The Resurrection Revolution (Part 3)

Pastor Rocklyn E. Clarke - Sunday October 28, 2007

© 2007 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchMinistries.org/

 
V Introduction
* Bible Reading 10/21 - 10/27: Jer 37:1 - 51:53; 1Tim 6 - Titus 2; Psalm 89:38 - 99:9; Prov 25:28 - 26:17
> Review
V New Material
> Preparation
V Resurrection Revolution (continued)
V Revolution Pattern (continued):
V The Revolution - Round 3
V People - Acts 4:32 - 5:11
V Vision - You need a vision!
* Jesus' Vision - Heb 12:1-3
* Early Church - Transforming the way Judaism was done - one household at a time!
* Life Church Vision
V Mission
* Directed by Jesus - Mat 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-18; Acts 1:8
* Bringing God's river of life to others - Rev 22:1-2 (Ez 47:1-12)
* Prayer - increases our capacity
V Preparation
* None of them had done this before. When they were with Jesus, the crowds would come and go - now the crowds were staying.
* Radical sharing; pouring into their brothers and sisters
* Contrast with Hag 1:1-11
* What's my role in making the vision happen?
V Power - Acts 5:12-16
* People provide opportunities for God's power to be demonstrated
* Position - Solomon's Colonnade
* Proclamation - Acts 5:17-25
* Persecution - Acts 5:26-40
* Persistence - Acts 5:41-42
V Principles
* Vision
* Mission
V You have to fight
V 1Sam 22:1-2 - The hurting and unhappy came to David.
* What impact did the fighting men have on them?
* How did it mold them?
V Neh 4:1-23 - Keep a brick in one hand and a sword in the other.
* Some people prefer to fight.
* Some people prefer to build.
* Everyone must do both.
V Plant Kingdom Outposts
V Kingdom Outpost
* A geographical or virtual network of people
* Centered on a man or woman of peace
* Infiltrated by mature believers
* Where outbreaks of God's power happen regularly
* The Church is like a "Green Lantern power battery for local Kingdom Outposts.
* The apostles proclaimed Jesus in the temple courts and from house to house.
V Questions:
* What are you doing to meet the needs of other believers?
* Can you rejoice at suffering disgrace for the name of Jesus?
V The Revolution - Round 4
* People - Acts 6:1-7
* Power - Acts 6:8
* Proclamation - Acts 6:9-10
* Persecution - Acts 6:11-15
* Persistence - Acts 7:1-60
V Questions:
* Can you be faithful to the point of death?
* Can you forgive your persecutors?
V Conclusion
* The disciples responded to the great commission by filling Jerusalem with their teaching - Acts 5:28
* What is your Jerusalem?
* Who is your team?
* What are you doing fill your Jerusalem with the gospel?
V Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
VGroup A: Acts 4:31-37; Heb 12:1-3
* Is your prayer life empowering you to channel God's power to others?
* The believers had a vision that motivated their sharing and cooperation. What vision motivates the way you currently behave as a Christian?
* How will your current behavior transform the way church is done?
* What are you doing to meet the needs of other believers?
* How is your devotion to Jesus Christ reflected in your Sunday service attendance and in your life group meeting attendance?
* Do you get to Sunday service on time? How about your life group meeting? What does this say about your devotion to Jesus Christ?
VGroup B: Acts 5:1-11; Hag 1:1-11
* Are you pretending to be more committed than you really are?
* Are you afraid to let your life group see your real commitment level?
* Would your life group accept you if they knew the real you?
VGroup C: Acts 5:12-16
* Have you ever tried to meet someone's needs supernaturally?
* The believers used to meet in Solomon's Colonnade. Where can non-Christians expect to find you hanging out with other believers?
* The believers were highly regarded by the people. What do the people around you think about you and the believers you're connected to?
* How do you treat outsiders? Do Sunday visitors feel welcomed and wanted by you?
* What needs are you encountering in the people around you? Are you asking God to enable you to meet them?
VGroup D: Acts 5:17-25
* Has anyone ever been jealous of what God was doing with the believers you're connected to?
* Have you ever had to talk to unbelievers about something that God did through you?
* Has God ever had to set you free to proclaim his Word?
VGroup E: Acts 5:26-40
* Have you ever been persecuted as a Christian? How did you respond?
* Have you ever had to face the choice of obeying God rather than men?
* Present the gospel as simply as you can in your own words.
* The apostles were "witnesses of these things". What have you witnessed?
* Have you asked God to enable you to speak his Word boldly?
* Are you praying for God to use you? In what ways?
* Do you believe that you're the only one who can stop God's will from coming to pass in your life? Are you acting like it?
VGroup F: Acts 5:41-42; Mat 10:1-16; Luke 10:1-12
* Have you ever rejoiced because God considered you worthy of suffering disgrace for the name of Jesus?
* Where have you proclaimed the good news that Jesus is the Christ?
* When was the last time you proclaimed the good news? To whom?
* Are you a part of any Kingdom outposts? Have you ever started one?
V Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings
* Make sure everyone in your life group has a prayer partner.
* Pick a base of operations as a focus for your group's outreach ministry.
* Plan a social event for your group to which you can invite some of the unbelievers you've been praying for.