ENV - Langara

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Two things regularly accompany the gospel: opposition and transformation. Perhaps both are connected for light shines best against a dark background. The Christian message will remain weak and irrelevant unless we are willing to oppose evil and declare Jesus as the rightful Lord ra...

Sermon Summary: Here in Acts 12:25 – 13:5 we learned more about this church in Antioch. This multi-ethnic and multi-cultural church devoted time to prayer and fasting which led to hearing clearly that God wanted them to send out some of their best leaders on a mission to preach the good news to those who have not heard it yet. READ. Key Passage: Acts 12:25-:13:5 Discussion Questions: Truth: In Act...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Acts is a historical account about the work of the Holy Spirit through the Church. In chapter 12:1-19 we read a miraculous story about Peter’s escape from prison shortly after the death of James. If every story has a moral this one’s can be found in verse 5, “So Peter was kept in p...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 11:19-30 Discussion Questions: Truth: What barriers do you see in your life that make deep relationship with people that aren’t like you a challenge? Repentance: How would ultimate faithfulness to Christ in your life practically remove those barriers? Faith: Describe church...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​READ. Key Passage: Acts 11:1-8 RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world?  Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Here in Acts 10:23-48 we see the three markers of Christians – baptism, forgiveness, and the gift of the Spirit – have now been given to the Gentiles. This clarifies the constitution of God's Kingdom; it is not a matter of a common culture or location, but a common devotion to Jesu...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: The move of the Spirit continues here in this account of Peter's vision as God moves him to invite gentile outsiders into the kingdom of God. For this to happen Peter needs a change of heart and mind. He needs to hear from the Spirit and to discern what of culture can be redeemed,...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Between summarizing the early Christian Jews as God-fearing and Spirit-filled, and the ministry to Gentiles as for the God-fearing who will be Spirit-filled, the focus of Acts 9:32-43 is the diversity of Christian service. Both the marginalized and the prominent are healed; Peter’s...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 9:19-31 Discussion Questions: Truth: Describe the first years of Saul’s Christian life. What conviction caused him to live in such danger? When the church believed similarly, how does Acts 9:31 describe them? Repentance: Why does surrendering our control to Jesus as Lord le...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Saul thought he knew the truth of his identity and the story that he was living out. Upon his encounter with Jesus he came to realize he had misunderstandings of who God is and what He was doing through Jesus. So often we are invited to pursue our own stories and define ourselves,...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 8:26-40 Discussion Questions: Truth: God sent Philip to the desert in order to fulfill the promise of Acts 1:8. This is probably not what Philip had in mind when he followed Jesus. What deserts has God asked you to trust Him in? Repentance: The Ethiopian Eunuch had all of t...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 8:1-25 Discussion Questions: Truth: The church was scattered after Stephen’s martyrdom. Describe the impact of those refugees-turned-missionaries. Contrast them what Simon the Sorcerer was like. What distinguished these first Christians? Repentance: How do we treat the Holy...

READ. Key Passage: Acts 7:54-60 Discussion Questions: Truth: Stephen did not seem to fear people, even when facing death. Describe his experience of God and how it enabled him to face human judgment. Repentance: What does our fear of people tell us about our relationship with God? How do we repent of fearing people? Faith: Read 2 Corinthians 5:10. When we fear God's righteous judgment how do we li...

Sermon Summary: Stephen responded to the accusations that he was being blasphemous by stating that it was actually they who were missing God. His counter point is that their age-old, stiff-necked nature was resisting the Holy Spirit and thereby distorting the message of Jesus to seem blasphemous rather than the fulfilment of all they'd longed for. This caused a culture clash between the religious...

READ. Key Passage: Acts 5:42 - 6:7 REVIEW. Discussion Questions: Truth: What kind of leaders did the apostles choose to deal with this problem? Repentance: Which of those qualities is God highlighting in your life? Why? Faith: What does faith look like? Where is God calling you to express that? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the wo...

Reading: Acts 5:12-42 Sermon Summary There are two responses to the Christian message. In Acts 2:37 the people were cut to the heart and surrendered to Jesus as Lord; but those who were cut to the heart in Acts 5:33 wanted to kill Jesus! The difference between the two is determined by who we think is to blame for life’s problems: us or God. The only way for the Christian message to rightly impact...

READ. Key Passage: Acts 5:1-11 Discussion Questions: Truth: Contrast Barnabas in Acts 4:34-37 with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-3. If money is a form of God-given power, how is it used rightly? Repentance: What is the impact on a community when we are selfish and deceptive in our use of money or other forms of power? Faith: What are unhealthy extremes of how we use money or power? What does fa...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: The early church was united by an allegiance to Jesus, their common King. Jesus' Kingdom of Heaven was where their true citizenship lied. Inside kingdoms, everything belongs to the king, and the early church saw their money and possessions as belonging to Jesus. They gave because t...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Dullness is a clear sign of spiritual attack but when opposition comes, the battle is revealed. Our response is to pray – to confess God's sovereignty, the world’s futility, and our devotion to God and His purposes. God's response is to fill us with the power to declare and demonst...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​ READ. Key Passage: John 20:11-29 Discussion Questions TruthWhat were the issues that Mary, Jesus’ followers, and Thomas struggled with? How did Jesus address each of their struggles? Why is the resurrection key to them finding freedom from their struggles? Repentance Which of these struggles do...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​ READ. Key Passage: 4:1-21 Discussion Questions Truth What is it that marks Peter & John that is so observable to those they encounter here? Repentance What are the identities that you are holding on to that might rival the mark of Christ on your life? Faith What might step of faith might God...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​ READ. Key Passage: 3:1-26 Discussion Questions Truth What do you find most difficult about living a life of faith? Repentance What do these difficulties highlight about your own heart? Faith What is God asking you to have faith for right now? How can we pray for that? ​ RESPOND. Ask God, how can...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​ READ. Key Passage: 2:42-47, 4:32-37 Discussion Questions Truth According to Acts 2:42-47 what did forgiveness and the baptism of the Holy Spirit produce in those first believers? What is the connec-tion between Acts 2:38 and Acts 2:42-47? Repentance Which of those “fruits of the Spirit” are you...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​ READ. Key Passage: 2:14-41 Discussion Questions Truth Have you ever wondered if Christianity is really worth it? What truths of Christianity have we allowed to collect dust in the basement of our lives? Repentance Peter quotes the Old Testament Prophet Joel who says that God will spill His Spiri...

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​ READ. Key Passage: Acts 2:1-13 Discussion Questions Truth Upon what experience is the church founded? Why is that such a pro-found beginning? How did the world react to them? Repentance Is there a false identity that is dividing you from God and His people? Is there a fear that undermines your f...