Saved To Serve – Serving With A Thorn

This Sunday, Pastor David will be closing out his Saved To Serve series by discussing what it means to “serve with a thorn”. God calls us to serve no matter the circumstances. Join us in-person or online beginning at 10:30!

Service Video

Sermon Audio

Notes

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  • _______________ experiences
  • _______________ experiences
  • _______________ experiences
  • _______________ experiences

-II Corinthians 12:6-10 

Paul was in the centre of the ____________                                he was also in the centre of God’s ______________!

-II Corinthians 12:1-5

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.(I Cor. 1:27-29)

-II Corinthians 1:8-9

Q: What do you do when God gives you a thorn?

1. Pour out your _______   _______________ to God. (v.8)

2. ____________ carefully for the voice of _______. (v.9)

3. Open up to the ___________ of God. (v.9)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (II Corinthians 9:8)

I am more __________________ with this _____________ 

than I would have been without it!

4. Focus on the ___________ of God. (v.10) (Rom. 8:28-29)

Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (I Thess. 5:16-18) (NLT)  

Digging deeper

Q1: Have you ever experienced the trauma/pain of a physical thorn, splinter or sliver?  If so, how did you respond?

Q2: Reflect upon your life.  What good, bad, ugly and divine experiences have shaped what you do and how you do it?  Can you see how the Lord has “worked all thing together for good” in the midst of your situation?

Q3: Read II Corinthians 1:8-10.  How bad did things get for Paul?  What emotional extremes did he experience?  Can you relate to his desperation? What positives does Paul pull out of his pain?

Q4: Read II Corinthians 1:3-4.  What are some of the benefits of pain when it comes to serving the Lord?

Q5: What do you think the “thorn” was in Paul’s life that he refers to in II Cor. 12?

Q6: What are one or two “take-aways” you have from this “SAVED TO SERVE” series?  How might you serve differently in light what the Lord has said to you?