2.19.23 Huddle

Onelifechurch   -   February 18, 2023

Opening Discussion:

  • When you hear the word “revival” what comes to your mind? 
  • What aspects of revival can be positive?…negative?

Read and Discuss

Acts 19:1-10 NASB

1 Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, having discussions and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took the disciples away with him, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

  • Why did Paul first find some disciples before he did anything else in Ephesus?
  • What was the difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism?
    • Is there an equivalent to this today? 
  • Why did some become hardened and disobedient after hearing about the Kingdom of God for three months?
  • What are some ways people harden their hearts against the Gospel today?
  • When Paul was met with opposition for preaching God’s truth, what did he do?
  • Why did Paul keep preaching even though he was opposed?
  • What opposition do you face to presenting the Gospel?
  • What disciples can you surround yourself with to continue to be bold in the call God has on your life?
  • If you don’t feel you are living out that calling, what do you need to do to take a step in that direction?

Acts 19:11-20

11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14 Now there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. 15 But the evil spirit responded and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit, pounced on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Also many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they added up the prices of the books and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord was growing and prevailing mightily.

  • What stands out to you about this passage?
  • How does this contrast the intellectual classroom and synagogue teaching of the previous passage?
  • Why is it important to have the intellect and spiritual power?
  • What happens when you only have one and not the other?
  • How was revival happening in Ephesus?
  • What were some of the outward signs that showed people’s repentance?
  • In what ways, if any, do you see the word of the Lord growing and prevailing mightily?

Apply it!

  • What is one thing you can do to worship the Lord with your intellect this week?
  • What’s one thing you can do to worship the Lord with the spiritual power that He gives?

Memorize it!

Acts 19:20 So the word of the Lord was growing and prevailing mightily.

Prayer TACOS

Thank the Lord for being the God of miracles

Adoration– Worship the Lord for being holy yet knowable

Confess to the times you’ve held back worship for fear of what others may think

Others- ask the Lord to show you someone this week who you can have a conversation with that may be struggling with their faith

Self- Pray that you would worship the Lord with both intellect and spiritual power.

 

Closing Thoughts

John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”  

Spirit and truth. There must be a grounding in God’s word, because that is the truth. And there also must be room for the supernatural working of God in people’s lives. If you have one without the other, then you get one side with a legalistic desire for truth that leaves no room for miracles. On the other side you get a group of people doing weird things in the name of the “spirit” but there is no Biblical evidence for what they claim. But Jesus says it has to be both. You can’t have one without the other.

When I hear the word “revival” I picture large crowds of people, dancing, yelling, speaking in tongues, while a sweaty man in a suit keeps yelling a phrase over and over from the stage. Something like, “Jesus wants to pour out a new wine here tonight! Is your wineskin ready?” Then he casts out evil spirits from people who are up on stage shaking real bad by pushing on their forehead and they fall over and someone catches them. In my mind, it’s very much on the Spirit side, without much truth.

Imagine my surprise when I walked into the chapel at Asbury College this past week where revival is happening, and it was a bunch of people of all ages, and races, just worshiping the Lord. Some had hands raised, some sang loud and clapped, some kneeled, some went forward and prayed. There was one odd moment where a man yelled out the last words of Jesus on the cross. “Jesus said, ‘It is finished!’” He said this a couple of times, and then the worship leader made it into a song, and it ended up being a cool moment. Aside from that moment, it was orderly and peaceful.  I didn’t want to leave, because for me, it was a glimpse of heaven. 

So when you worship, do so in truth. But don’t forget the spiritual power that the Lord gives. Ask for miracles and look for them.

So when you worship, do so in Spirit. But don’t forget the truth that comes from God’s word. Ask if what you and those around you are doing lines up with the truth of scripture.

Go, be worshipers in Spirit and in truth.