(Note: For remote participants and BFG leaders, these questions are meant to be used in conjunction with the pastor’s sermon. Attempting to use these questions absent the sermon’s teaching could lead to unbiblical or unhelpful conclusions.)

Screen Notes
I.  God will spread his greatness (vv. 1–8).
II.  Four ways to respond to God’s greatness. You can...
1. be deceived by counterfeit greatness (vv. 9–11).
2. recognize the real thing (vv. 12–13)
3. receive the real thing (vv. 14–17)
4. become a counterfeit (vv. 18–24)

For Kids
The world around us has an understanding of what it means to be great. Think about what it means to be “great” in this world. What examples come to mind?, a great man, a great woman, and how that compares to what the Bible says about greatness.  
 

• How does Acts 8:1-25 help us understand God’s greatness? 
• How does God’s greatness compare with the world’s idea of greatness? 
• What is one thing we can do to pursue God’s greatness? 

For Discussion

Sermon Recap

• [Leader: Have the group read through the passage.] 
• [Leader: Ask for initial thoughts or comments on the passage.]  
• How did the church respond to their scattering due to Saul’s persecution (Acts 8:1–3)? Was their response simply descriptive or is it something all Christians should be doing?  
• Thinking through the book of Acts, why is Philip’s work in Samaria so significant (Acts 8:5)?  
  • Thinking through the greater storyline of the Bible, why is Philip’s work in Samaria so significant?  
  • What lesson should we learn from the fact that God sent the gospel of Christ to Samaria?  
• What was the response of the Samaritans in Acts 8:8? How should their response encourage us today?  
• Compare and contrast Philip with Simon in Acts 8:9–11, 18–24.   
  • In light of what Philip got right, what did Simon get wrong?  
  • How might recognizing Simon’s faults help guard your against false teachers?  
• Do you think Simon’s response in Act 8:13 was genuine conversion?  
  • If you think the conversion was genuine, what evidence in the passage leads you to that conclusion?  
  • If you do not think the conversion was genuine, do you see any hope for Simon in this passage?  
  • Either way, what does this passage tell us about genuine Christian conversion?  

Going Deeper-The Holy Spirit

• [Leader: Assign the following passages to different people in the group: Acts 2:38; 9:17–18; 10:44–48; 19:5–6. Have group members read those passages. Then, leader, reread Acts 8:14–16.] 
• [Leader: As you walk through the following questions with the group, help them to understand that the normal “order of operations” is as follows: a person hears the gospel, repents/believes, and is baptized. The Holy Spirit is active in bringing a person to repentance/belief and also indwells him/her upon belief. However, there are outliers to this order in certain instances in Acts.] 
• What do we learn from these passages about the work of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts?  
• Given what we saw in these passages, is there a normal “order of operations” when it comes to the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation and baptism?  
• What do the following passages from other NT letters confirm about such an order?  
  • “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”—Titus 3:5–7 
  • “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”—Ephesians 1:13–14 
  • “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”—1 Corinthians 6:11 
• How does God’s work in the Holy Spirit help believers seek God’s greatness over any other greatness?  

Application

• What false ideas of greatness does the world tempt us toward? What false ideas of greatness are you tempted toward?  
• What can you do this week to help train your mind on God’s greatness rather than any other greatness?  

Questions are welcome! Post them in the Sermon Discussion group of our WhatsApp chat community.