August 14, 2022: The Call of Christ

The Call of Christ

Mike Giesenhagen

August 14, 2022

Acts 9:1-19

1. ____ ____________ < ______ __________

 2. ____ _________ < ______ ___________

 3. Christianity is a ________________.

 4. We Need _________ _______________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   How did Saul view himself when he started on the road to Damascus?  How did he see the early followers of Christ (the Way)?

 2.   Why would it be difficult for Saul to believe in Christ as Messiah (read Deuteronomy 21:23)?

 3.   For three days Saul was blind and did not eat.  What do you think those days were like for him?  If you were in his shoes, what would you have been thinking about?

 4.   How did Saul’s life change as a result of his encounter with Christ?  What did he lose?  What did he gain?

 5.   How did Ananias respond to God’s call to meet with Saul?  What would have made this difficult?  How was he able to go anyway?

 6.   Personal Prayer: Are there any areas of our life where we are relying on our own righteousness, rather than God’s (like Saul)? Are there any people God is calling us to minister to (like Ananias)?

August 7, 2022: Anytime. Anywhere.

Acts 8: 26-40

Anytime.  Anywhere

Mike Giesenhagen

August 7, 2022

Acts 8:26-40

1. We Need to Be Ready to _______ ____

 2. We Need to Be Ready for an ________

 3. We Need to Be Ready with the ______

 4. We Need to Be Ready for a _________

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Have you ever had a time when you were unexpectedly prepared for something that came your way?  What happened?  How were you prepared?

 2.   How did God prepare Philip for the conversation that took place at the chariot?

 3.   What would an opportunity for a spiritual conversation look like?  What types of things do people often go through that might lead to a conversation about Jesus?

 4.   How does Jesus meet people’s needs?  What of our longings in life does Jesus satisfy?  Give some specific questions that Jesus could answer, and use Scripture to answer those questions.

 5.   If you do enter into a spiritual conversation, what would you do if the other person is receptive to what you say about Jesus?  What happens next?

 6.   Personal Prayer: Who can you pray for an opportunity to tell about Jesus?

July 31, 2022

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But I Don’t Wanna

Mike Giesenhagen

July 31, 2022

Acts 8:1-25

We Don’t Wanna Grow, but…

1. God Uses _____________ for ________!

 We Don’t Wanna Go, but…

2. God’s Word is _____________ _______!

 We Don’t Wanna Let Go, but…

3. God’s Plan is __________ than ______!

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   In Acts 8, we see the early church persecuted by the religious leaders of Jerusalem.  What happens as a result of this persecution?

 2.   What are the benefits of challenges in our lives?  How have you grown as a person in the midst of trials and challenges?  What are the risks when we become too comfortable with the way things are?

 3.   Are there any groups of people that would be difficult for you to share the love of Christ with?  What would make that so difficult for you?  Pray for God to help you grow in His love for the people he created in his image.

 4.   Have you ever known someone who could not let something go?  What were they holding on to?  How did it affect them? Are there any things that God might ask you to let go?

 5.   Personal Prayer: Simon’s past made it difficult and unwise for him to engage in the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Are there any areas in your life where you might have trouble serving God in a similar way?

July 24, 2022

Don’t Miss the Boat

Mike Giesenhagen

July 24, 2022

Acts 6:8-8:3

 

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Do you know anyone who is at risk of denying Christ the way Stephen describes in Acts 7?  Who can you pray for God to soften their hearts?

 2.   Is there anything in your life that God is calling you to?  Is there anything he is calling you away from?  What would it take for you to follow Him in those things?  What are the risks if you don’t?

July 17, 2022: Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Mike Giesenhagen

July 17, 2022

Acts 5:12-42

1.  ___________ is _________ ___________!

2.  We All Have _____________ _________.

3.  We All Share a ____________ _______.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.       What does grumbling look like?  What kinds of phrases are used when people grumble?  Who do people grumble toward?

 2.   What do the Scriptures tell us about how we should handle disagreements in the Church?  Suggested Scriptures: Matthew 18:15-20, Philippians 2:14-16, 1 Peter 4:7-11, Romans 14

 3.   What is the risk when we grumble to and against one another?

 4.   How does the division of labor in Acts 6 allow God’s Church to continue to grow?

 5.   What role do the apostles play in Acts 6?  What role do the seven play?

 6.   1 Corinthians 12 says that every member in the body of Christ plays a role.  How do you think God is using you to build up his Church?  How has God used you to “make disciples of all the nations”?

July 10, 2022: Port in The Storm

Acts 5:12-42

Port in the Storm

Mike Giesenhagen

July 10, 2022

Acts 5:12-42

1.  God’s ________ Bring __________ ____!

2.  ______________ Come to ___________.

3.  God’s __________ Provides _________

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

1.       How is it evident that God’s presence is with the Apostles in Acts 5:12-42?

2.   How do the Sanhedrin display their selfish desires in this passage?

3.   How does God provide and protect the apostles in this passage?

4.   How do the apostles obey God in this passage?

5. How do the apostles rejoice after being jailed, tried, and flogged?  Is this a natural response?  What would prevent us from responding in such a way?  What would help us to respond as they do?  Consider James 5:7-16

July 3, 2022: Responding to Discouragement

Responding to Discouragement

1 Kings 19

Neil Schindler

July 3, 2022 

Elijah’s discouraging situation: Jezebel’s death threat (v1-4)

The context: Elijah’s recent great “success” on Mt. Carmel

 What might explain Elijah’s drastic response to Jezebel’s threat?

Elijah’s desperate “it is enough” prayer: Humility, or resignation?

God’s gracious responses to encourage Elijah’s weary soul (v5-21)

1)  Miraculous provision of food and drink via an angel

2)   Reassurance of still having God’s fatherly, caring ear

3)  A gentle whisper amid his show of power

4)  God’s loving recommissioning and correction

Why would God and Elijah repeat the same words again?

God’s grace in recommissioning us—“it’s not enough, yet!”

God’s correction as encouragement—his work’s fullness (7,000) 

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.       Like Elijah, have you ever had a great spiritual “success” followed immediately by an ice-water-in-your-face discouragement, reminding you that your triumph wasn’t as absolute as you had expected?  How did it make you feel?  How did you respond to God?

2.       Read 2 Corinthians 12:2-10.  Why do you think God often allows us to experience the great discouragement of “thorns in the flesh,” even those that make us ready to “quit and throw in the proverbial towel” on God?

3.       Have you ever had a rash, discouraged-driven prayer request which you are now glad God didn’t answer (like Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4)?  How does recalling this make you thankful, given how things are now?

4.       Do you find it difficult to listen for God’s voice?  Why?  How do you discern between his voice and your own heart’s voice “projecting itself” as God’s?  How might we help to encourage each other listen better for God’s voice, whether he is speaking through a proverbial whirlwind or a gentle whisper?  (note: Psalm 37:23-24, Psalm 46, Psalm 103:13-14)

5.       Read Romans 11:1-5, where Paul quotes from 1 Kings 19 to prove that God never rejects his people.  How might this reminder of God guarding his “remnant chosen by grace” help you when you feel you’ve failed him, or that you’re all alone in seeking to serve him?

6.       An interesting fact about Elijah post-1 Kings 19: He failed to fulfill the rest of God’s mission to anoint Jehu and Hazael (1 Kings 19:15-16); Elisha did instead (2 Ki. 8-9).  How might this fact—that God always gets his mission done—encourage your heart, if you are prone to worry about your future and your likelihood of failure?

June 26, 2022

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What Is The Gospel?

Bill Wright

June 26, 2022

1 Corinthians 15:1-12

  

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.       What insight, principle or observation from this weekend’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye opening or difficult?  Explain.

June 19, 2022: Your Will Be Done.

Acts 4:32 - 5:11

Your Kingdom Come

Mike Giesenhagen

June 19, 2022

Acts 4:32

1.  A _________ _________ is like ________

 2.  ____________ leads to ______________,

 Not _________________.

 3.  We _________ _______ ________.

 4.  We Should __________ Our ________.

 5.  We All Need ________ __________. 

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.       How does our church support each other?  How have you supported others in our church?  How have you been encouraged by others?

 2.   What are some ways that we might be tempted to compete for righteousness? How does this affect the way we see ourselves?  How does it affect how we see others?

 3.   Additional Study: Read the stories of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4) and Achan (Joshua 7).  How are they similar to Acts 5:1-11?  What is different?  What do these stories tell us about God?

 4.   What does confession look like in your own life?  How often do you do it?  Who has the permission and proximity to speak into your life?

 5.   Prayer Project: Consider with God whether there are any ways that you have given him a half-measure, or less than your best.  Ask Him to help you prioritize him more properly in your life.

June 12, 2022: Your Kingdom Come

Acts 4:23-31

Your Kingdom Come

Mike Giesenhagen

June 12, 2022

Acts 4:23-31

 1.  God is _________ than your _________

 2.  Humanity is __________ against _____

 3.  God ________ Humanity’s __________

 4.  God’s ________ ____________ it.

 5.  Pray for ________ ________________

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.       The apostles were under fire from the Sanhedrin. What enemies do we perceive in our own lives?  How can it help to remember the sovereignty of God?

 2.   What is the benefit of understanding that the world’s enemy is God Himself?  How can this encourage us in our lives today?

 3.   The nations worked together to put Jesus to death, yet God used that as part of his redemption plan.  How does this demonstrate that God can use all things for the good of those who love him?

 4.   How does God demonstrate his power in Acts 4?  How do we see him still working today?  Have you seen him work in your own life?

 5.   The people pray for God’s power to support their testimony.  How can we pray for God’s opportunities to preach his word today?  Who would you like to be able to share the Gospel with?

May 29, 2022

The Mirror Acts 4:1-22

The Mirror

Mike Giesenhagen

May 29, 2022

Acts 4:1-22

Who are the Sanhedrin and what do they stand for?

 1.  Follow the __________ of the ________

 2.  Ask for ________  _________

 3.  Seek ________ __________

 4.  Join __________ in ____________

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.       What did you learn about the Sadducees and the Sanhedrin this week?  What caused them to imprison Peter and John?

 2.   How could people who are so knowledgeable about the Scriptures miss the mark regarding Jesus as God’s Messiah?

 3.   How do Peter and John follow the command of Christ when they heal the man at the Temple?

 4.   What differences do you see between the Sanhedrin and the Apostles in Acts 4:1-22?  How do we know who has acted appropriately?

5. How can we know whether we are following God’s will vs the expectations of humanity?  How has God helped you with that in the past?

May 22, 2022: Ready for Anything.

Acts 3:1-26

Ready for Anything

Mike Giesenhagen

May 22, 2022

Acts 3

1.  Ready for _______ to __________.

2.  Ready with the ___________.

3.  Ready to ____________________. 

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

1.       Have you ever had a time when a spiritual conversation came up out of nowhere?  What happened?  How did you respond?

2.   Have you ever encountered someone who was surprisingly open to hearing you talk about Christ?  What happened?

3.   If the opportunity arose, how would you share the Gospel with someone?  What stories would you tell?  What Scriptures would you use?

4.   Why do you think Peter was so adamant about pointing to God and faith in Christ as the foundation of this miracle?  How can we keep the glory of God top of mind when we witness to others?  What might prevent this from happening?

May 15, 2022 / The Outpost

The Outpost

Building the Outpost

Mike Giesenhagen

May 15, 2022

Acts 2:36-47

God Prepares Us through:

 1.  The ________________.

 2.  ________________.

 3.  His ________________.

 4.  ________________.

 5.  Genuine Christian ______________ is

 ________________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   What is the purpose of the Scriptures of the Bible?  Why has God inspired it and preserved it from when it was written all the way through today?

 2.   How does community help prepare us for challenges in life?  What benefits come from community?

 3.   Some people like to say “I love Jesus, but I hate the Church.”  Why do you think they feel that way?  How would you respond to those concerns?

 4.   How does the Lord’s Supper (the breaking of bread) remind us of Jesus?  How does this prepare us to follow God?  Read 1 Corinthians 11 or the book of 1 Peter as additional sources.

 5.   Why do you think prayer was such an essential part of the early church?  What do you think they were praying for?

 6.   Which of these preparations is strongest in your life?  Which would you like God to grow?

May 8, 2022: The Promised One

Acts 2:1-41

The Promised One

Mike Giesenhagen

May 8, 2022

Acts 2:1-41

Article 6: The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.  He convicts the world of its guilt.  He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God.  He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

 How can Acts 2 help us be better witnesses?

 1.  Don’t Get ________________.

 2.  ___________ on the _______________.

 3.  __________ on ____________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   How is the nature of the Holy Spirit revealed in Acts 2?  How does the EFCA Statement of Faith align with what we see in this chapter?

 2.   What does Peter focus on in his speech?  What support does he claim?  Where does he find his examples to persuade the crowd?

 3.   What is Peter trying to persuade the people to do in his speech in Acts 2?  What is his goal?  What can we learn from his example?

 4.   What is the difference between the depiction of the Spirit in Acts 2 against what we have seen in the Old Testament?  See Judges 3:10, 6:34, 1 Samuel 16:13-14 as examples.  What changed?

 5. What might distract us from our mission in Christ?  How might others try to distract us?  How can we lose sight of our priorities?

May 1, 2022: God Sized Eyes

Acts 1

God Sized Eyes

Mike Giesenhagen

May 1, 2022

Acts 1:1-26

What does Jesus Prioritize after the Resurrection?

 What are the disciples expecting from Jesus?

  How should we respond?

 1.  We ___________ Christ’s ____________.

 2.  We ________ with Christ’s __________.

 3.  We ________ ______________.

 4.  We ________ the _____________.

 5.  We _________ God’s _______________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Background: Read Matthew 28, Luke 24, and John 20-21.  What does Jesus emphasize after the Resurrection?  What does he do?  What does he say?

 2.   How does Jesus address the expectations of the disciples in Acts 1:6-8?  What does he focus on?  How does the expectation shift from their question (v6) to his commission (v8)?

 3.   What has Jesus instructed us to do as his followers and his Church?

 4.   What is the purpose of gathering with other believers?

 5.   What do you think the disciples were praying about?  How should we be praying today?

 6. How can we be prepared to see what God is doing in our midst?How do we know when God is working?

April 24, 2022: After The Resurrection

After the Resurrection

Mike Giesenhagen

April 24, 2022

Intro to Acts

 1.  Acts is a ________________ to _______.

 2.  Acts is About What __________ _____.

 3.  God ______ His People ____________.

 4.  God has _______________ __________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Background: Read Luke 1:1-4 and 24:36-52.  How do these passages prepare us for what’s to come in Acts?

 2.   How was the Roman world similar to ours today?  How was it different?  How can this help our study in Acts?

 3.   What kinds of boundaries are crossed for the sake of the Gospel in the book of Acts?  Who are some of the important characters?

 4.   How does Acts serve as a “bridge” between the Gospels and the epistles of the New Testament?

 5. What would you like to learn from the book of Acts as we study this together?

April 10, 2022: The Coming King

John 12:12-19

The Coming King

Mike Giesenhagen

April 10, 2022

John 12:12-19

 1.  ________ is the _________!

 2.  __________ is Who We’ve ___________

 ________.

 3.  The ___________ ___________ the way.

 4.  The Disciples __________ his ________.

 5.  It’s All About __________.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Background: Examine the Accounts of the Triumphal Entry in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, and John 12:12-19.  How are they similar?  What details are unique to each?

 2.   How does the Triumphal Entry demonstrate that Jesus is the expected king?

 3.   What/who are the people talking about as Jesus arrives?  What does their focus teach us as we look forward to Easter Sunday?  What does their focus teach us as we look forward to Christ’s return? 

 4.   If you get to know somebody new and ask them about their faith, would you rather they already knew Jesus or not?  Why do you think you prefer it that way?

 5.   How can we prepare to tell others about Jesus as we look forward to Good Friday and Easter Sunday?

April 17, 2022: The Road to Resurrection - John 20

The Road to Resurrection

Mike Giesenhagen

April 17, 2022

John 20

Jesus Reveals Himself to Mary

  

Jesus Reveals Himself to the Disciples

  

Jesus Reveals Himself to Thomas

 

Moving From the Chasm to the Cross

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Do you ever feel like faith and religion feel like a balancing act?  What does that feel like?  Where did that idea come from?  How does one succeed in the balance?

 2.   What does it mean to say that the God of the Bible is a personal God?  What would be the difference between a personal and impersonal God?

 3.   When the disciples were scared, Jesus met them where they were?  Where would you like Jesus to meet you in your life today?

 4.   Thomas has some serious doubts and questions, but Jesus knew about them.  However, Jesus overcame the doubts of Thomas.  What doubts would you like Jesus to address in your life?

 5.   Personal Reflection: Jesus knows our weaknesses and our shortcomings.  He overcame them taking them with him to the cross and the tomb.  What would you like to leave in the tomb with Jesus this weekend?

April 3, 2022: Our Gracious God

Book of Ruth: Chapter 4

Our Gracious God

Mike Giesenhagen

April 3, 2022

Ruth 4

1.  When God says, “_________,” ______!

 2.  God’s ____________ Should Be ______.

 3.  God’s Provision is _____________ and

 _______________.

 God’s Provisions in Ruth

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Background: For more information on providing for those in need, read Leviticus 25:25-55.  For information on levirate marriage, read Deuteronomy 25:5-10

 2.   How does Boaz respond when confronted by Ruth on the threshing room floor?  What does he do?

 3.   What might cause delays in our obedience to God?  Why might we choose to or need to wait?

 4.   What types of priorities can get in the way of our obedience to God?  What examples do we see in the book of Ruth? 

 5. In Ruth 4:17, Naomi receives a blessing.“Naomi has a son!” the women proclaim.Trace the thread of Naomi through the book of Ruth.Where has she showed faithfulness?Where has she lacked faith?What does this blessing teach us about God?