Looking, Telling, and Turning
Acts 3
Eric Henderson, Senior Associate Pastor
Acts 3 shows us that the people of God are a people of “ looking”, “telling” and “turning” and what we “see”, “ hear” and “ become” are the very generosity and healing presence of Jesus
Looking to See
Telling to Hear
Turning to Become
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Discussion Questions
Before questions, attempt to give the group a bit of a summary of the main points of the sermon and then choose a few questions that fit your group’s needs and style. We don’t intend for you to use all of these. Three to five questions may be a good number.
If you haven’t yet watched this short (4 minute) video from Pastor Richard regarding the events of this past weekend, please watch it together as a group.
Call to Prayer
Open with prayer for our community and for the black community specifically.
This Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, celebrating the church born as a community of believers with God’s Spirit taking up residence in his people as the new temple. How does the presence of the Holy Spirit moving from a physical temple to indwelling in God’s people change the world?
Pastor Eric describes that the new temple of Jesus fulfills the intent for the Jerusalem temple: “To be a place where heaven and earth meet, where people encounter God’s generosity and healing presence.” What is one encounter where you have experienced this through another person?
In Acts 3:1-10 we read an example of the difference in looking versus seeing.
Is there an area of your life where the Holy Spirit might help you to be interruptible, available or for your hearts to more open to seeing beyond your common everyday experiences to something greater?
Consider breaking into pairs and praying 1:1.
It is important to live out the gospel in our everyday actions as we respond to ongoing transformation.
However, can you resonate with having ever passed the buck on simply sharing the good news?
Is there anyone in your life that looks like this beggar transformed, truly liberated by the truth of the gospel that they continue to share about their experience (perhaps even to the point of being a broken record to those who know the story already)?
Pastor Eric shares: “We have to turn back to God in order to become the people and the community he intended. And we have much to turn from, don’t we?”
Pray as a group around what this means for our community, what do you find that as a community or a small group, we need to turn back to God in?
Is there an area of brokenness in your own life that needs healing/repentance and turning towards God?
In closing we are reminded that followers of Jesus do not look away but lament with those suffering. Close in prayer, asking that the Lord reveal opportunities for us (in our groups and individually) to respond, asking that his will and Spirit intervene and guide.