ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

FROM SUNDAY 17 JUNE 2007

ACTS 4:22-35 - HOW TO BE PERSECUTED

1. Launch question: Speaking up for Jesus isn't always very welcome today. What experiences have people had of being belittled for speaking up about Jesus, had a negative response form people, or perhaps stayed quiet when they wanted to say something for fear of looking silly? What did you do afterwards?

I think that our passage for today I think is choc-full of good advice on what to do when the gospel has just been thrown back in our face!

2. Read Acts 4:22-35.

3. Where are we up to? Remind yourself of possibly the key verse from the previous section (4:20).

4. If this is the case for us, then sometimes we will meet with rejection. So what do we do then?

5. First, what did Peter and John do, v23?

6. What benefit might there be in speaking to others [suggested answers to draw out: encourage each other, know not alone, help see sometimes where it's not so much the gospel being rejected but us being a pain!] How as a home group can you help each other like this?

7. Secondly, what did they then all do together, v24-28?

8. Who was on their side, v24? And what has he done, v24b, v25, v28? Was God surprised that people were rejecting his message? Had it happened before?

9. Thirdly, once they were refocused on God, what did they then do, v29-30?

10. Any self-pity or revenge here? What did they ask for? Do we do the same? Do we pray with their expectancy? Do you pray for courage and opportunities to speak?

11. Fourthly, what did they do then, v31b, v33?

12. Are we so quick to get back to it? Perhaps that's not least why we need each other! What shows us that their evangelism isn't just words, v32-35? By nature do we tend towards words or deeds to show the love of God to others? How can we help each other to be both?

13. Pray and then wait for v31!!!!

Edward Hobbs
15 June 2007