Ever Series – Wherever -You Go
Joshua 1:9 (NIV) 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Ice Breaker: Tell about the first trip (more than a day) you took without any adult supervision. How did you feel?
Pastor Dave used “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss as an allegory for his sermon points. Therefore, the Dr. Seuss quotes are a starting point giving the worldly perspective and not necessarily Biblically based. Pastor Dave redirects to a biblical view.
“Kid, you’ll move mountains! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way!” – Dr Seuss
1.What is wrong or misleading about this quote from a Biblical perspective? (Mark 11:22-23, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:10) What would be a better way to word this sentiment?
Mark 11:22–23 (NIV) 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.
John 14:6 (NIV) 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
2. The word for “way” in Hebrew and in Greek means road, path or journey. As we journey through life, what are some of the doubts that cause us to question whether God is really with us and for us? (Isaiah 41:10)
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand
Main Idea: Wherever You Go, God is There
3. Why do you think God desires to journey with us in our lives “wherever we go”? (Ephesians 2:4,1 John 4:9-10)
Ephesians 2:4–5 (NIV) 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
1 John 4:9-10 (NIV) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
Read Psalm 139:1-12 1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
4. What does Psalm 139:1-12 say about God and His relationship with his people?
WHEREVER YOU HAVE BEEN, GOD KNOWS, AND WANTS TO RESTORE YOU.
“With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.” – Dr Seuss
5. Psalm 139:1-6 describes God’s omniscience (all knowing). How does this knowledge of His omniscience bring comfort to us? How does this attribute make His forgiveness and grace amazing? (Romans 5:7-11,1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 1:9)
Romans 5:7–11 (NIV) 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
1 Peter 3:18 (NIV) 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
1 John 1:9 (NIV) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
WHEREVER YOU GO GOD WILL GUIDE YOU AND HOLD YOU.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And if you go in, should you turn left or right… or right and three quarters? Or maybe not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.” – Dr Seuss
6. Psalm 139:7-12 describes God’s omnipresence (always everywhere, ever present). How does this attribute give us comfort even when we feel far from God or have wandered from his way? (see Jonah 1-2 Summary, Romans 8:35-39)
Jonah 1-2 Summary: Jonah couldn’t outrun God, and when he tried, things got so bad that he volunteered to be cast overboard was swallowed by a fish for three days, then spit out on shore where God wanted him to be in the first place. God was in the storm, the fish, and put Jonah back where he should be.
Romans 8:35–39 (NIV) 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
7. What are the ways David uses the hand to describe what God does for us? (Psalm 63:8; 73:21-23; 139:5,10 (see above))
Psalm 63:8 (NIV) 8 I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 73:21–24 (NIV) 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
“I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.” – Dr Seuss
8. How does the principle, “wherever you go, God is there” help us to trust God in difficult times and in good times? (Romans 8:28)
Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF JESUS.
9. Wherever you go, God wants to grow. Often, he wants to grow you, but he also wants to grow his kingdom through you. How can we be a part of growing God’s kingdom? (Acts 8:4, Mark 14:9, Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 2:10)
Acts 8:4 (NIV) 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Mark 14:9 (NIV) 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Philippians 1:6 (NIV) 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Main Idea: Wherever You Go, God is There
10. How does knowing that Jesus is “with you always, to the very end of the age” empower us to “go and make disciples of all nations”? (Matthew 28:19-20)
Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
11. How are we to demonstrate that God is There, Wherever We Go? (John 13:34-35,1 John 4:11-12)
John 13:34–35 (NIV) 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
1 John 4:11–12 (NIV) 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.