Sermon Questions:
1. Ask yourself, “Where am I like Barnabas (loyal to my brothers and sisters in Christ)?”

2. Ask yourself, “Where am I like Ananias and Sapphira (disloyal to my brothers and sisters in Christ)?”

3. Where have you seen loyalties within the church “build up” or “tear down”?

4. Loyal followers of Jesus are other-centered, self-giving, and encouraging. What areas within your relationships do you need to improve your loyalty?

Further Study:
2 Samuel 9 (NIV)
David and Mephibosheth
1 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “At your service,” he replied. 3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” 5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s[a] table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet

1. Why was David so determined to show kindness to Mephibosheth?

2. Look up the stories that intertwine the lives of David and Jonathan. How do these stories affect David’s loyalty?

3. How did Mephibosheth become injured? Was it his fault? What role did loyalty play in his injury?

(Answer to last week’s question. “I Know Whom I Have Believed” #714 in the Hymnal) more…

Sermon Questions:

1. What do you think of when you hear the word “bold”?

2. If you were Peter or John, what would you have done?

3. If Peter and John weren’t born bold, where did their boldness come from?

4. Can you think of a time when you felt that your ‘being bold’ came from the Lord?

Further Study:
Luke 12:11-12 (NIV)
11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

1. Do these verses indicate that the Holy Spirit can also make us bold when needed?

2. Have you ever experienced this yourself? What were the circumstances?

Acts 19:8-10 (NIV)
8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

1. Sometimes we can get discouraged when we try to be persuasive but people still are unaccepting of our position. What do you think is the proper Christian response when people are not persuaded by our arguments?
Acts 26:28-29 (NIV)
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

1. What do these verses teach us about boldly sharing your faith?

2. Is it a waste of time to attempt to persuade someone to become a Christian? (Hint: lookup the definition of ‘persuade’)

3. What hymn has the words “…and am persuaded that he is able”? (answer next week) more…

Sermon Studies:

1. What would you like to see happen at Tabor more than anything else?

2. What are the strategies that will guarantee Tabor’s growth?

3. What are the characteristics of the kind of church God will bless
with growth?

4. In th more…

1. What do you think Tabor needs first and foremost to get the job done for Jesus?
2. If the Holy Spirit were to be completely withdrawn from your life, how much would change?
3. If the Holy Spirit were to be withdrawn from Tabor, how much would change?
4. In the coming days how can you be intentional about relying more fully on the Holy Spirit?

Further Study:
Additional Scriptures:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
Do not quench the Spirit; (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

1. Why is the Holy Spirit important in the life of a Christian?
2. We are commanded to “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” How are we filled with the Holy Spirit?
3. What “grieves” the Holy Spirit?
4. What would be an example of “quenching” the Spirit?
5. What safe guards can you take in your life to avoid “grieving” or “quenching” the Holy Spirit? more…