Pastor Frank

FollowUp 7-3-18

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Message Title:The Conversion of an Influential Pharisee

 

Key verses:
Acts 9:4-5

 

Sermon Notes

In those three days, Paul:

  1.  Changed his mind about Jesus. (Romans 1:1-4)
  2.  Changed his mind about the Law. (Romans 3:19-20)
  3.  Changed his mind about salvation. (Romans 6:23)
  4.  Changed his mind about the church. (Acts 9:3-4, 1 Tim 1:12-15)
  5.  Changed his mind about Gentiles. (Romans 1:1-5, Gal 3:28)

 

 

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

 

Getting to Know You:

Who do you know that had a dramatic conversion experience?

 

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

 

Digging Deeper:
  

  1.  Read Acts 9:1-31.  Describe what happened in verses 3-9 from the viewpoint of one of Saul’s companions.
  2.  How do you think you would feel if you were in Ananias’s place?  Have you ever tried to help God understand a situation like Ananias did?  Why do you think we do this with God sometimes? How do you think this makes God feel?
  3.  What do you think is significant about the way Ananias addressed Saul?  How do you think that made Saul feel?
  4.  Consider the influence of Saul/Paul in the Early Church. How many books did he write?  Look at the missionary journeys he took and the churches he planted and encouraged. Looking at our world today, who do you think are some of the most influential Christian leaders today?  Who has been the most influential person God has used in your spiritual journey and how do you think God has used you to influence others?

 

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?

FollowUp 6-19-18

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Message Title: Abba Father

Key verse:
Ephesians 1:3-5, John 1:12, Matthew 6:9

 

Sermon Notes

  1.  In-between the O.T. and the N.T. the relationship between God and His people was at an all-time low.
  2.  When Jesus came, He acted differently than any other prophet.
  3.  When Jesus prayed, He called God “Father”.
  4.  Jesus came to restore us to God in a new relationship.

 

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

Getting to Know You:

Name a movie or T.V. show where Hollywood portrays a positive father role model.

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

 

Digging Deeper:
  

  1.  When you think of fathers in the Bible, who do you think were the best ones and why?
  2.  Read Joshua 24:15, Prov. 23:24, Psalm 103:13, Eph 6:14, Col 3:21, 1 Tim 5:8, Heb 12:9.   From these verses, list the Biblical role and responsibility of a father physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  How does this prompt you to pray for dads?
  3.  Knowing from the Scriptures that no earthly father is perfect, how does your relationship with your Heavenly Father provide healing for the weak areas of your earthly father?
  4. Read Eph 1:1-10.  Who do you know who has been adopted?  What difference has it made in your life knowing that you are adopted into God’s family?  How do you think this should affect your view of yourself and God?
  5.  From this Eph. passage, which of these spiritual blessings in Christ are the most meaningful to you? Why?

 

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?

 

FollowUp 6-12-18

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Message Title: Principles of a Biblical Friendship

 

 

Key verse:
1 Sam 18:1-4

 

Sermon Notes

 

  1.  Spiritual growth happens in meaningful relationships. (Heb 10:24-25)
  2.  Biblical friendships happen around the presence of God.  (1 Sam Ch 17)
  3.  Biblical friendships are willing to sacrifice for each other. (1 Sam 18:1-4)
  4.  Biblical friendships are willing to defend each other.  (1 Sam 19:4-5)
  5.  Biblical friendships give you the freedom to be real.  (1 Sam 20:41)
  6.  Biblical friendships encourage you in the Lord.  (1 Sam 23:15-16)

 

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

 

Getting to Know You:
Who is your best friend?  How did you meet and how long have you been friends?

 

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

 

Digging Deeper:
  

  1.  In your spiritual journey what Christian friend has had the most impact in your life?  How did God use them and how do you think God used you in their life?
  2.  As you read the story of David and Jonathan, what do you think is most unique about their friendship and what is the closest that you have come to a friendship like theirs?
  3.  Read Jn 15:12-14.  Do you believe that friendships are based on conditions?  What are your conditions for your friendships? What do you see are God’s conditions for friendships?
  4.  What do you think Jesus is asking you to obey in Jn 15:12-14?
  5.  Read Jn 13:34-35, 14:15-24, Jn 15:9-14.  How would you sum up what Jesus is trying to say in these verses?
  6.  Looking at the notes of the Sunday message, how would you rate Jesus as a friend to you?  How do you rate your friendship to Jesus?

 

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?

FollowUp 6-6-18

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Message Title:  Raising Lazarus
Series:  Signs

Key verse:
John 11

Sermon Notes

Signs are designed to communicate. This seventh sign tells us that:

  1. God’s will comes before ours. (Jn 11:9)
  2. Jesus understands our pain. (Jn 11:35)
  3. In Jesus, the dead live and the living do not die! (Jn 11:25-26)
  4. Some people will reject Jesus to the end. (Jn 11:47-50)

 

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

Getting to Know You:
When was the last time you attended a funeral?  Have you ever had the experience of attending a Christian and an non-Christian funeral?  If so what was the difference?

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

 

Digging Deeper:
 

  1. Read Jn 11:9-11. What do you think Jesus was trying to teach his disciples in this analogy?
  2. Read Jn 11: 14-16. Have you, like Thomas, ever felt Jesus was calling you to do something very risky or dangerous?  If so, what was it and how did it turn out?
  3. Read Jn 11:21-27, What do you learn about Martha from the way she talks to Jesus in these verses?
  4. Have you ever experienced a time in your life when God surprised you by not answering your prayer in the way you expected Him to, but in the end He answered it way beyond your expectations? What did this experience teach you about God?
  5. The shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept”. What does this verse reveal to you about the heart and nature of God?
  6. When was the last time you experienced the nearness and empathy of God’s heart in your life?
  7. Read Jn 11:25-26. How important are these words of Jesus in your life today and how do these words effect the way you live?
  8. Read Jn 11:47-50. What are the chief concerns of the leaders with Jesus performing this seventh sign?  How much money and power do you think the religious leaders receive from the temple?  Where do you see this attitude being played out today?

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?

FollowUp 5-15-18

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Message Title:  Walking on Water
Series:  Signs

Key verse:
John 6:12-20

Sermon Notes

Signs are designed to communicate. This third sign tells us that:

  1. God has the power and authority to walk wherever He wants on His creation even if it’s H20.
  2. His ways are higher than ours.
  3. Our faith will be tested by God.
  4. When He is out of our sight, we are never out of His.
  5. When Jesus sends you into the storm keep rowing.

 

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

Getting to Know You:
What was the most  frightening  weather  you have ever been in?

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

Digging Deeper:
 

  1. Read John 6:12-20. In this section, John recorded two amazing signs that Jesus performed (feeding of the 5,000 and walking on water) in less than 24 hours.  These signs threw the disciples across a wide range of human emotions from excitement and anticipation to confusion, fear, and astonishment.  Have you ever experienced this in your spiritual journey with Jesus?  Please share.  In looking back on that time, did you ever discover what God was teaching you?
  2. In these two signs, the disciples were struggling with what they expected Jesus to be and do. In your own spiritual journey, how has your understanding/perceptions of Jesus changed over the years?
  3. Read Matthew 14:21-24, Proverbs 3:5-6. Pastor Frank believes Jesus went up on that mountain and was praying for the disciples in the boat.  Do you agree or disagree? What do you think Jesus was praying for?  When Jesus sees you and prays for you, what do you think He sees and prays for?
  4. What was the greatest storm you ever went through in your life and how did Jesus speak to you in it?
  5. Read John 6:5-6, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:3-7 and Galatians 6:7-8. What do you think the difference is between being tested by God and reaping what we sow in our poor decisions?  Have you ever seen a person confuse these two?
  6. Read John 6:16-20. Where in your life do you need Jesus to say, “It is I, don’t be afraid”?

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?

FollowUp 5-8-18

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Message Title:  Feeding of the Five Thousand
Series:  Signs

Key verse:
John 6:5-6; 33-35

Sermon Notes

“If I only had __________ I’d be happy.”

 

Surprises in this story:

  1. The disciples don’t expect Jesus to feed all these people. (John 6:1-13)
  2. Jesus leaves at the point the crowd is most excited and willing to follow. (John 6:14)
  3. The crowd leaves when he isn’t willing to fill in their “blanks.” (John 6:26-35, 66)

Why we shouldn’t be surprised:

  1. God loves us and cares about our most basic, daily needs.
  2. Jesus didn’t come to exert worldly power and influence but to solve our greatest problem.
  3. Jesus’ plan isn’t to fill in our blanks and give us whatever we want; his plan is to offer us the one thing we truly need.

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

 

Getting to Know You:
Share a time when someone did a small favor for you, but it made you feel cared for.

 

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

Digging Deeper:
 

  1. Read John 6:1-13. Jesus took a small amount of common food (barley loaves and some fish) and miraculously made it enough to feed thousands of people. He did it after a long day of healing diseased and crippled people. Imagine you were there to see it happen, and then were able to share in that meal, but didn’t know Jesus. What would your conclusions about him be? What do people think about Jesus today, in our culture at large?
  2. Read John 6:14; Matt 9:30; Mark 1:43-44; 5:43. Jesus didn’t want people following him simply because he could do miracles (signs). Why do you think that was the case? A sign can be read in different ways. How did Jesus want his signs interpreted?
  3. Read John 6:26-27. Jesus explains that their motives are wrong. Why is it a mistake to expect God to give us what we want and solve all our problems in the way we think is best? Have you ever felt disappointed that God didn’t give you something you wanted? How can Jesus’ words help us as we face difficult times in the future? Will we follow him even if our dreams don’t all come true?
  4. Read Psalm 78:12-22. The writer is talking about Israel’s lack of faith after God’s provision in rescuing them from Egypt. It’s the same attitude that Jesus faces in John 6, and it’s the same struggle we face today, bringing the gospel to a world that’s self-centered and only interested in what others can do for them. How can we share Christ with people we know who think that way? How can you avoid thinking the same way yourself?

 

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message? How can this group remember you in prayer this week?

FollowUp 5-1-18

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Message Title:  Healing of the Invalid
Series:  Signs

John 5:1-18

Key verse:
John 5:6, 18

Sermon Notes

Signs are designed to communicate. This third sign tells us that:

  1. Some people don’t always want to be healed.
  2. God is ultimately sovereign in His actions.
  3. This sign was primarily for the religious leaders in Jerusalem.
  4. This sign was to reveal Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.
  5. Healing is not found in superstition,  but in a Savior.

 

Getting to Know You:
When you were a child, did your family ever have any strange remedies for sickness that they believed in?

 

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

Digging Deeper:
 

  1. Read John 5:1-6. Why do you think Jesus chose to heal the oldest person at that pool?  Why do you think Jesus asked him this question?  Pastor Graham is quoted as saying, “There are some people who are happier being miserable than changing”.  Have you ever met people that didn’t want to get well and if so why do you think they are like this?  Was there ever a time in your life when you were “stuck” and didn’t want physical, mental, or spiritual healing?  Please share.
  2. Read John 5:8, 14-15. Do you think Jesus was wrong to heal this man when he didn’t ask to be healed?  Jesus warned the man that he is well and to not go back to a sinful life style.  Do you think he did go back or do you think he experienced true life change?  Have you ever seen someone squander God’s healing touch of grace and mercy in their life?  Please share.
  3. Read John 5:8-13. What do these Scriptures say about the heart of the religious leaders in Jerusalem?  Have you ever experienced religious legalism where people are more concerned with the rules than people?  Why do you think some people are like this?  How do you think we can avoid becoming like these people as we follow Jesus?
  4. Read Psalm 2. The word “anointed” means Messiah. This is known as a Messianic passage written at the time of King David about a thousand years before Jesus was born.  What does this chapter reveal about the identity of the coming Messiah?
  5. Read John 5:16-18. At the end of this third sign in John’s Gospel,  two things happened:   a man was healed and the beginnings of a controversy broke out between Jesus and the religious leaders over His identity as divinity.  Why do you think the religious leaders had a problem with Jesus claiming to be the Son of God?  Why do you think it is important to know who Jesus really is?  Read Jn 17:1-3.  If you are going to have a relationship with a person, how important is it for you to really know them?  Do you think this is any different in our personal relationship with God?

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?

FollowUp 4-24-18

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Message Title:  Healing the Official’s Son
Series:  Signs

John 4:43-54

Key verse:
John 4:50

Sermon Notes


  1.  It is possible to believe in Jesus as Healer, but not as Messiah.
  2. It is possible to believe in Jesus in some areas of our lives, but not in all areas of our lives.
  3. You can trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior whether or not you see the answer to your prayers.
  4. With God, our wait time is not what’s important. Life change is what’s important.
  5. When your faith is real, others will see and follow.
    Conclusion:

 

Signs are designed to communicate. This second sign tells us that:

  1. Jesus doesn’t need to be present physically in order to work a miracle.
  2. In order for God to work, we need to take Jesus at His word.

 

Follow-up Questions from Sunday:

 

Getting to Know You:
When you were a child, what was the most serious injury or illness you ever had?

 

Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

 

Digging Deeper:
 

  1. Read Mark 1: 21-34. At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, He performed many miracles starting in the town of Capernaum.  The royal official already knew about Jesus from either personal witness or from the daily news, but now he needs the power of Jesus in a very personal matter.  In your spiritual journey, when do you move from hearing/knowing about Jesus to seeking Him in a personal way?  What were the circumstances that prompted you to seek out Jesus?  Please share?
  2. Read John 4:46-47. On a scale of 1-100, what percentage of your problems do you entrust to God? Why do you think that is?  Has this percentage gone up or down since you first became a follower of Jesus?  How has He shown himself to you on this journey?
  3. Read John 4:48-49. If you were the royal official, how would you have responded to Jesus knowing He was your son’s only hope and He refused to come with you? Explain.
  4. Read John 4:50. When you take a person at “their word” what does that tell you about how you feel about that person? If you made a list of people that you have learned to “take at their word”, who would that be and why? Is Jesus on that list?  Why or why not?
  5. When you bring your problems to God (such as a sickness in the family), do you tend to accept His word or keep fretting and worrying? Why do you think you respond in that way?
  6. Read John 4:51-53. Can you remember a time in your life when you were desperate and you trusted in Jesus and He answered your prayer? Or perhaps He answered your prayer in a manner you did not expect? How did you feel about it? How did it affect your spiritual life and the spiritual lives of those around you?  Please share.
  7. It’s been said that all prayers are answered, but they fall under 1 of 3 answers: Yes, no, and wait. Do you think this is true why or why not?

Taking it Home:

What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week?