The Church on Mission: "Spirit-led Impact"

The Church on Mission: Spirit-led Impact   

Acts 17:16-34

3-17-19      

Matt Chandler - “We take God’s toys and run. Idolatry is wanting God for His benefits, but not for Himself.”

George Bernard Shaw - “The art of government is the organization of idolatry.”

Charles Spurgeon– “Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.” 

“To be willing to have an impact, one must be willing first to have a collision.”

I. Gospel Community and Rhythms of Life. (Acts 17:1-3)

II. God-Given Results. (Acts 17:4)

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 - “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth…neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”

III. Paying a Price. (Acts 17:5-15)

IV. Godly Promptings and Compassion. (Acts 17:16)

1 Corinthians 10:20 - “…what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God...”

V. Common Ground and Biblical Truth. (Acts 17:17-31)

1. What do you most desire out of life?

2. What do you think is our greatest problem?

3. What is the solution?

4. What is your understanding of God? Heaven? After we die?

VI. Different Responses and Continued Faithfulness. (Acts 17:32-34)

For Discussion This Week

1. What are some songs that have become the praise or prayers of your heart? Why have they become so?

2. What will it look like for us today to live in the world but not be of it? Discuss this for a bit and pray for one another. (See John 17:15-17)

3. What sort of questions can we ask our non-Christian friends and neighbors to discern what their idols might be? (Example- What is most important to you?) Practice with one another.  

4. How does getting a sense of a person’s idols help with presenting the gospel to that person?

5. How does the Erie community resemble Paul’s experience in the city of Athens?

6. What biblical truths regarding human nature must we keep in mind as we proclaim the gospel? (Genesis 1:26-28, Romans 1:18-23, 3:23, 6:23 and Acts 4:12)

7. Read 1 Corinthians 3:5-11. Use it for discussion of our proclamation of the Gospel and use this text as a guide for prayer for MCC, your C group and your family.