Series Resources

sermon-based study guide

This guide is designed to guide a group discussion around the weekend sermon. You can also use this as an individual, but we highly recommend finding a friend and inviting them to discuss with you. Menlo Church has Life Groups meeting in-person and online using these guides. We’d love to help you find a group.

What you will find in this guide: A discussion guide for groups and individuals. If you are using this as an individual be sure to engage with each question in a journal or simply in your mind as you prayerfully consider what you heard in the sermon and seek to discover what God is inviting you to know and do.

Sermon Series Study Guide | Weird Church | Worship - Christian Karaoke

Sermon Study Guide | Series: Weird Church | Sermon: Worship - Christian Karaoke
Title: Philippians 2:5–11 and Ephesians 5:19–20
Date: April 27, 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 moment when you experienced something so beautiful, overwhelming, or awe-inspiring that you couldn’t help but respond. Maybe it was a sunset, a song, or even the birth of a child. That natural overflow is a hint at what worship is meant to be. This week, reflect: What gets in the way of that kind of natural response to God? When has worship felt awkward, and when has it felt real?

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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 Philippians 2:5–11 and Ephesians 5:19–20 together and discuss:

Worship is often described as “worth-ship”—giving God what He is due.
How does that definition reshape how you think about worship beyond just singing?

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Singing can feel vulnerable—like a public display of affection.
Why do you think God invites us into such vulnerable worship, and what does it reveal about His love for us?

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What misconceptions about worship did you grow up with (if any)? How have your views shifted or expanded over time?

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“All of creation worships” — from trees clapping their hands to angels crying ‘holy, holy, holy.’ How does that image encourage or challenge you about your own worship?

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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.

Reflect on who God really is: Set aside intentional time this week to reflect on the character of God—His humility, love, and invitation. Ask Him to help you see Him more clearly, so your worship flows more naturally..

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Reframe your worship: Whether in your car, your living room, or at church, practice worship not as a performance, but as a heart response. Try singing, praying, or simply sitting in awe before God. Make it personal, not performative.

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Risk vulnerability: Choose to worship with your whole self this week—not just your voice or intellect, but your heart. If you find it uncomfortable, invite God into that discomfort. Remember: worship is worth looking “foolish” for.

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Encourage community worship: Encourage someone else this week—through a word of gratitude, a shared worship song, or simply worshiping together. Worship is both deeply personal and beautifully communal.

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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.

“God, You are worthy of all worship. Help us see you clearly—your beauty, your humility, Your endless love. Stir in us a response that is more than words—a life surrendered, a heart open, and a song that rises freely. Teach us to worship not out of duty, but out of deep desire to know you more. Thank you that you sing over us, and invite us into joy with you. Amen.

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GOING DEEPER - “Further Study & Reflection”

[STEP ONE: See Clearly – Read Isaiah 6:1–8]

When Isaiah sees God clearly, his natural response is awe, humility, and surrender. Reflect on this vision. What shifts in your understanding of worship when you remember who you are worshiping?

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[STEP TWO: Sing from the Heart – Reflect on Ephesians 5:19–20]

Paul connects singing with gratitude and encouragement. Think about how music affects you emotionally. How might singing truth to God and with others reshape your faith? Try building a playlist of worship songs that speak deeply to you this week.

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[STEP THREE: Choose Thanksgiving – Reflect on Psalm 100]

Psalm 100 invites us into joyful worship, rooted in who God is. Write your own short “psalm” of gratitude—naming the ways God has been faithful. Let thanksgiving become the starting point of your worship.

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