ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

FROM SUNDAY 24 JUNE 2007

ACTS 4:36-5:11 - YOU CAN'T FOOL GOD!

1. Think back over our journey through Acts so far. What have been the major areas of progress? And what have been the major setbacks?

2. I talked on Sunday about the way Acts reveals a cycle of progress and setbacks in the life of the early church. How far is such a pattern reflected in your life? And in the life of our church?

3. Read Acts 4:32-37.

4. How was the fact that 'the believers were one in heart and mind' expressed in the way they lived? Do you think there is a connection between this and what Luke reports in verse 33? Why?

5. In applying this passage to ourselves, should we immediately sell up everything and give all the proceeds to the church? Why or why not? If not, how should do you think we should put this into practice?

6. Do your possessions belong to you or do you belong to your possessions? How do you know?

7. Why was Barnabas called Barnabas?

8. Read Acts 5:1-11.

9. In the light of what we have just seen from the end of chapter 4, why was what Ananias and Sapphira did so serious?

10. How would you answer someone who suggested that their punishment was rather harsh?

11. What was the effect of this sequence of events? What difference did this make?

12. Hebrews 12:28-29 reminds us that '...since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire"'. How might we go about reshaping our worship to take account of this?

13. Pray about the place of reverence and awe in our church life. And pray too for the Impact Mission as it gets going this week after all the months of preparation.

David Stone
24 June 2007