Week of January 11, 2025  –  To Be Continued: Moses to Joshua

Description:

This week’s message reminded us that while we often resist change, God consistently uses it to accomplish His unchanging purposes.

Through the transition from Moses to Joshua, we saw that:

  • God’s promises never depend on one person

     

  • God leads His people forward through changing seasons

     

  • God calls His people to respond with obedience and courage

     

Joshua 1:8–9 gives us God’s clear instruction in seasons of uncertainty:
 study His Word, meditate on it, obey it—and move forward with strength and courage, not fear.

Small Group Study Guide

Ice Breaker Questions

  • Are you someone who prefers familiarity or enjoys change? Why?
  • What’s a change in your life that initially felt disruptive but later shaped you for the better?
  • When change happens, what’s your first internal response—fear, control, prayer, or avoidance?

Read Together 

Read each passage aloud together, then discuss:

Main Passages:

Primary Text

As you read, listen for:

  • What God promises

     

  • What God commands

     

  • What responsibility belongs to the people

Discussion Questions

God’s Promises Are Bigger Than Any One Person

📖 Deuteronomy 31:2–3

Moses doesn’t cross the Jordan—but God does.

Discuss:

  • Why is it significant that Moses points the people to God instead of himself?

     

  • Where do we sometimes attach our sense of security to people rather than to God?

     

  • How does this passage challenge the way we think about leadership and faith?

     

Key Truth:
 God’s promises move forward—even when people change.

God Leads Forward by Appointing Leaders

📖 Joshua 1:1–5

God personally commissions Joshua.

Discuss:

  • What stands out to you about how God speaks to Joshua?

     

  • Why is it comforting to know that leadership transitions are God-initiated, not accidental?

     

  • How does believing God leads leaders help reduce fear during change?

     

Key Truth:
 God is never absent between seasons—He is always ahead of His people.

God Does His Part — We Are Responsible for Ours

📖 Joshua 1:8–9

God promises His presence.
 Joshua is commanded to respond.

Discuss:

  • Why do you think God emphasizes obedience before success?

     

  • Which part is hardest for you right now: studying Scripture, meditating on it, or obeying it?

     

  • What does it look like to be “strong and courageous” in real, everyday faith?

     

Key Truth:
 We can’t control God’s role—but we are accountable for our response.

Action Steps

Invite each person to choose one or more of the following, rooted directly in Joshua 1:8–9:

1. STUDY

Set aside intentional time this week to read God’s Word—not rushed, not distracted.
 Ask: What does this passage actually say?

2. MEDITATE

Sit with Scripture.
 Repeat it. Reflect on it. Let it shape your thinking.
 Ask: What is God inviting me to believe or change?

3. OBEY

Identify one clear step of obedience God is calling you to take—and take it.
 Obedience doesn’t require full clarity, just faithful response.

4. BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS

Name one fear or discouragement you’ve been carrying.
 Pray boldly:
 “God, help me move forward—not afraid, not discouraged—because You are with me.”

Closing Prayer

God,
 You are faithful in every season.
 When things change around us, You remain the same.
 Teach us to study Your Word,
 meditate on Your truth,
 obey Your direction,
 and move forward with strength and courage.
 Help us not to be afraid or discouraged,
 because You are with us wherever we go.
 In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Week of January 4, 2025  –  To Be Continued: Trust and Obey

Description:

This week, we begin a new series called To Be Continued, rooted in the truth that God’s work does not stop when seasons change. In Acts 20, the Apostle Paul meets with the elders of Ephesus for a final, emotional farewell. He knows he is being led by the Holy Spirit into a difficult and uncertain future, yet he walks forward in obedience and trust.

This passage reminds us that faithfulness—not comfort or visible results—is how God defines success. Paul trusted God’s sovereignty, obeyed His call, and entrusted the church to the Lord rather than to himself.

We are studying this passage in a moment where change is present and emotions are real—but our confidence remains the same: God is still leading His church, and His good work is to be continued.

Small Group Study Guide

Ice Breaker Questions

  • What helps you trust God most when life feels uncertain?
  • When you think about obedience, what makes it hard?
  • What’s one example of a time God used a difficult season to grow your faith?

Read Together 

Read each passage aloud together, then discuss:

Main Passages:

Primary Text

Acts 20:17–32 (NLT)

Discussion Questions

FAITHFUL WHEN PAINFUL

Acts 20:18–19

“I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears…”

Discuss:

  • Why do you think faithfulness often includes hardship and emotion?
  • How does this challenge the idea that God’s will should always feel easy?
  • Where have you seen God grow you through difficulty?

Dig Deeper:

FAITHFUL AND FOCUSED

Acts 20:21

“I have had one message… repent and turn to God and have faith in Jesus.”

Discuss:

  • Paul did many things, but he stayed focused on one message. Why does that matter?
  • What distractions make it hard to keep the main thing the main thing?
  • How does this help us stay grounded during change?

Dig Deeper:

FAITHFUL BY FOLLOWING

Acts 20:22–23

“I am bound by the Spirit to go… I don’t know what awaits me…”

Discuss:

  • What does it mean to follow the Spirit without knowing the outcome?
  • How does Paul’s example shape how we approach big decisions?
  • What role do prayer, Scripture, and godly counsel play in discernment?

Dig Deeper:

FAITHFUL IS PERSONAL – BUT NEVER ISOLATED

Acts 20:24, 32

“My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me…”

Discuss:

  • Paul’s calling was unique, but the mission stayed the same. What does that mean for us?
  • How does entrusting the church to God (v.32) bring peace?
  • Where might God be inviting you to deeper trust and obedience?

Dig Deeper:

Action Steps

  • Pray: Ask God where He’s inviting you to trust Him more deeply this season.
  • Reflect: Identify one area where fear or uncertainty has held you back from obedience.
  • Seek Counsel: Talk with a trusted believer about a decision you’re discerning.
  • Stay Engaged: Commit to serving, praying, and showing up—especially during transition.

Closing Prayer

God,
Thank You for being faithful in every season.
Help us trust You when we don’t have all the answers,
obey You when the path is hard,
and remain faithful to Your call.

Guard our unity, deepen our trust,
and remind us that the work You began, You will finish.

We entrust ourselves—and this church—to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

GROUP LEADER NOTE: 

This week, emotions may be present—and that’s okay. Our goal is not to avoid them, but to process them through Scripture, prayer, and trust in God’s sovereignty. Let’s keep our focus where Paul keeps his: on Jesus, the gospel, and faithful obedience.