In the Street--Lesson 8--They Are All Around Us--Acts 8 & 10 & II Samuel 9

Discussion Questions:

1.  How do you respond to there being people all around us who have brokenness and need to hear a message from God about redemption and salvation?  How often during a week do you consider these things and pray about them and the role you can have in this?

2.  Why do you suppose we are not told the name of the Ethiopian Eunuch?  Does this have any significance?

3.  How was Peter prepared to go see Cornelius?  Have you seen God work to get someone’s attention like this so someone could be reached with His truth and love?

4.  What lessons should we learn from seeing that the good works of Cornelius were not enough to save him?  How does it help you to see that God pursued Cornelius so he and his family could hear and experience what they needed to be saved?

5.  What similarities do you see with your life and the things Mephibosheth experienced?  How have you felt brokenness and being in a desolate place?  How has the KING offered you more than you can imagine?

6.  Why is it important that God relates to us through covenant love?  How does knowing you are offered love based upon covenant give you security and the ability to see beyond the trials and struggles that come with living in the wilderness?

7.  In what ways have you tried to hide from the King and settle for life in a place of no pasture?  How can we help people better understand what is available to them so they don’t settle for living in places of no pasture, hiding from the One who wants to invite them to His table so He can provide, protect, and give them a position as sons in His Kingdom?

8.  What does Rahab’s story of being rescued and winding up in the lineage of Jesus teach about the nature of God’s love and the importance of faith in Him?

9.  If there are people all around us who need to hear of God’s love and salvation, who can you pray for and reach out to this week?

In the Street--Lesson 7--It Was Just a Half-Truth--Acts 5

Discussion Questions:

1.  Why is the Kingdom of God built upon virtue, sound character and integrity?  How has a lack of these things hindered people from believing in or wanting to be part of the Kingdom of God?

2.  How have sin or shame caused you to hide or run away from facing the music in your life?  Why does shame have such power over us when Jesus paid the price so we don’t have to live in shame?

3.  What is the hardest part about being a witness?  How serious does God take being a reliable and truthful witness?

4.  How has culture shown you it is not very interested in the truth?  How does exaggeration and flattery make things harder to trust what people say?  How was what Ananias & Sapphira did forms of exaggeration and flattery?

5.  Is being politically correct and honest possible at the same time?  How has the quest to not offend anyone led to greater division and struggles of being truly honest about things?

6.  Why does God have times like with Nadab & Abihu, Uzzah, Ananias & Sapphira, etc. where He responds with striking severity?  Why does God not respond that way to more people?

7.  How much do you take into account God’s holiness with the various decisions you have to make each day?  With all of the examples of how serious God takes holiness, why do we have times we treat it so lightly?  What kinds of things cause you to forget or ignore the holy standard He desires from us?  How is holiness your ally?

8.  Why is it difficult to balance grace with holiness/righteousness?  Which do you tend to fall more on the side of?  How does that affect your walk with the LORD?

In the Street--Lesson 6--Responding to Opposition--Acts 4-5

Discussion Questions:

1.  What are some ways you have experienced opposition, persecution, disappointment and heartache due to your faith in the LORD?  Why is it difficult to live according to the victory we have in Christ when we face opposition and persecution?

2.  Why is it important to know that suffering is part of being an apprentice of Jesus? 

3.  What helps you to see beyond persecution and opposition to the bigger plan of God?  What do you know about the bigger plans God has for those who entrust themselves to Him?

4.  How have you dealt with times when it felt like God wasn’t answering your prayers or possibly even turned His back on you?  How does Jesus’ example of this in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross provide inspiration and example for you?

5.  Do you believe God causes storms to give people time to hear His word and respond to Him?  How have you seen something like this happen around you?  How do you explain the times He doesn’t do something like this?

6.  With so many stories of opposition and persecution in the bible, why do we still get surprised when the occur in our lives?  How has dealing with opposition/persecution helped you mature in your faith?

7.  What is the typical reason for employing compromise in a situation?  How is compromise counter-productive when it comes to experiencing peace with God?

8.  How does trusting in a new day and the One who set up the order of the dawning of new days provide reason for hope even when facing trials and persecution? 

9.  Who enjoys suffering and persecution?  Jesus’ words in the Beatitudes are that we are blessed when persecuted and to rejoice and be glad.  How has persecution led you to rejoice and be glad?