Sunday 19 May 2013

Spirit Filled Life Week 6: Pentecost Sunday




Small Groups – Week of May 19
1. Share a time when you were waiting for something very special to happen or to be given to you (eg. a certain birthday present). How did you feel as you waited?  Sunday was Pentecost Sunday. Look through Acts 1 and 2. Review what happened on the day of Pentecost. What was the church doing before the day of Pentecost?

2. Question 1: Why should I be filled with the Spirit of God? [Because it is a command of Scripture. It was His plan that we should live out of His strength.] Can you think of a reason why someone would not want to be filled with the Spirit?

3. Question 2: What does the Spirit-filled life look like? [Contrast it with the flesh – don’t be drunk on wine. On the day of Pentecost members of the church were empowered to speak different languages. God can anoint us to do what we have never done before. In Acts 3 Peter heals someone and then he and John display incredible courage before the Council.] What experiences of the Spirit-filled life have you had or seen?

4. Question 3: Why are we not filled with the Spirit automatically and at all times if we are given the Spirit? It is often the case that there is a barrenness or dryness. A dry creek with the capacity for water. [i. There are things that we need to repent of. Things that we can be filled with besides the Spirit: anger, jealousy, drunkenness, etc. ii. If we have been schooled in legalism, one of the reasons that we are not filled with the Spirit is because we keep thinking that we have to get to a higher level of perfection and holiness before we can expect God to do anything in us. We put it off because we consider ourselves too imperfect. We need to ask.]

5. How can we be filled with the Spirit? [We must repent of our sin. We must ask Him to fill us.]

Read Luke 11:5-13 together. Pray for one another, that you would receive the Holy Spirit. Pray for empowerment for righteousness and for service.

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