13 May Be the Church | Part One “The Community of the Holy Spirit”
Key Verse: Acts 2:37-47 ESV
15 for 15 – If you group would like to nominate a ‘miracle’ please go to waterschurch.org/15for15 and fill out the application. Small Group Leaders should discuss the nomination with their coach prior to submission.
The Church is our mother. The church, like our earthly mothers, tells us what we should do and what we shouldn’t do. Pastor Tim told us of his childhood and how the church was like his family. They sent him to youth camp when he was young, and there he was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Q. What was church like for you when you were young? How was the church like / not like your family?
The Bible never tells us to go to church. It is not a building, it is not a denomination. Jesus came to make a people. The Greek word for church means ‘those that have been called out’. Jesus would save people and then He would call them out to change the world. We gather and then we scatter.
SERIES THEME: THE CHURCH IS THE ONLY BIBLE MANY PEOPLE WILL EVER READ.
People should be happy to see Waters Church people. We should have passion and hope. The church is the bride and through Her and her husband, Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit, we produce offspring. As the Gospel is preached, we get new babies. Each month we have baptisms!
Ephesians 2:19 ESV; 1 John 3:1 NLT; 1 Timothy 3:15 ESV; Galatians 3:7 ESV; Ephesians 5:1 ESV; Psalm 68:6 ESV
We are here for the lonely, the hurting, those that don’t measure up. A good mom loves us even when we are messed up. The Church is not perfect, but we pray for God go perfect us.
This is the birth of the Church. 120 people watched Jesus die and then saw Him alive again. He sent them the Holy Spirit and filled them.
WHEN THE CHURCH IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES CHANGE.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
1. CHANGED HEARTS.
We are always trying to change our lives. Springtime comes, we make changes, the new year comes we make changes, the young want to be older and the older want to be younger. We can change everything and still be miserable because our hearts need to be changed.
Q. What things have you tried to change in your life that you thought would make you happier but did not and why?
Repentance is not a change of heart, it is a change of mind. When we find out information that is true about something, that changes the way we think about it.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
2. CHANGED PRIORITIES.
They devoted themselves to the apostle’s preaching. Some people in the church are devoted and some are barely hanging on. Some blame God because there is no devotion; if we avoid ‘mom’ it won’t go well for you. We need to gather and hear the Word of God because if we don’t, we will forget. God told Israel continually to ‘remember’. We should never get to a point where we think we know it all.
Q. How has being devoted in community change your priorities?
DEVOTION 1: Hearing What God Says.
Q. How has avoiding what God has to say to you affected you and/or others?
DEVOTION 2: Sharing What God Gives.
When God gets a hold of our hearts, we give out of the kindness of God.
Q. How has giving affected you or someone else because of your devotion, or their devotion to God?
DEVOTION 3: Practicing What God Is.
God is fellowship. God is one of three: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The fellowship of the Trinity is an illustration of what God wants for us. They broke bread in their homes: Small Groups.
Pastor Tim told of us of the testimony of one of our Small Group leaders who had, by the grace of God, survived a miracle! Because of their Small Group – they were prayed for, cared for and have an amazing testimony to God!
Q. What testimony can you share from your experience of practicing fellowship?
YOU KNOW PRIORITIES ARE CHANGED WHEN YOU FEEL IT.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
3. CHANGED COMMUNITIES.
Some take pride in insulting their neighbors. When the church does what we are suppose to do, our neighbors will love it even if they don’t believe. These people in Acts did not push their faith, they did not practice aggressive evangelism techniques.
Q. How have you shared the love of God with your neighbors without using aggressive tactics or being pushy and how do they receive you?
YOU KNOW COMMUNITIES ARE BEING CHANGED WHEN OTHERS EXPERIENCE GOD’S AMAZING GRACE.
Pray for each other, the lost, your community, nation and leaders.
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