Community Group Guide

> Why We Gather

At The Springs Church, we desire for community groups to be a place where we BEHOLD JESUS, BECOME LIKE JESUS, and BELONG IN COMMUNITY. This means that our primary goal for groups is to gather around the transforming presence of Christ. As we gather around the transforming presence of Jesus, we believe by faith that we will be incrementally transformed into His image and likeness. With that in mind, let's begin in prayer by asking the Holy Spirit to lead our time together, move on our hearts, and help us behold Jesus, become Like Jesus, and experince the gift of belonging in community. Let's pray.

> Give Thanks

Take a few moments to briefly share about anything that you are thankful unto the Lord for? Perhaps you've witnessed God answer a prayer or experienced a moment that strengthened your faith. Feel free to share any recent occurrences that have encouraged you or instances where you've felt God's presence at work in your life.

> Scripture Reading

Have someone read Acts 1:1-5.

> Discussion Questions

What is the book of Acts about?

We are beginning a sermon series to work thru the book of Acts. It is called this because it tells the story of the activity of God in the early church thru the Spirit. Pastor Alberto argued that it could be well titled: The acts of Jesus through Spirit empowered disciples. One key point here is that we as a church believe that God is still at work in the world bringing his kingdom to dead and broken places. Sin caused things in our world to be broken and dysfunctional. God is restoring his right order thru the work of Jesus by his Spirit. This is what we want to be a part of and that is what Acts is all about.

Reflection Question: What are some stories in your life that portray what it means for God’s kingdom to come on earth? What are some things Jesus did that you long to see today or you have trouble believing can still happen?

Life begins when we follow Jesus.

Some people feel that choosing to follow Jesus will end their life because they worry they will not have fun, excitement, or enjoyment if they turn away from their sin to be obedient to Jesus. On the contrary, following Jesus involves us in his work of bringing life and wholeness in the world. We become agents of his goodness and his grace. This is the beginning of living true life. The best quality of life we can experience is found in joining ourselves to God’s plan and purpose. He made our lives and he knows how they are best lived.

Reflection Question: What excites you about life with Jesus? When do you fear that following Jesus will make you miss out on something? How has your vision of the Christian life changed over time?

When God is going to move, he may ask you to wait

In the passage, Jesus tells the disciples to prepare for what he is going to do by waiting in Jerusalem. God is not in a hurry and our culture is unhealthily opposed to waiting. God making you wait is not a sign of his displeasure, it is an opportunity to experience his presence. When we wait, God is available to us and we can experience Him in important ways. The sin of Adam and Eve was grasping for what was not theirs. We imitate Jesus by waiting for God to provide what we want, and accepting his guidance and provision.

Reflection Question: What are you praying for and how can we pray for each other? What do you sense God is asking you to wait for? How can you expect to experience God as you wait in the coming week?

> Confession and Prayer

Reflect and Pray: As we sit with this passage, ask God to bring to mind anything you need to confess or need prayer for. Take a moment to share and pray for one another. Feel free to split up into pairs depending on the group size.