Life Group Announcements:
1. Continue to pray for Pastor Joe Houser as he takes extended time off to focus on his health, family, and relationship with God.
2. Divorce care will be a weekly seminar and help support group that will help those heal from the hurt and reality of divorce. It will be a 13-week class on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 PM. The class will meet in the church office entrance and child care will be available upon request. Cost is $25. Please see church site for registration details.
3. Young adult ministry started September 13th. Ages 18-26, will meet every Thursday from 6:30-8:30 PM. If interested, talk to Matt Wadley on Sunday or email him at Matt@OB1church.com.
4. Starting September 27th, from 6:30-8:30 PM, there will be a class on prophecy to include growing in listening to God as well as learning more about the prophetic gift. It will be a 7-week class taught by Jamie Weston. Cost is $25. Please see church site for registration details.
5. Ten couples from our church, including Pastor Julian and his wife Lu, just returned from a marriage retreat! We celebrate and applaud the proactive steps they took to help protect and grow their marriages!
Life Group Questions:
Speaker: Joshua DeGuido
Sermon Series: Joy!
Title: Joy In The Middle Of Opposition
1. In the beginning of the message, Josh asked if we have ever noticed this pattern that every time God is about to bless us, or while He’s blessing us, we experience opposition or obstacles at the same time.
Briefly go around the room, or smaller breakout groups if you want, and discuss one time that you sensed or experienced opposition while God was bringing a blessing, answered prayer, healing, restoration, etc. How did you deal with that situation? What could you have done better?
2. We learned that not all oppositions come from Satan and his demons, although a lot of times they do (See 2 Thessalonians 2:17-18). Sometimes, opposition comes from the unbelieving world (John 15:18-19), our friends, ourselves due to insecurities, fears, and doubts, as well as opposition from people within the church like we see here with Paul.
What would you say is the purpose behind God allowing all of these oppositions? Since He is in control, how can these obstacles be worked for His glory and our good? (Hint: look at James 1:2)-8).
3. The temptation when we are dealing with opposition and obstacles is to focus on how bad it is instead of how good God is. In this text, we see Paul maturely choosing joy instead of a victim mindset (Philippians 1:18).
Discuss the three ways Josh mentioned that we can fight opposition: Remembering we are appointed (Philippians 1:17), pray, rejoice, and give thanks always (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), and communicate the hurt to God (Psalm 94:19).
Have you exercised any of these three? What are some good tips?
4. Josh’s second point was to rest in the sovereignty of God while in opposition. Sovereignty means God has total power, control, and authority to do what He pleases, when He pleases, both in this world and the spiritual realm. In other words, God has the ability to make all things work together for our good, even the bad (Romans 8:28).
How have you rested in the sovereignty of God in the past? How about recently? Was it easier said than done? What advice would you give another brother or sister to help them through their situation?
5. Lastly, Paul said that it did not matter (literally, “so what!”) that others were out to get him, Christ was still being preached and the gospel was still going forward. This is what it looks like to totally let go and give a problem to God which results in joy.
Can you say, “So what” to Satan and his demons? To that coworker who is bothering you? To those mocking you? Encourage those around you that God appoints us as His children to do a work for Him here on earth and nothing and nobody can ever take that away from us.
Bible Verses Read Sunday:
• Philippians 1:15-18 (Main passage)
• 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18
• John 15:18-19
• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
• Genesis 50:20
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
• Psalm 94:19
• Matthew 16:18
