Grow Guide | June 21, 2026
Text Study for Sunday, June 21, 2026
Series Theme: Learn with devotion
Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7
CONNECTING QUESTIONS
Tell about someone who has prayed for you. What happened?
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Gracious God, you gift us with everything we need for life: daily bread, community, joy and growth. Help us grow in faith so we trust you more and see our neighbor more clearly. Thank you for your forgiving love. Thank you for extending that same love to my neighbor, whomever they may be. We trust your promises, and pray through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
CONTEXT
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. – Psalm 25:4-5
Learn with devotion, the Spirit inspires us all to grow. We encourage all generations to teach and learn from each other, from birth through adulthood, with space for everyone to learn, grow, be curious, and discern. We will actively support parents and caregivers in the faith development of youth.
From Dr Arland Hultgren at EntertheBible.org:
In 1 Timothy 4:10 the author says that God is “the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” Interpreters have sought to come up with interpretations to get around the “all” of the statement, such as the idea that the “all” simply means both Jew and Gentile. But the distinction between Jews and Gentiles does not seem to be an issue in the Pastoral Epistles. Another interpretation is that the passage speaks of God as Savior of all in this world–one who rescues or heals all–whether they believe or not. All such attempts avoid the implicit universal scope of redemption that the passage seems to affirm. The passage must of course be assessed in light of the larger canonical context of Scripture as a whole.
LOOK AT THE BOOK
How is it with your spirit this week?
What was one take-away from listening to the Carry On Cast podcast that connects with this Grow Guide?
Jump to 1 Timothy 2:1. The author is building a list of good works; how do you know?
What is prayer for you? What’s been a meaningful prayer experience in your life? What has been a negative prayer experience in your life?
Notice, the author delineates four kinds of prayer: what are supplications?
What are intercessions? When do we pray like this as a community?
What are thanksgivings? Which of the four kinds of prayers speak to your life right now?
Author Anne Lamott said prayer is “help, thanks, wow.” Which word applies to how you see prayer? Which would you like to cultivate?
We are a culture that does not like to ask for help. Why is that? How might that warp our sense of what prayer is?
Who are we asked to pray for in verse two? Why might this be complicated?
Notice in verse four, what is the heart of God? How might that apply to “kings” and “rulers” and people without titles?
What about the Lord’s Prayer speaks to you? Or not?
Lutherans do not often speak of Jesus as a “ransom” for sin. How might John 3:16-17 be a corrective for “ransom” thinking?
In what ways can Easter Lutheran Church learn to be prayerful and for what?
How is Jesus good news for us this week?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?
TAKING IT HOME
Pray for someone who is hard to pray for in your life or the world. What was it like?
Sending Prayer
God of all wisdom, you have given us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to praise you. Fill us with your Spirit, that we would join with your whole church in experiencing you through the good news of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.