Week of 2/8/26: Trusting the Promise

SUMMARY
Formation Theme: Be the Church - Created and Called
Weekly Theme: Be the Church - Trusting the Promise
Sermon Text: Acts 3:1-26
Primary Reading: Acts 25-28
Secondary Reading: Genesis 44-50
Memory Verses (Through February 14th): 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
[26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
[27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
[28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
[29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 

1 | Theme Reflection - “Trusting the Promise”
Faith matures when promises are tested.

From Genesis 44–50 to Acts 25–28, we find the same truth echoing across generations: the promises of God outlast the prisons of man.

Joseph forgives his brothers and declares, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Paul, shipwrecked and bound, clings to God’s word that he must stand before Caesar. In both stories, circumstances appear hopeless—but God is already weaving salvation through the storm.

To Be the Church - Trusting the Promise is to rest in God’s faithfulness when the horizon disappears.  We trust not because we see the outcome, but because we know the One who holds it.  Faith doesn’t deny fear; it defies it - believing that God’s promises are more permanent than our pain.

2 | Daily Reading Rhythm

3 | Practice of the Week - Promise Stones
Choose a small stone or object to keep with you this week.
Each morning, hold it and pray:  “Faithful God, You keep Your promises."
When worry rises, touch the stone and remember that God’s word is steadier than circumstance.
At week’s end, place it somewhere visible in your home as a reminder:  His promises are not fragile - they endure.

4 | Doctrinal Focus - The Doctrine of Providence
Providence is God’s sovereign care over creation - His wise and loving guidance of all things toward His glorious purpose.
Nothing is random; everything is redeemed.
Even human sin cannot frustrate divine design.
In providence, we learn that God’s promises are not insurance against hardship but assurance within it.
He orders all things - storms, trials, and triumphs - for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

5 | Missional Focus - Witness in the Storm
Paul’s courage on the ship wasn’t heroic - it was hopeful. He trusted the promise that God’s Word would prevail.
The same is true for us: when life feels chaotic, steadfast trust becomes a testimony.
This week, share one way God has been faithful through difficulty.
Let someone who doesn’t yet know Christ see how peace can exist even in the storm.
Pray:  “Lord, make my confidence in Your promise visible to others,  so they may trust You through my trust.”

6 | Community Group Discussion Questions
From the Readings
      1. How does Joseph’s forgiveness in Genesis 50 and Paul’s courage in Acts 27–28 reveal trust in God’s promises?
      2. What do these stories teach about how God turns trials into testimonies?
From the Sermon (Text — Acts 3 : 1 – 26)
      1. How does Peter’s healing of the lame man demonstrate faith in the promises of Jesus?
      2. What does Peter’s sermon reveal about God’s faithfulness to fulfill His covenant promises through Christ?
From Personal Reflection
      1. When have you felt “shipwrecked,” and how did God prove faithful through it?
      2. What promise of God are you holding onto right now, and how can you rest more deeply in it?
From Community Life
      1. How can our group remind one another of God’s promises during seasons of uncertainty?
      2. What would it look like for our group to be known as people of unshakable trust?
Questions for Children
      1. What is a promise? Why is it important to keep them?
      2. How did God keep His promises to Joseph and Paul?
      3. What does it mean to trust God when you’re afraid?
      4. Can you name one promise God has made in the Bible?
      5. How can we remind ourselves that God always keeps His word?

7 | Closing Prayer
Faithful Father, You are our refuge in fear and our strength in weakness.
Jesus, You are the fulfillment of every promise - our hope and our peace.
Spirit, steady our hearts when storms surround us.
Teach us to trust when sight fails and to worship when waves rise.
Let our confidence in Your word draw others to Your faithfulness.
You have spoken - help us believe.
Amen.