October 4, 2020 - Sunday Service Worship Guide
TOday's Announcements
Good morning Mercy Hill and happy Sunday to you! If you're new with us, we just wanted to extend a special welcome to you. Feel free to fill out a Connection Card to get more info or prayer. We're glad to have you with us!
If you're tuning in for the Watch Party, you'll notice that the platform has tabs where you can find today's Worship Guide, read an online Bible, and even chat. While we're meeting virtually like this, we'd encourage everyone to please consider taking a moment to put a comment in the chat box there. Let us know who you are and maybe where you're tuning in from. Say hi. We miss you! And as we get into the message, feel free to share other Scriptures that come to mind, prayer requests that you have, questions that you'd like answered, etc. It would be great to interact even in this limited format.
Here are a few critical announcements to keep in mind:
- Mercy Hill Youth Hike: All Mercy Hill Youth are invited to a hike at Almaden Quicksilver Park after Service today! Come join us for a time of fellowship while enjoying the great outdoors, and we'll provide pizza at the end of the hike as well. Plan to bring water and wear a mask so we can follow social distancing guidelines. We encourage you to pray and invite any of your friends as well. Please RSVP here so we know if you're coming, and let us know of any specific food allergies you may have. Hope to see you there!
- Covenant Membership Class - Open Registration: At the request of some in the congregation, registration for the Covenant Membership Class is now open! If you are interested in becoming a member here or simply want to re-familiarize yourself with what we’re all about, please register online. We will leave registration open for the next couple of weeks, then we’ll pick a Sunday to hold the class (either virtually or in person depending on the comfort level of those who register).
- All Church Prayer: Tonight's All Church Prayer meeting will be hosted in-person at the Wilson's residence and will take place in their yard for a safe, socially-distanced meeting. If you need the location details you can request that when you RSVP and a member of our team will get back to you. For any planning to attend, we ask that you please respect the county's guidelines by committing to self-screen before arrival and socially distance and wear a mask while present. We know this is hard, but we thank you in advance for your understanding! For more on this, you can check out our reopening document here. To RSVP, please fill out the form here. (Note: we may have to cap attendance, so be sure to register as soon as you can to save your seat!)
- In-Person Sunday Service Option: As mentioned last Sunday, we are currently working towards providing a safe and socially distanced in-person Sunday Service option. The plan is to hold these Services outside of Allen at Steinbeck Elementary (where we would meet on Sundays prior to COVID) Sundays at 10:00am. These Services would be live-streamed so that those who feel it is not yet wise or safe for them to meet can still go on participating as they have been to this point. Our target date for launch is 10/11 so please do be on the lookout for updates. More information to follow!
- Sunday Service Afterparty: Remember to join us immediately following the Watch Party via Zoom for the Afterparty (which today will include a time for connection and prayer). You can find a link to join in here.
- Mercy Hill Kids Online Worship: Beginning at 11:30am today! Go here to read more and to find a link to sign in!
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- Home Groups: Many of our Home Groups are moving to a hybrid (in-person + virtual) format. Whatever your comfort level with meeting, you're welcome to come check one out. Find one to join here. You are not alone!
- COVID-19 SOS Form: If you or anyone you know needs help during this challenging time, we'd love to do what we can!
Today's Sermon
Title: In the Resurrection . . . (Part 2)
Text: Luke 20:27-40
Preacher: Nick Weber
Manuscript: If you appreciate following along with written material, you can find today's manuscript here.
Reflection Questions
- How have you been doing lately? How have you really been doing lately? Take stock of the things going on inside your heart. In what ways has all that's been going on around us left you feeling discouraged, anxious, troubled, etc.? How does a consideration of the "age to come" as it is described by Jesus here comfort you (if it all)?
- In the last two sermons Nick has used analogies from nature (seed to coastal redwood, stars in the universe) to try to get at the reality that the age to come is going to exceed even our capacity to imagine. What other analogies can you think of that instruct us towards this same thing? Why is it important that we realize heaven is going to quite literally blow our minds?
- In Hebrews 2:15, the author says that Jesus came to "deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." What do you think this means? How have you seen this fear and slavery at work in your life and in the lives of those around you? How does Jesus set us free?
- In the sermon, Nick mentioned that we are prone to attach our identities to all manner of different things (e.g. people's opinions, our vocations, our possessions, etc.). To what are you most tempted to attach your identity? Why do you think? How does the declaration of God that, in Christ, you are a "beloved son of God" stabilize you and give you a better identity than you could find anywhere else? What would it look like to live in light of this identity in the coming week? How would you think, feel, and act?
- Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-22. What do we learn here about evangelism and reaching people for Jesus? How do we see Jesus doing this even with these Sadducees in our text? He's accommodating but not compromising. He draws near to them with compassion but calls them out with conviction. As we learn from Jesus here, who might God be calling you to meet in their world even as you try to invite and lead them out into the true world as presented in the Bible? In other words: what would it look like for you to be "incarnational" this week?
- Read Philippians 3:4-11. What stands out to you here? Have you followed Paul's example? Have you counted all as loss for the sake of knowing Christ, His righteousness, and the power of His resurrection? What are you still holding onto? Let it go and find with Paul that loss for Jesus . . . is truly GAIN!
Call to Response
1. Sing:
2. Pray:
If you need prayer in any way, please either: (1) request it during the Watch Party via the "Request Prayer" button; (2) fill out a Connection Card; or (3) post your request to our Mercy Hill Community Facebook Group. We’d love to be lifting you up and caring for you in this time!
3. Give:
If you’d like to give an offering this morning, please check out our Give page to find the best option for you!
Mercy Hill Kids
While difficult, this pandemic does create a wonderful chance for parents to step towards their God-given call as chief disciplers of their kids. We know this may feel overwhelming and that is why we want to help! Parents of Mercy Hill children should have already received an email from the Director of Mercy Hill Kids, Christina Lugo, regarding ways you can utilize the Gospel Project curriculum at home. This information has also been included on our blog here. Beyond this, each Sunday, we are also looking to host an online worship gathering for our kids. You can check here for more details. We'd love to have you join us!
If you have any questions or need help in any way, don't hesitate to reach out to Christina at
Have a Wonderful Week!