7.11.21 - Knowing God's Heart

Service Video, Message Notes, & Community Group Guide

MESSAGE NOTES

Knowing God’s Heart

Acts 10:27-48

Connection 1: Your Connection to God: Cornelius’ Story

Key Concept: There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ. - Pascal

Key Verse: Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

Community Group Application: A community group is a place where people connect with Jesus and each other as followers of Jesus.

Connection 2: Your Connection To Others - Peter’s Story - verses 27-29

Key Concept: God has given us Eleven Commandments. The eleventh is GO!

Key Verse: Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Community Group Application: Followers of Jesus are God’s plan A to connect others to Jesus.

Connection 3: Your Connection to God’s Power, God’s Heart, God’s Story – verses 42-47

Key Concept: God works through our normal everyday connections with family, friends, neighbors, workmates, people we come into contact with in good and bad circumstances.

Key Verse: Acts 10:24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

Community Group Application: You experience God’s power and presence when you Go and make connections.

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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: 10,000 Reasons

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: Who did God use to connect you to Jesus?

G. Background Information

Acts 10 tells an amazing incident concerning the Apostle Peter. Peter was Jewish and even though he had become a follower of Jesus, he still had many of the traditions and beliefs of the Jewish people such as not eating certain foods and not associating with people who were not Jewish (Gentiles). God gives him a vision. (Read the beginning of chapter 10 for that information). Cornelius was a Roman soldier who was the leader of a group of 100 soldiers. He had a desire for God but did not know the way to God. Study this amazing story to see how God connects Peter to Cornelius and see what happens.

H. Word: Acts 10:27-48

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.