Experience - End of Week 5

INTRODUCTION
The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with, or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN QUESTIONS
When you get to heaven, aside from Jesus, who is one of the first people you want to talk to and why?  What would you talk with them about?

HEAD

1. Read Acts 5 together and share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts that come to you from the reading.
2. Do you think it was God who struck down Ananias and Sapphira, or was it something else?  Explain your answer.
3. In verse 15, Luke says that Peter’s shadow had the power to heal when it fell on someone.  Was it his shadow or something else?
4. We regularly see, like in verse 26, that the religious leaders were afraid of the people’s reactions.  Why do you think they were more afraid of the people and not of God?
5. After hearing and accepting Gamaliel’s advice, why do you think they still flogged and threatened the disciples?

HEART

1. At the beginning of this week, we talked about how the devil was out to destroy the Jesus movement, and so attacked from three different angels.  What are some of the ways the devil attacks us today, and tries to get us to forget or forsake, Jesus?
2. The early church met together regularly, both in homes and weekly at Temple.  It was how they survived challenging times and stayed on the road of faith.  How important is meeting together as a church community for you personally?  What do you get out of it?  What do you contribute to it?
3. Have you ever been persecuted for your faith?  If so, what happened?  If not, how do you think you would respond?
4. What “proofs” do you have for your faith?
5. Who in your circle of influence needs to know that Jesus is the Messiah?

HANDS
This week, think over and pray about some tangible way to share the good news of Jesus and His love with someone you know.  Maybe it’s an act of kindness that shows God’s love in a tangible way, maybe it’s writing a promise from Scripture, or a statement about God’s love, on a card that you share with someone.  Just think of a way to do it that is thoughtful, and pray before and after, offering to be available to talk more if the person ever wanted.

LIVING WORDS FOR YOUR WEEK
“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NLT