July 4, 2021
GROUP TIME – Acts of the Apostles – Part 1
BARNABAS – A MAN WHO STOOD WITH OTHERS
During the six weeks of our Acts of the Apostles series, the Group Time lessons shared here will be a deeper exploration of a portion of the sermon rather than our usual lesson based on the sermon itself.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
It’s easy! Circle up with your friends and talk about the passage. We’ve set up the study with the same weekly routine.
A key practice of growing believers is reading, studying, and applying Scripture together.
The Scripture for our lesson today is: Acts 15:36-41
Each week we’ll READ the passage aloud, PRAY to ask the Holy Spirit to guide discussion, then follow these steps:
- DISCOVER: What is the passage saying?
- Analyze: look for emphasized statements, repeated words, and the flow of the passage.
- How would you summarize or paraphrase these verses?
- LEARN: What is the passage teaching?
- Ask the group to discuss the passage. What do they see?
- According to the verses, how did Paul feel about taking John Mark with them to Pamphylia? Why?
- Does a sharp disagreement mean that they split in anger and now ignore one another?
- Read 1 Cor 9:6, Col. 4:10, 2 Tim 4:11 and Philemon 1:24. How does Paul treat Barnabas and Mark in these later writings?
- How was the spread of the Gospel impacted by this sharp disagreement?
- APPLY: What is our response?
- What is the Holy Spirit saying to you about this passage? Is He convicting you to do or change anything?
- How can we move forward when we experience a disagreement with another believer?
- Barnabas, the encourager, wanted to give John Mark a second chance and it made a world of difference. Are you like Barnabas? Are you willing to give others a second chance?
- What are ways to hear, read, study, memorize, and obey God’s Word this week?
READ the passage aloud one more time and spend some time in prayer as a response to the lesson and discussion.