SERMON BASED RESOURCES
Dig into the sermon each week with your life group, spiritual growth partner, or even by yourself! We’ll provide ideas to jump start your group time (Opener Questions: for building community), discussion questions to go deep (Discussion Questions: for fostering Christ Centered community), and ways to apply what you learned throughout the week (Practical Applications: for faithfully following Jesus through your week).
Opener Questions
- If you could instantly become an expert in any random skill, what would you pick and why?
- What is your favorite way to fight ‘the doldrums of winter’?
Discussion Questions:
1. Personal Scripture Recap: Revisit your spiritual growth plan, whether written down or in your mind. What had you planned/desired to do to grow spiritually this year? How’s it going? Are there any adjustments to make? Remind yourself, why are you seeking to grow spiritually this year.
2. The Story So Far: To gain context, retell the story we’ve experienced over the last 3-4 weeks. What have been significant themes, story moments, things that have built tension, or context pieces needed for moving forward?
3. Practicing Observations: Our passage this week is long; Acts 25 and 26. Take the time to read it, and discuss what’s happening: what are the significant themes, story moments, things that build tension in this story?
What’s the importance of Paul appealing to Caesar? (both in the continuation of Paul’s story and in the overarching God’s mission through Paul)?
4. Look at Paul’s character again in these chapters. How do you see Paul react to his circumstances and the people with whom he gets to interact? Specifically, what does Paul’s response to Festus say about his character? How are his actions received? (look to Acts 26:30-32).
5. The climax to this passage is Paul’s statement in Acts 26:29, “I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.” (CSB). Consider what it means to be “as I am”. What is Paul saying here? How might his audience hear this? What do you know to be true of Paul’s new identity found in Christ? What is he inviting the onlookers to?
6. Back in January (when discussing Acts 22), we asked you to workshop holding onto your story and keeping the truth of the Gospel front and center. Consider: what was your life like before coming to faith, what was the moment(s) where Jesus intervened and called you to follow him, and what is your life like now as a result of knowing Jesus? When sharing your testimony, what core truth about God can you focus on?
7. The Woodlands in the Word passages are Ephesians 3 – 6 and Hebrews 1. Our sermon passage for next week is Acts 27:1-26.
Practical Applications
Dinnertime Discussions:
If you had two minutes to explain to someone how your life has been transformed by Jesus, what would you say?
Gospel in Everyday Life:
Who is one person you could intentionally share part of your story with this week?
Developing Disciplines:
Journal Prompt: Who in your life seems “unlikely” to believe, and how might God be inviting you to see them differently? Paul desires that everyone would come to know Christ. Do you share that desire, or has your heart grown cold toward certain people? Reflect honestly and pray fervently.
Practicing Prayer:
Which part of your story do you struggle to share — your past, your encounter with Jesus, or your present calling? Pray for courage to be free to boldly be honest about what God has done in your life, and where he might still be at work.
Song: