The Passionate Spirit-ual Practices of Prayer
What are your present habits of prayer?
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.John Donne an English poet from the same period as Shakespeare wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; Every man is a piece of a continent, a part of the main.”
How does this reflect the Bible’s teaching about the Church being the Body of Christ?How does this influence your perspective on praying alone? Praying with others? Praying with not-yet-Christians made in the image of God?
Tim mentioned several forms of prayer: the daily office, prayer-walking, and intercessory. Have you ever practiced other forms? What were they? Did you find them helpful? Would you commend them to others? Would you be willing to help another to learn how to pray in that way?Crossroads always includes prayers for other nations in the bulletin. Why do you think this is an important topic for the church to be praying about?
Pentecost – Joel 2:18-32
What point did you find helpful and encouraging from the sermon? Did it bring you hope?
Tim pointed out that Joel 2:17-32 was fulfilled in one person first – Jesus Christ. The ultimate day of the LORD’s wrath is still to come upon all his enemies outside of (i.e., not trusting in) Christ. The ultimate day of God’s saving work is still to come upon all his people in Christ.Regarding the Apostle Paul’s letters Dr. Tom Wright notes, “[Paul’s] theology has the character of inaugurated eschatology, that is, of a sense that God’s ultimate future has come forwards into the middle of history, so that the church is living within – indeed, is constituted precisely by living simultaneously within! – God’s new world and the present one.” He goes on to write, “Restorative justice, this covenant faithfulness through which creation itself will be redeemed, has been unveiled already, in advance, in the apocalyptic events of Jesus’ messianic death and resurrection.” (Paul, 57)
If you were to use a different set of words to communicate “inaugurated eschatology” what would they be? Imagine you wanted to explain this to your non-Christian neighbor or a 3rd grader in Christian Education.Read Paul’s letter to the Colossians 2:9-15.
How does “realized eschatology” help you to understand Paul’s meaning?
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10.How should “realized eschatology” impact our life? Socially? Emotionally? Psychologically? Missionally (activity done for the sake of God’s mission to bring blessing to all the families of the earth)?
What if "realized eschatology" were not true. How would that change the nature of Christianity?
The Hospitality of Gathered Worship
Since God has sacrificed in order to make our gatherings possible, how can we likewise welcome one another (Romans 15:7)? In other words, what sorts of sacrifices might we need to make in order to make all kinds of Christians feel welcomed at gathered worship on Sunday?
Luke 22:14-22 relates Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper. Why is our regular practice of Communion one way of helping us to learn that gathered worship is hospitable?Gathered Worship Has a Flow (No Audio Recording)
Have you worshiped at churches that had a flow somewhat like the revivalist movement? (Prayer --> Song --> Song --> Prayer --> Sermon --> Altar Call --> Prayer --> Song). What did you like about it? What are the positives? Why did Tim say that worship in this tradition can feel like going round and round in a turn-style? To see the video he referred to visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o0dUAhSFB4.
The beginning of worship at Crossroads highlights the majesty of God and his act of creating and sustaining all things. (Those mighty deeds of God are traditionally referred to as Creation and Providence). If you invited your not-yet-Christian friend to Crossroads worship service how would you explain why we focus on God as Creator and the world as his creation?The next movement in the worship service is about God’s people confessing their sins and receiving God’s grace afresh. This highlights that God is not only a Creator but a Restorer of his creatures. Why is it important that we continue to confess our sins as the Church? What kind of a relationship with God does this help to develop? How could our confession of sins be a good thing for non-Christians to see us do?
The next part in the flow of Crossroads gathered worship is “God Instructs Us”. Read Acts 2:41-42. After Peter’s evangelistic sermon and baptism of 3000 people the people began to meet together for worship. Which activity of theirs corresponds to “God Instructs Us”? Why put this part of the worship service here? How does it’s placement highlight the logic of the gospel (grace --> law and not law --> grace)?Next in the service is “God Communes with Us” which we celebrate on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at Crossroads. Read 1 Corinthians 10:16-17. Paul is describing what’s known as Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Why is it appropriate that we celebrate this together at our regular gatherings on Sunday? Why would it be inappropriate to celebrate it by ourselves as individuals?
The last movement in Crossroads worship service is “God Commissions Us” to be participants in his restorative mission. God addresses us as our Covenant King and Lord through the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and Benediction and we address him (and one another) in song. Do you think that God’s commissioning of us is a part of the gospel, the good news? How is this good news along with all of the rest of the worship service? How does it help us to understand God and ourselves better?Gathered Worship is Cultural
Gathered Worship is Regulated by God’s Word
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Crossroads Presbyterian Church
15557 Cardinal Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22193
(703) 794-9431
Join us for worship, Sundays at 9:30a.m.