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Christian Life Church
August 2, 2026 at 9am & 11am
There is a time for everything… a time to mourn and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 8:30 AM
THE BOOK OF ACTS AUGUST 2, 2026
LIFE & LOSS
SCRIPTURE
And Saul approved of Stephen’s execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Acts 8:1-4
WHAT WE MOURN
Mourning is essential to healing and wholeness. Job has extraordinary loss in Chapter 1, then mourns for the next 41 chapters.
Loss can come from hell, the circle of life, our sin, other’s sin, and reasons unknown.
We may experience the loss of family and friends.
We may experience the loss of possessions.
We may experience the loss of health.
We may experience the loss of dreams and desires.
A COMMITMENT TO MOURN
There is a time for everything… a time to mourn and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
Israel refused to mourn what was lost (Egypt, assurance) and refused to move into what was next (Promise Land, faith). In that, they forfeited their destiny.
HOW WE MOURN
1/ We can mourn through raw emotion.
2/ We can mourn through physical expression.
3/ We can mourn through weeping.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. Psalm 6:6
4/ We can mourn through praying.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26
5/ We can mourn through fasting.
6/ We can mourn through journaling.
7/ We can mourn through remembering.
8/ We can mourn through community.
Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it… 1 Corinthians 12:26
Pray for them.
Sit with them in silence.
When the time is right, encourage them with words.
Be patient with them.
Be understanding with them.
“I see people, as they approach me, trying to make up their minds whether they’ll say something about it or not. I hate it if they do, and if they don’t.” C.S. Lewis
Just do something for them.
THEOLOGICAL TAKEAWAYS
In loss, remember that bad things happen to all people.
In loss, remember that God is deeply aware and present.
In loss, remember that Satan has limited ability.
In loss, remember that quality community is vital.
Be there for people. And allow people be there for you.
The Lord restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years. Job 42:10, 12, 16-17
LIFE & LOSS
SCRIPTURE
And Saul approved of Stephen’s execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Acts 8:1-4
WHAT WE MOURN
Mourning is essential to healing and wholeness. Job has extraordinary loss in Chapter 1, then mourns for the next 41 chapters.
Loss can come from hell, the circle of life, our sin, other’s sin, and reasons unknown.
We may experience the loss of family and friends.
We may experience the loss of possessions.
We may experience the loss of health.
We may experience the loss of dreams and desires.
A COMMITMENT TO MOURN
There is a time for everything… a time to mourn and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
Israel refused to mourn what was lost (Egypt, assurance) and refused to move into what was next (Promise Land, faith). In that, they forfeited their destiny.
HOW WE MOURN
1/ We can mourn through raw emotion.
2/ We can mourn through physical expression.
3/ We can mourn through weeping.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. Psalm 6:6
4/ We can mourn through praying.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26
5/ We can mourn through fasting.
6/ We can mourn through journaling.
7/ We can mourn through remembering.
8/ We can mourn through community.
Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it… 1 Corinthians 12:26
Pray for them.
Sit with them in silence.
When the time is right, encourage them with words.
Be patient with them.
Be understanding with them.
“I see people, as they approach me, trying to make up their minds whether they’ll say something about it or not. I hate it if they do, and if they don’t.” C.S. Lewis
Just do something for them.
THEOLOGICAL TAKEAWAYS
In loss, remember that bad things happen to all people.
In loss, remember that God is deeply aware and present.
In loss, remember that Satan has limited ability.
In loss, remember that quality community is vital.
Be there for people. And allow people be there for you.
The Lord restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years. Job 42:10, 12, 16-17