ECC-Evangelical Covenant Church
The Kingdom of God took root in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of God began to take shape in the world, as well.
The book of Acts is a story of action, faith, courage, and boldness in uncertain times. Then, it was persecution that deployed the Church; today, it is a virus. Tomorrow, it may be something else. How might the Kingdom take shape in our world, as it did then?
Join us Sundays at 10:30am (ecclife.net/stream or facebook.com/ecclife) as we rediscover the passion and power of the early Church and what they have to teach us in our uncertain and anxious times today.
The Kingdom Takes Shape: A Subversive Victory
June 14, 2020
Second Sunday After Pentecost
Stacey Littlefield, Lead Pastor
Acts 12:1-24 NIV
Write this week's good news statement below.
Questions to ponder.
One of the realities we discover in Acts 12 is the subversive nature of God's work in and through things and people least suspected (i.e., a prayer meeting while Peter is in jail, a woman in Roman society, a servant girl who discovers Peter's escape). What other subversive, small, surprising beginnings can you think of from the pages of Scripture? In history? In today's society?
Questions to ponder.
What is an area of passion for you concerning something that is wrong or broken in the world? How often do you pray about this issue? What work have you done to bring healing and hope to this issue? If you haven't really done any work, why not? How might you change that this week? If you have done some work, where have you seen reason to celebrate victory?
A practice to engage.
Read Psalm 94. Now, sit down and write out your own psalm of complaint or lament. Using Psalm 94 (or Psalm 13) as a model, what would you cry out to God today? Spend time praying your psalm to God this week.
Question to Ponder.
Several scriptural examples of our coming and present victory in Christ were shared in the message today. Off the top of your head, what other verses or passages from Scripture speak to our coming and ultimate victory in Christ? How many can you name?
For children.
Can you think of a story or movie of someone who has a hard life or difficult challenges, but does something big and good at the end? How did they do it? How did it make you feel?
Prayer for the Second Sunday after Pentecost
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.