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Series: Unveiling the Bible Story – Seeing Glory & Walking in Grace Mini-Series on Acts: Gospel DNA – Living By the Power of the Spirit Today: The Holy Spirit & Mission (Acts 10:1-11:18, for next wk Acts 13:1-3ff)
Intro:
*** Acts 10:1-11:18 reveals that our core mission (as followers of Christ) is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in ____________ the gospel to all __________. The Holy Spirit empowers our mission of ____________ the gospel to all __________:
I. … by working ahead of us to ____________ & soften lost __________ for the gospel.
II. … by working __________ of us to __________ & correct our unwillingness to show & share the gospel.
III. … by working ____________ us (our showing & sharing of the gospel) to create new ____________ of Jesus from among all peoples.
Concl: Questions for small group &/or family discussion of today’s message
1. Have you experienced God preparing your heart for the gospel as He did for Cornelius in Acts 10? Explain some of the ways God worked to soften your heart before you came to faith in Christ. 2. How have you seen God prepare the hearts of others? 3. How has God worked in your life to adjust your attitude toward other people? 4. Why do so many of us struggle to reach out to those different than us? Explain your struggle with outreach. How does Acts 10 encourage & motivate you to be more faithful in local & global evangelism. 5. What seems to be the core elements of the gospel according to what we read in Peter’s preaching in Acts 10:34-43? 6. How was the gospel explained to you? Did that differ from what we see in today’s passage? Was anything “left out”? What might be the consequences if the “big picture” is not made clear? 7. How does prayer seem to fit into Biblical outreach? How does this passage instruct us in our praying? 8. How do you see the Holy Spirit at work in Acts 10:1-11:18? Have you ever experienced the Spirit interrupting as in Acts 10:44ff?
Digging Deeper into today’s Bible verses & themes A few suggestions for personal study
1. Joppa is the very place where Jonah refused God’s call to preach to the Gentiles of Nineveh (see Jon 1:3). Why are so many of us reluctant or disobedient in evangelism? 2. Notice the repetition of the word “common” (5 times) in Acts 10. What do you make of this? 3. The theme of there being no “common” persons is a huge in the Bible. The OT vision is that God’s plans encompass all the nations. Reflect on Gen 12:3; Is 2:1-4, 42:1-17, 49:8-12, 66:18-22; Mic 4:1-3; Zech 2:11, 8:20-23 & 14:16. 4. This theme of international interracial unity through Christ is found many places in the NT such as Gal 3:26, Col 3:11, Eph 2:13 -16, 2 Cor 5:14-17 & John 10:15-16. Reflect on these 5. Study & reflect on Luke’s continued emphasis on prayer as means God uses to lead & guide us: Lk 3:21-23, 6:12-16, 9:18-22, 22:39-46; Acts 1:14, 2:42, 4:23-31, 10:3-6, 9-18 & 13;1-3 – to name only a few. |