Week 8 (Final Week) - Fall Focus 2024
Week Eight: Gratitude and Joy!
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
(Psalm 100:4-5)
Opening Question
What are you looking forward to this holiday season?
Note to leaders: Save some extra time at the end for more reflection on what people are thankful for and for a season of thanksgiving.
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Gratitude in the Inner Life
V. 1-2 - The first two verses are a call to Joy and Gladness. What are some things that give you great joy?
V. 3 -What do you think it means to be God’s “sheep”? How is that comforting?
V. 4 speaks about coming to God with Thanksgiving.
Why is that important?
Thanksgiving to God is a significant theme of the Bible and a vital part of keeping our inner lives healthy.
If you have time consider the following verses from the New Testament.
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness…21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
What does this tell us specifically about the importance of thanksgiving?
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
What does this tell us about the place of Gratitude in our regular prayers with God ?
Take some time as a group to share with one another the things you are thankful for right now.
Take time to have a season of prayer where everyone offers up prayers of thanksgiving…