Knowing God's Heart

 

Study Guide for Week of July 11th 

This Week Reading: Acts 10:27- 48

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 10,000 Reasons  (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): Who did God use to connect you to Jesus?

G. Read Background Information: 

Acts chapter 10 tells an amazing incident concerning the Apostle Peter. Peter was Jewish and even though he had become a follower of Jesus he still had many of the traditions and belief's of the Jewish people such as not eating certain foods and not associating with people who were not Jewish (Gentiles). God gives him a vision -read the beginning of chapter 10 for that information). Cornelius was a Roman soldier who was the leaders of a group of 100 soldiers. He had a desire for God but did not know the way to God. Study this amazing story to see how god connects Peter to Cornelius and what happens. 

Verse Outline:

       I.    II. Connection One: Your Connection to God: Cornelius’ Story

Key Concept: There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ. - Pascal

Key Verse: Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

Community Group Application: A community group is a place where people connect with Jesus and each other as followers of Jesus.

         II. Connection Number Two: Your Connection Too Others - Peter’s Story:  – verse 27-29

Key Concept: God has given us Eleven Commandments. The eleventh is GO!

Key Verse: Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Community Group Application: Followers of Jesus are God’s plan A to connect others to Jesus. 

I. IIII. Connection Number Three: Your Connection to God’s Power God’s Heart - God’s Story – verse 42-47

Key Concept: God works through our normal everyday connections with family, friends, neighbors, workmates, people we come into contact with in good and bad circumstances.

Key Verse: Acts 10:24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

Community Group Application: You experience God’s power and presence when you Go and make connections

     II.     H. Word: - read Acts 10:27 -48 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.