In the Street--Lesson 10--What Peace & Security Offer--Acts 16

Discussion Questions:

1.  Tell of a time or way Jesus has held you up while you regained your footing so you could continue climbing with Him?

2.  On a scale of 1-10, how much security do you feel in your daily life?  What kinds of things give or take away your security?

3.  What kinds of experiences have you had with God blocking your way?  How did things work out when you waited for and followed His direction?

4.  How did Jesus use personal contact to remove barriers and challenge prejudices?  How has personal contact from others helped you face prejudices and take away barriers that brought division?  What are some ways you can grow in offering personal contact to the people around you?

5.  Who do you know that acts totally free even with trials and challenges in their life?  Why is sharing your personal testimony an important part of making personal contact?  What would you share in a personal testimony?

6.  How does God orchestrating Paul & Silas being in Philippi and going through what the jailer experienced offer you security for your own life?  How do stories like Hagar being seen by God and the Israelites being remembered by God add to the testimony of how secure God wants you to feel?

7.  Paul had his own history to look back upon to see the care of God (Lowered in a basket—vouched for by Barnabas).  What can you look back upon to see how much God cares about you and offer you reasons to feel secure?

8.  How does being in covenant with God change the way you face anxiety or various challenges and trials that come with living in a fallen world?  What does it look like to stand upon the promises of God?

9.  Describe what salvation is and how it makes a difference in your daily living.  What kind of weight has been lifted off you because of walking with God?  How do you avoid taking back up and carrying a burden you have been set free from?

In the Street--Lesson 9--The Power of Encouragement--Acts 9 & 15

Discussion Questions:

1.  Who in your life could use some encouragement this week?  What specific things will you commit yourself to do to help them feel valued and cared for, and that they have purpose?

2.  What struggles do you have with paying attention to the things going on around you and not merely going through the motions?  What kinds of things help you to be present in each moment you encounter?

3.  What kinds of things did Barnabas do for Paul and then John Mark that you could do for people in your life?  Are there things you do for the Kingdom of God that you could take someone under your wing and mentor them?

4.  What role has encouragement played in times when you have failed or quit or been broken?  Who is someone you can thank and appreciate for their role of encouraging you?

5.  How much greater would the Kingdom of God be if more people saw their main role as being an encourager of others?  How good are you are accepting the encouragement of others?  How does your inability to accept encouragement hurt what God wants to accomplish?

6.  How are you at believing in others?  What role does competition play in your relationships?  How does competition hurt encouragement?  How does the grace of God go against competition?

7.  When has someone had to use the “get off the couch” type of encouragement to help you grow?  What does a person need to have in order to talk to you this way?

8.  Why is it difficult, if not impossible, to be an encourager without community?  How have you seen encouragement build better community?

9.  Why did people feel so comfortable around Jesus?  How can we grow in this area as a welcoming and encouraging place for people to find encouragement of all types?

10.  What kind of legacy are you hoping to leave behind after you are gone?  How have you seen encouragement play a role in building a legacy?

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?