07 Jan Providence | Part 1 “God’s Method in Our Madness” – All Locations
Announcements:
Corporate Fast starts January 23 and ends January 30.
Sacrifice something you enjoy for the first four days (maybe eat only fruits and vegetables) and then regular fast for the last 3 days.
First Tuesday is on January 30.
NEW OPPORTUNITY – PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR GROUP MEMBERS:
Waters Kids Ministry Opportunity
We’re excited to present a wonderful opportunity for your members who are not yet part of a serve team or are interested in joining an additional team, specifically in our Waters Kids ministry!
On Christmas Eve, we witnessed a record attendance of children across all Waters Kids locations. This growth in our children’s ministry is only the beginning, and we anticipate even more in 2024!
To support this expansion, we’re actively building our Waters Kids Team. If you have a heart for children, a creative spirit, and a desire to share the word of God with our youth, we would be thrilled to have you join our team!
We have openings for roles with nursery-age children through elementary school. Our fast-growing Ignite ministry, catering to elementary-age children, is a great opportunity, particularly for married couples, as this age group is highly impressionable and can greatly benefit from their guidance.
If caring for or teaching children isn’t your primary interest, don’t worry! We also need help with kids’ check-in, technical support (like sound, lighting, and ProPresenter operation), and worship.
Interested individuals can join by clicking the link below and navigating to the Waters Kids section to select “Join The Team!”
If you are still unsure, on January 31 we are offering a training! All are invited to attend and check out this ministry!
For any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at info@waterschurch.org.
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REMINDER: DISCOVER CLASS: For New Leaders, Leaders who have not taken the class, or Leaders who have not taken the class in the last couple of years. It is held on the first Sunday of the month.
ALL LOCATIONS:
NEED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY CARE? OR HAVE A GROUP MEMBER IN NEED OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY CARE? CLICK HERE: HELP RESOURCES PAGE
Reminder: Please check your planning center profiles for requests to join and also remove members from the list that no longer attend as well as add members not listed. Thank you.
LEADERS: WE HAVE CHANGED UP THE DISCOVER CLASS WHICH USED TO BE GROWTH TRACK AND ARE ASKING ALL LEADERS TO RE-TAKE THIS A SOME POINT. BELOW IS THE CLASS SCHEDULE:
1st Sunday : Discover Waters – after 1st service
2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service
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Go to your email, add no-reply@churchcenter.com to your contacts (PLEASE ASK ME IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND) THANKS!
no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and have your members add it as well. This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site.
All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at: waterschurch.org/events)
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
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Key Verse: Esther 1 – 2
Ice Breaker:
Q. If you could have any fictional character as a friend, who would you choose and why?
The Book of Esther is the book that encapsulates that God is actually in charge.
Providence: The soul-satisfying TRUTH that God is WORKING no matter WHAT the world is doing.
The Book of Esther shows us the reality that though your world seems crazy, God is still in control.
At the time of Esther, the king on the throne was allowing the Jews to come out of exile and go back to build their temple.
Many went back, and there were some Jews who stayed in Persia. Persia is not a place for God-fearing Jews.
Even though Persia was an impressive empire, God has the final say on what a nation is or what a person is.
Even today, it does not matter what society or people think about each other or the country, it matters what God says about these things.
Q. Some Jews left and went back home, others decided to stay in Persia, how does this relate to the challenges we face in modern society when choosing whether to stay in or leave challenging or morally complex environments?
Three facts about Persia:
1. A culture of PRIDE.
Esther 1:1– 7; 9 (NLT)
King Xerxes spent six months of partying to celebrate himself.
Then after the party, there was an after-party for insiders.
This was a nation in love with itself. This is our world today!
Though the Book of Esther does not tell us what to do and God is not mentioned in this entire book, God has been working in unseen ways through the whole event.
Q. Discuss how the theme of pride in the Book of Esther, particularly in the context of King Xerxes’ actions, mirrors current societal attitudes. How does this emphasis on pride impact both individual and societal decisions today?
2. Ruled by PLEASURE.
Esther 1:8 (NLT)
This was an ‘If it feels good do it’ mentality from the most impressive empire from that time.
3. Dominated by the PEA-BRAINED.
Esther 1:10-12 (ESV)
Queen Vashti refused to be the king’s trophy wife and so he bans her from his presence and finds himself a new, younger wife to replace her.
Esther 1:22 (NLT)
This is a country ruled by pride, pleasure, and the pea-brained. It looks impressive but it is a joke.
This is a lesson for us. America is a nation ruled by pride, pleasure, and the pea-brained. We need the Lord to guide us amid a crazy, perverse culture.
Q. There are consequences of leadership that lack wisdom and foresight, both in the story’s context and in modern parallels. How does this perspective challenge us to think about the qualities we value in leaders today?
1. God’s Providence can and will OPERATE in IMPERFECT environments.
Whatever imperfect environment you find yourself in, God’s people endure.
Matthew 16:18
As the world rises and falls know that the Church of Jesus will grow and expand in every generation. He will operate in our imperfect environment.
God is STILL WORKING in spite of the CRAZY in your WORLD.
2. God‘s Providence can and will OPERATE through IMPERFECT people.
Fifty thousand Jews ran back to rebuild their temple, but two did not go back: Mordecai and Esther.
Esther 2:5 (ESV)
Mordecai comes from the tribe that lost the throne. Maybe Mordecai stayed because he had a good thing going. Maybe he had a good job with benefits.
He is not a Joshua, a David, a Moses, or a Nehemiah. Mordecai goes with the flow and yet God still uses him. This may be the best news we need to hear.
Maybe you are not the person who is going to break through the wall, but you are silent and do your job. God can and will work through you.
Esther 2:8 (ESV)
Esther is gorgeous. She may have been forced but did not put up a fight, she just goes with the program. She too, at best, is just a bit more than a casual follower of the Lord, yet God uses her.
Q. How does their story encourage us in our own lives when we feel inadequate or unqualified to be used by God? Discuss the idea that God can use anyone, regardless of their perceived imperfections or ordinary status.
3. God’s Providence does not have to be SEEN to be CERTAIN in our lives.
God has been calling the shots throughout this book, even though He is never mentioned.
Maybe you are not called to be a missionary, just doing your thing and wondering where God is. Know that He is working despite what you see.
It is not about feeling God it is about trusting Him, having faith in Him. Faith is not a feeling, it is a conviction despite what we feel and He can still use us.
Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)
Q. How can recognizing the value of our daily, seemingly mundane activities change our perspective on serving God and others?
What is our responsibility?
1st: Esther’s Action: LISTEN.
Esther 2:10 (ESV)
There is value in listening to God.
2nd: Mordecai’s Action: DON’T BOW TO MEN.
Esther 3:1–2 (NLT)
He did not care what this culture asked him to celebrate but he would not bow and celebrate this culture.
We need to surrender our hearts fully to God.
Romans 8:28–30 (NLT)
To be a Christian is a call to be different to become like Jesus.
To have the providence of God working, we need to make sure our knee is bowed to no one other than Christ Jesus.
Sermon in a Sentence:
God is WORKING no matter WHAT the WORLD is doing. Our job is to be LISTENING and YIELDING our lives only to Him.
Weekly Challenge:
Identify one area in your life where cultural pressures or societal norms tempt you to ‘bow down,’ or compromise your faith and values. This could be in your workplace, social circle, or personal habits. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, and consciously choose to align your actions and decisions with your faith, rather than societal expectations.
Ongoing Challenge: Start a reading plan in 2024. Try reading through the Bible in a year. There are some great plans on the Bible app.
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