Life Groups // Winter 2021 // Week 2
Posted January 22, 2021 — Lincoln Berean
Be My Witnesses // Acts 1:1-11
Introduction
We’re excited to step fully into this study of Acts with you! In the coming weeks, we’ll explore the dynamics of being a faithful church, daring to take the message of Jesus to the streets and to the world that they may know our Savior.
We hope this time of connecting in a Life Group and discussing the scriptures is enriching to your life and encourages you to reach out in love to others. We suggest you work through these questions on your own before meeting with your group.
We don’t provide a lot of space for your answers to these questions, so we suggest having a journal handy to write down your thoughts. You’re not expected to have time for all these questions during your online meeting, but we encourage you to reflect on them and jot down thoughts on your own.
Getting to Know Each Other (Suggested time: 30 min)
Here are some suggestions to get your conversation started:
- When you hear the saying, “actions speak louder than words”, what example comes to mind?
- Share your first memory of attending church. How old were you? What was it like? Who were you with? etc.
- The last time we went through a sermon series in Acts was September 2005. Where were you then?
Getting Started
Begin to transition into group discussion.
1) Open group discussion with prayer. Here are a few potential prayer items:
- For the Spirit of God to lead you in truth
- For openness to what you’re learning together
- For friendships to deepen and grow
2) Invite someone to read Acts 1:1-11 to the group.
Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)
Please complete these questions prior to your group’s meeting time.
1) After hearing the sermon this week, what example or expression of the early church has stuck in your mind?
2) What qualities and actions are evident in a faithful church?
- How are you involved in making our church a place that is faithful to the gospel?
3) In Acts 1:7-8, Jesus states the overriding mission of the early Church. Rewrite it here:
- What does the Father NOT give them authority to do?
- Who does the Father give them instead?
- Consider what motivates you to serve Jesus and the Church. Do you notice the power of the Holy Spirit at work through you to be a witness of Jesus? Share a time that stands out as meaningful.
4) Luke wraps up this scene with a challenge to “stop looking into the sky” so they might be active witnesses of Jesus. How might you be a bystander rather than an active witness these days?
- What is one way you can become more active in your faith this week?
If you would like to learn more about opportunities to witness or participate in God’s kingdom in Lincoln and around the world, contact outreach@lincolnberean.org or checkout this Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/lincolnbereanlocal
Group Prayer (Suggested time: 10 min)
Take a few moments to prepare a prayer request. (pro tip: If something stirred you during discussion, that might indicate a place in your heart that is open to the Holy Spirit. Writing it down can help you put words to what you’re experiencing.)
A significant part of “coming together” is being open and honest with our lives. Sitting in a group of people for prayer may be new or it may be familiar to you. If you would rather not pray aloud when it is your turn, feel free to pray silently and then say “Amen” aloud, signaling the next person in the group to pray. Whether or not you choose to verbalize your prayer, everyone is a participant in sharing this time before God together.