Respond Guide is a flexible guide for our church to use all week long, in personal study, with family, and in community groups. Its questions are designed for everyone and can be used multiple times, often leading to different conversations and fresh insight in each setting. The same guide can shape three distinct experiences as God meets you personally, in your home, and in biblical community.

Summary

On Sunday we walked through Acts 10 and the pivotal story of how God orchestrated the first sharing of the gospel with Gentiles through Peter and Cornelius. Pastor Kevin Ueckert emphasized how God was working His plan down to the smallest details, from Peter staying with Simon the leather tanner, someone already considered “unclean,” to the precise timing of visions and messengers. We were reminded that God shows no favoritism and that salvation through Jesus Christ is available to everyone who believes. Pastor Kevin also connected Peter’s past failure of denying Jesus three times around a charcoal fire to Jesus’ restoration of Peter three times around another charcoal fire, showing how God rewrites our stories of shame into stories of mercy.

On Sunday we were challenged with the truth that “it has to be someone” to share the gospel with those God is preparing to hear it, and that someone needs to be us. God is still working His plan today, still guiding His people through prayer, and still opening doors for gospel conversations. We were called to surrender ourselves to God’s mission, to craft and share our own mercy stories, to stay alert to His guidance, and to be ready to be the “someone” He uses to reach others.

Intro Prayer

Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, knowing that You are still working Your plan in our world today. Just as You orchestrated the meeting between Peter and Cornelius, You are orchestrating divine appointments in our lives. We ask that You would open our hearts and minds to what You want to teach us through Your Word today. Help us to be receptive to Your Holy Spirit’s leading and give us ears to hear what You are saying to each of us personally. Prepare our hearts to respond in obedience to whatever You call us to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ice Breaker

What’s the most unexpected or surprising invitation you’ve ever received, and did you accept it?

Key Verses

Acts 10:34–35
Acts 10:43
Acts 10:44–45
Ephesians 2:4–5

Questions

• How do you see God working “His plan” in the details of your own life, even in seemingly ordinary circumstances?
• Peter had to overcome significant cultural and religious barriers to share the gospel with Cornelius. What barriers, cultural, personal, or otherwise, might be preventing you from sharing your faith with others?
• Pastor Kevin pointed out that both Peter and Cornelius were in prayer when they received God’s guidance. How has prayer been a source of direction in your life? How might you need to grow in this area?
• Peter’s story included a “charcoal fire” moment where Jesus rewrote his story of failure into one of mercy and purpose. What moments of failure or shame in your life has God transformed into something beautiful?
• On Sunday we were reminded that “it has to be someone” to share the gospel, and that someone could be you. Who in your life might God be preparing to hear about His mercy through you?
• How does knowing that “God shows no favoritism” and that salvation is available to “everyone who believes” change how you view and interact with people who are different from you?
• What does it look like practically to “make room for God to do whatever He wants” in your daily life and relationships?
• The early believers were amazed that the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles “just as He had on them.” How should the reality that God works the same way in all believers affect our unity and fellowship as a church?

Life Application

This week, spend time in prayer asking God to show you someone in your life who needs to hear about His mercy. Write down your own mercy story, how God has worked in your life and transformed you. Then ask God for an opportunity to share that story with someone, and be ready to say yes when He opens that door. Pay attention to the divine appointments God may be orchestrating in your daily routine.

Key Takeaways

God is actively working His plan in every detail of our lives, orchestrating divine appointments and opportunities to share the gospel.

Prayer is essential for receiving God’s personal guidance and direction in our lives and ministry.

God shows no favoritism. Salvation through Jesus Christ is available to everyone who believes, regardless of background or past.

God specializes in rewriting our stories of failure and shame into stories of mercy and purpose.

Each believer has a responsibility to be the someone who shares the gospel with those God is preparing to hear it.

Ending Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the incredible story of mercy we see in Acts 10 and for the reminder that You are still working Your plan today. Help us to be people who live with open hearts and open hands, ready to be used by You to reach others with the gospel. Give us boldness to share our mercy stories and sensitivity to hear Your voice as You guide us to divine appointments. Transform any areas of failure or shame in our lives into testimonies of Your grace. We surrender ourselves to Your mission and ask that You would use us to be the someone in another person’s life who points them to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.