Hillside Fellowship Podcast

Love Costs...Miracle #1
Acts 3:1-26

OUTLINE

• Inward (v.3:1-5)
• Forward (v. 3:6-10)
• Upward (v. 3:11-16)
• Downward (v. 3:17-26)

QUESTIONS

1. Looking Inward (v. 3:1-5) How would you fill in the blank? If I only had _______, I’d be happy.  Read Matthew 5:3. How does a poverty of spirit allow us to interact with His joy?
2. Looking Forward (v. 3:6-10) The miracles of Christ alleviated suffering of some kind and pointed us to the perfect kingdom which is coming. Where do you find yourself demanding, expecting or seeking perfection now? Read Phil 3:20. What would it look like to long for our Savior instead of loving the world?
3. Looking Upward (v. 3:11-16) The miracles are meant to point us to the only source of help and hope. Where do you find yourself most often running for hope and help? What would it look like to repent and be refreshed today?
4. Looking Downward (v. 3:17-26) Love always costs. To truly love, we must become less and suffer so that another might become more and suffer less. How do you view suffering? Have you ever experienced God use suffering for good?

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Acts 2:14-47 NASB


OUTLINE

• Cowardice -> Courage (2:14-15)
• Self -> Scripture (2:16-21)
• Bitterness -> Beauty ( 2:22-23)
• Apprehension -> Anticipation ( 2:24-35)
• Hopeless -> Hopeful (2:37-41)
• Isolation -> Integration (2:42-47)

QUESTIONS

1. God loves to meet us where we are and grow us to look more like Jesus. What is an area you tend to shrink back from and remain silent when you should speak? Why? What would it look like to repent and ask God to meet you in it? Matthew 26:69 & Acts 2:14-15
   What would you like to speak to those in your community group about how you see Jesus growing them?  How can you encourage growth in others around you?
2. In what areas do you tend to trust your own wisdom rather than God’s wisdom? How do you discern the difference between God’s wisdom and your own wisdom?  Who helps you talk through discernment?  What would repentance of self wisdom and dependence on God’s wisdom look like this week? Matthew 16: 22 & Acts 2: 16 – 21
3. What areas of your life seem purposeless directionless and pointless? How does this impact your attitude and outlook? What would it look like to invite Jesus into that place and see his purpose and plan? Luke 22: 62 Acts 2 : 22 – 23
   What areas of your life seem purposeless directionless and pointless? How does this impact your attitude and outlook? What would it look like to invite Jesus into that place and see his purpose and plan? Luke 22:62 acts 2:22 – 23
4. How has the reality of the resurrection help you overcome anxiety and apprehension? How does Jesus’ victory over sin and death impact you today?  In what ways have you “gone fishing “? John 21:3 & Acts 2:37 – 41

*For more info, visit hillsidefellowship.org*

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Acts 2:1-13 NASB

OUTLINE

• Something happened outside of them (v. 2:1-3)
• Something happened inside of them (v. 2:4)
• Something happened through them (v. 2:5-13)

QUESTIONS

1. We all need a power source to live from, something strong enough to help us through the difficulties and disappointments daily. What are some things you have seen that help give you the power to make it? Why must this power come from outside of us? Why is self-help a joke? How does the Holy Spirit give Christians the power they need? (v. 2:1-3)
2. When you hear someone say, “Filled with the Holy Spirit”, what is your initial thought or reaction? In Ephesians 5:18, when Paul speaks about being filled with the Spirit, how does he describe the overflow? What fruit does Paul say will grow in our lives when we are full of and walking in the Spirit? See Galatians 5:22-23. What fruit of God’s Spirit can you affirm in the lives of those around you? (v. 2:4)
3. How does it comfort you to know that God is unstoppable and will break through every barrier to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ? How can you continue (or begin) to ask Him to use you to reach your “top five”? (v. 2:5-13)

*For more info, visit hillsidefellowship.org*

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Acts 1:12-26 NASB


OUTLINE

• So Far So Good… (v. 1:12-14)
• Right Decision or Wrong Direction? (v. 1:15-22)
• They Did What? (v. 1:23-26)

QUESTIONS

1. All of the Bible is equally true but not all of the Bible is equally clear. Acts is descriptive of what happened, not prescriptive of how things should be. What do you do with unclear parts of the Bible? (v. 1:12-26)
2. We tend to idealize the early church as though it was perfect. When we idealize the past we will always criticize the present. How does it help you to know that God has always uses imperfect people to write His perfect story? (v. 1:12-14)
3. Was Peter right to lead in picking a replacement or was he wrong? How does it encourage you to know that God is able to work everything together for good and bend everything to fit His will? How could this set us free from the pressure, stress and anxiety of leading?
4. Acts isn’t about awesome saints, it’s about an awesome Savior who is unstoppable. Where is your story more about you than Him?

*For more info, visit hillsidefellowship.org

OUTLINE

• The Savior  v. 1:1-3
• The Spirit  v. 1:4-5
• The Saints  v. 1:6-8
• The Shock  v. 1:9-11

QUESTIONS

1. Jesus is the center and star of the story. The Enemy’s original lie is that you can be the center and star of the story. In what areas do you find yourself wanting to be the star? How does this manifest itself and how does that impact your relationships? Who helps you see when you are trying to be the star of your own story? What would it look like to surrender and submit to the true star of the story?
2. “Baptized in the Holy Spirit” can be a loaded phrase. What is your reaction when you hear it? We all identify with something and derive power from something – we are immersed in it. What are you immersed in? HINT: You think about it a lot, you talk about it a lot, you become defensive if it is threatened or attacked. v. 1:4-5
3. Jesus promised us the power to carry out His mission of being His witnesses (which is simply telling the story of what He’s done in our lives). How has the work of Jesus continued to change your story? What keeps you from sharing your story of His work? What is a step you can take toward sharing? v. 1:6-11

*For more info, visit hillsidefellowship.org