__largepreview__.webp)
Sermon Discussion Guide - 05/17/2026
Published May 16, 2026
What Following Jesus Was Meant To Be:
The Routine is the Point
Sermon Recap
This week’s sermon focused on Acts 1–2 and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Before the disciples could do anything for God, they had to receive power from God. Real transformation begins with God’s presence, not our effort.
Ice Breakers
- If you could instantly become better at one daily habit without any effort, what would you pick?
- What is your favorite “fresh start” moment: Monday morning, New Year’s Day, a new notebook, a clean kitchen, or something else?
- What is one app, gadget, or life hack you tried that was supposed to change everything but definitely did not?
Discussion Questions
1. When was a time you tried really hard to change something, but it didn’t seem to stick?
- Context: The sermon pointed out that many of our habits are not random. Even unhealthy patterns often serve a purpose: they protect us, comfort us, help us avoid pain, or give us a sense of control.
- Application: What is one pattern in your life that may be doing something for you, even if it is also hurting you?
2. Have you ever had to wait when you really wanted to act?
- Context: In Acts 1, Jesus gave His disciples a world-changing mission, but His first instruction was not “go.” It was “wait.” Before they could be His witnesses, they needed to receive power from the Holy Spirit.
- Application: Where might God be inviting you to depend on Him before you rush into action?
3. What is something in your life that you tend to handle by trying harder?
- Context: At Pentecost, the wind, fire, Spirit, and languages all came from God. The disciples did not manufacture the moment. They received what Jesus had promised.
- Application: Where are you trying to manufacture something that God wants you to receive?
4. Have you ever looked put-together on the outside while feeling stuck or tired on the inside?
- Context: The sermon named the pressure we sometimes feel to make our faith look self-sufficient. But Spirit-dependent living does not always look impressive to others. Sometimes real dependence looks humble, honest, and unfinished.
- Application: What would it look like for you to be more honest with God, yourself, or someone you trust about the place where you feel stuck?
5. When you feel frustrated with someone else, what does that usually reveal in you?
- Context: Aaron shared about frustration toward people who do not take ownership, and how underneath that frustration was a false functional belief that God was not actively working in that person’s life. The deeper issue was not just frustration; it was what he was believing about God in that stuck place.
- Application: What do you actually believe about God in the specific place where you feel stuck, frustrated, tired, or disappointed?
Prayer
- Make sure to spend time in prayer as a group when you meet.
- Have group members share prayer requests, and pray for them.
- You could have one person pray for all the requests, or each member pray for one person.
- Keep a record of those requests and ask about them on a weekly basis.
Leader Tip
Don’t rush people toward easy answers this week. This sermon invites deeper honesty, so create space for people to process slowly. Ask good follow-up questions, allow silence when needed, and remind your group that naming a stuck place is not failure; it may be the first step toward receiving what God wants to give.