Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Lamentations 3:16-18, 21-26
16 He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and made me cower in ashes;
17 my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
18 so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.”
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Key Points
- We are all climbing out of the rubble of the pandemic.
- The book of Lamentations reflects our own grief and sorrow, and offers us real hope.
- Around the world, God is refining his church – PCBC included.
- Regardless of our changing circumstances, our God-given purpose in Matthew 28:18-20 remains constant.
- Here at PCBC:
1) We are all about Jesus.
We are united as one family with one purpose in the name of Jesus.
2) We exist to lead all generations to love Jesus.
We are devoted to loving Jesus, one another, and our community.
3) We gather and send out to live and love like Jesus.
We are equipped by the Spirit and the Word of God to walk in the way of Jesus.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;”
-Lamentations 3:21-22
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: What grief are you personally processing these days?
2: As you reflect on life since March 2020, what have you lost?
3: On the other hand, as you reflect on life since March 2020, what have you gained?
4: Who has Jesus been to you since March 2020?
5: Who has Jesus been to you since your first breath?
6: Who will Jesus be to you until your final breath?
7: Pause and meditate on this week’s memory verse (Lamentations 3:21-22). Then, answer the following questions.
· How does this verse particularly fill you with hope today?
· What is one way you can actively remember this verse about God (and therefore, have hope) as you step into this week?
Pray
Lord, we confess we have honestly forgotten what happiness is. We are tired, we are hurting, and so often, we feel alone in our suffering. But Lord, let it be this that we call to mind, and let it be this that gives us hope:
Your steadfast love never ever ceases. Your mercies will never come to an end – they are new every single morning. How great is your faithfulness, God! You alone are our portion. Therefore, we will hope in you only. Help us to wait for you in our suffering. Teach us to seek you first in our sorrow. In your salvation, oh Lord, we hope.
