3.21.21 HUDDLE

Zach Below   -   March 21, 2021

INTRO

This week marks week #5 of our Restore series. We truly hope that this series has helped “rebuild the temple” that is you and your group members. Today’s topic in our restoration journey is spiritual power.

 

  1. When you hear the phrase spiritual power, what comes to your mind?

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGEMENT—GROUP ACTIVITY

Imagine that nothing has ever been said about Jesus before. You have never heard of him, never read about him, etc. Then, someone discovers a manuscript with Luke 9:1-11 on it. People begin to examine it to try and find out who this Jesus person was.

 

Directions

  1. Read Luke 9:1-11 (included below)
  2. As a group, make a list of what you could discover about Jesus from JUST this passage. What do you learn about his personality, passions, ministry, etc.
  3. After making a list, discuss which 3 stand out the most when it comes to who Jesus is.

 

LUKE 9:1-11

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.

10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGMENT QUESTION

  1. Jesus primary message in this text and in the gospels in general is the introduction of the “Kingdom of God.” How would you describe/define the Kingdom of God? Is it something only available to us when we die?

 

(Leader Help: The Kingdom of God is not merely talking about Heaven. It is the proclamation that there is a new king and a new kingdom. It is the rule of God available over the hearts of people. Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God when he came to earth, but it will be made perfect when he returns. This is why it is often called the “already and not yet.”)

 

 

SPIRITUAL POWER

On Sunday, Pastor Bret laid out three general schools of thought when it comes to this passage and others like it.

 

  • That this type of spiritual power doesn’t apply to us today. Jesus gave this type of spiritual power to his disciples to establish the church and when they died off, so did this type of spiritual power.
  • The 12 disciples were a special group that was unique and not to be repeated but the power and authority that they experienced still marks, exists, and is available in the church today.
  • This absolutely still applies to us today. This type of spiritual power is still available to all of us today.

 

  1. When it comes to these three schools of thought, which do you most align with?

 

  1. Has your position changed over the years? How so?

 

 

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL POWER

On Sunday, Pastor Bret gave us 3 things to help clarify spiritual power. They are . . .

  • Spiritual power is simpler than you think.
  • Spiritual power is more available than you think.
  • Spiritual Power is more needed than you think.

 

  1. Spiritual power doesn’t have to be flashy. The simplest definition of spiritual power is “God working through you what only He can do.” This can be as simple as a prompt to pray or have a conversation with someone. Have you ever experienced spiritual power according to this definition?

 

  1. Spiritual power is more available than you think. Yet, we don’t seem to experience it on a regular basis. Why do you think that is? Do we simply not recognize it? Have too lofty of a definition of it? Not have enough faith?

 

  1. Pastor Bret’s final point Sunday was, “Spiritual power is more needed than you think.” What do you think he meant by this? Where is spiritual power more needed?

 

  1. Respond to the following quote. How is it related to a need for spiritual power? “There church was never meant to be a guilt fest or a place to help you be more moral than you are. The church was always meant to be a place where you could have saving encounters with Jesus.”

 

 

CLOSE IN PRAYER