For Printer Friendly Version CLICK HERE

 ~~Villain Transformation

OVERVIEW:  We are in the second week of our summer series Heroes and Villains.  As we look at this fascinating account of the how the early Church was formed, we will be looking at some of the personalities that played a role in the establishment of God’s Kingdom through his Church.  Last week, we discussed the topic of “heroes.”  This week, let’s look at the Hero counterpart: the Villains.  As we look at these accounts, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us to apply what we learn to the lives we live here in our generation.

DISCUSSION POINT ONE “Religious People”:  Read Acts 5: 17-42 out loud in your group, then discuss the following points:

• What was it that made the religious villains so aggressive?  See Verse 17.  Talk about how jealousy can even blind people in ministry today as they serve in the local church.
• Read verse 29-32.  Now, keeping in mind that these religious leaders had just recently called for Jesus to be killed, notice their response (verse 33), to Peter’s proclamation.  They were furious.  Talk about the dynamic of how religious people can be so focused on defending their “doctrine” that they become “furious” when their position is challenged, and miss the presence of God in their midst.
• Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, was technically on the villain’s side, but he was used by God to save the apostle’s lives.  Talk about how God can use the influence of non-believers to change circumstances for his servants.  How does that give us hope on our jobs, in our courtrooms, and in our government?

DISCUSSION POINT TWO “Saul the Villain to Paul the Hero” :

• Read Acts 7:59 through 8:1-3.  As we can see in these passages, Saul (soon to be Apostle Paul) started out as one of the most heinous of all Villains against the Church.  Why do you think God chose a person like Saul to become a key builder of the early church and one of the primary writers of the New Testament?
• Read 1 Corinthians 15: 9-10.  How do you think the extraordinary grace Paul was shown by God prepared him to become a hero as God’s messenger of the grace based gospel we know as truth today?
• Read Titus 3:1-8.  This passage reveals the Apostle Paul as a hero, mentoring his young apprentice Titus.  Talk about what his words to Titus reveal about his transformation from Villain to Hero.  Talk about how God’s transforming work in your life.

TAKING ACTION:  This week continue reading through the book of Acts.  As you read, look for heroes and notice the villains.  Ask the Lord to speak to encourage you through the lives of the early Christians, and give you wisdom as you encounter those who resisted the truth of Christ.

MINISTRY TIME

For Printer Friendly pdf Version CLICK HERE

 ~~WHERE HAVE ALL THE HEROES GONE

 OVERVIEW:  We are just beginning a new summer series called “Heroes and Villains” in which we will be studying different personalities found in the book of Acts.  These were extraordinary times, and critical times in the life of the Church.  Jesus had recently risen from the dead and ascended into heaven.  The fledgling baby Church was trying to get started in the midst of an extremely hostile political and religious environment.  They were the kind of times that tested the resolve and character of the early Christians.  They were the kind of times that needed heroes at every level.  As we look at this series throughout the summer months, it would be good for us to realize that the Church today is existing in extraordinary times as well, where the values and message of the Bible, and the validity and reputation of the Church (Jesus’ representation upon the earth), are under fierce political, spiritual and sociological opposition.  Let’s pull up our boot straps and get ready to dive into the this study in the book of Acts throughout our summer together.

DISCUSSION POINT ONE:  Let’s Talk About Role Models (Heroes)

Charles Barkley has been quoted for a lot of things, a few of his most oft quoted comments are about role models, where he said: 

“I’m not a role model… Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.” And, “I don’t believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models….”

Is Sir Charles right? Or is he missing something?  He may be speaking accurately from a worldly point a view, but how does his comments line up with a Biblical worldview? 

Read 1 Peter 2:11-12 and Hebrews 10:23-25 (especially verse 24)

In light of these passages discuss the following points in your group:

• Talk about our responsibility to be role models, or heroes, to the people God places in our lives and along our paths. 
  Do you believe you can be a hero?  Talk about how everyday people can be God’s heroes.
• Have you ever gone out of your way to be used by God to make a difference in someone’s life?  Share your story with your group.
• Have you ever felt like you encountered a “divine appointment” for a purpose you did not anticipate?  Share your experience with your group.
• The Apostle Paul instructed his young protégé Timothy to “be ready in season and out of season.” How does that kind of alertness and awareness prepare us to be heroes?  (Think of an off duty police officer who carries into his “off” hours his passion to serve and protect or think of the nurse serving as a hero in a hospice facility).
• Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.  What does this tell us about God’s view of heroes versus the world’s view of an impressive person?

DISCUSSION POINT TWO:  Last week Pastor Terry pointed out three characteristics of a hero.  Read each one below and talk about how we can encourage ourselves and each other to new levels of “uncommon courage.”

1) A hero is someone with an uncommon courage to do the correct thing.
2) A hero is someone with an uncommon courage to do the courageous thing.
3) A hero is someone with an uncommon courage to do the compassionate thing.

TAKING ACTION:  As a church family, we are being encouraged by our leaders to read through the book of Acts on our own through the summer.  This week, in your devotion time, make a point to prayerfully read through at least 3-4 chapters of the book of Acts.  Ask the Holy Spirit to move you past the historical message of the early Church’s beginnings, and into the real lives of the characters themselves. 

MINISTRY TIME

 For Printer Friendly Notes CLICK HERE

 OPEN IN WORSHIP:  (Song, prayer, scripture reading or thanksgiving)

OVERVIEW: Last week’s message addressed the reality of the spiritual battle we all must contend with as we journey through life upon this earth. We looked at the powers the Bible describes as our adversary, and we also looked at how God has given us His Spirit to equip us for victory in the conflict. In our discussion tonight, we’ll look briefly at who our enemy is, so that we are not unaware of his schemes. Then we will focus on the spiritual arsenal God has given us to defeat the powers of darkness, both in our life and in our world.

FIRST: Know your enemy.
Many people living in Western culture no longer believe in the “devil.” The metaphor for having that perspective could be of a boxer getting into the ring with a blindfold on. Not believing or seeing that our enemy exists gives him great advantage over us. While we are not to dwell on or focus upon the powers of darkness, we must acknowledge they exist, and know how to combat them.
Read Ephesians 2:1-2 and 6:10-18

• What is the Apostle Paul saying to us about our spiritual opposition?
• How does Eph. 6 describe the organizational hierarchy of rank within the kingdom of darkness?
• How does the reality that evil is ancient, organized and invisible give the powers of darkness advantage over the unsuspecting human?

SECOND: Jesus as our combat instructor.
Notice that the armor Paul is describing is both defensive and offensive. The offensive weapons are identified as the “sword” being the Word of God, and also prayer.

Read Matthew 4:1-11

• What can we learn from Jesus battle plan against the devil? 
• How does it coincide with the offensive strategy Paul describes in Ephesians 6?

THIRD: Know who’s you are, and who you are.
Jesus said we must be born again in the Spirit to see the kingdom of God. Read how John puts it in 1 John 3:1-3.
Talk about how once we are conceived as natural children we cannot undo the DNA given us by our parents and how that relates to who we have become as God’s children.

• 1 John 4:4 states that “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” How does that give us confidence in midst of our struggle with evil?
• Read James 4:7-8. What does this passage tell us about our assurance in winning our spiritual battles?

FOURTH: Know the power God has given you.
Jesus was a good Christian for 30 years, but he did not begin his ministry with supernatural power until the Holy Spirit had come upon him when he was baptized.

• Read what Jesus tells his disciples in Acts 1:8 about what they will receive, and what they will do after they receive it.
• Read Acts 8:14-17. Notice that the Apostles recognized that there was something the believers in Samaria were missing in their new faith in Christ. Although they were believers (had accepted the Word and been baptized into the name of Jesus), they were missing something else. What was it, and why did they need it?
• Considering what the scriptures say, regarding the Holy Spirit coming upon believers with power, why do we need the Holy Spirit to come on us with power as we engage the spiritual resistance we face in this fallen world?

TAKING ACTION: Throughout the Summer we will be studying the book of Acts as a Church in the weekend messages. Read through the book of Acts this week and notice how the early Church embraced and lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.
MINISTRY TIME

For Printer Friendly pdf version CLICK HERE

~~BECOMING NATURALLY SUPERNATURAL~~

OVERVIEW: In Jesus day, and throughout church history, people have been putting on religious airs to try and convince themselves and others that they are living according the scriptures, but what does a truly supernatural Christian look like?  In introducing his theme, Pastor Terry quoted Oswald Chambers who described a genuine Christian as someone who is ““naturally supernatural and supernaturally natural.”  He pointed to Jesus as our  example.  Jesus did not put on religious “airs,” but rather he lived out his life naturally, loving all those who crossed his path, regardless of their socio-economic status or their religious credentials.  He demonstrated an acceptance for the outcasts and the marginalized of his day, loving them with the supernatural love of the Father.  While sometimes that love expressed itself in the form of miracles, it always expressed itself in the supernatural expression of unconditional love.  

In order for us to fulfill our mission as individuals and our mission as a church family, “To Love People to Life,” we each we need the supernatural power of God actively expressing itself through our lives.  With these thoughts in mind, let’s discuss three ideas of what it means to live naturally supernatural.

FIRST: We must resist the pressure to be someone other than who we are.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27  Notice that this passage is stated in the context of Paul’s instruction about the spiritual gifts.  After reading the passage, discuss the following in your group:

1. What does this passage tell us about the importance of living our lives authentically, recognizing and accepting who we are in the body of Christ… and who we are not.
2. How does this metaphor of a body speak to the importance of serving Christ out of who God made us to be?  Consider a human body with a leg that insisted on functioning as an arm, or an ear that wanted to so bad to “see” that it failed to serve the body by “hearing.”
3. Read verse 25&26 again.  Talk about the ramifications of these versus in light of what you understand about the kingdom of God.

SECOND: We must restore value to people.
 Read the excerpt below from Pastor Terry’s message and then discuss what is the overarching point of why God has given spiritual gifts to his followers (hint: the Great Commandment and Great Commission).
If you want to create an atmosphere for miracles…make helping people the thing that matters most. Jesus didn’t give His life for spiritual gifts. He didn’t die for correct doctrine. He didn’t sacrifice it all for church programs. He died for people. Now, all of those things are important to God, BUT people matter the most. When you make people the most important thing…God will provide everything that you need to help them right down to signs, wonders and miracles!  —Pastor Terry

THREE: We must embrace a natural way of using the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Read the excerpt below from Pastor Terry’s message:
We have come to equate the spectacular with the supernatural. But not everything supernatural is spectacular! We are far more supernatural than we realize and yet NOT many of us are spectacular. And when we equate the supernatural with the spectacular we devalue the genuine work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Read 1 Corinthians 9:22-23.   What do these words say to us about how and why we should embrace a natural expression in using the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

FINAL Discussion Point:  In your group, talk about how the series on the Holy Spirit has spoken to you.  What affect will this teaching have on the way you continue to follow Jesus?

TAKING ACTION:  In your devotional time this week, ask the Holy Spirit to help you process how God has revealed Himself to you in a fresh way over the past four weeks.  Write down your thoughts in your Bible or in your journal.

MINISTRY TIME