Sermon Response Guide

Guia del Sermon en Espanol

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE: Acts 8:4-25

Key Points

• The power of the church is the power of the Holy Spirit.
• You have more power than you think.
• Power in the Holy Spirit differs from power in the world.
• Holy Spirit power is marked by:
  1)    Freedom
  2)    Humility
  3)    Generosity
  4)    Life
• Worldly power is marked by:
  1)    Slavery
  2)    Arrogance
  3)    Greed
  4)    Death

Memory Verse

Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV

Questions for Reflection

Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
 
1: When we say, “the power of the church is the power of the Holy Spirit,” what are we saying?
 
2: Why is the power of the Holy Spirit key to the identity of the church?
 
3: How was the power of the Holy Spirit displayed in Christ’s life?
 
4: What do the death and resurrection of Jesus teach us about the power of the Holy Spirit?
 
5: What kind of power has God entrusted to you by giving you the gift of the Holy Spirit?
 
6: Reflect on this week’s memory verse (2 Corinthians 4:7). What truth is the Holy Spirit illuminating for you as you reflect on God’s Word?
 
7: Who do you feel empowered by the Holy Spirit to be?
 
8: What do you feel empowered by the Holy Spirit to do?

Pray

Lord, we confess we have been arrogant and greedy, enslaved to beliefs and behaviors that lead to death and destruction for us and for others. Forgive us for when we have used your name to achieve power in this world, as well as when we have blamed your name for feeling powerless in this world. By your Holy Spirit, set us free to be humble and generous in such a way that leads to life for us and for others. 

references

For those interested in further study, our pastors want to share resources that have aided them in their sermon preparation (in conjunction with the Bible and the Holy Spirit):
 
·      Acts of the Apostles (The Pillar New Testament Commentary) by David Peterson
·      Acts (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Darrell Bock
·      Christians as the Romans Saw Them by Robert Louis Wilken
·      Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power by Andy Crouch