May 7, 2023: Call and Response

Acts 26:20

Call And Response

Mike Giesenhagen

May 7, 2023

Acts 26:20

 The Christian “Two-Step”

1.   

2.   

 Key Question: Why Does Our _______________ Matter?

  A.  It’s Our _____________ ________________.

 B.  It ______________ Us.

 C. We Are ___________ __________________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Why does the order matter in the Christian “Two-Step”?  What would happen if the order was switched?  How would that change the Gospel?

 2.   What makes it so hard for us to do the “right” thing?  Why is obedience so hard for us?  What makes it harder for some than others?

 3.   Have you ever received a noteworthy act of love from someone else?  What happened?  What was your response?

 4.   What does it mean that we have two natures at work within us (Spirit and flesh)?  How does that impact our behavior?

 5.   Additional Study: Galatians 5:17-21.  Imagine the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are plants in your garden?  Which one would be better to water?  Why?

 6.   What do people learn about Christ when they meet you?  What do you want them to learn about Christ when they spend time with you?

April 30, 2023: Our Firm Foundation

Acts 25 - 26

Our Firm Foundation

Mike Giesenhagen

April 30, 2023

Acts 25 & 26 

The Christian “Two-Step”

1.    

2.   

A.  Without Christ, Our ___________ is in __________

B.  Without Christ, Our ________ is ________________

C. Without Christ, Our____________ is _____________

D.  In Christ, We Have a ________ _________________

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

1.   Have you ever done something that has certain steps which must be followed in order?  What is the process?  Why does the order matter?

2.   What is it that makes someone a “Christian”?  How would you describe it to someone outside of the Church?

3.   What is the risk of trusting in our own knowledge and intuition?  What does the Bible teach us about this?

4.   What does the Bible teach us about authority apart from God?

5.   What does the Bible teach us about our own desires and intentions?  (e.g. Gen 6:5, Rom 1:28-32, Gal 5:19-21, etc.)

6.   Why is Christ a more reliable foundation for our faith?

April 23, 2023: The Waiting Game

The Waiting Game

Mike Giesenhagen

April 23, 2023

Acts 23:12-24:27

 1.  Practice _______________________.

 2.  Endure with _________________________.

 3.  _____________ God.

 4.  ________________ His _______________.

 5.  ___________ on the Lord.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   How do you react when you feel stuck in a difficult situation?  What would your friends or family say is your first response?

 2.   How can the difficult times in our lives deepen our relationship with God?  What behaviors and habits can be built in these seasons?

 3.   Is Paul more concerned with his own behaviors or the behaviors of others in Acts 24?  How can we apply this to our own relationship with Christ Jesus?

 4.   How do you continue to worship God when things are difficult?  What activities help you to remember and refocus on his goodness?

 5.   How do you profess hope in God when things are hard?  Is this a challenge for you?  Or does it come naturally?  How can you be reminded of his goodness?

 6.   Is it hard for you to wait for God to work?  What makes that difficult for you?  If you are “still”, what feelings stir up in you?

April 16, 2023: I Spoke Too Soon

Acts 22:30 - 23:11

I Spoke Too Soon

Mike Giesenhagen

April 16, 2023

Acts 22:21-23:11

 1.  The _______________ of __________________.

 2.  __________ is Our ________________  ___________

 3.  The __________ of Christ is ___________________

 Article 4: Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

 Article 5: The Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Have you ever had a time where you spoke or acted too soon?  What did you do?  How did you find out you were wrong to act/speak that way?

 2.   Additional Study: Proverbs 20.  Which verses teach about waiting and taking time with God?  What other bible stories emphasize waiting on God?

 3.   Who is the central figure of the biblical story?  What do we need to know about who He is and what He has done for us?

 4.   How do the cross and Resurrection of Christ impact the Christian faith?  What is important about the cross?  What is important about the Resurrection?  How can these be an encouragement to us today?

The Ultimate Victory

Matthew 28:1-17

The Ultimate Victory

Mike Giesenhagen

April 9, 2023

Matthew 27:45-28:15

1.  God _____________ __________ on ______ _______

2.  God is _______________ over ______ and _______

3.  God’s __________ is __________ than our _______

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

1.   What’s your favorite part of the Resurrection story in the book of Matthew?  What word or phrase in the text stands out as you read it?

2.   What stands out to you about the characters in the story?  What do you notice about the Pharisees?  About Pilate and the Romans?  What about Jesus?

3.   What does the Resurrection teach us about who God is and what He is like?  What can be claimed as a result of the Resurrection that could not be claimed before?  (Consider 1 Cor 15, as additional reference)

4.   What does the Resurrection teach us about life in this world?  How can it affect the way we live in our current society and situation?

April 2, 2023: Sharing Our Story

Acts 21:37-22:21

Sharing Our Story

Mike Giesenhagen

April 2, 2023

Acts 21:37-22:30

 Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

One Final Reminder:

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   What was your life like before you knew Christ?  What is the “old” that has passed away in you (2 Cor 5:17)?  If you’ve been a Christian from a young age, what were you like before your faith became personal, or what is an area where God has changed you?

 2.   What was a point of inflection, or a “breaking point” in your faith with Christ?  What made you recognize your need for him?  What made you press further into him?

 3.   What was it that persuaded you to change direction and follow Christ more fervently?  What helped you to turn away from your previous patterns of living?

 4.   How has your life changed/transformed because of Christ?  Why is this a good thing?

 5.   Practice Your Story: Come up with a way to tell your story in various levels of detail.  1 minute long.  5 minutes long. 15 minutes long.  Practice sharing your story with a friend.

March 26, 2023: Facing Our Faith

Acts 21:1-36

Resolving for Faithfulness

to the Holy Spirit

Neil Schindler

March 26, 2023

Acts 21:1-36

1.  Paul’s situation: A dangerous resolve for Jerusalem (v 1-16)

 The context of Paul’s resolve – “constrained by the Spirit”

 The 1st test of Paul’s resolve: The Tyre disciples’ warnings

 The 2nd test of Paul’s resolve: Agabus’ warning

 2.  The result of Paul’s perseverance: A predictable arrest (v 17-36)

 “Honor the law:” A public plan to thwart the previous predictions

 The fulfillment of the Spirit’s warnings…and Paul’s resolve

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   How should we faithfully share difficult messages from the Spirit?

 2.   How might we sort out “contradictory” leadings from the Spirit?

 a.   Is there one option which doesn’t truly have godly motives?

b.   Is it possible to be faithful to both/all leadings in some way?

c.   If mutually exclusive, is there one you sense best honors God?

March 19, 2023

Guarding God’s Grace

Guarding God’s Grace

Mike Giesenhagen

March 19, 2023

Acts 20:17-38 and Ephesians 2

1.  We _________  __________  God’s Grace.

2.  We  ________  ____________ by God’s Grace.

3.  God’s Grace is _________________________.

4.  ______________  ____________ in God’s Grace

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   How would you define God’s Grace?  How have you heard it described?

 2.   When have you received “unmerited favor” from someone?  What did you receive?  How did that impact you?

 3.   What does the nature of God’s grace teach us about ourselves?

 4.   What can we learn about God through his gracious provision in Christ Jesus?

 5.   What is our role in receiving God’s grace?  What do the Scriptures tell us about grace?  (consider Acts 11:19, 15:11 Romans 5:1-2, 6:23, 11:6)

 6.   How can we become distracted from God’s grace?  What might we try to accomplish in our own strength?  What might we pursue instead of God?

 7.   Prayer Project: What does it mean that “God’s grace is sufficient” for you? How does the sufficiency of his grace affect your life today?

March 12, 2023: The Resurrection of Eutychus

Acts 20: 1-12

The Path of the Righteous

Mike Giesenhagen

March 12, 2023

Acts 20:1-21

1.  ______________________  Christ is Not ____________.

2.  We Need _____________________________________.

3.  We Need _____________________________________.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

1.   What challenges do we face when it comes to our faith today?

2.   What types of opposition to faith do we see in the Scriptures?  How might we see similar opposition today?

3.   What types of distractions might pull us away from Christ?

4.   What circumstances might make it difficult to pursue Christ for a period of our lives?

5.   Who would you consider a brother or sister in Christ?  Who is someone who knows you well enough to speak into your walk with Jesus, to encourage and challenge you when you need it?

6.   How does the story of Eutychus remind us of the Gospel in Christ?

7.   Prayer Project: How can Paul be so steadfast in his pursuit of the Gospel?  Are there any obstacles that make it difficult for you to be similarly steadfast in your faith?

March 5, 2023: The Itch of Idolatry

Acts 19:21-41

The Itch of Idolatry

Mike Giesenhagen

March 5, 2023

Acts 19:21-41

1.  Idolatry is ______________________________.

 2.  Idolatry is ______________________________.

 3.  Idolatry is ______________________________.

 4.  Idolatry is ______________________________.

 5.  Idolatry is ______________________________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   How do we see the people of Ephesus respond to the Gospel as Paul is preaching?  How does Demetrius show us the priorities of the local people?

 2.   How does our society reflect the indulgent nature of idolatry?  How does that manifest?

 3.   How does our society cling to its idols?  What makes it so hard to turn from idols?

 4.   How does pride play into the problem of idolatry?  How do we see idols formed out of personal and communal pride?

 5.   How have the priorities of “righteous behavior” changed over time?  How have the priorities of God’s people shifted over the course of Scripture?  Over the course of your lifetime?

 Prayer Project: Are there ways that we try to take on the role of “savior” instead of Christ?  How might we be tempted to try to “fix” things on our own instead of turning to Him?

February 26, 2023: The Power of Christ

Acts 19:8-20

The Power of Christ

Mike Giesenhagen

February 26, 2023

Acts 19:8-20 

 1.  Miracles _____________ to ___________.

 2.  We Must ________________  __________  ________.

 3.  Following Christ is _____________ than ____________.

 4.  We Must ________________ to ______________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   What is your reaction when you read or hear about miracles?  Have you ever been blessed by an unexplainable event?

 2.   While miracles are rare, even in the context of Scripture, what is their purpose?  Who performs every miracle?

 3.   What is the problem with the language used by the Jews in Acts 19:13?  What does this imply about their relationship to Christ?

 4.   What does the spirit’s statement tell us about our relationship with Christ?  What does it teach us about how we can and should know him?

 5.   How do the people respond when they witness the power of Christ in their midst?  What other responses have you seen in Scripture?

 6.   Prayer Project: Paul was a self-righteous Pharisee.  The Ephesians worshipped Artemis.  What does the “old self” look like in your life?  And how has the new creation in Christ been made different?

February 19, 2023: Walking with the Spirit

Acts 19:1-7

Walking in the Spirit

Mike Giesenhagen

February 19, 2023

Acts 19:1-7

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.

1.  The Holy Spirit is ____________________________.

 2.  The Holy Spirit is ____________________________.

 3.  The Holy Spirit is ____________________________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   When you hear the phrase “Holy Spirit” or “Holy Ghost”, what comes to mind?  Who is He?  What is his role?

 2.   If God is described as one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Spirit), what does that tell us about who the Spirit is?  What attributes does He therefore possess?

 3.   Additional Study: How has the Spirit empowered God’s people throughout the book of Acts?  How has God’s power been on display throughout the book of Acts?

 4.   What do the powerful verbs of Article 6 (indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers) teach us about the Holy Spirit?  What is the purpose of the Spirit helping us in these ways?

 5.   What do the personal verbs of Article 6 (convicts, regenerates, baptized, adopted) teach us about the role of the Holy Spirit?  What do they teach us about ourselves?

February 5, 2023: Expect The Unexpected

Expect the Unexpected

Mike Giesenhagen

February 5, 2023

Acts 18:1-17

1.  _______________ Unexpected ____________________.

2.  Find What ________________ You _________________.

3.  __________  __________ From _________________.

4.  __________ in the Lord’s _______________________.

5.  _________________ Unexpected __________________.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Context in Corinth: What do we know about Corinth?  What was the city known for?  What can 1 and 2 Corinthians help us to understand about the city?

 2.   How has God blessed you in spite of a difficult circumstance?  What was the circumstance?  What was the blessing?

 3.   What are some things that bring us together?  How can we find common ground with people outside the Church?

 4.   Why does rejection seem so scary?  What makes it difficult to get past rejections in our lives?  How can we ask for God’s help?

 5.   How has God provided for you in the face of difficulty?  Have you ever had to stand firm for your faith?

 6.   Have you ever received a blessing from an unexpected source?  What was the blessing?  And where did it come from?

Jan 29, 2023: Sovereign Over Society

Acts 17:16-34

Sovereign Over Society

Mike Giesenhagen

January 29, 2023

Acts 17:16-34 

1.  The ___________ of Our ____________ ______________.

2.  _____________  >  ________________.

3.  ________ ____________ > _________ ________________.

4.  The _____________ is __________ than ________.

  

5 Common Stages of Evangelism and Outreach

 1.   _________________________________________

2.   _________________________________________

3.   _________________________________________

4.   _________________________________________

5.   _________________________________________

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Context in Athens: The Athenians had many idols to their gods in Athens.  What sorts of things are idolized in our society?

 2.   Do you see any elements of Stoicism and/or Epicureanism in our society today?  If so, what are they, and how does that relate to the Gospel?

 3.   Why is it important to remember that God is completely different from and superior to all creation?  How do we see this demonstrated in Scripture?

 4.   What does it mean that God is sovereign over creation?  What does this mean for our relationship to him?

 5.   How is the Gospel relevant to both the religious and the secular?  How does Jesus address both their needs?

 6.   Prayer Point: If you have been praying for an opportunity to build relationship with a specific person, what stage do you think they’re at?

Jan 22, 2023: Reigning over Religion

Acts 17:1-15

Reigning Over Religion

Mike Giesenhagen

January 22, 2023

Acts 17:1-15, 1 Thess 2:13-16, Romans 2-3

1.  ____________________  ≠  _____________________.

 2.  The Gospel is for  ________  ___________  __________.

 3.  The ________________  >  The _______________.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Reflection in Acts: Who have been the most common opponents to the apostles in Acts?  Why have they opposed the apostles as they proclaim the Gospel?

 2.   What is the biggest disagreement that these opponents have toward the Gospel?

 3.   If you were to summarize Christianity as quickly as possible, how would you describe it?  Try to keep it less than 5 sentences.

 4.   Why do you think there was so much distance between the Jews and Gentiles in the book of Acts?  What groups of people behave in similar ways today?

 5.   What does it mean when we say that we are saved by Christ alone?

January 15: The Great Escape

Acts 16

The Great Escape

Mike Giesenhagen

January 15, 2023

Acts 16:16-40

1.  God is Greater than ___________ ________________.

 2.  God is Greater than ___________ ________________.

 3.  God is Greater than __________ _________________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Have you ever been in trouble when you didn’t do anything wrong?  What did that feel like?  How did you respond?

 2.   Why is it important to understand the nature of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6)?  What can Acts 16 teach us about spiritual warfare and Christ?

 3.   How does God’s presence interact with the Roman world in Acts 16?  How can this encourage us in our faith today?

 4.   Who was set free by the earthquake?  What does this teach us about God and his people?

 5.   Additional Study: Much of Acts 16 takes place in the city of Philippi.  How might Paul’s experiences in Philippi influence his letter to them in the book of Philippians?

 6.   Prayer Project: Have you seen God bring any opportunities for you to live out his love?  Who has He been bringing to mind for you?

Jan 8, 2023: A New Resolve

Acts 15:36 - 16:15

A New Resolve

Mike Giesenhagen

January 8, 2023

Acts 15:36-16:15

1.  God’s _____________ > Our ___________________.

 2.  _________________ for _______________________.

 3.  “Resolution” 1: Pray for _______________________.

 4.  “Resolution” 2: Pray for _________ _____________.

 WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   Read Acts 14 and 16:1-15.  What do you notice about the locations in these passages?  What does this tell us about Paul and his ministry?

 2.   Has God ever redirected you from one path to another?  What happened?  How did it turn out?

 3.   How often do you interact with people who do not attend church?  Where do you most often see them?  How might it be possible to build relationships with more people who don’t know Jesus?

 4.   Who, if anyone, has God placed on your heart as someone you would like to get to know better?  How could you invest in that relationship?

 5.   Prayer Project: What is it about outreach that is most difficult for you?  Is it a lack of desire?  A lack of time?  A lack of understanding or training?  A lack of opportunity?  Whatever it is, ask God to reveal these obstacles to you, and then ask him for his help in these areas.

Jan 1, 2023: Friend of Sinners

Luke 7:33-35

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Mike Giesenhagen

January 1, 2023

Luke 7:33-35

1.  We Can Never ______________  _______________.

2.  But God ____________  His ________________.

3.  Jesus Can ________________  __________________!

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

 1.   What does it mean that Jesus is a “friend of sinners”?  What does a sinner look like?  Who would fit in that category?  Is that good or bad?

 2.   Have you ever felt like it didn’t matter what you did, but that someone would always be disappointed in you?  What was the situation?  And who would be disappointed?

 3.   The Bible says that we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:23).  How does He respond?  How is this the same/different from other people?

 4.   Which character in today’s sermon do you relate to most?  (Matthew, Peter, Mary)  Why?  Is there another character in the Bible who is a good example of how God transforms lives?

 5.   Additional Study: Consider the starting point and transformation of other major characters in the bible.  Abraham (Genesis 12-25).  Moses (Exodus 2-Deuteronomy) Ruth (Ruth 1-4) David (1 Samuel 15-2 Samuel), etc...  Where do they start?  How does God transform them?  Where do they end up/how does God use their life?