FirstSF

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Saul was convinced he was doing the right thing, even as he was opposing Jesus. Are there areas of your life where you might be resisting God's Word or pursuing your own way? How can we learn to receive God's correction as an expression of His grace? 2. Saul's conversion was dramatic, but the same power that transformed his life is at work in every believer. How doe...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Have you ever experienced a time when God clearly opened a door for you to share the gospel with someone? What was that experience like? How can you be more intentional about praying for and looking for opportunities like that? 2. Philip was willing to leave what he was doing and follow where the Spirit led him. Are there things in your schedule, budget, or daily ro...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. How would your prayer life change if you approached life with a greater awareness of the spiritual battle around you and the urgency of the mission God has given us? What practical steps can you take to become more consistent in prayer and to cultivate a heart of gratitude rather than discouragement? 2. When was the last time you prayed for God to open a door for you...

President, Co-Founder of The Bay Area Center for Faith, Work & Tech

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Think of some evangelistic or spiritual conversations you’ve had in the past. What led up to those conversations? What types of questions were helpful to open up those conversations? 2.Who are some people in your life you can begin, or continue to have, these types of spiritual conversations with? What are some questions you can use and prepare to be more curious abo...

1. Why is it often easier for us to see people’s physical, emotional, or relational needs while overlooking their need for Jesus? How can we open our eyes to recognize the great spiritual need each person has? 2. How deeply do you believe that Jesus is the only hope for those who don’t know Him? How might that belief change the way you pray for, care for, and speak to the unbelievers God has place...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Where are you most tempted to see circumstances as obstacles to the gospel rather than opportunities for the gospel advance? How might Acts 8 change the way you respond to difficulty, opposition, or discomfort? 2. The gospel crossed a deep divide between Jews and Samaritans. What kinds of differences—ethnic, cultural, political, religious, or personal—can make it di...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What are some things—other than Jesus—that you are tempted to look to for security, identity, or hope? How can those things become like the temple or the law for us—good things that we begin to trust in more than we trust in God? 2. Where do you most need to remember that God is with you right now? How might consciously trusting in God’s presence change the way you...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. How do you typically respond when someone points out a problem or blind spot in your life? What makes it difficult for you to listen humbly, and what would it look like to respond with humility and wise action? 2. How can we tell the difference between a legitimate problem that needs to be addressed and opposition that we need to persevere through? Is there somethin...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. The gospel is good news for people who recognize their need. How can this give us hope as we do gospel ministry? What would it look like to come to Jesus with greater humility and dependence this week? 2. Pride in all its forms will lead us to oppose God and the gospel. What forms of pride do you see most within your own heart? What forms do you see most within our...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. The gospel frees us to trust God. What is one area of your life where fear or a desire for control makes it difficult for you to trust God? What would it look like for you to actually trust him in that area? 2. The gospel also frees us to love others. Where do you find yourself choosing your own comfort, wants, or priorities over the needs of other people? What is o...

SERMON REFLECITON QUESTIONS 1. Have you experienced opposition for being a Christian? What prompted that opposition? What was your response in the midst of it? 2. What are you most excited about to share with others? How can you cultivate a love and joy for Jesus that would lead you to that same excitement to share about him? 3. What are some areas of your life that you can point others to where J...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What are you most tempted to build your sense of belonging on besides the gospel? How does remembering what Jesus has done change the way you see yourself and other Christians? 2. The early church devoted themselves to God's Word, prayer, and the Lord's Supper as their love for God was growing. Which of those areas has been most neglected in your life recently, and...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What are you most tempted to build your sense of belonging on besides the gospel? How does remembering what Jesus has done change the way you see yourself and other Christians? 2. The early church devoted themselves to God's Word, prayer, and the Lord's Supper as their love for God was growing. Which of those areas has been most neglected in your life recently, and...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. The miraculous signs at Pentecost pointed people to the greater work God was doing through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Why is it important that our faith be rooted in the gospel rather than in extraordinary experiences? What helps you keep your focus on Christ? 2. Peter said that because of Jesus, every believer can know God intimately and proclaim Him faithfully thr...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1) What are some “fields” or inheritances that are tempting to chase after in our culture? How do the promises of God combat these temptations? 2) How does the promise of God’s inheritance change how we live and go about our lives? 3) What are some ways God has made it clear—for you personally, or believers generally—what his plans for us are? What does it look like to...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. The gospel announces that Jesus is both the crucified Savior and the risen King. How does believing that our King willingly suffered and died for us change the way we view God, ourselves, and what it means to follow Him? 2. Every believer has been empowered by the Holy Spirit for a purpose. Where do you currently feel inadequate, fearful, or unprepared to share your...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Nehemiah 13 shows how quickly God's people drifted back into old patterns of sin. What is one area of your life where you are most tempted to drift spiritually, and what helps you stay faithful to Christ in that area? 2. At the root of sin is a failure to trust God. When you are tempted to disobey God, what fears, doubts, or desires are you usually trusting more tha...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1) We see in this passage that there are physical and spiritual preparations that should happen as we prepare to worship God. What is one practical thing you could do this week to prepare yourself and your heart for corporate worship before Sunday? 2) In this story, the time of worship included many people using their gifts and serving in different ways. How has God gifted yo...

SERMON REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What are some things that most strongly shape your identity right now (career, family, politics, hobbies, achievements, etc.)? How does remembering that you are first and foremost one of God's people change the way you view those things? 2. Nehemiah 10 emphasizes that God's people were both diverse and distinct. In what ways do Christians today face pressure to blen...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Nehemiah refused to come down from the work God had called him to do. What distractions most often pull your attention away from what God has called you to in this season of life? What would it look like to practically say, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down”? 2. Public pressure and fear of what others think can quietly shape our are you most tempted to comprom...

1. Nehemiah was willing to confront sin within the community of God instead of ignoring it or excusing it. Why is it often easier to point out problems “out there” in the world than to deal with selfishness, injustice, or lack of care within our own lives and relationships? 2. The wealthy leaders in this passage used a difficult situation for their own advantage instead of caring for people in nee...

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Where have you faced opposition when seeking to do the work of God? How can you grow in expecting that opposition without becoming cynical or fearful? 2. The enemy often uses doubt to undermine God’s work in us. What specific lies or questions have you recently been tempted to believe about God, yourself, or what He’s called you to do? What would it look like to actively re...