May 29th // Alan Frow // Genesis 24:1-25 “How God Builds His Family”
In this passage we see Abraham’s urgency before his death to find a wife for his son, Isaac. He calls his chief servant totravel back to his homeland in Mesopotamia to find a wife, thus ensuring that God’s promise of a faith family that blesses all nations would be fulfilled. God’s steadfast love is mentioned three times. Th word in Hebrew is ‘heed’ which means lovingkindness. God is watching over his covenant with loving kindness to fulfill it and it is fulfilled in minute detail. We see a glimpse of the way’s in which God builds his family.
1. Radical Servanthood. Abraham’s servant and Rebekah are examples of radical servanthood in this passage. Remind one another of the length he went to, to find Rebekah and the lengths she went to, to water his casmels. We don’t realize that our inheritance is closely connected to our willing ness to serve those that cannot serve us back. Talk about a time you did this. What did you learn?
2. Disctinctive Presence Isaac’s wife was to be found from Abraham’s household. They were to live in Canaan but not intermarry with the Canaaninites. This is reminiscent of Jesus prayer in John 17 for his disciples to be in the world but not of the world. What would this look like practically in our lives, if we were in the world but not of it?
3. Prayerful Expectation The servant prays an expectant prayer that God answers before he is even finished speaking. Essentially, God is building his faith family at a well with a sudden answer to prayer. On Pentecost Sunday, the theme of God’s faith family by suddenly refreshing His people with the Spirit is an enduring one. Read John 7:37-39 to see Jesus referring to this. Acts 2 is also an account of a sudden answer to prayer bye the outpouring of the Spirit.
4. In John 4 Jesus speaks to another woman at a well. She is a Samaritan who has had five husbands and is now living with a man she is not married to. Unlike Rebekah, she is neither pure nor from the family of faith. She is viewed as defiled and stint from God’s people,e. She also has no way to get Jesus a drink, but he tells he that through faith, she can be included in God’s family. This is a reminder of the gospel. What qualifies us to join his family is our need, and simple faith in his grace, because he was rejected and defiled on the cross for our sin and shame. This is ultimately how God builds his family. Pray that those who feel distant and defiled would put their faith in Jesus saving work.
May 14th // Joel & Shannon Baker // Acts 2:42-47
- What aspect of hospitality is more difficult for you? Hospitality of heart or hospitality of resources?
- Share about a time where you received biblical hospitality and it made an impact on you.
- Brainstorm easy and unconventional ways you as a group could be hospitable to your neighbors.
- Where might God be inviting you to extend hospitality? Consider those within your household, your neighborhood and beyond.
May 7th // Ryan M// Acts 4 : 32 – 37
1. What does it feel like to receive a free and sacrificial gift?
2. What are the obstacles to being generous?
3. How does seeing the world as a place of superabundance – not a place of scarcity – help us become more generous?
4. How is God calling you to practice the skill of generosity?
April 30th // Alan F // Acts 8:4-13, 26-40 The Way of Evangelism
1.Evangelism is Organic 8:4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. Talk about the pitfalls of outsourcing evangelism to evangelists and organized events. How can we get better at ‘gossiping the gospel’ in the normal rhythms of our lives?
2.Evangelism is Dynamic “And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.”v 5
How have you seen a demonstration of God’s power in ways that support evangelism?
“Christian signs and wonders are beyond rationality, but they serve a rational purpose: to authenticate the gospel. The gospel is opposed to the pluralistic lie that says all religious experience is equally valid. Signs and wonders validate Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His lordship over every area of our lives.” John Wimber, Power Evangelism
3. Evangelism is Embodied “But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip.”
Why is it important for people who believe to join an embodied community of faith? How can we be more open to teaching people who are culturally different from us?
4.Evangelism is Reasonable v 26-38
Take some time to practice conversational evangelism in one of two ways.
A.explain the gospel in a minute using Ephesians 2:8
B. Tell your testimony in a minute.
Here is a daily prayer for evangelism. Commit to praying this together and personally I the coming weeks.
Jesus, my Savior, as I go about my day I want to remember that I am on mission for you and with you. There are so many people who are living in despair and fear. Help me to be attentive to them. In my own strength, I know that there is nothing I can do. Father, increase my faith. I want to see this city filled with gospel joy. Jesus, you said the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, that there are many who have been prepared to believe in you, but that few are ready to go and share your gospel. Today, I am a weak but willing worker. I am timid and I fear rejection, but I ask your Holy Spirit to fill me with power and patience to proclaim your gospel, which is still mighty to save. Thank you that your gospel has changed my life. I have a story to tell. Thank you that your Spirit empowers me to listen, to pray, to love and to risk for the sake of the gospel. And thank you for your presence with me. Amen.
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April 24th // Alan F // Acts 21:8-14
The Way of Family
1. Philip the evangelist and his daughters used their family stability to offer gracious hospitality to strangers – the controversial Paul, the unknown Luke and mysterious Agabus. Talk about how this connects with Jesus teaching on enemy and neighbor love in Matthew 5 and how He might be calling you to offer hospitality to either strangers or those with whom you are estranged.
2. Agabus the prophet brought a foreboding prophetic drama
About Paul being imprisoned if he went to Jerusalem. Everyone except Paul interpreted this as the Spirit saying that he shouldn’t go. Talk about the power and complexity of the prophetic, why it’s vital and yet difficult to interpret and apply. What are some wise Biblical ways of weighing up the prophetic. (Read 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20)
3. As parents we need to recognize the transitions we need to make in our approach as our children get older. This means that we allow other followers of the Way to help shape our children. Philip was wisely allowing both Paul and Agabus to shape his daughters view of the prophetic and mission of Christ. Talk about who else shapes your children in helpful ways and thank God for them.
4. Once Paul had spoken about his willingness to follow the Lord Jesus
to imprisonment and even death, his companions stopped trying to persuade him to stay, saying”let the will go the Lord be done.” How can we be a community that encourages one another to follow Jesus as Lord more?
April 16th // Kevin M // Acts 7:54-8:1)
1. Forgiveness is a difficult thing to grasp when we haven’t fully grasped what it means to be forgiven by God. How has the scandalous truth of you being forgiven by God changed the way you understand forgiveness?
2. As you have had time to sit with this sermon and allowed the Holy Spirit to do work within you, what has been the most freeing aspect of the sermon to you? What has been the most difficult aspect of the sermon to you?
3. We all know that forgiveness is hard but hopefully understand it’s biblical. Who in your life, past or present, have you thoroughly and deliberately chosen to forgive? Share with your Community Group how that changed you. Have you felt peace and contentment when you put the situation into the hands of the Lord?
4. Has there been a time that someone has embodied the forgiveness of God to you? How did that change, if any, the way you viewed God’s forgiveness?
April 9th // Alan Frow // Acts 3:9-21
The Risen Christ Restores All Things Acts 3:9-21
1. According to Peter, Christ’s resurrection is not only about bringing people to heaven. It is also about bringing heaven to people. As NT Wright sad, ““Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of God’s new project, not to snatch people away from earth to heaven, but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord’s Prayer is about.” How should this change the way we think and live?
2. Peter’s sermon describes the cross as a crime against Christ, and yet, ultimately, as the greatest triumph. What is the triumph of the cross for us?
3. “Repent from your sins and turn to God that your sins might be blotted out and that times of refreshing might come from his presence.”True repentance, while hard, bring about true refreshing from God’s presence. Share moments of refreshing that come from repentance n your lives. Practice together praying prayers of repentance e and asking for God’s refreshing.
March 26th // Alan Frow // Genesis 21:1-14 “The God who makes laughter for me”
1. Because of disappointment and delay, Abraham and Sarah laughed with skepticism at God’s promise of a child in Genesis 17 and 18. Skepticism protects us from the vulnerability of hope but it is a shallow kind of joy. Talk about your struggle with skepticism and how we can be a community that helps one another to keep hoping in God, even though this makes us vulnerable to disappointment.
2. God is faithful and he gave the good gift of Isaac as he promised. However, very quickly Isaac became an idol to his parents, and Ishmael’s mocking laughter in Genesis 21 revealed this. Keller says that an idol is often a good thing that becomes an ultimate thing. Talk about how God’s good gifts can become idols in your life and how this makes your joy fragile.
3. God’s joy is abiding because it rests upon his faithfulness rather than ours.
Reflect on the joy of justification, (Romans 4) the wonder of transformation (2 Cor 5:17) and the thrill of obedience (Luke 10:12 -17) which of these sources of joy do you most need right now? Ask for the joy of the Holy Spirit.
March 19th// Alan Frow// Genesis 20
“There is no Fear of God in this Place.”
1. Ironically, while Abraham lied about his wife because of an assumption that there was no fear of God in Gerar, the Philistine king seemed to fear God more than Abraham. Look at the passage and discuss how the people of God lose their fear of God?
2.The King’s fear of God caused him to act in integrity. Abraham,’s lack of fear of God caused hypocrisy. Talk about a time when you have caused others harm because of hypocrisy.
3.When we fear man more than we fear God, we tend to want to blend in/assimilate with our culture so as not to rock the boat. Talk about a time where you have been tempted to assimilate.
4. While this is a sobering passage it shines with grace. Despite his hypocrisy, the king gives Abraham wealth and permanent residency. God insists that Abraham is a prophet and calls him to pray for the king’s family, whom God heals. Talk about how the gospel gives us an identity that does not change even when we do not live up to it. Pray for one another, that we would be secure in our gospel identity and live up to it.