ECC-Evangelical Covenant Church
The book of Acts is a story of action, faith, courage, and boldness in uncertain times. 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: The Eucharistic Life
August 9, 2020
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
Stacey Littlefield, Lead Pastor
Acts 27:13-26 NIV
Write this week's Good News Statement below:
Question to ponder:
How would you rate your own personal level of anxiety on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the highest level of anxiety)? What are the causes of your current, personal anxiety?
Questions to ponder:
Read the following verses in Acts 27 and consider the word in each verse (listed below) that relates to the theme of salvation. What do each of these uses of the word suggest as metaphors for our spiritual journey and salvation?
20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”
34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.”
43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.
Question to ponder: Below are the six times in Acts 27 where Paul interacts in a positive way with the crew, centurion, or the soldiers. What parallels can you find in how Paul deals with his "enemies" and how we might interact with those who oppose us today?
27.3
27.9-10
27.21-36
27.30-32
27.33-38
27.42-44
Question to ponder:
Where has someone been the grace and peace of God in your life? How did they play this part in your? Where else have you seen people live out God's grace and peace for the sake of others?
A practice to engage.
Write the names below of people among whom you think God has sent you to be his grace and peace? Commit to praying for new ways to be God's grace and peace to them this week.
Prayer for Forgiveness and a Kingdom Life
God, this day, I desire your forgiveness and mercy; I need your grace and peace to reign in my life and relationships. I confess my sin and selfishness to you. I confess that I cannot do this on my own, and I ask that you grant me your grace and peace, and that you teach me how to live as you lived. I choose daily to surrender myself to you, though I know I will not do so perfectly. I choose daily to rely on your grace to forgive me, to heal me, and to transform me. In Christ’ name, Amen.
The Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I might not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Quotables:
Questions to ponder.
Read 1 Corinthians 9.19-23. In what ways do you see Paul's words here as informing how we see him live his life in Acts 27? How might Paul's words here inform your life and way in the world--especially as we consider the anxious and divided times in which we live?
Prayer for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.