Sermon Based Curriculum
Sermon Date: Oct. 18, 2009
Sermon Title: Draw Me a Picture
Sermon Text: Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9, Revelation 3:20
Small Group Text: Acts 8:26-35
Introduction
Does anyone have a recent experience of trying to follow instructions as you put something together? Was it a good experience or a bad one? What makes following instructions easy or hard? We’re much more likely to follow instructions if they are simple. The more complex instructions get, the more we’re tempted to figure it out on our own, or just give up. Is it possible we could take something as important as helping someone begin a relationship with Christ and make it so complex they try to figure it out the best they can, or simply give up? We’re going to take a look at a story in the book of Acts in which Philip, one of Jesus’ followers, helps a man meet Jesus. Then we’ll explore some simple instructions that would help someone begin a personal relationship with Christ.
Discussion
1. Read Acts 8:26-35 2. The passage of scripture the eunuch was reading comes from Isaiah 53. Have someone read Isaiah 53:1-9 aloud. If you were Philip, and only had Isaiah 53:1-9, how would you explain the gospel to the eunuch? 3. How did God pave the way for Philip’s message? (God’s Spirit prompted Philip to go to that location. Then the Spirit prompted him to go to the man in the chariot. God had also prepared the eunuch’s heart through worship and reading of scripture.)
4. Based on this story, what is the relationship between God’s part and our part in introducing someone to Jesus Christ? (God initiates. God directs. We are prepared to give an answer. We listen to His promptings and we obey.)
Application
We want each person in our group to know a simple explanation they can use to help someone begin a relationship with Jesus. You may have heard this described as an A-B-C explanation. See if you can memorize these basic points this week, and come prepared the next time we meet to share them with the group. The A-B-C Explanation
Admit that you have a sin problem that you can’t fix. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And that sin problem leads to only one result. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.”
Believe that Jesus is God’s solution for our sin problem. In Romans 5:8 we read, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Choose Jesus as the Lord (boss) in your life. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Would you like to receive Christ right now, through prayer? If so, you could say a prayer like this:
“Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner and that my sin separates me from you. I believe that you are the only hope for my life. I ask you, Jesus, to forgive my sins and come into my life. I choose to give you control. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen.”
Sermon-Based Curriculum