At Trailhead, we believe that church is not just about growing in God’s Word but doing so in community. We have designed this study guide to help you follow along with Sunday’s message. Study the scriptures, take notes, and then reinforce what you learned by answering a few questions. Ask others to join you in discussion, whether it be with your family or online with your Trailhead study group. Let’s have church!
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Interactive Scriptures and Notes
This link is updated weekly so we encourage you to select the “Email” button at the bottom to send your notes to yourself when you’re finished.
1 John 4:16 (NIV)
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Luke 15:17 (NIV)
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
Luke 15:20 (NIV)
So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Luke 15:11 (NIV)
… “There was a man who had two sons
Romans 5:5 (NLT)
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 10:13-15 (NIV)
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Other Notes
Discussion Questions
1) Read 1 John 4:16 and Ephesians 3:14-19 again. Pastor Josh shared that God loves us even in the middle of our mess. How does that make you feel? What does this fact communicate about the depth and character of God’s love? How might it affect how we love other people?
2) Think about the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). Do you agree with Pastor Josh that the Father is the main character in this story and not the younger son? How does this change your perspective on this story? What can we learn from it?
3) How do we get to know and understand God’s love? What role does the local church have in this? What role does your own personal relationship have?