ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

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FROM SUNDAY 20 MAY 2007

ACTS 3:1-10 - IT BEGGARS BELIEF!

(Note - there might be more material here than you need for your group. Please be selective.)

Read Acts 3:1-10

The New Testament was written without chapter divisions. Picture Luke's narrative with the healing of the crippled man sandwiched between his description of the early church, and Peter's address to the crowd. Does this add to the significance of the story of the healing in any way? See particularly Acts 2:43.

Did the crowd believe that a miracle had taken place? v2-3 and v9-10. Do you believe that God works such miracles today? What has been your experience - at Nicolas, and elsewhere?
Do you think that healing occurs only in specific ways and at specific times?
Are there ways in which we hinder God working? Compare our church life with that described in 2:42. Do you think our behaviour makes any difference at all to the working of God's Holy Spirit? What is the role of faith in such situations? v5-7.
Further examples of the experience of New Testament Christians may be found in James 5:13-16 and 1 Corinthians 11:27-30.

Do you struggle with asking God for healing, either for yourself or for others? If so, why? Is there anything that can be done about this?

In Newbury today, how far do you think we hinder God from working in ways similar to those described in the Bible?
Jesus told his disciples that once he was ascended they would be able to do 'even greater things' than the miracles he had done amongst them. How did he prepare his disciples for this ministry? See John 9:1-6 and John 14:11-14.
Should it be our ministry too?

Alternative healing methods other than praying in the name of Jesus abound in our culture today. Do you think it matters how we pray for healing so long as we do pray? In answering this question, it might also be helpful to answer another question at the same time: what do you think was the main the purpose of the healing? v6, 9. See also John 9:1-7 and John 11:40-43.

Some churches offer healing prayer as part of their mission in the community. Coleraine in Northern Ireland and Inverness in Scotland are two places in the UK where there are churches with teams of people who will pray for people in shopping centres on Saturdays, and they have seen some significant answers to their prayers. You can find examples on the internet at www.out:there.org

How far do you think that the ministry of healing should be part of St Nicolas' mission strategy? Is prayer for healing for Christians only? What was the case in Acts 3? Have you tried offering to pray for a non Christian friend or family member? If so, how was your offer received?

In 2000, a book was published by the The House of Bishops in the Church of England, called 'A Time to Heal'. In it we find, 'There is no distinction in the NT between the healing of body, mind and spirit.' How far do you think that was true of the man in Acts 3? The book also says, 'we should not forget that there has always been a close partnership between the Church and medicine'. How true have you found that to be in your own life?

Are there some areas that modern medicine can't cover?

Spend some time praying for one another.

Helen Wilkinson
20 May 2007