Starting Points | True North | Drew Moore
The best place to start is right where you are. God has a plan for you, starting here, and He will transform you more and more as you walk with Him. And, just as God met you, he calls you to meet others right where they are. How can you adjust your pace to walk with Jesus, and with others, this week?
Key Verses
1 Corinthians 9:20-23 NLT
When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
Acts of the Apostles 2:5 NLT: At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem.
Acts of the Apostles 2:22-24 NLT: “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.
Acts of the Apostles 2:32-33 NLT: “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
Acts of the Apostles 2:36-38 NLT: “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts of the Apostles 10:1-2 NLT: In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment.He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God.
Acts of the Apostles 10:34-35 NLT: Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
Acts of the Apostles 10:36-38 NLT: This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism.And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Acts of the Apostles 10:39-43 NLT: “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a crossbut God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appearnot to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”
Acts of the Apostles 10:44-48 NLT: Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too.For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked“Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.
Acts of the Apostles 17:16-17 NLT: While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
Acts of the Apostles 17:18-19 NLT: He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said.
Acts of the Apostles 17:22-23 NLT: So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
Acts of the Apostles 17:24-26 NLT: “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made templesand human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
Acts of the Apostles 17:27-29 NLT: “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
Acts of the Apostles 17:30-31 NLT: “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
One of the best ways to hear what God is saying right now is to look at what He has said in the Bible with a few friends. Discovery Bible Study is an easy-to-use way to hear from God, make good changes in our lives, and share with others what God is up to. Grab some friends, pick a verse or story from above, and dive deeper into this week’s message.
Recap
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To begin the study, each person answers these questions:
What are you thankful for?
What is causing stress for our neighbors and people around us?
What can we as individuals or as a group do to help?
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Have someone retell the story from your previous meeting.
Did you live out your response from last week?
Did you tell anyone else about the story from last week?
DISCOVERING WHAT GOD IS SAYING
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One person reads the story out loud to the group.
Someone else in the group retells the story in their own words as they remember it, and others fill in what’s missing.
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Read the passage again (different version if possible)
What does this passage say about God, Jesus, or His plan?
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Have 1-2 more people retell the story as if they were telling a neighbor outside their home.
What does this passage say about people in general?
DISCOVER WHAT GOD IS SAYING
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What in me needs to change to better DO what God is showing me today?
How will you respond to/obey this passage in a tangible, perhaps even costly ways in the next 47 hours?
Have someone record these for prayer time, and for the beginning of the next meeting.
SHARING WHAT GOD IS SAYING
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Take prayer requests
Pray together
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Who in your life needs to hear this story?
Who could you invite to study the Bible like this?
Become a Partner
Every time you give in Jesus’ name, you make a difference in others AND you make a difference in your own life! Partnering together in generosity helps accomplish things together that could never be accomplished alone! You can partner together in giving today with a single gift, or schedule recurring giving using your checking account, debit, or credit card.