Our Next Steps as Worshippers in a Broken World

Tim CROSS, Sunday 22 April 2018

Vision

To build disciples who represents Jesus to everyone, everywhere with everything

We live in a world today where there are many start ups, like Uber and Airbnb, that have managed to succeed and go global. However, there was a start up thousands of years ago, that began with a handful of ordinary people and now spread throughout the world because it was a movement of God. It was the birth of the church. Come join this series, as we get challenged to put aside our traditions, comforts, preferences and programs in order to follow the example of a disciple-making movement that relied upon the Holy Spirit and proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

Scripture

  1. Read Acts 8-11
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Observation

  • What do these passages tell us about God?
  • What do these passages tell us about you and your life?
  • What questions do you have around this passage?

Application

Ps Chee shared that as disciples we have the gift of the gospel in our lives but what it can do in our lives remains in a box. In these chapters, we see Ananias and Peter put what the gospel can do into a box – a box of limitation and prejudice. The Holy Spirit took Ananias and Peter through an unboxing experience of how the gospel:

  1. transforms impossible people (Acts 9:10-19)
  2. breaks impossible barriers (Acts 11:5-18)

Discuss one or more of the following relevant questions.

  • Colossians 1:6 says the gospel constantly bears fruit in changing lives and grows throughout the world. Reflect on what the gospel has done in your life and the lives of people you know. Complete this statement, ‘I believe the gospel is able to…..’
  • Ps Chee shared that often we put the gospel into a box of what it is able to do. In what ways have you put the gospel in a box? Give examples and share your reasons.
  • Ananias put the gospel into a box of limitation of who the gospel is able to change. Are there impossible people in your life? What does it mean for you practically to take the gospel out of this box of limitation?
  • Peter thought the ‘impossible barriers’ between the Jews and Gentiles was an issue of holiness, but the Holy Spirit convicted him it was an issue of personal prejudice. He had put the gospel into a box of prejudice.  Are there ‘impossible barriers’ in your relationships that are actually personal prejudices? What does it mean for you to practically take the gospel out of this box of prejudice?
  • What will our church look like, if we take the gospel out of the box of limitation and the box of prejudice? Describe what you see.
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Response

  1. Is there a truth that God wants you to obey?
  2. What will you do to obey this? I will…

Next Week

Read Acts 13-15