The Power Explained - Part 3

Five Ingredients of True Conversion:

1. Heart-felt CONVICTION . (Acts 2:37)



2. Sincere REPENTANCE . (Acts 2:38)



3. Godly MOTIVATION . (Acts 2:39)



4. Radical SEPARATION . (Acts 2:40)



5. Public PROFESSION . (Acts 2:41)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 2:37-41

1. How can you tell if someone is truly "cut to the heart", that is, they are genuinely sorry for their sins? (Acts 2:37)
2. How would you answer someone who asks, "Why should I get baptized? What does it mean?" (Acts 2:38)
3. Is Acts 2:38 teaching that "you can't get saved unless you are baptized"? Why or why not?
4. What are wrong motivations to come to Christ? (See Acts 2:39 for the right motivation)
5. What did Peter mean by, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation"? (Acts 2:40) 

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another.

The Power Explained - Part 2

Four Proofs that Jesus is the Christ:

1. We witnessed God's POWER in Jesus' life. (Acts 2:22)
   


2. We witnessed God's SOVEREIGNTY in Jesus' death. (Acts 2:23)
   


3. We witnessed God's VICTORY in Jesus' resurrection. (Acts 2:24-32)



4. We witnessed God's PROMISE in Jesus' exaltation. (Acts 2:33-36)
   

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 2:22-36

1. Explain Acts 2:23. If this was God's plan, according to His foreknowledge, can those men who crucified Jesus be held guilty? Why or why not?
2. Why does Peter spend so little time on Jesus life and death, and so much time on Jesus' resurrection?
    
3. The original purpose of Peter's sermon was to explain the coming of the Holy Spirit. Why, then, did Peter preach about Jesus?
    
4. What promises are attached to the exaltation of Christ (Acts 2:33-36)? What do these promises mean for you and the church? 

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another.

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength!

Hearing and understanding the Word of God leads to genuine JOY!

The Progression of the Involvement of the Hearers:

The people were INTERESTED in the Word of God. (Neh 8:1)

The people were ATTENTIVE to the Word of God. (Neh 8:2-3)

The people were RESPECTFUL towards the Word of God. (Neh 8:4-6)

The people UNDERSTOOD the Word of God. (Neh 8:7-8)


A proper understanding of the Word of God leads to:

1. CONVICTION of SIN. (Neh 8:9)



2. CELEBRATION of SALVATION. (Neh 8:10-12)

Mark Ort - HBCPN Elder

This is a photo of what archaeologists believe is the Water Gate, from where Ezra read from the Law in Nehemiah 8.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nehemiah 8:1-12

1. When you come to a passage of scripture that is dry or tedious (genealogies, measurements of the temple, etc), what can you do to maintain interest and focus?
    
2. When someone is explaining the Word to you (preaching, commentaries, etc), how do you know if what they are saying is right and true?
    
3. Does weeping and mourning over your sin increase or decrease your capacity to experience true joy? Why? Or how so?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another!

Love is...

SACRIFICE

Lay down a FORK .
Lay down a BUNT .
Lay down a LIFE .

ACTION

HOSPITALITY .
SERVICE to others.
MINISTERING to others.
MISSIONARY work.
Developing a RELATIONSHIP with the one who loves you!

OBEDIENCE

Check out this logic:

1. We will not OBEY Him if we don't BELIEVE and TRUST Him.



2. We will not BELIEVE and TRUST Him if we don't LOVE Him.



3. We cannot LOVE Him unless we KNOW Him.

So...

1. If you come to KNOW Him, you will LOVE Him.



2. If you LOVE Him, you will BELIEVE and TRUST Him.



3. If you BELIEVE and TRUST Him, you will OBEY Him.

Jay Knauer - HBCPN Elder

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 1 John 3:16-24

1. How did this concept of love ever start? Would humans have ever come up with the idea of loving each other?
    
2. When you are truly motivated by love, describe how different it is performing tasks or acts of service than when motivated by more self-serving motives?
    
3. How would you respond to someone who says the Bible is just a book of "don'ts" meant to make us miserable?
    
4. What does the concept of sacrifice mean to you? In 1 John 3:16, it says "we should lay down our lives for our brothers." Are we really doing that? How do we do that?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another. Pray for Pastor Jeff while he is in Thailand teaching the pastors at the conference.

The Power Explained - Part 1

Power in People is Part of the Plan!

1. This is a PREVIEW: Enjoy a taste of what's coming! (Acts 2:16-18)



2. This is a PROMISE : God will keep his word on judgement, too! (Acts 2:19-20)



3. This is a PROVOCATION : You have to do something about this! (Acts 2:21)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 2:14-21

1. Why did Peter quote THIS Old Testament passage? Why use this passage if all of these things were not yet fulfilled (judgment, Day of the Lord, etc)?
    
2. Why do you think preaching is God's ordained method of getting His Word out? (Hint: What role does the Holy Spirit's power have in this?)

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another. I am going to selfishly ask you pray for me while I am in Thailand teaching the pastors at the conference. I know I can count on you!