ETERNAL IMPACT 1. FROM FOUNDATION TO MISSION
The name of this study is Eternal Impact. Many things make an impact in our world today. Name some of them. List these. How big is the impact of each? How long does that impact last? What do you think makes the greatest impact? What makes an eternal impact?
1. Talk about a time you were physically lost. How did you feel? What did you do?
Have you used maps from the Internet to help you know each turn to take to reach your destination? Did this increase your confidence in reaching your destination on time? Have you ever used a GPS (global positioning system) when you drive? How does such a system change your confidence about going to a place you’ve never been before?
The New Testament book of Acts is God’s road map for the church to accomplish God’s goal of reaching all people in every nation on earth with the good news of Jesus Christ. With God’s guidebook, Acts and other books in the Bible, we can work with confidence in leading and growing our churches.
2. Read Matthew 16:13-19.
The Church’s One foundation is…. 1 Corinthians 3:11 because no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid—that is, Jesus Christ.
What do the words of these verses say about Peter’ question and Jesus’ response? How would you apply these verses to the church today?
3. Pull your keys out of your pocket or purse. What do they represent? Perhaps they mean ownership of a car or home or business or part ownership as you partner with a lending institution. Or they may mean permission to enter someone else’s home or business. Inverse 19, what is the significance of the “keys of the kingdom”? Who has them? Who owns the kingdom? Who has permission to use them? What responsibility comes with the permission given to holders of the keys?
4. List types of power.
Recall a time when you “lost power:’ How did you feel? What did you do?
Read Daniel 7:16; Matthew 7:29; 8:9; 28:18-20; and Ephesians 3:8-11.
What is the source of a Christian’s power? What power did Jesus have while on earth? How are Christians today to access and use that power?
5. What divides churches today?
Read Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20; Acts 2:44-47; 4:12; and 2 Peter 3:9. What mission should unify the church? If someone were to look at the budget, schedule, and priorities of your church, would they conclude that it exists primarily to complete the discipling of the nations? What is your church’s plan for discipling the nations?
ETERNAL IMPACT 2. FROM JERUSALEM TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
What is the greatest distance you have ever travelled from the place where you were born? What was the purpose of your journey? In what ways did you represent Christ during your travels?
1. Read Acts 1:3. The “convincing proofs” (NASB) that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s only Son are His resurrection appearances. What was the convincing proof that led you to belief in Jesus? How have you shared that convincing proof with others?
2. Read Luke 24:45-47 and Acts 1:4-8. What role did obedience have among Jesus’ followers after He was gone? What is the evidence of their obedience? What are the expectations for Christ followers today in obeying God’s Word and Jesus’ commands? What is the evidence of believers’ obedience today?
3. Read Acts 2:1-4. Where were Jesus’ followers when they received the power of the Holy Spirit? When has your church experienced the Holy Spirit’s power? What happened in individual lives? What happened to the church as a whole?
4. Read Joel 2:27-32 and Acts 2:17. In our post-Pentecost era, the power of God’s Holy Spirit is available to all who call Jesus Lord and Saviour. Do you see God’s power being poured out in the world today? Why or why not?
5. Acts 2:32. Peter witnessed Jesus’ resurrection. He was there to see the risen Christ. We know this is true from what Peter and the other disciples told us. But we also know because of God’s grace and work in our own lives, bringing together what God has done throughout history and what He is doing in our lives today. What is your message, your witness, based on — historical events when Jesus came to earth, your own salvation experience, and what God is doing in your life today?
6. If you could do anything you wanted to do to serve God, what would you do? What prevents you? What can you do about this?
7. Where are you seeing God at work in others lives?
Pray that each person present will hear and obey God’s call to tell someone about Jesus this week.
