Clash of Kingdoms

INTRODUCTION

     His Story, Our Story

CLASH OF KINGDOMS: ACTS 3:1-4:31

     New People / New Temple

     Clash of Kingdoms

          Kindness and Human Dignity

          Bearing the Name of Jesus

          Transformed Allegiance

          Rebellious Prayer

DISCIPLESHIP GROUP QUESTIONS

EQUIP

• Read aloud the texts from Sunday (Acts 3:1-8; Acts 4:8-12, 18-20, 29-31).What do you remember most from the teaching?
• What do you think Christians are most known for (both negatively and positively) in how they relate to the power structures of our day? How does this compare to the pattern we see here in Acts? Discuss the similarities and differences.

ENCOURAGE

• Where have you personally experienced the kindness of the people of God? In what ways did those experiences shape your understanding of God and the church?
• Why is Jesus more worthy of our allegiance than any other person, group or movement? Try to expand on basic, simplistic answers to this question.

CHALLENGE

• Where do you most often feel a “clash of kingdoms” in your own heart, mind and life? In what ways is your allegiance to Jesus most often challenged? Speak into each other’s struggles in this area.
• On Sunday we saw how prayer was the early church’s primary form of rebellion in a broken world. First, discuss this idea. Have you ever approached prayer in this way? Then, consider where you most often encounter the brokenness of this world. Go to God in prayer, believing that He can do something about it. In other words, end by praying some big prayers for your own life, for our church and for our world.