Life Groups // Fall 2021 // Week 7
Posted October 22, 2021 — Lincoln Berean
Jesus is Required // Acts 18:23-19:10
Introduction
In this week’s text we are introduced to Apollos who possessed a good, but inadequate, understanding of the Christian message. We also follow Paul who encounters followers of Jesus in Ephesus who need the message of Jesus explained more adequately to them.
To get the most out of your group time, we invite you to look over the questions below and write your thoughts down before you meet with your group.
Warm Up (Suggested time: 20 min)
Here are some suggestions to get your conversation started:
1) Who was your favorite teacher in school? What made him or her your favorite?
2) What is one thing you wish you knew about Jesus’ life that we are not told about in the Bible?
Getting Started
Transition into group discussion.
1) Open group discussion with prayer. Here are a few potential prayer items:
a. For the Spirit of God to lead you in truth
b. For the fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in your lives
c. For grace to hear and apply what the Spirit says to you
2) Invite someone to read the passage in the group.
Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)
1) What one idea or thought from this week’s sermon affected you? What one question from the sermon are you left with?
2) Apollos was teaching the truth about Jesus in Ephesus. Yet, he appears not to have known the message about Jesus fully. Why is it important to know the full story about Jesus?
Is knowing the facts about Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection sufficient for having a growing relationship with Jesus? To put it another way, do you think it is possible to celebrate Christmas and Easter (in the religious sense) and not truly know Jesus?
3) Apollos’ example reminds us that knowing only part of the Christian message is inadequate. Read Peter’s gospel sermon in Acts 2:22-36. From Peter’s story of Jesus, what would you say is missing in many Christians’ understanding of Jesus (who He was and what He accomplished)?
4) Priscilla and Aquilla invited Apollos to their home to explain more adequately the Christian message to him. Apollos accepted the invitation. What does Priscilla and Aquilla’s invitation say about them? What does Apollos’ acceptance of their invitation say about him?
Are you willing to help others who have an inadequate view of Jesus better understand Him? What would keep you from doing what Priscilla and Aquilla did?
Are you open to receiving correction or a more adequate understanding of your beliefs about Jesus and the things of God? What barriers would keep you from being teachable?
5) In 18:28, Apollos “vigorously refuted” opponents to his message and “proved” that Jesus was the Messiah. Later, in 19:8, Paul is “arguing persuasively” about the kingdom of God. Reasoning, persuading, and proving are the regular tactics the first missionaries of the gospel used (see Acts 17:2-3, 17; 18:4). What does this approach tell us about the message these first missionaries were proclaiming?
How do you present the gospel to people? Do you present it as something that is true, important, and that they need to accept? Or do you present it as merely another option in life that they might find helpful—another piece of good advice?
Prayer (Suggested time: 20 min)
Prayer opens us up to the leading of the Holy Spirit which makes it an important part of the Christian life. We realize that everyone has their own comfort level with group prayer, and we want this to be a time of safety and care. You may verbalize your prayer or pray silently to yourself; that way everyone is a participant in sharing this time before God together.
Some things to consider during prayer time:
- What did the message or group discussion cause you to notice about your relationship with Jesus?
- How can you express gratitude for what God’s teaching you?
- What questions are stirring that only God can answer?
- Are there troubling things in your life that need to be confessed to God?
- Is there an unmet need that only God can fulfill?
Personal Spiritual Exercises
Each week we’re suggesting a couple of spiritual exercises. These are not required, but they may help us to actually live our faith and grow as followers of Jesus. Feel free to practice one or both of them. If a certain exercise is very helpful for you, maybe you can figure out a way to incorporate it into your daily life. Next week in your Life Group, take a few moments to share how either of these exercises may have changed your outlook on your daily life.
(1) Choose one of the four Gospels and read through it this week (or read as much as you are able). Write down anything that Jesus says or does that you have not noticed before. Reflect on those sayings and actions and ask yourself if these new insights change your understanding of Jesus.
(2) Before every opportunity you have this week to learn (reading the Bible, reading a book, listening to a sermon, attending your small group, etc.), take some time to ask God to help you be teachable. Ask Him to grant you the humility to be open to beliefs or behaviors you need to change.