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Group Discussion Guide

Preacher: Alex Hogendoorn
Date: June 1, 2025
Text: Acts 2:1–21 & Exodus 40:34–38
Message Title: Signs of the Spirit: Fire - Purity and Power

Summary

On Pentecost Sunday, Alex preached on the image of fire as a sign of the Holy Spirit. Following the dove's symbol of peace and new creation, fire reveals the Spirit’s work of purity and power. Drawing on Acts 2 and Exodus 40, Alex described how the Spirit’s descent upon the early church mirrored the glory of God descending upon the tabernacle—marking His people as His new temple. Just as the fire once rested above the sanctuary, it now rests on each believer. This fire is not symbolic fluff: it brings real conviction, real transformation, and real power.

The sermon explored how fire refines and purifies us. Like the burning bush, the Spirit’s fire does not consume us—but it does expose, confront, and sanctify us. It’s a fire that speaks, burning away sin and cutting to the heart. But it also brings power: not hype or confidence, but the power of gospel proclamation—that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This fire ignites not our personality, but the Spirit's own word through us.

Icebreaker Questions (Choose one)

  1. Have you ever been part of a crowd where something unexpectedly powerful happened? What was it like to experience that moment together?
  2. What’s a time you felt “set apart” for something, even in a small way—like getting picked for a team, or entrusted with something meaningful?
  3. If you could describe the presence of God with an image or a metaphor, what would you choose—and why?

Group Discussion Questions

Read Acts 2:1–21 & Exodus 40:34–38 together and discuss any questions that arise from the passage. Then use a few of these questions for further reflection:

  1. “What does this mean?” That was the crowd’s question when they heard the disciples speaking in their languages. How do you think people today would ask the same question if they saw God's Spirit at work? How might you answer?
  2. When the fire of the Spirit descends, it brings conviction. What areas of your life has the Spirit been refining lately?
  3. Why do you think it matters that the Spirit came as both a dove and fire? What does it say about God's character and His work in our lives?
  4. The glory of God now dwells in believers, just as it once rested in the temple. How does this change your view of yourself, your daily life, or the way you gather with others?
  5. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." What gives those words power? How does this shape the way you speak about your faith?

For Further Study

  • John 14:15–17, 26 – Jesus promises the coming of the Spirit as Counselor and Teacher.
  • Ezekiel 36:26–27 – God promises to put His Spirit within His people.
  • Joel 2:28–32 – The prophecy Peter quotes on Pentecost.
  • 1 Corinthians 3:16 – “You are God’s temple and God’s Spirit dwells in you.”
  • Romans 8:9–11 – The Spirit gives life and belongs to those who belong to Christ.

Gospel Connections

Let's discuss how we can apply this message to our lives as we seek to make the following connections as we follow Jesus:

  • Connection to God: What does it mean that God doesn't just visit but indwells?
  • Connection to the Church: How can our community become a visible sign of God’s presence together?
  • Connection to the Group: How can we support one another in responding to the Spirit's movement?
  • Connection to the City: If God’s glory has moved to dwell in us, what does that mean for our neighbors and neighborhoods?
Adults
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