Summary

On Sunday, Pastor Kevin Ueckert walked us through Acts 9 and invited us to see two very personal mercy stories. We saw Aeneas, paralyzed and stuck in bed for eight years, healed in the name of Jesus. We saw Tabitha, a faithful and beloved disciple known for caring for widows, raised back to life after Peter prayed. Pastor Kevin helped us see that these are not just stories about them. They are reminders of us. If you belong to Jesus, you have received mercy. You have a story. Just as Aeneas had to get up and Tabitha rose, we are called to get up and speak. Pastor Kevin challenged us to recognize that God has placed people in our everyday lives who need to hear what His mercy has done in ours.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You as Your church, grateful for the mercy You have shown each of us. As we open Your Word together, help us to see ourselves in these stories. Remind us of the ways You have lifted us, healed us, and brought us from death to life. Soften our hearts to the work of Your Spirit. Make us bold and tender at the same time. Let our time together deepen our love for You and strengthen our love for one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ice Breaker

Share about a time when you caught something, like a ball, a falling object, or even someone’s attention, that made you feel proud or accomplished. What was that moment like?

Key Verses

Acts 9:32-35

Acts 9:36-42

1 Timothy 1:15-16

Questions

• How do you think Aeneas felt during those eight years of being bedridden? What questions or struggles might he have wrestled with?
• When Peter told Aeneas to “get up and make your bed,” what do you think that meant beyond the physical act?
• Tabitha was known in her community for sewing clothes for widows. How can ordinary, faithful acts of service in our church and community open doors for the Gospel?
• Both of these miracles led many people to believe in Jesus. How does seeing God’s mercy in someone else’s life strengthen your own faith?
• Pastor Kevin pointed out that Peter stayed with Simon the leather tanner, someone others would have avoided. How does mercy reshape the way we see and move toward people?
• What are some “beds” people around us might be stuck in right now? Where do you see helplessness in our own community?
• What would it look like for you to “get up and open your mouth” this week in a natural, honest way?
• Pastor Kevin said our mercy stories are like magnets that draw people to Jesus. When have you seen that happen, either through your story or someone else’s?

In Your Life

This week, lean into the three things Pastor Kevin challenged us to practice:

1. Remember your moments of mercy. Take time to reflect on how God has met you.
2. Celebrate mercy. Thank Him daily for the ways He has changed and sustained you.
3. Share your story. Ask the Lord for one opportunity to tell someone what He has done in your life. Pay attention to who He places in front of you.

Key Takeaways

• God’s mercy meets us in our most helpless places, just as He met Aeneas and Tabitha.
• If you are in Christ, you have a mercy story. You have been brought from death to life.
• When we share our stories honestly, God uses them to draw others to Himself.
• Even our hardest seasons can become part of how God spreads the Gospel.
• Heaven rejoices when one person comes to faith. Our obedience to share may be part of that celebration.

Ending Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the mercy You have shown to our church and to each of us personally. Keep us from forgetting where You have found us and how You have changed us. Give us courage to speak about You in simple, honest ways. Make us attentive to the people around us who are weary, stuck, or searching. Use our stories for Your glory. And may we one day hear the joy of heaven over lives changed because we were willing to get up and speak. In Your name we pray, Amen.