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Confidence in God’s Providence Sermon

Ryan Garrett [Middle School Student Minister]

Sermon Points & Scripture References: 

• Sermon Takeaway =  Confidence in God’s Providence

• Scripture Reference: Esther 6

• Sermon Point: Providence

• Sermon Point: Pride

• Sermon Point: Patience

Sermon Discussion Questions

Get to know me

The purpose of these questions is to generate responses that are self-revealing and informative. Feel free to ask all of these questions to your group or simply choose the one that best fits your group.

1. How has your faith influenced your life this past week? How do you see this influence come to life in your actions or decisions? Can you think of a specific example where this influence was clearly visible?

2. Can you share a moment this week when you felt particularly close to God? What were you doing at the time, and how did that moment make you feel? How has this feeling persisted or changed since that moment?

3. What prayer has been on your heart recently, and why? How can the group help you in prayer concerning this matter?

4. What's a recent challenge where you found strength in your faith? What resources or scriptures helped you navigate through this challenge? 

Into the Bible

The purpose of these questions is to draw group members into the Bible to discover the truth from passages that were not the primary text for the weekend message.

1. Read Romans 8:28,37-39. Romans 8:28 is one of the most comforting but misused verses in Scripture. God's providence is all in it, stating that He will use all things for good, which is His good. His ultimate good should be our ultimate joy, but this is challenging for us when trials and suffering are a meant for good. This is why v.37-39 are important reminders that no matter what happens, if you are in Christ, saved in His salvation, you will always be His. That can never be taken away. How have you seen the challenges or trials in your life turn out to be good as God would consider good? How can these verses help you to look at your daily life - good, bad, ups, downs - in a different way to have an attitude towards life that honors God?

Application

The purpose of these questions is to apply the main points from the weekend message.

1. Sermon Point: Providence. Providence means that God is directing all things in the universe to bring about His sovereign will. God is in control of birth, death, where the rain falls and the sun shines, losing or getting a job, stock market rising and falling, etc. In bad times and good times, God is in control. God’s providence is mysterious. Sometimes, we can’t see how this would be God’s plan. But, it’s also glorious and comforting because it means that nothing is arbitrary and everything has meaning. What situations taking place in the world currently do you struggle with to understand how God is using it for His glory? How can you reconcile the uncertainty of the things in life with the certainty of God's goodness? 

2. Sermon Point: Pride. Haman's vendetta against Mordecai blinded him to good thinking, and his desire for prestige and power did the same. He was so focused on himself that when Xerxes asked how he could honor Mordecai, Haman thought the king was referring to him. Have you experienced a situation where pride has caused an undesirable outcome, and if so what happened? What ways can you think of to avoid being prideful or turning from pride when it is creeping into your life?

3. Sermon Point: Patience.It’d been five years since Mordecai saved the life of the king with no recognition. I’m sure he thought he’d never be recognized for his faithfulness to the king. But, five years later, hours before he was to be executed, God put it in the king’s heart to honor him, at just the right time.If he would’ve been honored five years earlier, he’d be executed at this moment. God’s delays aren’t denials. God is always on time. He’s never late or early. What do you feel like is going on in your life where God is telling you to wait? What can you do to confirm whether to wait or if the answer from God is ‘No’?