New Plan: Bringing His Spirit Wherever You Go
Acts 2: 14-41
Nostalgia
- Comforting yet challenging
- Importance of cherishing past experiences with God
- Danger of clinging too tightly to the past
Acts 2: A New Movement of God
- Disciples’ faithfulness in Acts 1
- Holy Spirit’s descent at Pentecost
- Purpose of nations gathering in Jerusalem
The Temple’s Role
- Central to Jewish life
- Multiple purposes (worship, covenant, sacrifice, etc.)
God’s Shift: Moving Outside the Temple
- Tearing of the temple veil
- Holy Spirit moving among the people
Peter’s Response to the Crowd
- Addressing confusion and accusations
- Pointing to prophecy and Scripture
Importance of Biblical Literacy
- Countering misunderstandings
- Grounding believer’s in God’s word
Pointing People to Jesus
- Confronting sin
- Witnessing in hostile environments
Lies of Satan
- Keeping Christian witness private
- Threats to public witness in modern culture
God’s Plan for the Holy Spirit
- Outpouring on all flesh
- Breaking down barriers of status and gender
Living Beyond the Temple Walls
- Not confining God’s presence to church buildings
- Boldness and infilling of the Holy Spirit
Conclusion: Embrace the New
- End of separation between God and humanity
- Carrying God’s Spirit everywhere
- Being catalysts for God’s kingdom in the world
Sermon Study Circle: Deepening Our Faith Together
New Plan: Bringing His Spirit Wherever You Go
Acts 2:14-41
Opening Prayer: Begin with a prayer, asking God to open hearts and minds to His Word and to guide the discussion.
Ice Breaker Question: Share a nostalgic memory from your faith journey. How has that memory influenced your current relationship with God?
Key Takeaways:
- Nostalgia can be both comforting yet challenging in our spiritual lives.
- God’s plan has always been to pour out His Spirit on all people, not just specific places.
- The Holy Spirit’s presence is no longer confined to a physical building but is meant to be carried by believers everywhere.
- Being filled with the Spirit empowers us to boldly proclaim the Gospel in potentially hostile environments.
Discussion Questions:
- How can nostalgia sometimes hinder our ability to embrace God’s new plans? Share an example from your own life or the life of someone you know.
- The sermon mentions that the disciples were “waiting-watching, aligning, interceding and trusting” before Pentecost. How can we cultivate these attitudes in our own lives as we wait for God to move?
- Peter addressed the crowd’s confusion by pointing them to Scripture. How can we become more grounded in God’s Word to better discern His movements in our lives and in the world?
- The sermon states, “Satan has convinced not only our current American culture, but also the Christian culture that we need to keep a public witness of Jesus Christ, private.” do you agree wit this statement? Why or why not?
- Discuss some of the challenges mentioned in the sermon about being a witness in today’s culture (e.g., backlash, professional risks, isolation). How can we overcome these challenges?
- How does the concept of God’s Spirit being poured out on “all flesh” (sons, daughters, young, old, male, female, servants) challenge or encourage you?
Practical Applications:
- This week, identify one area of your life where you’ve been confining God’s presence. Make a conscious effort to invite His Spirit into that area.
- Practice sharing your faith in a non-threatening way with someone outside your usual Christian circle. Reflect on the experience and share it with the group next time.
- Spend time in prayer, asking God to fill you afresh with His Spirit, not just for personal revelation but to be a catalyst for His kingdom in the world.
- Choose a passage from the book of Acts to study this week, focusing on how the early church lived out their faith beyond the temple walls.
Closing Prayer: Close the session by praying for each group member to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to have the courage to carry God’s presence wherever they go this week.