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Practice #7: Go Evangelize

Jesus promised His Apostles that when the Spirit came they would be Gospel witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and eventually the whole earth.  Here we are two thousand years later in Dallas, Texas—about as far as you can get from Jerusalem—and we have access to the same Gospel the Apostles preached.  Jesus’ promise has proven true!  Although we are not one of the 12 Apostles, we too have been entrusted with the same Gospel message.  What are we doing with this message as we await Christ’s return?

For Group Leaders

1. Begin in prayer. Welcome the Holy Spirit to the group and invite Him to lead, guide, and convict your group as you meet together.
2. Reflect on Sunday’s sermon as a group. What were some highlights? Was anything particularly helpful, convicting, or confusing?
3. Consider the following questions and pick a few to focus your discussion.

Examine the Word

• Read Acts 1:6–8.

For Discussion

• What is the Gospel?
• Why do you think God chooses people to carry out His mission of evangelism?  He could have picked angels or just made it so the whole world audibly hears His voice sharing the Gospel.  Why people?
• Think of a time in your life when you shared your faith. What was it like? How did God move in that interaction both in you and the other person(s)?
• What are some reasons why we don’t share our faith?
• What are the underlying similarities between these reasons?

Practice

• Love: Remember and meditate on the love that God has shown you in Jesus.  He sought you out.  Replicate this same love and go seek out someone by changing your environment.
• Listen: Ask questions and listen for the heart issue.  Do not defend a viewpoint or argue, just listen.
• Discern: Let the Holy Spirit lead the way forward.  Discern how He wants you to proceed in the conversation.
• Respond: When we love, listen & discern, we are prepared to respond.  The Holy Spirit does the work and when we respond God is glorified.  Pray with the person(s).

For Family Discussions

• Take some time to talk about the sermon together. What did you learn that was
• new? Were there any parts that were confusing?
• What is the Gospel?
• Why do you think it’s important to share your faith?
• Why do you think it is so difficult for us to share our faith?
• Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to bring someone to mind that you should share the Gospel with.

This week, we’re in Practice #6: Serve with Generosity. Today is a day for prayer and action. First, let’s read from Romans 12:1-2 (NET):

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Paul’s language in Romans 12 is revolutionary when you consider the Jewish context of some of his audience. Those Jewish listeners would be used to bringing animal sacrifices to the temple in order to worship God and receive absolution from sins. But they also know that sin has now been paid for by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. So what happens to the sacrifices? Well, Paul indicates that now WE are the living sacrifices. Rather than offer an animal or grain or incense, we offer our entire lives. We are Jesus’ possession. We worship Him when we give Him everything.

Over the past few days, we’ve spent intentional time meditating on God’s generosity to us and writing out the resources we’ve been given. Now, prayerfully interact with God. How does he want you to be generous? To whom can you give today? What will you give - how much?

Now act. Mention to a friend how they can hold you accountable to do what God has called you to do.

This week, we’re in Practice #6: Serve with Generosity. Today, we will take inventory of the “treasure” God has given us. Grab a piece of paper and a pen to take notes. Remember - everything we have has been entrusted to us to be used for His glory and purposes. 

Physical and Financial “Treasures”

Spend a few minutes writing down the resources that God has given to you, including your material possessions (house, clothes, car, food) and financial provisions.

• Let’s pray: “God, help me to reorient my life according to your Word. You tell me that LIFE is not found in the abundance of my possessions but in knowing Jesus. May I know that, deep down. I confess my idolatry of money and things. I worship You, the God of the universe.” Sit in confession and repentance.
• Let's pray: “God, if I am a steward of your gifts, let me know how I can serve you this week. Bring to mind a person or situation for which I can give of my physical and financial resources. Make me a cheerful giver.”

Educational & Talent-Based “Treasures”

Spend a few minutes writing down the skills, talents, experience, and education that you’ve been granted. List out all the ways that these can be used to advance the Kingdom of God.

• Let’s pray: “Father, you have given me countless opportunities to learn and grow. Thank you! Would you give me a holy imagination for how these ‘treasures’ can be used to serve your Kingdom purposes? Show me others who I can pour myself into, train, and mentor - all for your glory!”

Spiritual “Treasures”

Finally, spend a few minutes writing down what has been given to you as a person who has faith in Jesus (the list will be long!).

• Let’s pray: “God, I marvel at your goodness to me. You’ve granted me ____________ in your Son Jesus. Thank you! Give me a heart of gratitude and generosity.”
• Let’s pray: “Lord, if I am a steward of your gifts, let me know how I can serve you this week. Bring to mind a person or situation for which I can give of my spiritual ‘treasures.’ Make me eager to tell others about Jesus.”

We will enter into God’s presence through His holy Word today. If you can, give yourself 15 minutes to just be with God. Set a timer and put everything else away except for you, your Bible, and the device you’re reading this on. We’re going to meditate on the absurd and overwhelming generosity of God.

Let’s start: “God, you are good and you are true. You’ve given me your Word as a gift. Thank you that I can know you. Thank you that I can worship you. Open my mind to your truth as I contemplate your rich generosity toward me. Open my eyes, calm the distractions, and let me see you.”

Now, let’s read from Psalm 136:1-8 in the NET (New English Translation):

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loyal love endures. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loyal love endures. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loyal love endures, to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself, for his loyal love endures, to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens, for his loyal love endures, to the one who spread out the earth over the water, for his loyal love endures, to the one who made the great lights, for his loyal love endures, the sun to rule by day, for his loyal love endures, the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loyal love endures...

Hopefully you picked up the theme of the psalm in these first eight verses! The psalmist is fixated on God’s enduring, loyal love, known in Hebrew as “hesed.” Spend a few minutes looking at this article and exploring the dimensions of this incredible word. Write down what you discover. Now, let’s spend some time meditating on God’s ineffable love toward His people.

• Ponder this: The Creator God who is above all and beyond all possesses a rich, overflowing, compassionate, enduring, kind, action-oriented love for YOU. You. Worship Him for his love toward you. Thank Him and praise Him.
• Ponder this: His love is never-ending. It began before you were born and will continue after you die. Sit in awe at the character of God and His eternal, unchanging, loving nature.

Now go in joy and peace and generosity.

This week, we’re in Practice #6: Serve with Generosity. 

We will enter into God’s presence through His holy Word today. If you can, give yourself 15 minutes to just be with God. Set a timer and put everything else away except for you, your Bible, and the device you’re reading this on. We’re going to meditate on the absurd and overwhelming generosity of God toward us in Jesus.

Let’s start: “God, you are good and you are true. You’ve given me your Word as a gift. Thank you that I can know you. Thank you that I can worship you. Open my mind to your truth as I contemplate your rich generosity toward me. Open my eyes, calm the distractions, and let me see you.”

Now, let’s read from Ephesians 2:4-10 in the NET (New English Translation):

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!— and he raised us up together with him and seated us together with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.

• Ponder this: The God of all heaven and earth, the God of all holiness and majesty - He is rich in mercy with great love. And not just generically. He is rich in mercy toward YOU. You!

Spend some time thinking about what mercy is and why God would choose to grant it to you. Worship Him for his merciful love. Sit in the recognition that you, though sinful, have been granted mercy.

• Ponder this: The God who created all things and owns everything has granted you the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness. 

What has the kindness of God looked like in your life? Make a list (on paper or in your head) of some of the ways He has been kind to you. Sit in the idea you are surpassingly wealthy in God’s grace. What?! You have been absurdly and overwhelmingly given the gift of grace from God. This makes you, spiritually speaking, wealthy. Worship God for the wealth of His grace in your life.

• Ponder this: The faith that you have in Jesus is not something you conjured up on your own; it is a gift from God Himself. 

Have you ever considered faith as a gift? How does that enhance your understanding of your faith? Spend some time thanking God for the good gift of faith in Jesus Christ. Spend some time praying for others who still need to receive that gift. Meditate on the goodness of a God who would single you out and give you a gift like this.

Now go in joy and peace and generosity.