sammy Creig)? If so, why? 

  3. Share your excitement or concerns about sharing the Gospel message with others. Does anything hold you back from sharing with others? 

  4. Prayer: Take a moment and talk honestly with God about your desire to be fully devoted to God's mission. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and words. Record or share with someone about your experience.

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SCRIPTURE: 

John 6:60-69

GO DEEPER:

1.What is one truth you took away from today’s sermon?

2.Discuss your thoughts on the difference between being interested in Jesus and being committed to Jesus.

3.Discuss what it means for you that a commitment to God’s presence is risky.

4.Which spiritual discipline do you need to improve upon?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Pray that God will instill within you the longing for his presence.

Pray that God will give you a desire to improve upon one spiritual discipline this week.

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SCRIPTURE:

Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 8:11, 31:19-20, 33:26-27 | Joshua 4:6-7

GO DEEPER:

  1. The Lord warned His people in Deuteronomy 6:12, “Take care lest you forget the Lord.” What causes us to forget God as we go about our daily lives? How can we avoid this tendency?

  2. Discuss the difference between loving God and loving His gifts. How can you distinguish between the two? How can we love the gift and forget the Giver?

  3. What hinders your love for God? Why does our love for God sometimes grow cold? How can we prevent this? If we find ourselves in a place where we are apathetic in our relationship with God, what would it look like to begin to renew our love for Him?

PRAYER GUIDE:

What does it look like in your life to serve the Lord wholeheartedly this week? What does this look like in your relationships? Is there anything you need to give up? Is there anything that you need to step up and do? Spend some time praying about these areas.

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SCRIPTURE:

Exodus 15:21-27, 16:1-3

GO DEEPER:

  1. What is one truth you took away from today's sermon?

  2. Share a wilderness experience you may be in currently, or one you have experienced in the past. How was God faithful?

  3. Discuss how complaining in your own wilderness experience may show lack of faith in God.

  4. Jesus often intentionally moved into a wilderness time. How do you feel about intentionally moving into a wilderness time? Why?

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SCRIPTURE: 

Exodus 14-15

GO DEEPER:

  1. Why is it so easy to forget about God’s goodness when facing a difficult circumstance? What are some ways we can “remember” who God is and what He has done for us?
  2. How can obstacles strengthen our faith and bring us wisdom? How should this change the way we see our obstacles?
  3. Read Exodus 14 and 15. What stood out in these chapters? What does God want to teach you right now?

PRAYER GUIDE:

What are some obstacles you are facing right now? Spend time praying about each situation.

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SCRIPTURE: 

Exodus 1:1-22, Mark 9:21-23

GO DEEPER:

  1. What is one thing in this message that sticks out to you?

  2. Think about an unexpected crisis you are facing. Discuss how it makes you feel out of control. Discuss your feeling of being stuck. 

  3. What seems impossible to us is never impossible for God. Is it hard for you to be as honest with God as the man in Mark 9, who brought his son to Jesus? If so, why? What is significant about crying out to Jesus even if our faith seems weak?

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SCRIPTURE:

Zephaniah 3:16-17

GO DEEPER:

  1. The definition of expectation is: a strong belief that someone will or should achieve something in the future. With that definition in mind, what does it mean to be expectant of Jesus?
  2. What were Israel’s expectations of the coming Messiah? How did the coming of Christ meet those expectations and/or exceed them?
  3. Read Zephaniah 3:16-17. Which phrase does God want to speak into your life right now?

-God is with you.

-God will save you.

-God delights in you.

-God will give you peace over your fears.

-God sings over you with joy.

PRAYER GUIDE:

Based on today’s message and scripture, what is one way your church community can pray for you and your family?

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SCRIPTURE: 

Luke 1:12-17, 67-79  

GO DEEPER: 

  1. What does hope look like in the world today? 

  2. Where do you have a tendency to put your hope? Where have you struggled with hope during this pandemic? 

  3. How can the understanding of "wrapping yourself in God's bigger story" help you place your hope in Jesus and not circumstances? 

  4. How can we pray for you to have Shalom?

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SCRIPTURE: 

Isaiah 7:14, Luke 2:8-14

GO DEEPER:

  1. What is one truth God spoke to you today in this sermon?

  2. Why do you believe that God chose to reveal the birth of Jesus first to a lowly group of shepherds?

  3. Have you ever felt as if you were an “unlikely” person to receive God’s love? If that feeling changed, what were the circumstances that caused you to stop feeling “unlikely?”

PRAYER GUIDE:

How can this community help pray for you to be prepared for the 2nd Advent of Jesus?

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SCRIPTURE:

Luke 1:26-38, 46-55

GO DEEPER:

  • How would you define hope according to Mary’s story? How did her “daring to hope” shape the way she lived?
  • How does the truth that God uses unlikely people in unlikely ways give you hope? For yourself? For others?
  • What is one truth that God spoke to you through the message? How can you begin to apply that truth to your life this week?
  • Take Home: Read Mary’s song again and then write your own song (or Psalm) to the Lord?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Where is an area in your life (or a relationship) where you need to dare to hope again? Take time to share with one another and pray over one another about these areas.

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SCRIPTURE: 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, John 6:1-13

GO DEEPER:

  1. Are you willing to share with this community the crisis/situation that you are facing?

  2. What do you have that you are willing to bring to Jesus concerning your crisis? Are you willing to release control of what you have?

  3. What makes it difficult to sit down in green pastures?

  4. Is it difficult for you to give “thanks” in advance of a crisis being resolved? Why?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Acknowledge your crisis before Jesus and this community and allow a time of prayer to offered over you.

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SCRIPTURE:

Isaiah 1:17, James 1:27, Galatians 4:4-7, Ephesians 1:4-6

GO DEEPER:

  1. What’s the difference between being justified and being adopted? How should our adoption as God’s children impact our lives? how we serve? how we overcome sin? how we see others?
  2. What makes you nervous about helping the vulnerable? How can we overcome these fears?
  3. How did God speak to you through the message or the scriptures? What is one specific truth that stood out to you? How can you apply that truth to your life?

PRAYER GUIDE: 

Spend some time interceding for the most vulnerable in our communities and in our world. Make a list and begin interceding on their behalf.

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SCRIPTURE: 

Ephesians 6:10-17  

GO DEEPER: 

  1. How have you thought about the armor of God in the past? How does today's reflection challenge your past thinking? 

  2. How do you tend to deal with your human weakness? Do you try and cover it up, overcome it, divert to your strengths, or are you learning to boast in weakness? 

  3. In what dimension of the armor do you feel as though you have substituted your own strength for the Lord's? 

  4. What might it look like for you to actively and intentionally put on the armor - even in a daily way?

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SCRIPTURE:

Ephesians 5:1-4, 21

GO DEEPER:

1.  What is one truth you took away from todays sermon?

2.  Kindness, Extravagant love, and purity are three ways in which we mimic the life of Jesus.  Discuss one of the areas of your life in which you would love to see improvement.

3.  Submission can seem so threatening.   Why is this the case?  What needs to change in your life in order for you to live a life of “You Then Me?”

PRAYER GUIDE:

How can this community help you pray for newness in your relationships and in your family?

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SCRIPTURE: 

Ephesians 4:1-6, 29-31

GO DEEPER:

  1. How does sin affect our identity? And how does our identity or lack thereof affect the way we live?

  2. In the message, Brandon said, "You don't have to be the same person tomorrow that you are today." How does our faith give us optimism about the future? How does a restored identity impact the way we live?

  3. How did God speak to you through the message or scripture? What is one truth that stood out to you?

PRAYER GUIDE:

What is one area in your life where you would like God to do a new work of transformation? Pray for one another about these different areas.

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SCRIPTURE:

Ephesians 3:12, 18-20

GO DEEPER: 

  1. Share a moment in your life when you knew God’s love was real.

  2. Is there any situation in your life right now that is causing you to question the love of God?

  3. What happens to our efforts to love each other if those efforts aren’t connected to Jesus’ love for us?

PRAYER GUIDE:

  1. The church, or individuals in the church, may have hurt you or someone you know. How can we pray for healing to happen in those areas?

  2. What is a hinderance in your life that keeps you from accepting God’s limitless love? How can we pray for you?

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SCRIPTURE:  

Ephesians 2:1-6  

GO DEEPER: 

  1. Discuss one truth that you took away from today's sermon. 

  2. Our spiritual status changes from death to life and from powerless to powerful when we begin to follow Jesus. Think about your life, how are you experiencing life as a believer and how are you empowered to live? Maybe be willing to share a personal testimony to encourage and build up this community. 

  3. How is being alive and powerful going to change the way you live today?  

PRAYER GUIDE: Give thanks to God for a new identity, for being alive in Christ, and for being powerful in Christ to overcome sin.  

FAMILY FORMATION: Discuss around your table, with family and friends, what it means to live powerful in Christ.

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SCRIPTURE:

Ephesians 1:3-9

GO DEEPER:

  1. Describe Saul’s life before his conversion? Describe Paul’s life after his conversion? How did his change in identity (name) change the way he lived?

  2. How does our identity (who we are) shape our actions (how we live)? Give some examples.

  3. How did God speak to you through today’s message? What is one truth you can apply to your life this week? How can you share it with others?

PRAYER GUIDE:

Have someone read Ephesians 1:3-9. What are some ways your group can pray for you as it relates to your identity in Christ?