How God Gets Our Attention - Acts 8:26-39

Study Guide for Week of June 13th 

This Week Reading: Acts 8:26-39 

Crossroads Community Group Guide:
A. Welcome: Welcome everyone especially new persons and read out loud the purpose of your group
B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time: Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use Who You Say I Am  (or pick your own on YouTube make sure it has the lyrics on the screen)

D. Announcements

1. Weekly Resources on Crossroads Facebook Page    

        Monday: Listening Room Resources for the week

        Children's resource each week  

2. Daily Devotional Video: The Encouraging Word with Pastor Willie

3. Announcements and Events:  Crossroads Web Site

4. Watch the Sunday service here Sunday 11:45am

E. Review   

1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?
2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

F. Opening Question (a simple question to introduce the main theme - called an icebreaker): What is your purpose in life?

G. Read Background Information: 

Some key background to remember is as follows:

Ethiopia is over 2,500 mile from Jerusalem. That is a long journey by chariot. Ethiopia was a totally pagan country at that time. The emperor was considered a god and they worshiped him. The Queen was the one who ran the day to day operation of the government which is why she is mentioned. The eunuch (a castrated male) was a very high official of the Queen and very powerful. Ethiopia is noted in history as one of the earliest Christian communities outside of Israel. Church tradition tells us that the Eunuch brought the gospel to his people. 

Phillip os not Phillip the apostle of the book of John but rather the Phillip of Acts chapter 6 who was selected to be on the team along with Stephen in overseeing and serving food to the widows. Stephen was stoned to death and Phillip along with others were scattered.

Notice how God brought everything together to bring the gospel to the country of Ethiopia. Notice Phillips obedience to God's call and direction. A key question for everyone is "Do you understand what you are reading." 

Verse Outline:

       I.        I.       Part One: The Ethiopian Eunuch: What is God Doing? – verse 26- 28

Key Concept: God’s first priority is to save lost people through Jesus.

 

Key Verse: Acts 10:34,35,43 God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right; everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name

 

    Community Group Application: Community Group members realize that the group is not about them but about others from learning, living, and telling God’s commands – verse 1

 

I.       II.      Part Two: Phillip: What Does God Want from You and Me? –                                                                                                             verse 29

Key Concept: God will put us into position to reach people who are hungry for him if we surrender our lives to Jesus.

Key Verse: Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” 

Community Group Application: Community Group members live every day as an adventure with Jesus

I.        Part Three: God: Do You Understand What God is Doing? – verse 30- 31, and 35-39

Key Concept: A moment in time can make all the difference in a person's life

Key Verse: Mark 5:19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

Community Group Application: Each community group member has a network of connections that God calls them to reach and start new community groups 

     II.     H. Word: - read Acts 8:26-40 break it down into smaller portions to read. Read it in portions aloud together several times. (Goal is that everyone understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words - keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses)

1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?
2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.
3. What are the details?
4. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

I. Discuss the following general questions together (Goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion - the leader should not speak more than 30% of the time - let the group discover what God is saying to them).
1. What catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?
3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?
4. What do you learn about people from the story?

5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?

 
J. Commitment - Obedience - Application  (This is the key - have everyone answer this question): 
1. What in specific will you commit to apply in your life from this study? 

K. Prayer Time:                
1. Pray for an empty chair representing new people who you want to join your group. Name names of people specifically. 

2. Pray for your group to multiply.               
3. Pray for the needs of the members of the group. It is best to divide into 2 groups one of male and the other female.

L. For Next time:                
1. Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group                                         for next week.