Connect Group Study Notes: 1 May 2022

Theme: Who are you lord?

Readings: Psalm 30 and Acts 9:1-20

Fellowship (10 min)

Begin with general conversation and sharing about how the past week has gone. Try not to go over time.

Worship and Prayer (15 min)

Click on the link below on your smartphone, Smart TV, or computer, to select songs to sing; and then spend a few minutes in song and prayer.

PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL SONG’S
PLAYLIST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsAkwbV_S1vXdZVPkZ0_tQW5n9RqeZ
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And if you need to check on the Message for the week again, then click on:
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL (MESSAGE):  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1X4YYw1KLpda1yGnqKgfw/videos

This time of worship and prayer will encourage you to move your thoughts from daily worries and pressures to our time of Bible study and prayer.

Introduction:

Our scripture reading today happens after Jesus has died and has been raised, during the period when the early church was just getting started. The people in the early church were being persecuted by a zealous Pharisee named Saul.
The key phrase in this scripture (for this Bible study) is “Who are you Lord?”

Read: Acts 9:1-20

Discussion Questions (Approx. 30 min)

• Why do you think it took something so dramatic as Jesus appearing to Saul and blinding him to stop him from persecuting Jesus’ followers?
• Why is it so much easier to focus on ourselves and what we think is right rather than the needs of others or what God thinks is right?
• Have you ever had to be corrected in a way that was painful but was right?  In other words, after the correction, you realized that what you were doing was wrong?
• What does it mean to say we are followers of Christ?
• What would have been the predominant view of Saul by the first Christians based on verses 1 and 2?
• Who might be more afraid in this story? The men in verse 7 next to Saul hearing the voice but not seeing anyone or the arrogant Saul who has seen a flashing light, heard a voice, and is now blind? What would that walk to Damascus have been like?
• Imagine being Ananias and receiving the vision to visit Saul. What would have been your first thoughts? Would you have obeyed?
• There are at least three people who listen to the voices they’ve heard and/or the visions that they’ve seen: Saul, the men with Saul when he sees Jesus, and Ananias.  With whom do you most identify? Where might God being calling you to obey?
• While Saul had a vision from Jesus, he also seems to have learned much from the disciples in Damascus (vv. 19-20). How does the community of believers help us to discern God’s guidance?

Faith Building – to think about this week:

How would you respond to someone who asked you, “Who is Jesus? What does it mean to follow Christ?”

Prayer (10 min). Share prayer requests and then pray together.

Sending Prayer (2 min). End by praying the following or a similar prayer:

O Lord our God, you called Abram, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses, Ruth, David, Mary,
and Saul, we believe you continue to call your people to obey your voice. Give
us the willingness to hear where you are calling us as individuals and as a
community. Empower us to be your witnesses to those closest to us and to all
those we encounter. Amen.
Have a great week.
God bless,
Tim.

With grateful thanks and acknowledgment to: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/…. -small-groups