Week 2 - BELIEVE IT
CONNECT
What are you thankful for?
What challenge are you facing?
Have there been any answers to prayer?
Pray for each other.
Did anything stand out to you from last week’s follow-up Bible readings?
How did your “I will …” statement from last week go?
How did your sharing goal from last week go?
How’s your memory work coming along?
Acts 4:31 (NIV)
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
DISCOVER
Let’s start with a review.
NEED IT
As we partner with Jesus in mission to those around us, we need the empowerment of Holy Spirit.
And now …
BELIEVE IT
Just as Jesus ministered through the Person and power of the Holy Spirit, so can we.
As Jesus said:
John 14:12 (NLT):
I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
John 16:7 (NLT)
But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate (referring to the Holy Spirit) won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.
Luke 24:49 (NIV)
I am going to send you what my Father has promised (referring to the Holy Spirit); but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.
Acts 8:26-40 (NLT)
26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and received no justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth” (from Isaiah 53).34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.
Have someone retell the passage in their own words.
What stands out to you in this passage?
What does this passage say about God (The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit)?
What does this passage say about people, including ourselves?
What does this passage say about the life God invites us to live?
Digging Deeper
The primary way that God speaks to us is through the Bible. Yet in the Bible, God tells us that He uses others means to speak to His people.
For example, how did God communicate with Philip in Acts 8? How did Philip respond and what were the results?
Have you ever experienced God communicating to you? What was it about? How did you know it was God? How did you respond? What were the results?
What’s your reaction to this quote?
Randy Fisk in The Presence, Power and Heart of God, p. 26
Instead of one person, Jesus—speaking His powerful words and doing His awesome works—suddenly Jesus begins to act via the Holy Spirit through every believer. This initiates what has to be one of the devil’s worst nightmares: instead of one Jesus at work, there are now millions and millions of “Jesuses” walking around, doing what He did!
What is the level of your faith when it comes to believing that God can fill you with His Spirit and use you in ministry to others like He did with Jesus and Philip? Choose one of the following and explain why.
No way!
Yes, but …
I’ll believe it when I see it
I believe, help me overcome my unbelief
I believe it and can’t wait to see it
I’ve seen it and would love to see it again
Other?
LIVE
What truth have you discovered from today’s Bible passage(s) and conversation?
What would stop you from believing and obeying this truth?
How will you live out this truth this coming week? Finish this statement: “I will ….”
Who else needs to hear this truth? How could you share it with them?
When will we meet again?
Who will facilitate that meeting?
Pray for God’s help as you seek to follow Jesus this coming week.
FOLLOW-UP BIBLE READINGS
After each group meeting, there will be 3 Bible readings to help you dig a bit deeper into what we have discussed.
To help you connect with Jesus, we encourage you to use the Daily Connect connection prompts with the first two Bible readings and the Lord’s Prayer with the third Bible reading.
Here are the Bible passages you are encouraged to read this coming week:
BUDDY SYSTEM
It’s recommended that you set up a buddy system for ongoing encouragement and accountability. Buddy people up and have them contact each other for a midweek check-in. Think of this as a five-minute phone call, rather than an in-person sit-down meeting. Touch base and ask these questions of each other:
How are your readings going?
How’s your “I will …” statement coming along?
How’s your sharing goal coming along?
How can I pray for you?