Week of 3/1/26: Returning From Disordered Loves

SUMMARY
Formation Theme: Be the Church - Rooted in Repentance
Weekly Theme: Be the Church - Returning From Disordered Loves
Weekly Fast: The News
Sermon Text: Acts 4:32-5:16
Primary Reading: Luke 4-12
Kids’ Readings (Jesus Storybook Bible): The Singer (Matthew 5-7), The Captain of the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27)
Memory Verses (Through April 4th): Psalm 51:1–4 (ESV)
 [1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
 [2] Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
 [3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 
 [4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
  so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 

1 | Theme Reflection - “Returning From Disordered Loves”
This week’s turning has to do with what we give our attention to and what shapes our hearts.

In Acts 5:1–16, Ananias and Sapphira try to appear devoted while holding back part of themselves. Their sin is not generosity but deception. The passage is serious because God cares about truth within His Church. He does not tolerate divided allegiance. The Spirit exposes what is hidden so that His people will walk in sincerity.

In Luke 4–12, Jesus repeatedly warns His followers about fear, hypocrisy, greed, and anxiety. He teaches that what we treasure shapes our hearts (Luke 12:34), and that we cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13). Our life is formed by what we trust and what we dwell on.

This week’s fast from constant news is a practical way to examine what has been shaping us. It is not withdrawal from responsibility, but a decision to let God’s Word, rather than the headlines, direct our thoughts.

When other voices grow quieter, we are better able to attend to the voice of Christ.

2 | Daily Reading Rhythm

3 | Practice of the Week - Fasting from the News
Why a Fast from the News for Adults?
We live under constant updates and alerts. The news cycle can exhaust our attention, stir anxiety, and distort reality.
This fast re-orders the heart by turning down the world’s noise and turning up our awareness of God’s presence.
In Jesus, our identity is rooted deeper than any political, national or cultural narrative.

Scripture
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." - Isaiah 26:3

Reflection Questions
      • How does the news shape my emotions, thoughts and habits?
      • What am I free to notice when I step away from its noise?
      • How might prayer replace worry this week?

Adult Prayer
Lord, You reign over every nation and every story unfolding in the world.
As I step away from the swirl of news, fill me with Your peace.
Quiet my anxieties and anchor my thoughts in Your sovereignty.
Turn distractions into devotion, fear into faith and noise into communion with You.
Make me a non-anxious presence in an anxious age.
Amen.
4 | Family Guide - Helping Kids Engage the Fast
Why a Fast from the News for Families?
The world is full of bad news - but the gospel is good news. Constant headlines can overwhelm or frighten children. Jesus invites them (and us): “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” This fast helps families turn their attention away from fear and toward the God who is making all things new.

Ideas for Kids
      •  Read Bible stories that show Jesus’ power and care (like calming the storm).
      • Talk about where you saw “good news” today - signs of God’s goodness.
      • Create a family “Good News Journal” to record moments of joy, beauty, and gratitude.
      • Share simple prayers for people and places in the world instead of watching updates.

Kid’s Prayer
Jesus, You are the best news of all.
Help me trust You when I feel worried or afraid.
Show me how to see Your goodness and share Your good news.
Amen.

Family Conversation Starters
        • How does hearing bad news make you feel?
        • What does Jesus say when we are afraid?
        • How did Jesus bring peace to the storm?
        • What good news can we look for or share this week?
    5 | Doctrinal Focus - God's Peace in a Noisy World
    Jesus says,
    “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

    This peace is not self-generated. It is the work of the Spirit, who fixes our hearts on Christ and reminds us of His words (John 14:26). Paul describes it as:
    “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

    Where fear drives us toward control, the Spirit leads us toward trust.
    Where noise distracts our attention, the Spirit directs us back to what is true, honorable, just and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).

    Christian discernment has always required attentiveness. The psalmist writes,
    “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

    The Church has long confessed this confidence. The Nicene Creed declares that Christ’s kingdom “will have no end.” Our peace rests not in stable circumstances but in a reigning King. Likewise, the Heidelberg Catechism (Q1) begins with this comfort:

    “That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and in death - to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”

    This fast is not an attempt to escape the world. It is an act of allegiance. By stepping back from constant commentary and reaction, we remember that we belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). We quiet competing voices so that our confidence rests again in Christ’s finished work and present rule.

    The Spirit anchors believers not in silence for its own sake, but in Christ Himself.

    6 | Missional Focus - Becoming Good NEws People
    The world is marked by fear, division and constant reaction.
    The Church is called to live differently.

    When believers are ruled by anxiety, our words and actions look no different from those around us.
    When we are grounded in Christ’s peace, our lives point beyond ourselves.

    Jesus said: “Let not your hearts be troubled… Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1)

    Paul adds: “The peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:15)

    Christ’s peace does not remove difficulty, but it steadies us within it.
    A calm, faithful life becomes a quiet witness to His rule.

    Ask this week:
    Who around me is burdened by fear or uncertainty?
    How might I reflect Christ’s patience and peace in that relationship?

    Pray for opportunities to act with mercy, speak the gospel with boldness, and remain steady in trust as you rely on the Lord.

    7 | Community Group Discussion Questions
    From the Sermon (Text - Acts 4:32-5:16)
        1. What does this passage reveal about integrity, holiness and the fear of the Lord?
        2. How do disordered loves weaken the unity and witness of the Church?
    From the Readings
        1. How does Jesus reshape our understanding of fear, treasure and trust?
        2. Where does He invite His followers away from the noise of the world?
    From Personal Reflection
        1. How do you typically respond to a noisy, anxious world?
        2. What helps you remain grounded in God’s peace?
    From Community Life
        1. How can our group cultivate a non-anxious presence together?
        2. Where have you already seen “good news” at work among you?
    Questions for Children
        1. Who brings peace when we feel scared?
        2. What did Jesus do when the storm was loud and frightening?
        3. How can we look for and share good news this week?
    8 | Closing Prayer
    Lord of Peace,
    Lead us to deep trust and peace this week.
    Not because we are strong,
    Not because the world is fine,
    But because nothing in our world is outside of Your control.
    As we fast from the news, would You meet us in the silence.
    Amen