Did you leave after hearing Sunday’s message and think, “Well, now what?” Each Sunday, we will provide a discussion guide for our church body designed to create a conversation about what we’re learning. We encourage you to prayerfully gather with your family, friends and community group and dive into how to apply Sunday’s teaching from God’s Word to your life.
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Summary
Happy Father’s Day! Todd Wagner finished the series Lyrics in which he has compared the lyrics of some of the most popular songs today with the truth of the Psalms, which the served as the songbook for the ancient Jews and contains truth and comfort for us today. Todd compared Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” with the words of Psalm 84. Both concern the question of where true life and fulfillment can be found, but they offer very different answers.
Discussion Questions
- What is influencing you as you listen to songs today? Are you looking at the words or are you just singing along and allowing the words to influence you in ways you may not even realize?
- Hozier’s song “Take Me to Church” suggests that ultimate fulfillment can be found in another person. Where are you looking for ultimate comfort and peace? Psalm 84, on the other hand, tells us that ultimate blessing is found by being in the presence of and having relationship with the Lord God of Hosts. Read Psalm 84 and compare its words with the words of “Take Me to Church.” Which do you trust to tell you the truth about where true life and fulfillment are found?
- At least three times Todd said, “If you don’t want to know know God more, it is doubtful you know Him at all.” Do you agree? Do you live like you agree?
- Three times in Psalm 84 the psalmist tells us where true blessing is found. Verse 4 tells us that the blessed are those who dwell in the Lord’s house, singing His praises; verse 5 adds that the blessed are those whose strength is in the Lord; and verse 12 concludes that the blessed are those who trust in the Lord. Where are you dwelling? Where are you finding strength? Who are you trusting in?
- Todd addressed the dads to say that as Dad leads, so goes his household. Dads, are you taking your children to the place where true life is found? What are you modeling in your own life that you are most passionate about? How can your community group help each other be passionate about the things that bring true life to yourselves and your children?
- Psalm 84:11 tells us: “No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Do you really believe that? Do you agree with Todd that if you are walking uprightly and are missing something in your life that God is telling you that He is sufficient to replace whatever it is that you are missing?
- Todd talked at length about the response of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church to the shootings in Charleston. What enabled that church and its people to forgive the shooter who killed nine of its members? Do you have a relationship with God that would enable you to forgive such an evil deed? Read Psalm 84 again and discuss how Emanuel AME Church has lived out the message of Psalm 84. How can you and your community group live out those words today?