6.13.21 - RESET - Part 1: How God Gets Our Attention

Service Video, Message Notes, & Community Group Guide

MESSAGE NOTES

RESET - Part 1: How God Gets Our Attention

Acts 8:26-39

Three parts to the story – Three Questions

1. Part 1: The Ethiopian Eunuch: What is God Doing?

2. Part 2: Phillip: What Does God Want from You and Me?

3. Part 3: God: Do You Understand What God is Doing?

Part 1: The Ethiopian Eunuch: What is God Doing? - Acts 8:26-28

• Key Concept: God’s first priority is to save lost people through Jesus.

• Key Verse: Acts 10:34,35,43 God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right; everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name

• Community Group Application: Community Group members realize that the group is not about them but about others

Part 2: Phillip: What Does God Want from You and Me? - Acts 8:29

• Key Concept: God will put us into position to reach people who are hungry for him if we surrender our lives to Jesus.

• Key Verse: Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

• Community Group Application: Community Group members live every day as an adventure with Jesus

Part 3: God: Do You Understand What God is Doing? - Acts 8:30-31, 35-39

• Key Concept: A moment in time can make all the difference in a person's life

• Key Verse: Mark 5:19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

• Community Group Application: Each community group member has a network of connections that God calls them to reach and start new community groups.

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Crossroads Community Group Guide

Click here to join a Community Group! (All groups meet online.)

A. Welcome

B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time: Who You Say I Am

D. Announcements

• Weekly Resources on Crossroads Facebook Page

• Daily Devotional Video: The Encouraging Word with Pastor Willie

• Events: Crossroads Website

E. Review

1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?

2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

F. Opening Question: Do you ever take inventory of your life? If so, how do you do that?

G. Background Information

Ethiopia is over 2,500 miles from Jerusalem. That is a long journey by chariot. Ethiopia was a totally pagan country at that time. The emperor was considered a god and they worshiped him. The Queen was the one who ran the day to day operations of the government which is why she is mentioned. The eunuch (a castrated male) was a very high official of the Queen and very powerful. Ethiopia is noted in history as one of the earliest Christian communities outside of Israel. Church tradition tells us that the Eunuch brought the gospel to his people.

Phillip is not Phillip, the apostle of the book of John, but rather the Phillip of Acts 6 who was selected to be on the team along with Stephen in overseeing and serving food to the widows. Stephen was stoned to death and Phillip along with others were scattered.

Notice how God brought everything together to bring the gospel to the country of Ethiopia. Notice Phillip’s obedience to God's call and direction. A key question for everyone is "Do you understand what you are reading?"

H. Word: Acts 8:26-39

1. What key words do you see in these verses?

2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.

3. What are the details?

I. Discuss the following general questions together.

1. What catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?

3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus, or Holy Spirit) from the story?

4. What do you learn about people from the story?

5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?

J. Commitment - Obedience - Application: What specifically will you commit to apply in your life from this study?

K. Prayer Time:

1. Pray for new people by name who you want to join your group.

2. Pray for your group to multiply.

3. Pray for the needs of the members of the group. Divide into 2 groups, for male and female.

L. For Next time: Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group for next week.