Spring 2010, Week 2 – Small Group Questions

The sermon for this week from the series “Acts in 3 Acts: Act 3” is titled “Contest of Power“.

As a kid, what deed was guaranteed to get you into trouble with your mom and dad?

Read Acts 16:16-40 out loud. What stands out for you in this passage? What questions do you have?
How do you think a shouting slave girl affected the apostles’ mood? Their goals?
Retell verses 17-21 from the perspective of the girl’s owners: What do you feel about her? About your money? About these missionaries?
In light of what happened, how do you think Paul and Silas felt in v. 25? If you were falsely accused, severely beaten and thrown into a dark jail, would you still trust in God’s plan? Why or why not?
What kind of man was the jailer before his salvation (vv. 24, 27, 29-30)? In what ways does the jailer express his new faith in Jesus?

The girl’s owners rejected the Gospel because it cost them financially. What financial concerns keep some people from faith today? Are any of these a factor for you? In what ways might the issue of power relate to peoples’ financial concerns?
About 12 years later, Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians from another prison. How could the events here be the basis for what Paul said in Philippians 4:4-7, 12-13? What can you learn from his example about knowing peace and joy, even in hard times?

Joys and Challenges: What joys and challenges are you facing this week?
Application: Ask God to help you remember that ultimate power lies with him, even in your most difficult circumstances. Ask God to help you trust him completely.
Here at Northminster: Pray for Northminster Preschool. Ask God to be with the kids, the parents, and the teachers, and that God would be at work in all of their lives.
Beyond Northminster: Pray for Reality Changers, a Christian organization in San Diego that helps at-risk teens be the first in their families to attend college.