Today’s Spotlight:
What are Spiritual Families for?
(published 5.17.20)
Welcome
WelcomE: It’s good that you’re here.
If this is your first time with us, here’s our simple, five-part Spotlight framework so you know where we’re headed for the next 90 minutes:
Welcome > Worship > Learn > Serve > Farewell
If you weren’t able to join us last week, watch this video for an overview of what we will be talking about in this series of Spotlights.
01. Check In: Let us know you’re here
Please check in using the form below. (It’s the best way you can help us serve you well.)
Worship
02. Listen (& sing along): Bind us all as one together
03. interact: family Failed & Family Forgiven
Note: If you’re not here in a Zoom gathering with a pastor, scroll down to the slide show beneath this block of text, and you can listen and respond (by reading aloud) as you work through the slides.
______________________
Pastor: Jesus once said to a man named Nicodemus, who was searching for the truth regarding being part of God's family: "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." (John 3:5)
Group: Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:6)
______________________
Pastor: Surely we were sinful at birth, sinful from the time our mothers conceived us. (Psalm 51:5)
Group: But we were washed, we were sanctified (made holy), we were justified (declared innocent) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)
______________________
Pastor: We, as a spiritual family, join in confessing our sins:
Group: Holy and merciful Father, we confess that we, your family through faith in Jesus, are by nature sinful, and that we have disobeyed you in our thoughts, words, and actions. We have failed to love you, our Father, and failed to love each other--our spiritual family. And we, as a spiritual family, have failed to love others selflessly. For this we deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But we are truly sorry for our sins, and trusting in our Savior Jesus Christ, we pray: Lord, have mercy on us.
______________________
Pastor: God tells you in Ephesians 5: "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27) Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:1 tells us what is ours through faith in Jesus' forgiveness: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Be at peace! You are good with God.
04. interact: kids’ Activity
05. Watch: What are families for? (part 1)
06. Watch: Family around the world
The words in the video below are the Second Article of the Apostle's Creed, along with Martin Luther's explanation of them.
The words are spoken by people born in America, Germany, Estonia, Antigua, Malawi, & China, and who are currently living in Zambia, South Carolina, Malawi, Antigua, and Israel.
These people are just a small part of your extended spiritual family: all brothers and sisters with one Father.
07. Listen (and stretch): Seeker
VERSE 1
Sad eyes, open wide, staring up into the sky,
waiting for a sign of life,
dry as the desert sun,
need a drop of water on
the tongue just to stay alive -
they were crying, someone answered,
and he’s come to fill their empty cup:
CHORUS
This is God: seeker of the lost,
and forever father to the fatherless.
He’s the hope of the world, every boy every girl.
He’s the answer.
This is God! This is God!
VERSE 2
Let down, lonely now, staring out into the crowd
wondering - will a daddy arrive?
Every heart, everywhere, needs a hand to hold them
when they’re scared in the darkest night.
Are you crying? He’s the answer,
and he will never give you up!
REPEAT CHORUS
BRIDGE 2x
This is God:
This is God:
Father to the fatherless!
Defender of the weak!
REPEAT CHORUS
Learn
08. interact: Brothers & Sister In the word
Pick one of the passages, read it aloud, and share what it tells you about spiritual brothers and sisters—who they are, what they do… a description of them in any way.
In what ways does this passage speak to the brothers and sisters you have in your spiritual family? (Feel free to go down rabbit holes with either question with your group!)
09. interact: Spiritual Family WORKS Together
Use this form to facilitate discussion with your group. (Scroll down within the form’s frame as you work through it.)
10. Interact: The venn diagram of spiritual family
Serve
11. do: Support Emmaus Lutheran Church
Emmaus is a congregation on the West side of Chicago. The realities of the pandemic & quarantine have hit this particular congregation with what truly seem to be disproportionate amounts of pain. The people of Emmaus could use some encouragement from their broader spiritual family.
They’ve suffered a well-above average number of COVID-19 cases within the congregation and in family members of those in the congregation.
They’ve struggled to find adequate help to reach out to members and make sure they’re cared for, since they don’t have an online presence.
They’ve had to go through all of these difficulties with a pastoral vacancy.
Here’s three ways you can serve the people of Emmaus:
Pray for them. (Ephesians 6:18 | …be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.)
Print this or make a different card and send it in the mail to them.
Emmaus Lutheran Church
5440 W Gladys Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60644Consider including a donation of any size to their ministry.
12. Do: serving around the world
Below is a list of ministries from around the world. The people specifically involved in these ministries are your spiritual family.
Pick one (or more), learn about it, support with your prayer, and share it with one other person.
Farewell
13. Pray & Give
Pray. Our prayer today will follow a format called the Five-Finger Prayer:
Thumb (Thumbs up) 👍🏼 : Prayers praising our Good God.
Pointing finger (Points at self): Prayers confessing personal sins.
Middle finger (Tallest Finger): Thanksgiving to God.
Ring finger (Relational Finger): Prayers for others.
Pinkie (Smallest Finger): Prayers for self.
Pray. Then join together in praying The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
Give. You can support Illumine by clicking one of the buttons below, or you can also mail an offering to:
Illumine Church
1262 Riverchase Blvd.
Rock Hill, SC 29732Illumine Church
11051 Phinney Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133
THANK YOU!
