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October 14, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
God’s Name
Week 4 Devotional Scripture Exodus 20:7 (ESV) Lesson Summary A name represents a person. God’s name represents who He is, so the way we use His name matters. The third commandment calls us to honour Him rather than use His name carelessly, claim His approval for things He has not said, or pretend to follow Jesus while deliberately living a lie. Jesus teaches us to pray that God’s name would be treated as holy. We put that prayer into practice through truthful words, trustworthy promises, kindness, and courage to do what is right. Our lives should reflect the character of the Saviour we claim to follow. When we fail, we do not need to pretend we are perfect. Jesus offers forgiveness through His death and resurrection. We can confess our sin, apologize to those we have hurt, and make things right where possible. Honouring God includes being honest about our need for His grace. Small Group Questions Understanding the Passage How would you feel if someone used your name to tell a lie or make fun of you? How does that help you understand why the way we use God’s name matters? What makes it easy to use God’s name without thinking—in conversation, messages, jokes, or online? What could help you change that habit? Why might someone say that God agrees with them when they are really sharing their own opinion? How could you check whether something is actually taught in the Bible? Jesus says our yes should mean yes and our no should mean no. When is telling the truth hardest for you? What would help you be trustworthy in that situation? If a classmate knew you followed Jesus, what might they think about Him after watching how you treat people? Where could your actions give a clearer picture of His kindness? What is the difference between pretending to be a Christian while living a lie and following Jesus but honestly admitting when you sin? How does Jesus’ forgiveness help us stop pretending? Read Matthew 6:9. What is one practical way you could honour God’s name this week through your words or actions?
October 14, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
You Are the Christ
Week 4 Devotional Scripture Mark 8:27-38 (ESV) Lesson Summary Jesus asks His disciples who people say He is, then makes the question personal: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter correctly identifies Him as the Christ, God’s promised King. Yet when Jesus explains that He must suffer, die, and rise again, Peter resists. He has the right title but expectations that need correcting. We can also want Jesus to fit our plans. We may welcome forgiveness, comfort, or belonging while resisting His authority. Jesus calls us to receive Him as He reveals Himself: the suffering and risen Saviour who is also Lord. Following Him means denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and surrendering our claim to control our lives. This does not earn salvation; it expresses genuine faith in the One who saves us by grace. Jesus challenges us to consider whether temporary success or approval is worth forfeiting our souls. His identity demands a response: will we trust Him and let Him lead? Small Group Questions Understanding & Application What views of Jesus do you encounter outside church? Which are most appealing to people your age, and what might they leave out? Read Mark 8:29–33. Peter gave the right answer about Jesus but resisted His mission. Where might we use the right Christian words while still wanting Jesus to follow our plans? Finish this sentence honestly: “If I follow Jesus, I expect Him to…” Which expectations come from Scripture, and which might come from your own desires? What is the difference between trusting Jesus as Saviour and treating Him as someone who offers forgiveness while leaving you in charge? How does receiving Him as Lord affect ordinary decisions? What would denying yourself and following Jesus look like in a situation you currently face? What might obedience cost you? Jesus asks whether gaining the whole world is worth forfeiting your soul. What version of success most attracts you? How could pursuing it compete with following Christ? When are you most tempted to hide your faith or distance yourself from Jesus’ words? What would help you respond faithfully? How is costly obedience a response to salvation rather than a way to earn it? What next step would express your trust in Jesus as Saviour and Lord?
October 11, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
The Deceiver Is Deceived
Scripture Genesis 29:1-30 (ESV) Additional Texts Proverbs 26:27 (ESV) Ecclesiastes 7:15 (ESV) Galatians 6:7-10 (ESV) Romans 8:28 (ESV) Watch The Sermon If you haven’t yet, be sure to watch the sermon to join the discussion.Watch the service Message Summary Jacob arrives in Haran after fleeing from Esau. Although Jacob’s deception has caused great pain and forced him to leave home, God is still working in his life. At a well, Jacob meets Rachel, Laban’s daughter, and God’s providence becomes evident. Jacob obeys his parents’ instructions not to marry a Canaanite woman and begins working for Laban. Jacob agrees to serve Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Because of his love for her, the seven years seem like only a few days. However, Laban deceives Jacob and gives him Leah instead. The deceiver has been deceived. Jacob then agrees to work another seven years to marry Rachel as well, creating a deeply troubled family situation. The story raises the question of whether people always reap exactly what they sow. Proverbs describes the general pattern that evil actions often bring destructive consequences, while Ecclesiastes reminds us that life is not always simple. Righteous people sometimes suffer, and wicked people sometimes prosper. We cannot always identify the exact reason for every hardship. Nevertheless, Galatians 6 reminds us that God is not mocked. We should not grow weary of doing good, even when the results are delayed or difficult to see. Ultimately, sin is the problem in Jacob’s family and in our own lives. Sin creates relational damage, injustice, favouritism, and suffering, but God has defeated sin through Jesus Christ. We can bring the mess created by sin to Him. Small Group Questions Opening Question Have you ever experienced a situation where doing the right thing seemed to bring difficulty while someone doing wrong appeared to benefit? Understanding the Passage Why had Jacob left home, and what was he hoping to find in Haran? What did Jacob agree to do in order to marry Rachel? How did Laban deceive Jacob? What consequences began to develop because of the decisions made by Jacob and Laban? How do Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Galatians together help us understand the idea of “reaping what we sow”? Growth and Application Where can you see God’s providence at work in Jacob’s life, even though Jacob was dealing with the consequences of his own sin? Have you ever assumed that your past failure placed you outside of God’s purposes? How does Jacob’s story challenge that assumption? How should God’s sovereignty encourage us when our own sin or mistakes have made life more difficult? Are there consequences from past decisions that you need to accept rather than continue trying to escape or deny? Where are you tempted to believe that immediate results are the best measure of whether you are doing what is right? How do you respond when someone who has acted dishonestly or selfishly seems to prosper? What is the danger of assuming that every hardship is a direct punishment for a specific sin? Are there any ways you are currently sowing to the flesh rather than sowing to the Spirit? Where are you tempted to grow weary of doing good because you do not see results? How can you continue doing what is right when the outcome seems unfair? What relationships in your life may be suffering because of favouritism, comparison, resentment, or unresolved sin? Is there someone you need to treat with greater honour, patience, or compassion? What mess created by sin do you need to bring honestly to Jesus? Gospel Connection Genesis 29 shows how sin creates a tangled web of deception, broken trust, manipulation, favouritism, and pain. Jacob’s sin affected not only him but also Esau, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, and eventually the next generation. Our own sin also creates a mess that we cannot repair through our own efforts. Yet God sent Jesus Christ to defeat sin, death, and the grave. At the cross, Jesus took the judgment we deserved so that those who trust in Him can receive forgiveness and restoration. How does the gospel give you hope when you see the damage caused by your own sin or the sin of others? Prayer Pray for: Humility to recognize the damage sin creates. Wisdom to learn from the consequences of past decisions. Patience when doing good does not seem to produce immediate results. Strength to continue sowing to the Spirit. Grace to treat others with honour rather than comparison or favouritism. Forgiveness and restoration through Jesus Christ. Faith to trust God’s providence even when life seems unfair or confusing.
October 7, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Worship the Living God
Week 3 Devotional Scripture Exodus 20:4-6 (ESV) Lesson Summary The first commandment teaches us to worship God alone. The second teaches us to worship Him as He has revealed Himself. God’s command against carved images does not forbid art; it forbids making images to worship. The living God cannot be reduced to something we create or imagine. Idols are not always statues. Money, popularity, possessions, comfort, or success can draw our hearts away from God. These things cannot give us the lasting hope and security He provides. God’s jealousy expresses His holy, protective love: His people belong to Him, and He calls them to undivided worship. We learn what God is like through His Word and, most clearly, through Jesus, the image of the invisible God. Although our families’ choices can influence us, we do not inherit their guilt—or their faith. Each of us needs to trust Jesus personally and follow Him, knowing that God is faithful and merciful. Small Group Questions Understanding the Passage What are some good things that can become too important? How can you recognize when something is starting to take God’s place in your life? Have you ever discovered that something you thought about God was different from what the Bible teaches? What can help us know God as He really is? The Israelites made a golden calf while waiting for Moses. When you feel impatient, worried, or unsure, what do you turn to for comfort? What could trusting God look like instead? God’s jealousy expresses His protective love for His people. How does knowing that God loves you change the way you hear His command to put away idols? Read Colossians 1:15–17. What does this show you about Jesus? How can knowing Him better help you trust and worship God? Having Christian parents does not automatically make someone a Christian. What does it look like to trust Jesus personally? Who could help you work through your questions? What might be drawing your heart away from God? What is one practical step you could take this week to follow Jesus more faithfully?
October 7, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
To Whom Shall We Go?
Week 3 Devotional Scripture John 6:60-71 (ESV) Lesson Summary After Jesus taught that He is the bread of life, many who had followed Him found His words difficult and turned away. His imagery of eating His flesh and drinking His blood points to receiving Him by faith and trusting His sacrifice for sinners. Jesus offers eternal life, not simply teaching we find comfortable or useful. When Jesus asked the Twelve whether they also wanted to leave, Peter answered that Jesus had the words of eternal life and confessed Him as the Holy One of God. Peter’s trust rested on who Jesus is, rather than on having every question answered. True discipleship rests on who Jesus is, not on whether His teaching feels acceptable. Judas remained among the Twelve, yet did not genuinely believe. Being close to Christian people or activities is not the same as personally trusting Christ. The passage calls us to examine the foundation of our faith, bring honest questions to Jesus, and continue following Him when His words challenge us, or others walk away. Small Group Questions Understanding & Application What is the difference between trusting Jesus and simply liking His teaching? How might that difference show up in everyday life? When you encounter a difficult teaching in the Bible, how do you usually respond? What could help you explore it honestly rather than avoiding it? Jesus called Himself the bread of life. What do you look to for lasting satisfaction or security? How is receiving Jesus by faith different from admiring Him? Read John 6:68–69. Peter stayed because of who Jesus is. What gives you reason to trust Jesus when you do not understand everything? When friends or people you respect question or leave Christianity, how does that affect you? What support would help you keep exploring your questions and following Jesus? Judas remained among the Twelve without genuine faith. How could someone be involved in church or youth without personally trusting Christ? What does this invite us to examine in ourselves? Where is Jesus’ teaching challenging you right now? What step of obedience could you take while continuing to work through your questions?
October 4, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Leaning into the Promises of God
Scripture Genesis 28:1-22 (ESV) Genesis 25:23 (ESV) John 1:51 (ESV) John 14:6 (ESV) Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) Watch The Sermon If you haven’t yet, be sure to watch the sermon to join the discussion.Watch the service Message Summary After deceiving Isaac and taking Esau’s blessing, Jacob leaves home and begins his journey to Paddan-aram. Isaac sends him to find a wife from Rebekah’s family and repeats the blessing God had given to Abraham. Jacob is reminded that God’s covenant includes land, descendants, and blessing to all the families of the earth. While Jacob is travelling, God meets him at Bethel through a dream. Jacob sees a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. God repeats the covenant promises and gives Jacob a personal assurance: “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” God promises that He will not leave Jacob until He has accomplished what He promised. Jacob’s response reveals both faith and spiritual immaturity. He recognizes that God has met him, but his vow may sound like an attempt to make a deal with God: “If God will be with me…then the Lord shall be my God.” Whether Jacob is bargaining or beginning to respond in faith to God’s promise, his spiritual growth is still incomplete. God is graciously leading Jacob from a life of manipulation toward deeper dependence and trust. The dream also points forward to Jesus. In John 1:51, Jesus applies the imagery of Jacob’s stairway to Himself. Jesus is the true connection between heaven and earth and the only way to the Father. We do not need to search for a special location or depend on dreams for direction. God’s promises and purposes are revealed definitively through Jesus Christ and the written Word of God. Small Group Questions Opening Question Have you ever been in a situation where you felt alone or uncertain about the future? What helped you remember that God was with you? Understanding the Passage What promises did God make to Jacob in Genesis 28:13–15? Why would these promises have been especially meaningful to Jacob as he left home? What did Jacob recognize about God after waking from the dream? What does Jacob’s vow reveal about his faith and spiritual maturity? How does John 1:51 connect Jacob’s dream to Jesus? What does this passage teach us about God’s faithfulness to His promises? Growth and Application Which promise of God do you most need to remember in your current circumstances? Where are you currently feeling alone, uncertain, or fearful about the future? How would trusting that God is with you change the way you respond to that situation? Are there areas where you are trying to make a deal with God rather than trusting Him? Do you tend to obey God only when you can see what you will receive in return? What does this reveal about your heart? When you need guidance, where do you usually turn first? How can you grow in relying on Scripture rather than dreams, feelings, or impressions to direct your decisions? What role should prayer and wise counsel play when you are trying to discern God’s direction? Are there ordinary situations where you fail to recognize God’s presence? How could you become more spiritually attentive? How does knowing that Jesus is the true way to the Father give you confidence when you feel spiritually distant? What would it look like this week to “lean into” one of God’s promises instead of trying to control the outcome? How could your confidence in God’s presence and faithfulness affect the way you encourage or serve someone else? Prayer Pray for: Greater confidence in God’s promises. Faith to trust God’s presence when we feel alone or uncertain. Wisdom to seek direction through Scripture, prayer, and godly counsel. Repentance for treating God as though our relationship with Him were a transaction. A deeper awareness of God’s presence in ordinary places and circumstances. Greater dependence on Jesus, the true way to the Father.
