Category: God's Power

Power of the Spirit

4/11/2021

Read John 14:15-17. The Holy Spirit is here referred to as the Advocate. The word is "parakleton" which means advocate, helper, counselor, encourager.

Based on that understanding, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life as a counselor or helper?

Read John 14:25-26; 16:13. Jesus says he will give us the Spirit and the Spirit will teach and guide us.

How does the Spirit teach and guide us?
How have you experienced the Spirit's guidance in your life?

Read John 16:8-11. Many people think this passage teaches that the Spirit convicts believers of their sin. However, notice that Jesus says the Spirit will "convict the world" or "prove the world to be wrong" about sin and righteousness and judgment. Then compare "sin" to verse 9, "righteousness" to verse 10, and "judgment" to verse 11.

Who or what is the "world"?
How is convicting the world, and of what, different from convicting believers?

Read Galatians 5:22-23 and compare it to the surrounding passage.

What role does the Spirit play in producing these fruit in our lives?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 and notice the list that follows.

How as the Holy Spirit gifted you?
How are you using those gifts

In summary now, what role has or is the Holy Spirit playing in your life right now?

Power of God

4/4/2021

What are some favorite things you do with your family or at church around Easter?
We sang the song "Death was Arrested" by NorthPoint Worship and Jim talked about the song "Rattle!" by Elevation Worship. Do you have any favorite songs about Easter and the resurrection?

Read Luke 24:1-8
There are five primary reasons to believe in the resurrection. What do you think of these reasons?

They were:

The empty tomb
Jesus's appearances to many witnesses
The transformation of the disciples
The sudden rise of Sunday worship
The explosive growth of the Christian church

Read Romans 8:10-11
At Easter, we celebrate that the Power of God is in the Resurrection. That means:

The power of God gives life!
The power of God is in you!

In what ways have you experienced the life-giving power of God?

Power of God's Peace

3/28/2021

Discuss some memories you have of Holy Week. Did your family have any traditions you would do or participate in throughout the week?
Read Matthew 21:1-11. What caught your attention from this story?
What do we learn about Jesus from this story?
In v2-3, Jesus gives instructions to his disciples. How would you have felt if he gave those instructions to you? Why do you think the disciples obeyed him?
Why is this detail of Jesus riding on a donkey important? (Check out the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9!)
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowd treated him like a king. What were they expecting of him?
The crowd shouted “Hosanna in the highest” which means “God save us”. But what they wanted to be saved from (aka Rome) was not why Jesus came (to save them from their sin). Have you or someone you know ever known someone who was disappointed when God didn't meet their expectations? What is our response in these situations?
What are some unrealistic expectations we sometimes have of God? What can we do to keep our expectations of God rooted in truth?
The crowd recognized Jesus in v11 as a prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. They didn’t fully acknowledge Him as the Messiah. What is the difference between honoring Jesus and recognizing Him as the Messiah? How do people today honor Jesus, but not recognize Him as the Messiah?
Where do you notice peace is lacking in your life or the world around you? What needs to be done so that you (or those in your world) can experience the power of God’s peace in this area?
What are some activities you can do this next week to stay focused on the true meaning of Easter?

Power of the Spirit

Power of God

Power of God's Peace

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