Acts > The Church in Action:

The Lying Church

4:32 - 5:11 Small Group Questions

RE-CAP …

Take time to share with your group if you have any follow-up updates, further insights, or questions from last week’s small group discussion.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

1.  How would you respond to someone who charges, “The church is full of hypocrites”?

ENGAGING WITH THE WORD

2.  Compare 5:1 with 4:36-37. Why might Ananias and Sapphira have felt compelled to place money at the feet of the apostles? Have you ever acted in religious way just because everyone else around you was acting that way?

3.  What was the “sin” of Ananias (5:2-4) and why is it such a “deadly” sin?

4.  What are Christians generally most prone to mask from each other?

5.  Pastor Daniel gave some very practical ways supported by Scripture to be on guard and battle against hypocrisy. What resonated with you the most and why?

ENGAGING WITH YOUR WORLD

At the end of Pastor Daniel’s message, he challenged our church to “bear one another’s burdens” and how that is the tied the most fundamental mark of Christian living. Ideally, our small group communities is where we hone and sharpen one another, but sometimes that is not always the case.

Note: The following can be sensitive questions for others in your small group, please be gracious and have a listening/empathetic ear as others as sharing.

7.  What concerns do you personally face in regards to sharing your “real self” with others in your small group? What is one thing that your small group could do to make you feel more comfortable in that regard?

8.  What barriers/concerns do you face in being able/willing to take on the burdens of your small group co-members? What is one thing that you can do to help the small groups bear each other’s burdens?

9.  As a small group, discuss how honest you want be about your personal struggles? Should each person share any their struggles with everyone at any time? It might be good to agree upon some initial guidelines for your small group. These may change as you build deeper relationships and more trust within the group.

To be an open door to a life-changing grace