Conversation Guide
Who Are We?
God forms a people, fills them with his Spirit, and sends them into his world.
Begin
Begin
Think of a group or community you’ve belonged to. What made you feel that you truly belonged, and what gave that group its sense of purpose?
Explore
Explore
Read Genesis 1:26-28 26Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.Gen. 1:26-28
Acts 1:8; 2:1–4
Acts 1:8
Acts 2:1-4
- In Genesis, God creates humanity to bear his image throughout the earth. In Acts, he fills his people with the Spirit and sends them to bear witness to Jesus. How does seeing these passages together deepen your understanding of what the Church is and why it exists?
Read Acts 2:42-47 The Fellowship of the Believers 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.Acts 2:42-47
- What stands out about the way these first Christians organized their lives around Jesus?
- How does their example challenge the way we sometimes think about belonging to a church?
Read Acts 2:5-12 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”Acts 2:5-12
- At Pentecost, the Spirit brought people from different languages and backgrounds into a shared encounter with God. What does this suggest about the kind of unity the Spirit creates—and how is that different from simply having the same preferences?
- What traditions, preferences, or expectations have become especially important to your own experience of church? How can we recognize when something good has begun to take a place that belongs to Jesus?
- Jesus sends his Church into the world to continue his work of healing, welcoming, restoring, and making disciples. Where do you see opportunities to participate in that work beyond the walls of the church? What might need to change in how you think about your own role in God’s mission?
Respond
Respond
This Week
Practice being sent. Identify one person or situation beyond your usual church relationships where you can make the life of Jesus visible. Take one intentional step to serve, encourage, welcome, or share your faith with someone.
As you do, pray: Holy Spirit, form me, fill me, and send me to make Jesus visible in the world.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us into your people. Holy Spirit, form us into a community centered on Jesus, united in love even through our differences. Free us from whatever keeps us focused on ourselves. Fill us with your life and send us into the world to continue your work of redemption. Make us the people you created and redeemed us to be. Amen.