Gretnalife's Sunday Gatherings

Big Idea of the Series: This six-week series looks at Old Testament passages that foreshadowed Jesus. The Bible points to Jesus, and the Old Testament is filled with stories that show how God’s redemptive plan was to be fulfilled in Jesus. Week 1 Text: Genesis 3:1– 15         Topics: The Fall, The Serpent, The First Gospel Big Idea of the Message: In the garden of Eden, God promised to send the world Jesus. Application Point: Before you were born and had any sort of struggle, trial, or temptation, God had already promised to send you a Savior.

Text: Luke 5:17–26 Topic(s): Mission, Healing, Interruptions Big Idea of the Message: Jesus responded to interruptions in the middle of his teaching and used them to further the gospel message. Application Point: "Interruptions" in our lives can really be opportunities glorify God. Let's be a people to take those opportunities on with excitement!

Week 4 Text: Matthew 14:13–22 Topic(s): Mission, Healing, Interruptions Big Idea of the Message: In his grief, Jesus still served his community. It turns out serving helps God's people heal and grow in a powerful and unique way.

Text: Mark 10:46–52 Topic(s): Healing, Interruptions, Serving, Acceptance, Community Big Idea of the Message: Jesus responded to the most vulnerable in society, even when they made others uncomfortable

This is the purpose and mission of the church, and Jesus expects us to embrace it.

Week 4: Joy Text: Matthew 2:1–18 Key Words: treasures, prophecy fulfilled, God's glory Big Idea of the Message: The people we see at Jesus’s arrival point us to his essential nature. The wise men say, with with great JOY, “Here is your King!”

Week 3: Love Text: Luke 2:8-21 Key Words: incarnation, shepherds, least of these, love of God Big Idea of the Message: Every person’s life is impacted by the birth of Jesus because every person’s eternity can be changed by his death and resurrection. This is the LOVE of God incarnate,

Week 2 Text: Matthew 1:18-25 Key Words: Peace, Jesus, Advent, Bridge to God Big Idea of the Message: God’s Son came to Mary and Joseph as the fulfilled promise of a Savior for the world. His arrival was intended to bring PEACE between God and man, and restoration of all creation.

Big Idea of the Series: This series weaves together Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of Christ’s birth to tell the story of Christmas over four weeks. Text: Luke 1:5–25, 39–45 Topics: John the Baptist’s Birth, Angels, Jesus’s Birth Big Idea of the Message: God uses the HOPE & faithfulness of Zechariah and Elizabeth to prepare the way for the arrival of John the Baptist and the eventual arrival of Jesus Christ. Application Point: God is committed to the faithful, but sometimes we must trust the Lord and wait patiently for his provision; then he can bless others through us.

Big Idea of the Series: This series aims to both focus our hearts on how we approach worship, and broaden our view of what worship can (and maybe should) look like. Week 4 Text: Psalm 63:3-4, 65:7, 117, 145:4; Matthew 5:14-16 Topics: Shabach, Holy Roar, Celebrate Big Idea of the Message: The final word of our study - shabach - embodies the concept of a Holy Roar.  To celebrate, and boast of our God not just on Sunday, but so that all the world might know how great He is!

Big Idea of the Series: This series aims to both focus our hearts on how we approach worship, and broaden our view of what worship can (and maybe should) look like. Week 3 Text: Psalm 63:7, 148:1-5 Topics: yadah, halal, celebrate worship Big Idea of the Message: The fact that a perfect God calls us His children is cause for celebration, especially in our worship of Him.

Big Idea of the Series: This series aims to both focus our hearts on how we approach worship, and broaden our view of what worship can (and maybe should) look like. Week 2 Text: Psalm 100:1-5 Topics: zamar, tehillah, spontaneous praise Big Idea of the Message: This week, Tina walks us through what it looks like to worship God spontaneously.

Big Idea of the Series: This series aims to both focus our hearts on how we approach worship, and broaden our view of what worship can (and maybe should) look like. Week 1 Text: Psalm 100:1-5 Topics: obedience, celebration, reverence, joy, worship Big Idea of the Message: When we worship the Lord, we are approaching and worshipping the King of Kings & the Lord of Lords. One we obey, the other we trust to carry us into eternity. The Lord is deserving of both.

This week, Lydia McCullough shares her story of challenge, change, and faith. We hope it will encourage and inspire you in your walk with Jesus!

As we read the Book of Acts, we are painted a picture of the Church that is dynamic, powerful, and world-changing. Join us as we discuss one such example in Acts 4, and ask ourselves if we are brave enough to be UGLY. Text: Acts 4:31-37

We believe that the Lord loves the people of the world so much that he gave his Son’s life to save it.  It is the reason we who follow him are saved. Pray that we would be a body that sees people as the Lord sees them. Pray that we would look for and find the image of God in every person we encounter. Pray that our hearts will feel God’s pain in seeing someone - anyone - lost & separated from Him. Pray that we would have the love to speak life through the Gospel - because God first did it for us. 

Text: Matthew 6:19-21 Topic(s): A Heart for the House Big Idea of the Message: What does it mean to have a heart for something? Having a heart for the House of God is to love His people (even if we don't like them), and His mission. More Info, including guide materials at www.gretna.life  

Text: Luke 10:38–42 Topic(s): Imitating Christ, Faithfulness Big Idea of the Message: Prayer, Fasting, and Scripture Knowledge were critical to Jesus's life, and to ours as well.  During this series, we will look at impacts of these practices, and join together in living them out over the next 21 Days. More Info, including guide materials at www.gretna.life  

Week 6 Text: Luke 14:25–33 Topics: Discipleship, Love, Faithfulness Big Idea of the Message: Christ reminds us that our love should first and foremost be for him, to such an extent that the love given to all other people in our lives seems insignificant in comparison. Application Point: Pray for the relational idols of your heart to be revealed and to give your love foremost to God.

Week 5: Millstones Text: Mark 9:42–50 Topics: Sin, Righteousness, Judgment Big Idea of the Message: Stop worrying about status, competition, influence, control and - frankly, getting what you want-  and start worrying about nurturing the “little ones” - because that’s the Father’s priority…do that, and you will surely be rewarded