Ascent #2 - Ascend for Worship
Psalm 122-123
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund
Part of Ascent—January 5 - February 23, 2025
January 10, 2025

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Message Notes and Group Study Guide

Date: January 11-12, 2025
Speaker: Kurt Bjorklund
Series: Ascent
Message: #2 - Ascend for Worship

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Scripture

A song of ascents. Of David.

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up—
the tribes of the Lord—
to praise the name of the Lord
according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There stand the thrones for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.”
8 For the sake of my family and friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your prosperity. —Psalm 122:1-9 (NIV)

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
4 We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud. —Psalm 123:1-4 (NIV)

Notes

Study Guide

Step One: Icebreaker (Optional)
Outside of a church service, what recent experience might you describe as worshipful? What made it so impactful?

Step Two: Prayer and Scripture Reading
Ask someone in your group to pray to open your time together. Ask another person to read Psalm 122-123.

Step Three: Discuss

  1. Weekend Message: What was most challenging, encouraging, confusing, or stood out most to you?

  2. Joy in Worship: Psalm 122:1 speaks about the joy of going to the house of the Lord. Consider your recent attendance at church. Would you consider it joyful to be in church? Why or why not? How might we cultivate a greater sense of joy in our worship, both individually and collectively?

  3. Peace in Worship: Psalm 122:6 mentions praying for the peace of Jerusalem. How does worship help us experience peace? Is worship an effective way of advancing peace in our world?

  4. Dependence in Worship: Psalm 123 expresses a deep dependence on God. How can recognizing our reliance on God enhance our worship experience? How might we grow in our dependence on God in our daily lives?

  5. Looking to God in Worship: Re-read Psalm 123:2. What does it mean to “look to God” in worship? How might we increase our focus on God during worship? Especially amidst distractions.

  6. Community in Worship: In both psalms there is a sense of community and collective worship. How does worshiping together with people of faith impact your spiritual journey? What are the ways that worship might strengthen a community?

Step Four: Close in Prayer
Ask someone in your group to close in prayer, focusing on specific requests for people to find and follow Jesus.