Every Nation Vancouver

Camp 8 Reunion Service: Us by Every Nation Metro Vancouver

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Two things regularly accompany the gospel: opposition and transformation. Perhaps both are connected for light shines best against a dark background. The Christian message will remain weak and irrelevant unless we are willing to oppose evil and declare Jesus as the rightful Lord rather than ourselves. The challenge, however, is to oppose evil with a good heart. Thankfully, God's Spirit helps us discern when and how to confront evil. READ. Key Passage: Acts 13:4-12 Discussion Questions: Truth: How does the demonic respond to the gospel? Repentance: What does it mean if we do not experience opposition? Faith: How do we fight against evil with godly weapons? See 2 Corinthians 2:4. RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer reque

Sermon Summary: Here in Acts 12:25 – 13:5 we learned more about this church in Antioch. This multi-ethnic and multi-cultural church devoted time to prayer and fasting which led to hearing clearly that God wanted them to send out some of their best leaders on a mission to preach the good news to those who have not heard it yet. READ. Key Passage: Acts 12:25-:13:5 Discussion Questions: Truth: In Acts 13:3, we see that the church prayed and fasted together. Discuss how this time of prayer in Acts 13 led to missions. Discuss how times of prayer can send us out to missions today. Why is it important that we pray and seek God’s purposes in our lives not only individually, but also with our spiritual community? Repentance: Share some instances in your life where you think you were defining your own ministry instead of seeking God’s purpose. How will you respond differently moving forward? Faith: Where is God sending you out this week? Who do you think are the people God is se

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Acts is a historical account about the work of the Holy Spirit through the Church. In chapter 12:1-19 we read a miraculous story about Peter’s escape from prison shortly after the death of James. If every story has a moral this one’s can be found in verse 5, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” It is my opinion that the author is pausing to remind us of a fundamental and foundational reality. That the gospel spreads and the Church grows only through confession (Matt 16:18) and fervent prayer (Acts 12:5). When we send out missionaries, such as our team in Turkey, it is easy to get distracted by strategies and planning. But if life on earth cannot exist without oxygen then Luke is reminding us that confession and prayer must be the breath of all believers whether you go or stay. READ. Key Passage: Acts 12:1-19 Discussion Questions: Truth

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 11:19-30 Discussion Questions: Truth: What barriers do you see in your life that make deep relationship with people that aren’t like you a challenge? Repentance: How would ultimate faithfulness to Christ in your life practically remove those barriers? Faith: Describe church community at it’s best from your point of view? What takes faith for you personally to be a part of that vision becoming a reality? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” ​READ. Key Passage: Acts 11:1-8 RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world?  Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Here in Acts 10:23-48 we see the three markers of Christians – baptism, forgiveness, and the gift of the Spirit – have now been given to the Gentiles. This clarifies the constitution of God's Kingdom; it is not a matter of a common culture or location, but a common devotion to Jesus as Lord, a common need of forgiveness, and a common gift of Spirit-filled love. Only as we lay down our rights for these privileges and responsibilities can we hope to experience fellowship with God and others. READ. Key Passage: Acts 10:23b-48 Discussion Questions: Truth: Read Acts 2:38 and discuss the significance of these three elements now being given to the Gentiles (Acts 10:48, 43, 44). How do these three things constitute the foundation for our relationship with God and His church? Repentance: How has a lack of repentance (baptism), forgiveness and/or empowerment hurt your relat

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: The move of the Spirit continues here in this account of Peter's vision as God moves him to invite gentile outsiders into the kingdom of God. For this to happen Peter needs a change of heart and mind. He needs to hear from the Spirit and to discern what of culture can be redeemed, and what must be rejected. Like Peter, we are invited to discern with God's Word how to interact with the culture we are a part of, and to create space in our lives to invite people into relationship with us, and with Jesus. READ. Key Passage: Acts 10:1-23 Discussion Questions: Truth: What are the ways that God helped Peter discern and open up to the move of the Spirit in these verses? What was God revealing to him? Repentance: What are ways that we have inherited or erected barriers to inviting people into relationship with Christ? Faith: How might the Spirit be inviting y

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Between summarizing the early Christian Jews as God-fearing and Spirit-filled, and the ministry to Gentiles as for the God-fearing who will be Spirit-filled, the focus of Acts 9:32-43 is the diversity of Christian service. Both the marginalized and the prominent are healed; Peter’s ministry was both evangelistic as well as pastoral; and this passage mentions service that ranges from raising the dead to sewing clothes. What unites all these acts of service is that they are done in the fear of the Lord and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Such faith-filled service produces faith in others. READ. Key Passage: Acts 9:32-43 Discussion Questions: Truth: What kinds of service are described in Acts 9:32-43? What was the result? Repentance: What role does the fear of the Lord play in faith-filled service? Faith: Read 1 Peter 4:10. What does fearing God in fa

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 9:19-31 Discussion Questions: Truth: Describe the first years of Saul’s Christian life. What conviction caused him to live in such danger? When the church believed similarly, how does Acts 9:31 describe them? Repentance: Why does surrendering our control to Jesus as Lord lead to internal peace and external impact? Faith: Where do you lack peace and courage? What does it look like to trust that Jesus is Lord in that place? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Saul thought he knew the truth of his identity and the story that he was living out. Upon his encounter with Jesus he came to realize he had misunderstandings of who God is and what He was doing through Jesus. So often we are invited to pursue our own stories and define ourselves, but it is only in Jesus, and joining His story, that we are able to find our true place, know ourselves, and live the life of love and meaning that He is inviting us into. READ. Key Passage: Acts 9:1-19 Discussion Questions: Truth: What is the story and identity that Saul believes he is living out at the beginning of Acts 9? Repentance: Saul came to realize that his understanding of life and God was incomplete, and that he needed to let go of many things and reorient his life around Jesus. What are things that the Spirit might be asking you to let go? Faith: How is the Sp

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 8:26-40 Discussion Questions: Truth: God sent Philip to the desert in order to fulfill the promise of Acts 1:8. This is probably not what Philip had in mind when he followed Jesus. What deserts has God asked you to trust Him in? Repentance: The Ethiopian Eunuch had all of the earthly doors open for him but he was still not satisfied with his position, power and wealth. What satisfies you in your life right now? Faith: After the Eunuch is baptized, dying to self and being raised to new life, it says that he went away rejoicing. What have you (or need to) died to in order to find joy that is in Christ? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” READ. Key Passage: Acts 8:1-25 Discussion Questions: Truth: The church was scattered after Stephen’s martyrdom. Describe the impact of those refugees-turned-missionaries. Contrast them what Simon the Sorcerer was like. What distinguished these first Christians? Repentance: How do we treat the Holy Spirit like Simon did? Faith: It says that Simon believed and was baptized but we know from history that he remained a powerful heretic in the church. What kind of faith delivers us from the evil that is in and around us? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

READ. Key Passage: Acts 7:54-60 Discussion Questions: Truth: Stephen did not seem to fear people, even when facing death. Describe his experience of God and how it enabled him to face human judgment. Repentance: What does our fear of people tell us about our relationship with God? How do we repent of fearing people? Faith: Read 2 Corinthians 5:10. When we fear God's righteous judgment how do we live (see also, Acts 7:60)? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

Sermon Summary: Stephen responded to the accusations that he was being blasphemous by stating that it was actually they who were missing God. His counter point is that their age-old, stiff-necked nature was resisting the Holy Spirit and thereby distorting the message of Jesus to seem blasphemous rather than the fulfilment of all they'd longed for. This caused a culture clash between the religious system and God's kingdom. We too miss the fulfilling nature of following Jesus due to our own resistance of the Holy Spirit. Our religious system elevates ourselves as god, and Jesus becomes a threat to that Kingdom. As we invite the Holy Spirit to remove our pride we see Jesus' message as fulfillment rather than blasphemy towards our gods of self. READ. Key Passage: Acts 6:9 - 7:53 Discussion Questions: Truth: What are the "laws" and "temples" in your life that you are worried Jesus will "change" and "destroy"? How does Jesus want to be the fulfillment of those things? Repentance: What

READ. Key Passage: Acts 5:42 - 6:7 REVIEW. Discussion Questions: Truth: What kind of leaders did the apostles choose to deal with this problem? Repentance: Which of those qualities is God highlighting in your life? Why? Faith: What does faith look like? Where is God calling you to express that? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

Reading: Acts 5:12-42 Sermon Summary There are two responses to the Christian message. In Acts 2:37 the people were cut to the heart and surrendered to Jesus as Lord; but those who were cut to the heart in Acts 5:33 wanted to kill Jesus! The difference between the two is determined by who we think is to blame for life’s problems: us or God. The only way for the Christian message to rightly impact our hearts is if we willingly admit our moral poverty and spiritual blindness. God responds to our humility with an abundance of grace. Discussion Questions Truth – Describe the two different responses to the Christian message is Acts 2:37 and Acts 5:33. Why such opposite responses to the good news? Repentance – What must happen in our hearts to have an Acts 2:37 response to the gospel? Faith – Think of a difficult situation or area in your life in which you blame God. What would it look like to see that situation with humility and faith?

READ. Key Passage: Acts 5:1-11 Discussion Questions: Truth: Contrast Barnabas in Acts 4:34-37 with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-3. If money is a form of God-given power, how is it used rightly? Repentance: What is the impact on a community when we are selfish and deceptive in our use of money or other forms of power? Faith: What are unhealthy extremes of how we use money or power? What does faith look like? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Record responses and prayer requests.]

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: The early church was united by an allegiance to Jesus, their common King. Jesus' Kingdom of Heaven was where their true citizenship lied. Inside kingdoms, everything belongs to the king, and the early church saw their money and possessions as belonging to Jesus. They gave because they wanted to return to Jesus what they knew was truly his and the church in turn used these funds to continue the work of the ministry Jesus called his church to. Money was put at the apostles feet because giving to Christ of what he's given to you in an exercise in releasing control of your own kingdom where you are the owner of your possessions. Giving is a celebration of your freedom from your kingdom of sin and self and helps us hail Christ as king in areas that are tempting to remain in control of. " READ. Key Passage: Acts 4:32-36 Discussion Questions: Truth: Why do you think the early church s

REVIEW. “What did you take away from last time?” [Refer to last week’s responses.] “How did that go?” Sermon Summary: Dullness is a clear sign of spiritual attack but when opposition comes, the battle is revealed. Our response is to pray – to confess God's sovereignty, the world’s futility, and our devotion to God and His purposes. God's response is to fill us with the power to declare and demonstrate His name. READ. Key Passage: Acts 4:23-31 Discussion Questions: Truth: In the face of persecution, what did Jesus' followers pray about – what did they say about God, the world, and themselves? Repentance: What can dull us to the spiritual battle we are in? What “awakens” us to the spiritual battle we are? How can when we tell when hardship is a result of our sin or our love? Faith: What does it look like to “fight”? How does God respond? RESPOND. Ask God, how can today’s discussion further your relationship with God, one another, and the world? Pray together. [Re