Breaking Ground
What are you most looking forward to this summer? Why?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Apocalypse Now by celebrating Pentecost & exploring it as an apocalyptic event. For those new to Christianity, Pentecost is the annual Church holiday that celebrates the arrival of the Holy Spirit following Christ’s resurrection. As such, it calls Christians everywhere to reflect upon God’s presence within us.
Interestingly, the Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity that’s often either under or over discussed in various circles of Western Christian circles. This has, in turn, led Pentecost & the work of the Holy Spirit to be ignored or given too much emphasis within various denominations.
What’s been your experience with Pentecost & the Holy Spirit? Were these aspects of the Christian faith treated as being equal to other key parts of our faith? Were they given too much or too little attention in your experience (or just enough)?
Why do you think we struggle with the concept of the Holy Spirit broadly as modern people? What about it makes it uncomfortable & hard to discuss with a healthy, balanced perspective?
Next, read Acts 2:1-13 & 2:42-47, as well as Genesis 11:1-9. In Acts 2, we find the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, as well as its impact upon the early Church. In particular, we see that it works to:
- Reverse the separation & division of humanity symbolized & epitomized by the Tower of Babel.
- Reveal the truth of Christ’s story to the disciples & empowers them to apply it to how they live together.
- Transform them into better reflections of Christ in their personal & relational worlds.
- Motivate & guide them into acts of mercy & justice in their present world.
Altogether, the Holy Spirit works to restore God’s original intentions for Creation, both within each individual & the world as a whole. With this in mind, reflect upon this moment in God’s Story as an apocalyptic event. (NOTE: If you need a reminder of the “Four Rules for a Biblical Apocalypse, then you can find them listed in the Going Deeper from May 5th)
What stands out to you about these texts? Which major themes or ideas intrigue you the most?
How is Pentecost a biblical apocalypse as we’ve defined it in this series? How does it work as a moment of epiphany or clarity? How does the Holy Spirit’s arrival bring about transformation in the present?
Close by reflecting on your own lives right now.
How can Acts 2 & Genesis 11 help us better identify & understand the work of the Holy Spirit within our own lives?
Where do you currently see the Holy Spirit working in your personal life & relational world? How could what you’ve identified be framed as an apocalyptic event?
Where do you need to become more open to the work of the Spirit in your daily life? How might you be able to do so in this next season?
Coming Out of the Hole
Take time to reflect on the Sunday sermon & how this week’s teaching might speak into your daily life.
- Read Acts 2. What stands out to you about this chapter? What common themes can you identify?
- What does the Holy Spirit do in the lives of those who receive it? Identify key changes, actions, activities, & heart postures that you see in this text.
- Based upon what you identified in your previous answer, where do you see these spirit-empowered things in your own life & community? Which seem to be weaker or lacking?
- How can you better open yourself to the transforming work of the Spirit in this next season of your life?
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
TheBibleProject.com
The Theology of the Book of Revelation by Richard Bauckham
Binding the Strong Man by C. Myers
The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Richard B. Hays
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, May 26th: Join us next Sunday as we finish our series Apocalypse Now!
* Please see mye3.org for details.