9-4-24 Life Group Questions
^ Click Take A Note ^ Remember to write down some short notes for each of the questions below before heading to life group.
1.
Share 1 thing that stood out to you about Sunday's Message (1 minute max please) Also press play button in image above to listen to Sundays message if you missed it or just to refresh your memory. (Each Individual)
2. Sinners, Saints, & Centurions
Acts 10:1-3
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”
On Sunday Pastor Vaughn said "The line between Sinners & Saints isn’t as clear as we’d like it to be and if we truly are Saints we should be looking to tell stone cold sinners about Jesus, but we should also be looking to tell good “Centurion-like” people about Jesus too."
Cornelius was a Centurion which meant he was Roman soldier & commander of 100 other soldiers. Cornelius prayed and gave money to the needy and God sent an angel to him in a vision. Was Cornelius already saved then? Why did God tell Cornelius to send for Peter? What do we learn about God from Cornelius' experience? What makes one person a sinner and another a saint? What do we learn about the connection between sinners & saints from this story? (Group Discussion)
Complete this sentence: My name is __________ , and because I am a __________ , God intends to use a connection between me and a __________ to reveal Himself. (Each Individual)
What does it mean for me in particular if that sentence is true? (Group Discussion)
3. Developing A Vocabulary
Acts 10:39-42
39 They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
On Sunday Pastor Vaughn said Verse 41 is so important because it’s the “personal” part of Peter’s Gospel presentation. Verses 39 & 40 are the truth that never changes. Verse 42 is the command that EVERY believer has been given. But Verse 41 is where Peter gets personal and says “this is how the risen Jesus revealed Himself to me”.
41
41 not to all the people but to US who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
Pastor Vaughn said "We all need to be able to talk about what Jesus HAS done and IS doing in our lives". In order to do this we have to remember & reflect AND we have to develop a vocabulary that is capable of expressing what being saved and loved by Jesus FEELS like. Let's take a few minutes to share our own Verse 41 "personal experiences" of having dined with the risen Jesus.
(Each Individual - Please write down your answers to the questions below ⬇️ BEFORE coming to Life Group as this requires some remembering & reflecting and having written answers will make for a better gathering as everyone in the group will have time to share rather than the potential of rambling as some try to share their answers while thinking about the questions for the first time. We will allow for those with written answers to share first.)
What did it FEEL like to realize the story about the life, death & resurrection of Jesus was true? What did it FEEL like to repent and ask God to save you? What did it FEEL like to know for the first time that you were forgiven and saved and loved by God? What did it FEEL like to experience the reality of the Holy Spirit being in you for the first time? How would you describe the difference between changing on your own and being changed/healed/delivered/helped by God? What does it FEEL like in the most powerful/spiritual moments of your walk with God when you recognize that you are in the presence of God in special ways?
* Remember to pray for each other before heading home from life group and to stay in communication here in the app throughout the week on your life group messaging thread!