In this series, focusing on the book of Acts, we will explore the ways in which we as the Church are called to follow the Spirit as we move out of our comfort zones—for our neighbors!
Warm-Up: In the words of The Rolling Stones, “You can’t always get what you want/but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.” Talk about a time when you didn’t get what you wanted, but instead you received something more valuable.
Read Acts 16:1-12.
1. Discuss how Paul responds to the closed doors he received in verses 6-10.
2. Paul originally thought it best to head towards Asia and Bithynia, which were more heavily populated areas. What can we learn about God’s ways from the fact that the Spirit sent him elsewhere?
3. Just like with Paul, our plans—however carefully or prayerfully constructed—are not necessarily God’s plans. How can experiencing this cause us to rely more fully on God instead of turning away?
In the podcast, Drew and Joshua shared parts of their stories about finding unexpected barriers to the life path they were following. Think about a similar time in your life when a door was closed in some way.
With your experience in mind, and sharing as much detail as you feel comfortable about this experience, respond to the following questions:
4. What was it like to be forced to sit in a space of the unknown? How well did you handle this?
5. Did your faith grow as a result of this “wilderness” experience? If so, how and why?
In his sermon, Pete offered three ways to respond when God has closed a door:
1. Release Control and Wait;
2. Prayerfully Keep Moving/Tending the Fire;
3. Follow Before You Understand
6. How did these apply to your experience? How can what we choose do in the waiting make a difference in our wilderness experiences?
7. Quaker author Parker Palmer writes about how a closed door can actually provide more direction and clarity than an open door. How does your experience square with this idea?
8. God does not abandon His people, ever. How does the knowledge that God is with us even—or especially—in the wilderness make a difference? How can we remember this during tough times?
(*Video available after Sunday services)
