Prepare your heart for our Sunday Morning Gathering by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together.

You will find tangible suggestions for putting scripture to action in your personal life and in our corporate body, links to the songs we will sing, and lyrics for you to prepare for our corporate singing.

Sermon Text for Sunday: 2 Thessalonians 1

We are eagerly anticipating hosting Wes Pastor, president of the New England Training and Sending Center for Church Planting and Revitalization (NETS) this Sunday, November 17th. He will be preaching 2 Thessalonians 1 in the Sunday morning gathering and speaking at a free pizza luncheon hosted just after the service in the fellowship hall at 12:45pm. We encourage our members to attend, learn more about the work NETS is doing for the advancement of the gospel in New England, and ask any questions of Wes in a brief time of Q and A that will follow his luncheon presentation.

Critically Think

• Read 2 Thessalonians 1.
• What is Paul thankful for in vv. 3-4? 
• What do vv. 3-4 reveal about the purpose of the letter and the situation of the readers? 
• What are the contrasting qualities between the Thessalonians and their persecutors through out these verses? 
• What is “the work of faith with power”? Where has Paul addressed faith already in this letter? How does that inform what he means here? 
• What is the relationship between 12d and the rest of v. 12? 

Prayerfully Meditate

• What does it mean that “God will count you worthy”? 
• In light of v. 5, what is Paul praying for here? 
• How does this inform your prayers for believers in suffering and persecution? 
• How is 12a the aim of all prayer and all of life? 
• What is going on in 12b/c? What does Paul mean by saying that the name of Jesus is to be glorified “in you and you in Him”? 

Intentionally Act

• How should the prayer in vv 11-12 shape your prayers for SWBC? 
• How should this passage shape the way you think about life, the church, justice, etc.?
• Summarize this passage in 23 words or less.
• Click the links below to find the lyrics and recordings of the songs planned for our gathering this Sunday; practice the songs, study the lyrics and sing together.
• Pray for those leading our corporate gathering this week and for the Holy Spirit’s work as the Word of God is further explained and applied: Dawson Bryant: music; Ben Gardner: elder prayer & scripture reading; Rob Stouffer: teaching.

Songs for Sunday

Morning Gathering

• Praise His Name (sheetmusic)
• Let the Nations Be Glad (sheetmusic)
• I Have a Shelter (sheetmusic)
• He Will Hold Me Fast (sheetmusic)
• Your Will Be Done (sheetmusic)

Lyrics

Lyrics Morning Gathering - ... by Summit Woods Baptist Church