Unstoppable Against Persecution.

Review:

The Gospel Divides: What side are YOU On?

1. You either Receive or you Reject the Word. (Acts 13:42-45)



Review: John 8:31 | Heb 3:14



2. You either choose Hell or are chosen for Heaven. (Acts 13:46-48)



3. You either work With God or work Against God. (Acts 13:49-52)

Review: Joshua 24:15

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 13:42-52

1. What does it mean to "continue in the grace of God" (Acts 13:43)?

2. Why do people attack the Word and believers (Acts 13:45, 50)? Why don’t they just "live and let live"?

3. Those who reject Christ "judged themselves unworthy of eternal life" (Acts 13:46), and those who believed were "appointed to eternal life" (Acts 13:48). How does this help you understand election (God chooses) and free will (man chooses)?

4. How do you know when to "shake the dust off your feet" (Acts 13:51) and move on when someone continually rejects your witnessing?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for our church to be clearly on the side of Christ, as the division line is becoming more and more clear in our culture. 

The Unstoppable Gospel.

Review:

Read: Eccl 1:2-11

God Has a Plan:

1. For History: It's all about Jesus. (Acts 13:16-25)



2. For Salvation: It's all about Jesus. (Acts 13:26-37)



3. And you have a Choice: It's all about Jesus. (Acts 13:38-41)

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 13:13-41

1. Why did Paul start the Gospel message in the Old Testament? What was his point with the history of Israel recap?

2. To reject the written Word (the Bible), is to reject the Living Word (Jesus), Acts 13:27. Explain what this means and how it plays out in lives today.

3. Explain Acts 13:39. What does Christ free us from that you "could not be freed by the law of Moses"?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for:

1. One another
2. Our church
3. Our nation

The Unstoppable Church!

Review:

Why the Holy Spirit is the Most Important Person in the Church:

1. Only He can Empower ministry. (Acts 13:1-5)



2. Only He can fight our Battles. (Acts 13:6-11)



3. Only He can Save people. (Acts 13:12)

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 13:1-12
Make note, as you read, what specific things the Holy Spirit is doing for the church when He is specifically mentioned.

1. What 3 things are we to do to "tune in" - to best hear the Holy Spirit and follow His guidance? List them and discuss how to do them and why God uses these things to help us be "tuned in" to the Spirit. (hint: Acts 13:2-3, one of these things is mentioned twice!)

2. How does the Holy Spirit fight our spiritual wars? How do you know when you are in a spiritual war (Acts 13:6-11)?

3. What astonished Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:12)? What is amazing to you about the Gospel?

Breakout Questions:

Please pray for our ministry year. Lots of big events planned, pray we see the Holy Spirit empowering us, fighting our battles, and saving souls!

Rightly Motivated.

Getting On Mission: Why should I care?

1. I care because people are Hurting. (Matt 9:36)



2. I care because of where people are Heading. (Matt 9:37)



3. I care because God   Does. (Matt 9:37b-38)

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Matthew 9:35-38

1. Pop quiz! Without looking, can you state the following about HBC?
   - Mission
   - What is a disciple? (hint: 3 Ws - A disciple...)
   - 4 Pillars
   (discussion leader: answers are below!)

2. Why is it important to both preach the Gospel AND minister to people’s needs (Matt 9:35)?

3. How was the condition of the people in Jesus’ day (Matt 9:36) like the condition of people in our day? How should we respond?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

The Power of Man vs The Power of God.

Review:

When Wicked People Are Ruling the Nation:

1. Wicked Leaders bring hard Times. (Acts 12:1-4)



2. Hard Times bring hard Prayer. (Acts 12:5)



3. Hard Prayer sees God Move. (Acts 12:6-19)



4. God Moves and His Kingdom Advances. (Acts 12:20-25)

Psalm 2:1-4 - Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
    The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
    “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
    He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Psalm 37:12-13 - The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
    but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

Psalm 59:7-8 - There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”
    But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision.

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

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Acts 12:1-25

1. Why did God let James die, but delivered Peter? How would you have explained that had James" mother asked you? Is it even OK to ask "why" in cases like this?

2. What was Herod’s crime against God (Acts 12:23)? How does someone commit that crime? Does this still happen today?

3. Imagine a coworker opens up to you, saying how worried they are concerning who is going to be the next president. "If (whatever candidate) gets in there, we are in big trouble." In light of what we read in Acts 12, what would you say to this person in response?

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.