Your Mailbox: 2021 Bible Reading Plan & more!

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Dear Trinity Grace,

One of the things I would like to begin doing more regularly is writing letters to you on our blog.

It is an opportunity for me to share things that I don’t have always have time to address during a Sunday serving.

So, here we go…

2021 BIBLE READING PLAN

July 1 marks halfway through our 2021 Bible Reading Plan!

We’ve been trudging through the downfall of the kings, but things start looking up from exile after this. You can download the reading plan for July–December here.

If this is the first you’ve heard of our Bible Reading plan, we are reading through the whole Old Testament together. You can still jump in—and finish next year! Tomorrow, we begin in the book of Chronicles & continue through the Psalms!

While we are talking about Bible reading, several things come to mind for me.

BEFORE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE, PREPARE YOUR HEART

You may be a morning person. I am not!

I wake up many mornings wondering whether I am still a Christian! I wake up & have to begin again to fight grumbling, complaining, & discontent. It’s sad, but true many mornings.

One thing I have found very helpful: before I read my Bible, I strive to prepare my heart.

One of my favorite ways to prepare my heart to commune with God & read the Bible is to pray four simple prayers I learned from John Piper before I begin reading.

I—Incline my heart to you, not to prideful gain or any false motive. (Psalm 119:36)

O—Open my eyes to behold wonderful things in your Word. (Psalm 119:18)

U—Unite my heart to fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)

S—Satisfy me with your steadfast love. (Psalm 90:14)

I don’t know how many times I have prayed those prayers. They are simple but praying them repeatedly & sincerely has been a simple practice that has served my soul well.

Each of these prayers take up specific Scriptures & turn our eyes away from what we are doing to the Lord who can build us up & strengthen us!

If you ever want to take about Bible reading & communion with God, feel free to talk with me or one of the other pastors.

Yours in Christ,

Walt

Life Together: The Gathered Church—July 29-31.

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Churches are strong together.

One of the benefits we enjoy by partnering with other churches in Sovereign Grace is teaching, encouragement, & fellowship.

We have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy these benefits at the upcoming Life Together conference.

LIFE TOGETHER: THE GATHERED CHURCH

Next month, Sovereign Grace Music is hosting a mini-conference for the churches in our region on why we gather each Sunday as a church. It will include our “sister churches” from the region: Living Hope Church (Fayetteville, AK), Redeeming Grace Church (Franklin, TN), Cornerstone Church (Knoxville, TN), Sovereign Grace Church (Louisville, KY), & us.

After more than a year of trying to figure out if we can gather as a church, how we gather as a church, & where we gather as a church, we think it’s the perfect time to remember why we gather as a church.

If we live until we are 80, we will spend over 6,000 hours gathering together to worship as a church. This conference is a wonderful opportunity to think carefully about why we gather.

It’s for musicians & worship leaders—and for anyone else interested.

The breakdown is:

  • Walt Alexander will be speaking on how our gatherings are to be God-initiated & God-exalting.

  • Jeff Purswell will be speaking on how our gatherings are to be Scripture-governed & fueled.

  • CJ Mahaney will be speaking on how our gatherings are to be Gospel-centered & driven.

  • Bob Kauflin will be speaking on how our gatherings are to be Spirit-enabled & empowered.

  • Devon Kauflin will be speaking on how our gatherings are to be congregationally aware & prioritized.

HERE’S ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • WHERE: Cornerstone Church (1250 Heritage Lake Blvd, Knoxville, TN, 37303)

  • WHEN: Thursday evening (July 29)—Saturday morning (July 31)

  • HOW MUCH: $15 per individual / $35 per family

  • SIGN UP HERE

If you would like to go but cannot afford it, please contact the office (contact[at]trinitygraceathens[dot]com) & we would love to help.

Get ready for Trinity Grace's VBS!

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We are excited for this summer’s Trinity Grace Vacation Bible School!

CLAP YOUR HANDS & STOMP YOUR FEET

Lauren & Joy gave us a little preview last Sunday, but we are excited about the theme of worship for this year’s Vacation Bible School (VBS).

We often call kids to clap their hands & sing & (sometimes!) stomp their feet in worship, but do we tell them why? Do we tell them about the astonishingly good Father we are responding to with worship? Do we regularly tell them about what our Savior has done for us?

Jesus had strong words for those whose worship was merely external.

We long to see our church—& the children of our church—to be saturated in the truths of gospel so that our response of worship is heartfelt & filled with awe!

ALL THE DETAILS

WHEN: Wednesday, July 15–Friday, July 17

WHAT TIME: 6:30pm-8:15pm

WHERE: Athens Market Pavilion (103 S. Jackson St.)

CAN YOU HELP?

Do you some hidden talent? Maybe . . . juggling 5 grapefruits a time, wrangling gaggles of toddlers for a craft, signing exuberantly with hand motions, whipping up snacks for a crowd?

If so, we could use your help!

Email us at (contact[at]trinitygraceathens.com) with your info & we will get back to you.

Sunday Recap- Your Transformation

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It’s so good to have Taylor back. And we wasted no time in putting him to work!

This past Sunday, Taylor delivered the message and dove into Galatians 4:4-7. And what a gospel rich message & text! We were reminded that Christ transforms us from slaves to sons.

Often, we tend to think we need to do things in order to stay in God’s favor. And Taylor asked, “Why does God love us?”.

The answer comes from who God is, not from us.

Below are Taylor’s sermon notes, quotes, and scripture references. Or you can listen to the sermon by CLICKING HERE.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.  -Galatians 4:4-7 ESV

MAIN POINT:

“The gospel transforms us from slaves to sin to sons of God.” 

1.) Through the Son, our adoption is secured.

Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.. -Galatians 2:16

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” -Galatians 3:13

“If He had not been man, He could not have redeemed men. If He had not been a righteous man, He could not have redeemed unrighteous men. And if He had not been God’s Son, He could not have redeemed men for God or made them the sons of God.”  -John Stott

“To be right with God the judge is a great thing, but to be loved by God the Father is greater.” -J.I. Packer

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8

2.) Through the Spirit, our adoption is assured

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. -Ezekiel 36:26

...Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. -Mark 14:36

...the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons... -Hebrews 12:6-7a

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.-Galatians 2:20

“The knowledge that the Father has bestowed his love on us, so that we are called children of God - and in fact are his children, will, over time, prove to be the solvent in which our fears, mistrust, and
suspicion of God - as well as our sense of distance from him - will eventually dissolve.” -Sinclair Ferguson

New Employee: Taylor Hollingsworth!

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We are so excited to the Hollingsworths back, firstly, because they are our friends!

But we are also excited Taylor will begin serving the church full time.

Taylor’s first day is June 29.

After moving back last weekend, Taylor is taking a few weeks off with his family to get situated back in their new home in Athens.

He will officially begin working for the church on Tuesday, June 29.

And he’ll cap off his first week of work by going on the mission trip to Mexico!

WHAT WILL TAYLOR DO?

Right now, Pastor Walt is the only full-time employee for Trinity Grace, so there is so much Taylor could do to help us. However, adding Taylor as a full-time employee & discerning how he can best serve the church will take time.

However, the primary focus of his work will be: help us welcome new folks & reach unchurched folks in our community.

As you know (or will soon find out), Taylor & his wife Elisabeth are very warm & welcoming. They love people & love—more than anything else—seeing people rooted in God’s love for them in Jesus. They are gifted with people & we are excited to see their gifts serve our church.

In this role, Taylor will help welcome new folks & help folks who begin attending get connected. He will plan & lead outreach classes & opportunities. He will train us in sharing the gospel with neighbors, co-workers, & friends. He will work with the Deacons on ways we can serve the folks in our community by meeting practical needs.

We are sure he will do more than that! However, we are excited that this will be his primary focus!

WHAT WILL BE HIS TITLE?

Taylor will continue serve the church full-time as a Pastoral Resident.

Pastoral Resident is a title we use for someone seeking to understand pastoral ministry & serve in pastoral ministry prior to being ordained. Taylor served as a part-time pastoral resident for a year before attend Pastors College.

What’s ordination? I’m glad you asked!

The New Testament calls pastors to ordain men by the “laying on of hands” to serve the church as pastors after a time of preparation & evaluation. Paul referenced this moment in Timothy’s life (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). Acts 13:1-3 describes a similar ordination-type service. 1 Timothy 5:22 commands pastors to do this carefully saying, “do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.”

So, on June 29, Taylor will continue to serve as a pastoral resident & will begin preparing for ordination.

Please pray for Taylor!

In partnership with the other churches in our region, the ordination process will include a fair amount of reading, 2 written exams, & an oral exam sometime next Spring. After the completion of those exams (which we are sure Taylor will crush!), we will provide time to hear from you & confirm your sense of God calling Taylor to serve us.

god is building his church.

Jesus promised us, I will build my church & the gates of hell will not prevail against us.

The return of the Hollingsworths, amidst all the other things God is doing in our church, is another reminder that God is at work building Trinity Grace Church. Not because we are impressive & definitely not because we are impressed with ourselves. God is building his church so that more in our city & county might know “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7).

To God be all the glory!

Sunday Recap: The Demoniac & the Merciful Lord of All.

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Sunday is the best day of the week & there were so many precious moments last Sunday.

Like the one above!

(Though I don’t know why Isabel was decorated with toilet paper!)

THE DEMONIAC & THE MERCIFUL LORD OF ALL

We studied the second in a cluster of three stories revealing revealing more about who Jesus really is.

After delivering the disciples through the storm, Jesus arrives on the other side of the sea & has a fascinating encounter with a demon-possessed man in Mark 5:1-20.

If you weren’t able to join us, you can watch the whole service on our YouTube & listen to the sermon on our podcast.

OUTLINE OF THE SERMON

1. Who is the man?

  • I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices . . . who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels. Isaiah 65:1-4

2. Who is Legion?

  • The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

  • And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Colossians 3:13-15

3. Who is Jesus?

  • “Unless the Almighty arm had been under me, I think I should have died with gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and wonder.” William Cowper

  • There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us. Richard Sibbes

Main point: Don’t be deceived! Jesus is the all-powerful Lord who shows mercy to everyone who believes.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Preliminary question:

In these days, we have been taught that only those things that can be replicated, measured, documented, & verified should be believed. How does our 21st-century frame of reference affect us when we read a story such as Mark’s account of the Garasene man?

1. On the other side of the sea, Jesus and the disciples immediately encounter a strange man who lived among the Garasenes. How does Mark describe him?

2. What do you find to be most surprising about the story?

3. Why were the Garasenes afraid when they saw this previously wild, uncontrollable man clothed, sitting, & in his right mind?

4. What do we learn about who Jesus is from the story?

5. Why did Jesus not allow the demoniac to go with them?

6. Where has Jesus placed you? Where is your “home”? Who are the “friends” he has called you to share the good news with?

Baptism Class, June 27!

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How do I know I am Christian? How do i know for sure my faith is my own & not just something I do because of how I was raised or because it is something my friends do?

There is no more important question for us to consider.

in this Baptism Class, as we consider the topic of baptism, we are really trying to answer this very important question.

That said, this class is for you:

  • if you’re a parent seeking to lead your children to personal trust in Jesus.

  • if you’ve never been baptized & wonder if you should be.

  • if you’ve wondered what it means “to be a Christian” & want help finding the answer.

The class will be:

WHEN: Sunday, June 27

WHAT TIME: 9:15am-10am

WHERE: Learners classroom

WHAT ELSE: Coffee is provided!

Why Do We Sing Psalm 150?

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Last Sunday, we introduced a new song to you!

It is a song based on Psalm 150—the final, full-throated praise chapter of the Psalms—that ends: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

WHY DO WE NEED TO SING PSALM 150?

Life is not all joy. It is not all happiness. It is not all praise.

But, we need to sing Psalm 150 because one day it will be.

One of the writers of this song said this about:

“The book of Psalms beautifully and famously shows the breadth and depth of human emotion. It helps us “feel” our faith. in many of our songs in the past we have explored the reality of our sorrows, but with Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord), we wanted to emphasize the power of how the book of Psalms culminates - in overwhelming joy and praise! I think in 150 being the final Psalm God is teaching us something - that sorrows are real, confusion will happen, the journey is long - but it all crescendos in praise. There is an exclamation point! Joy is where we are headed. The world knows it. The seas know it. The mountains know it. And we can get in on it.” Matt Papa

FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH “PSALM 150 (PRAISE THE LORD)”

Take time to familiarize yourself with this new song.

You can watch the YouTube video here.

You can read through the lyrics below.

Verse 1

You made the starry hosts, You traced the mountain peaks

You paint the evening sky with wonders

The earth, it is Your throne, From desert to the sea

All nature testifies Your splendor

Chorus

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord

Sing His greatness, All creation

Praise the Lord, Raise your voice

You heights and all you depths, From furthest east to west

Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord

Verse 2

You reached into the dust, In love, Your Spirit breathed

You formed us in Your very likeness, To know Your wondrous works

To tell Your mighty deeds, To join the everlasting chorus

Verse 3

Let symphonies resound, Let drums and choirs ring out

All heaven hear the sound of worship

Let every nation bring, Its honors to the King

A roar of harmonies eternal

Final Chorus

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord

Sing His greatness, All creation

Praise the Lord, Raise your voice

You heights and all you depths, From furthest east to west

You distant burning stars, All creatures near and far

From sky to sea to shore, Sing out forevermore

Let everything that has breath

Praise the Lord

Words and Music by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa

The Hollingsworths are moving back!

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After almost a year spent in Louisville, KY at Sovereign Grace Pastors College, the Hollingsworths are returning to Athens!

The Lord has blessed them with in the purchase of a home near downtown Athens & they are moving in next Friday, June 11!

I’m sure you want to help them get settled so . . .

THREE WAYS TO SERVE THE HOLLINGSWORTHS

The Deacons have put together three ways we can welcome them & help them during this transition.

Would you consider picking one of the three ways to help them?

1. Help them move into their new home.

They are moving in next Friday afternoon around 3-4pm to a house on Keith Lane.

If you are able to help, please contact Dustin or Mandy Tinsman to sign up & for more details.

2. Help them stock their pantry.

In the old days, neighbors would join in a “pounding” for new folks who move in, filling their pantry with a pound of sugar, flour, & so on. We would love to stop their pantry with non-perishable foods & stock their refrigerator with the good stuff.

CLICK HERE for a full list of suggested items. Email Melanie Balch (melaniebalch [at] gmail [dot] com) to sign up for a few items.

Please drop off your items before Friday, June 11 either at the Balch’s home or Walt’s office (219 E. Madison Ave).

3. Bring them a home-cooked meal.

Have you ever tried to unpack boxes or paint with 4 kids under 8?

Me either. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy! Let’s provide them a few meals through the transition.

CLICK HERE to sign up for the meal train.

Save the Date: Things going on in June!

It’s already June. We can’t believe it!

Below are some of the events planned this month in the life of Trinity Grace.

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Find the right group for you!

The heart & soul of our church are Community Groups, where real friendships are formed.

They meet every other week at the following times:

Wednesdays, 6pm | Pritchetts & Alexanders

Fridays, 6pm | Lusters

Sundays, 1pm | Finches

Sundays, 4pm | Olsens

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Men’s Prayer Night, June 9.

There are few things more strengthening than joining times of prayer with friends.

Men, mark your calendars for next week’s prayer night.

7pm | Event Space at White Street Market

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Welcome Back, Hollingsworths!

Taylor & Elisabeth & their motley crew are moving back to Athens on June 11!

Let’s get ready to welcome them back!

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Picnic Lunch, June 13!

Need we say more.

Bring a lunch with you to church. And plan to linger after the service to enjoy a slow Sunday afternoon!

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Baptism Class, June 27.

How can you know for sure you are a Christian?

That is one of the most important questions you can ask. If you don’t know for sure, consider coming to the baptism class to explore the meaning of conversion & the purpose of baptism.

June 27, 9am | Ramble Creek Upstairs Room

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Brinner, June 27.

Last Brinner until the July break.

Highschoolers, mark your calendars for some pancake-goodness!

June 27, 6pm | Alexander’s Home

Kingdom of God & the Movies: Sunday Recap

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Yesterday TGC was at the movies. While the Learners Class watched Veggie Tales on the big screen, we looked at the way Jesus described the Kingdom of God.

It can be so encouraging to remember that when our efforts for the Lord seem useless, He is ultimately doing things that might be hidden. It shouldn’t shake us. The Lord often works in secret.

CLICK HERE if you would like to listen to the message again.

Below are Pastor Walt’s sermon notes from yesterday.

MAIN POINT:: Don’t give up; nothing will be able to stop the full salvation of God in Jesus.

  1. The kingdom has come.

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:19

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation, all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven. Daniel 4:34-35

“The kingdom, which has already begun with Jesus, does not come with a glorious bang and the defeat of Rome; rather, it comes unexpectedly, almost unnoticed.” Klyne Snodgrass

“One needs a special faith to risk trusting one’s whole life to something that lies hidden.” David Garland

2. The kingdom is growing.

“In his beginning the end is already implicit. No doubts with regard to his mission, no scorn, no lack of faith, no impatience, can make Jesus waver in his certainty that out of nothing, ignoring all failure, God is carrying on his beginnings to completion. All that is necessary is to take God seriously, to take him into account in spite of all outward appearance.” Joachim Jeremias

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. Acts 17:24-25

3. The kingdom will come in full.

Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. . . . The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. Joel 3:13-14,16

"Why has this life had such a remarkable influence? . . . The answer is that Brainerd’s life is a vivid, powerful testimony to the truth that God can and does use weak, sick, discouraged, beat-down, lonely, struggling saints who cry to him day and night to accomplish amazing things for his glory.” John Piper

“When I really enjoy God, I feel my desires of him the more insatiable, and my thirstings after holiness the more unquenchable. . . . Oh, for holiness! Oh, for more of God in my soul! Oh, this pleasing pain! It makes my soul press after God. . . . Oh, that I may feel this continual hunger . . . to reach forward in the narrow way, for the full enjoyment and possession of the heavenly inheritance. Oh, that I might never loiter on my heavenly journey!” David Brainerd

Leadership McMinn: Book Drive.

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We are so thankful to be a church in Athens. We are humbled to be a part of what God is doing in this city. And so, we want to do our part to help others here. We want to make the problems of Athens our own.

In February, the program Let’s Read 20 lost their building due to a fire. This meant the loss of thousands of books to be given out freely to people in Athens.

We have an opportunity to help them.

Pastor Walt is a part of this year’s Leadership McMinn, a leadership course with the City of Athens Chamber of Commerce.

The class project this year is to help collect new & gently used books & donations for Let’s Read 20.

Here’s how you can help:

  • Drop off new & gently used books at Pastor Walt’s office (219 E. Madison Ave.) any time Wednesday (6/2) thru Friday (6/4) of next week.

  • Donate to the following GoFundMe page.

All the donations will conclude at MooFest on Saturday, June 5.

In addition to accepting book donations that day, Leadership McMinn will have a dunking booth for you to dunk your favorite state & local leader!

We hope you can join us in helping Let’s Read 20!

Advance 2021!

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It is that time again! SUMMER!

Summer means games, fun, fellowship, and sunny days by the water.

It’s also a time for ADVANCE!

What is Advance? I’m glad you asked.

Advance is a annual weekend youth retreat put on by our good friends at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. But it’s not like other youth retreats. This retreat puts the gospel front and center.

In addition, while it is a youth retreat, parents are invited to attend as well.

Parents play a irreplaceable role in discipling their children & over the past several years, it has been so encouraging to see relationships between parents & teens built up over these several days away.

It is certain to be a great time together. Filled with lots of Bible, worship, friends, & lots of competition!

All the details are below.

  • WHERE: Fort Bluff Camp

370 Fort Bluff Camp Road

Dayton, TN 37321

  • WHEN: Thursday, July 22- Saturday, July 24

  • COST: Early bird- $90 (After June 16)- $110

  • WHO: 6th-12th graders and their parents to learn together.

Price includes lodging, meals, and activities. Activities will include messages, worship, games, water-slide, human foosball, water blob, swimming pool, gaga ball and our annual clash of clans!

To keep the costs as low as possible we are making Advance T-shirts optional. You can purchase them for $15 each as an additional item when checking out.

Don't Forget!

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This Sunday & next Sunday we will be meeting at the Athens Movie Palace!

Get your fill of God’s word & then support our local movie theatre by buying popcorn, cokes, & candy!

See you then.

Sundays, May 23 & 30

10:30am

Athens Movie Palace (1436 Decatur Pike)

Sunday Recap & Discussion Questions

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This past Sunday we honored our four high school graduates—Chase Blankenbaker, John Olsen, Kaitlyn Smith, and Janelle Thomas. Like Melanie Smith said, “They are worthy of the honor, because graduating from high school is a significant milestone and a great accomplishment.”

So we give God the Glory for how He has worked in their lives and what He will do with them in this new season!

In addition, Walt continued our series in Mark explaining the “Marken sandwich” in Mark chapter 3.

Below are the notes from Walt’s sermon and the discussion questions for this week’s community groups.

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1. The Top Bun.

2. The Meat.

“Lo, I am a man like to my brethren, having flesh and blood, and all properties of man’s nature, sin, which is thy venom, excepted. Tempt, try, and assault me. I offer thee here a place most convenient, – the wilderness: – there shall be no mortal creature to comfort me against thy assaults; thou shalt have time sufficient to do what thou canst; I shall not fly the place of battle. If thou become victor, thou may still continue in possession of thy kingdom in this wretched world: but if thou canst not prevail against me, then must thy prey and unjust spoil be taken from thee; thou must grant thyself vanquished and confounded, and must be compelled to leave off from all accusations of the members of my body; for to them doth appertain the fruit of my battle; my victory is theirs, as I am appointed to take the punishment of their sins in my body.” -John Knox

Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued? For thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. . . . Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”- Isaiah 49:24-26

“Mark signifies the unique pitfall that this sin can pose for religious people. . . . In this respect, wickedness poses a lesser problem for the grace of God than do pride and self-righteousness.” -James Edwards

3. The Bottom Bun.

(1) If you are a Christian, you are Jesus’ brother or sister.

“Let all true Christians drink comfort out of these words. Let them know that there is One at least, who knows them, loves them, cares for them, and reckons them as his own family. What though they be poor in this world? They have no cause to be ashamed, when they remember that they are the brethren and sisters of the Son of God.” -J.C. Ryle

(2) Your allegiance to Jesus & what he is doing should rise above every other commitment, even to your family & your country.

(3) If your allegiances are not rightly ordered, there is still time to repent.

Discussion questions

1. What is unique about the way this story is told? Why does Mark “sandwich” a bit of teaching in the middle of the story?

2. If Mark is “sandwiching” this teaching in the midst of the story to tell us the meaning of the story, then what connection is Mark between the family of Jesus & the scribes?

3. What is the warning Jesus gives the religious leaders gathered? (V.28-30).

4. How might we travel down a path that would put us in opposition to God?

5. Walt shared Ray Ortlund’s description of the 3 kinds of people: 1) Those who do the Lord’s work His way, 2) Those who do the Lord’s work their way, and 3) Those who do the Devil’s work.

  • What are the differences between these 3 types of people?

  • Who represents who in these verses from Mark?

  • Who are the “groups” in Mark’s story and which type of person do they represent?

Community Groups this Week!

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WHY COMMUNITY GROUP?

The New Testament includes over thirty “one another” commands. Love one another, show hospitality to one another, outdo one another in showing honor, pray for one another, & so on.

While gathering together to worship on Sunday mornings is a unique blessing, it is hard to accomplish all these “one another” commands at that time!

That’s where Community Groups come in. At Trinity Grace, they are the primary context for building friendships & serving one another.

IT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK!

Our groups are meeting this week at various times around Athens. If you haven’t yet visited a group, or would like to see what it’s all about, CLICK HERE to find out more.

Pritchett & Alexander—Wednesday at 6pm

Luster—Friday at 6pm

Finch—Sunday at 1pm

Olsen—Sunday at 4pm

We hope to see you this week!