Sermon Study Guide | Series: Foreign Faith | Sermon: It’s Never Too Late To Turn Back |
Scripture: Exodus 16; Matthew 6:25-34
Date: August 10, 2025

CONNECT - “A Personal Reflection”

This section is designed to help you relate personally to the theme of the sermon. It encourages you to reflect on your own life experiences and how they connect to the message.

Think about a time when you made a mistake or hit a wall in life, but instead of giving up, you found the courage to try again. What gave you the strength to turn back toward hope or restoration? How did that experience shape the way you see God’s grace today? Share with your group.

ENGAGE - “Exploring the Scripture”

This section invites you to dive into the biblical passage, discuss its meaning, and apply it to your life through thoughtful questions.

• Read Exodus 16:1-30 and Matthew 6:25-34 together.
  
  
• Where do you see yourself in Israel’s story—grumbling out of fear, longing for “Egypt,” or learning to trust God for daily provision?
  
  
• Jesus says not to worry about tomorrow. What does “daily bread” trust look like in your own life right now?
  
  
• In what ways can urgency culture (instant gratification, stockpiling security) distract us from God’s provision?
  
  
• Israel struggled to rest because they didn’t prepare for it. What habits keep you from experiencing true rest?
  
  
• How does the idea that “failure isn’t fatal until it’s final” challenge your own self-talk after you fall short?

APPLY - “Putting the Scriptures into Action”

This section challenges us to take what we’ve learned and implement it in practical ways in our daily lives.

• Identify one daily rhythm you could adopt this week to practice humble dependency—prayer before work, reading Scripture before checking your phone, pausing for gratitude before meals.
  
  
• Choose one block of time this week to treat like “manna” time—no multitasking, no hoarding attention, simply resting and trusting God.
  
  
• If you’ve been carrying shame from a past failure, what step could you take this week to bring it honestly before God and let His grace rewrite the ending? Write it down.

PRAY - “Seeking God’s Guidance”

This section offers a short prayer to help us center our hearts and invite God to work in our lives through his scripture.

Father, thank You that our failures do not define our final story. Teach us to trust You for daily bread, to rest in Your provision, and to believe that You are forming our faith even when we fall short. Help us prepare for rest as a declaration of trust, and lead us to live each day in humble dependence on You. May we remember that as long as we have breath, You have a plan to grow and use us. Amen.