Discussion Questions

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MARCH 28/29, 2015

UNSTOPPABLE CHURCH / JASON STRAND KEY SCRIPTURE ACTS 5:38-39 My advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourself fighting against God. MALACHI 1:8-9 “When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord Almighty. “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord Almighty.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

NOTES

ACTS 20:24 “But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus; the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” ACTS 14:3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, speaking boldly about the grace of the Lord. ACTS 9:28 Saul stayed with the apostles and went around Jerusalem with them, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ACTS 4:29 “Give your servants great boldness in preaching your word.” Acts 2:44-46 Malachi 1:10 Acts 4:31

Romans 1:16 Acts 28:30-31 Psalm 34:8

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CHRISTIANITY SPREAD SO RAPIDLY IN MY THECHURCH EARLY JESUS SAID, “I’M GOING TO BUILD UP CHURCH THAT IT BECAME A THREAT TO JUDAISM, and the powers of FACED hell won’t be able conquer it.” BE When the light WE THROUGHOUT HAVE ALL THE BIBLE THE PRESSURE WEtoSEE A GOD TO WHO PERFECT— THE SAME SPIRIT THAT RAISED JESUS WITHIN and Saul wasn’t about to let that happen. Saul wasLIVES so far from Jesus of God’s people collides with the darkness of this world, the light IN PURSUES OUR CAREERS, HIS PEOPLE. OUR We MARRIAGES, can try to ignore AND Him. OUR We can FAITH— try to THE BOOK OFexpect ACTS TELLS ABOUT UNSTOPPABLE EVERY PERSON WHO HAS PUT THEIR FAITH INhim. HIM. that you’d never the love and power ofTHE Christ to reach reach him. He that you’d never expect the love and power of Christ to He overrules the darkness. The Church is unstoppable. run from Him. But He is relentless in His love for us and will never stop faith that grew across Judea, Rome and all of Asia. could BUT LET’S NOT FOOL OURSELVES. We all struggle, and we God gives all believers theInvite same unstoppable ofNothing the Holy Spirit. was everyone’s Do To Church But his was on on everyone’s Do Not Not Invite To Church list. list.power But after after his miraculous miraculous

pursuing us. And the moment when you least expect it, Hekid may bring stop people like Peter, John Paul from telling others about all sin. People fight inone marriage. We all get irritable. Every has had Starting today, ofJesus, usand can be bold in our faith and live a life ofa conversion to follower of he was unstoppable in reaching people conversion to a aevery follower of Jesus, he was unstoppable in reaching people another person into your life attojust the right time.arrested Jesus, even though they were mistreated and for it. Next, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS meltdown at Target from time time. As a church, let’s stop pretending hopehis if we chooseof tap into His power. with his message oftoHope. Hope. with message Paul finds himself in a place filled with veryIt’s religious people 1. The Bible refers toofAthens, the church as all theelse. body of Christ. an extension and commit to a life truth above who ofknew Jesus.little Why about do youGod. think some people say that they DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS like Jesus, but not How canthe webaptisms be the hope theplace world 1. What are some of the yourchurch? thoughts from that of took DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. We sometimes buy into thewere lie that Godthe only uses the people who 1. How would you feel if part in when 1. through How would you feel if you you were part of ofHave the church church in Jerusalem Jerusalem when theservice church? during the this past weekend? you been baptized as DISCUSSION 1. Issmartest, there an most area of your where you care about what other people areSaul eloquent, most knowledgeable about the Bible. wanted toQUESTIONS join it? lifeand

wanted to share join it?your baptism story with the group. If not, what’s Saul an adult? If so, 2. holding Read Acts God deserves our first and our best; he’s not you2:44. back? because you feared the made opinions of others? consequences have available. Where have you yourself available, and where have worshiped gods. doJason’s people inWhat today’s society worship? 2. God a crisis to Saul’s attention, one that was of blue 2. God used used in amany crisis to get get What Saul’s attention, one that was out out of the the blue our leftovers. Using chicken wing analogy, do interested you experienced because of living thisbeen way?hit by something that was you not? and that he couldn’t fix. Have you ever and that couldn’t Have been hitthe bywing something that was tend to give Godfix. the first you bite offound the chicken or theor leftover 2. you Have youhe ever gone to church andever that message, maybe beyond your control that God used to convert or change 2. Paul sayswas thejust creation we experience proves weGod have a Creator. beyond your control but that God used toto convert orMaybe change scraps? What makes hard for Christians give the first a song, whatitbut you needed to hear that day? you felt that 2.What We have allinfudged the truth, exaggerated, lied, how about can The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s power is to and boldly tellbut others something life? in creation grabs attention? something inofyour your life? bite instead the last? your the pastor was speaking directly to you. Share about your experience. we instead to verbal Because every liesometime is more Christ. Who is commit God wanting you transparency? to bravely share your faith with vertical than horizontal, how may a habit of lying be affecting your this week or year? 3.Read True conversion when you surrender your life to Christ invite True conversion is when you surrender your lifeothers tothe Christ and invite Read Acts 20:24. Paul’s assignment was to tell the Good News It’s often easy to is come up with a list of excuses of why weand don’t want 3.3. Acts 17:16-34. How does Paul approach Athenians? relationship with God today? him to be Lord over EVERY part of your life, including your time, money, him be can Lord over EVERY partPaul ofand your life, including time, money, about God’s wonderful kindness What has God to doto something orglean follow what God islove. calling us assignment to do.your What areChrist? some What tips you from when telling people about 3. work God gives us his power,What so wearea mayinoverflow with hope. Howfor full of and relationships. your life the hardest you work and relationships. What area in called your life is the hardest forstarted you to to given you? Are thereyou things feel to is do, but haven’t reasons that hinder fromyou following God’s plan for your life? 3. When there’s no chance you’ll get caught and no likelihood someone hope are you, these days? Where do you need to rely on His strength in surrender Why? surrender to Christ? Christ? Why? doing yet?to 4.your We all struggle with some form of idolatry, whether it’s money, will be disappointed by your sin, are you still motivated to resist? life? 4.fitness Read Matthew 10:32-33. Baptismladder. publicly identifies you as a follower or climbing theascorporate areis some things Character is defined who1:2-4. you are whenWhat no one looking. Whothat are 4. Read Acts 9:23 and James Sometimes our faith can come with Read Acts 9:23 and James 1:2-4. Sometimes our faith can come with 4.get The early church was characterized as bold. They often prayed to God of Christ. What are other ways that identify a person as a follower thebe way of trusting God and by putting him first ininyour life? youincan when no one is looking? 4. aYou filled with God’s power putting yourself a position What struggles have you faced your life because of your a price. What struggles have youactions faced in in your lifeWhen because of your to give them boldness preaching his word. youfaith think ofprice. Christ? How can yourwhile life and demonstrate your to where the Holy Spirit can speak to you and simply asking for his power. faith? How can God use these times to strengthen faith? faith? How can God use these times to excite strengthen our faith? about being bold for Christ, that you orour make you the people around you? Howdoes can your small group, friends or family 4. WithTHE whom or at what times have you felt pressure to be perfect? How Whether that’s spending time reading the Bible or praying, “Holy Spirit, JOIN CONVERSATION nervous? How be more bold in sharing support you in can this you during the upcoming week? Christ with people can you the way and stop pretending you it all together? fill me withlead your power,” what will you do this week tohave experience the We become what we worship. Wouldn’t it belike freeing tothese say “God, 5. Read 7:15-25. What’s your initial reaction to verses, 5. in Read Romans 7:15-25. What’s your initial reaction to these verses, yourRomans life? Think about someone who you could personally invite to Where do you need to confess and forsake your sin? With God, you fullness of His Spirit? you’re it, You’re enough”? Share how God first in of your knowing that Paul with sin just as us do? As knowing that Paul struggled struggled with sinputting just as as much much as any any of us life do? has As church this Easter. JOIN will find THE mercy. CONVERSATION impacted you with we #UnstoppableGod. Christ should Christ followers, followers, we should be be increasingly increasingly more more aware aware of of our our sin sin and and How hasdetermined God CONVERSATION pursued you or shown you his love lately? Share on JOIN more to moreTHE determined to overcome overcome it. it. How How can can this this group group or or a a close close JOIN THE CONVERSATION Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using #UnstoppableGod. JOIN THE God wants us CONVERSATION tomember boldly share whatever way place friend/family help hold you accountable this week in one friend/family member help our holdfaith you in accountable thisor week in we one COMMIT TO MEMORY What have you found at church? Friendship? Acceptance? Every church isit’s filled with imperfect people, yettoday’s we feelmessage, the need can. Whether a Bible verse orWisdom? a quote from area of struggle? area of struggle? The God who made the post world everything in it is the Lord of heaven Whatever you’ve found, it and from your Facebook, Twitter ormore Instagram to COMMIT to TO be MEMORY something we’re not. How can you live with usepretend 140 characters to share about Christ on social media using and earth. Acts 17:24 using #foundatchurch. transparency Therefore, if you today? confess Share with on your socialmouth mediaand using believe #UnstoppableGod. in your heart that #UnstoppableGod. JOIN THE CONVERSATION JOIN THEJesus CONVERSATION God raised from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 How have seen How have you you seen God God at at work work in in your your life life this this week? week? Share Share on on COMMIT TO COMMIT TO MEMORY MEMORY Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #UnstoppableGod. Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #UnstoppableGod. For amwho not cover ashamed oftheir this Good News about Christ. is the power of People sins will not prosper. But ifItthey confess and For Ithe Kingdom ofover God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God's power. God at work, everyone whoProverbs believes. 28:13 Romans 1:16 forsake them,saving they find mercy. 1 Corinthians 4:20will think you? have you pretended to be someone you’re But nothing could beWhen further from the truth. Hethat chooses those who 1. As Paulabout walked around Athens, he noticed the people are not

COMMIT COMMIT TO TO MEMORY MEMORY

Take Take up up your your cross cross daily daily and and follow follow me. me. Luke Luke 9:23 9:23