End of Summer Reflection Guide / Fall Lifegroup Relaunch
LOOKING BACK
Family Time (15 mins)
LOOKING UP
Worship (-15 mins)
Bible Study (30 mins) | Acts 1:1-11, NIV
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Discussion Questions
Practice - Being Filled with Holy Spirit through Waiting on the Lord (15 minutes)
The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove. If we want a dove, or any bird for that matter, to land on us we need to wait and be still. You wouldn’t need to flap your arms frantically, nor would you need to do a whole lot of rituals. No…you’d extend your hands, be still, and just wait. The disciples were told to wait on the Lord and they’d receive the gift that Father has for them. Holy Spirit is a gift from the Father. Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity who doesn’t need us to perform anything, but we must merely wait on Him.
If you haven’t been filled with Holy Spirit, we’re going to practice that today. But, maybe you’ve already been filled with Holy Spirit, and if that’s the case then you can receive a fresh filling today. But we’re just going to be still, wait on the Lord, and let Him move. This is going to be a step of faith, so it may not be comfortable for you to sit in silence, but just take this by faith: when we ask, the Lord will answer.
LOOKING FORWARD (30 mins)
Split into small groups and debrief openly with one another"
ANNOUNCEMENTS (5 mins)
World Mandate LA (Nov. 11)
We're excited for our 2nd World Mandate LA, hosted at the same place as last year in East LA! It’s going to be an amazing time to connect with our 6 Antioch churches in Southern California, be envisioned for what God’s doing in the nations, and worship Jesus together! Learn more & register at worldmandatela.com.
Find all events at epicentre.org/events!
Family Time (15 mins)
- Vision: Invite someone in your Lifegroup to share what your Lifegroup’s vision means to them.
- Connection Question: If you could smell like anything that would be with you everywhere you go, what would you want to smell like and why?
- Announcements (see bottom of this doc)
- Check-Ins: life updates, praise reports, etc.
LOOKING UP
Worship (-15 mins)
- Here I Am To Worship - Jesus Image
- Highest Praise - MBL Worship
Bible Study (30 mins) | Acts 1:1-11, NIV
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Discussion Questions
- Have your group summarize what you’ve read in your own words without looking at the passage. This is to help them memorize it and keep this passage in their minds.
- What stands out to you?
- Why did the disciples need to receive the power of the Holy Spirit?
- According to this passage, how do we receive the Holy Spirit?
- Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift that the Father has promised: how can we wait on God today? Or, what have you been waiting for from the Lord? Discuss the following:
- Why do you think we should wait on the Lord? What does that say about Him? What does that say about us?
- How do we wait on the Lord? / What does that look like?
- How can we support you as we wait on the Lord together?
Practice - Being Filled with Holy Spirit through Waiting on the Lord (15 minutes)
The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove. If we want a dove, or any bird for that matter, to land on us we need to wait and be still. You wouldn’t need to flap your arms frantically, nor would you need to do a whole lot of rituals. No…you’d extend your hands, be still, and just wait. The disciples were told to wait on the Lord and they’d receive the gift that Father has for them. Holy Spirit is a gift from the Father. Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity who doesn’t need us to perform anything, but we must merely wait on Him.
If you haven’t been filled with Holy Spirit, we’re going to practice that today. But, maybe you’ve already been filled with Holy Spirit, and if that’s the case then you can receive a fresh filling today. But we’re just going to be still, wait on the Lord, and let Him move. This is going to be a step of faith, so it may not be comfortable for you to sit in silence, but just take this by faith: when we ask, the Lord will answer.
- Prayer Prompt: “Isaiah 66:1, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? ‘’... Lord, we thank you for sitting on the throne and you have made us homes to host your presence. We ask, would you let your Spirit rest on us? We want the Spirit of the Living God resting in and on us—come Holy Spirit, we wait on you—come, dwell in us.”
- Spend time just waiting (Suggested time 10 minutes)
- You can play soaking worship music while you wait.
LOOKING FORWARD (30 mins)
Split into small groups and debrief openly with one another"
- How was that experience for you?
- Did you feel anything? (Warmth, peace, or just feeling loved, etc?)
- It’s okay if you didn’t feel anything! You don’t need to necessarily feel anything for Holy Spirit’s presence to be a reality.
- But if you didn’t feel anything–stillness is enough. Being filled with Holy Spirit can also happen through prayer. Have people lay hands on others if they feel like they didn’t receive anything, and we can pray for you to be filled.
- Do you feel Holy Spirit was giving you anything in particular? (Peace, comfort, etc.)
- The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and sent to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth—where do you feel like God has called you to be a witness? How do you feel like God has called you to be a witness?
- Pray for one another.
ANNOUNCEMENTS (5 mins)
World Mandate LA (Nov. 11)
We're excited for our 2nd World Mandate LA, hosted at the same place as last year in East LA! It’s going to be an amazing time to connect with our 6 Antioch churches in Southern California, be envisioned for what God’s doing in the nations, and worship Jesus together! Learn more & register at worldmandatela.com.
Find all events at epicentre.org/events!