Ascension Sunday

Opening Prayer

Lord

You know my thoughts and you still love me;

       may my thoughts be good and true!

You know my actions and you still call me your own;

       may my actions be loving and forgiving!

Make my thoughts and actions more like you

       so I may go out and speak the Gospel!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 1:1-11

• Share a time when you had Jesus in your midst.
• Does the message the men in white had for the disciples ring true for you today?
• How do you know the Holy Spirit is with you? Where does it come from?

Ephesians 1:17-23

• What do you hope for? What gives hope? Where does it come from? How does it change one’s perspective when they have it?
• How do you know if the Spirit is near? Is with you?
• What name do you give God? Jesus? Holy Spirit? Do they respond when you call them by name? Share an example.

Mark 16:15-20

• What does it mean to you to be a Baptized Christian? Do you identify yourself as being baptized or having been baptized? Is there a difference?
• Do you believe there is power in Jesus’ name? When have you experienced power in the name of Jesus? What happened? How were you changed?
• How do you think it felt for the disciples to lose Jesus a second time? How was this time different? How was this time the same?

General Questions for Journaling

• Describe the Holy Spirit.
• What does your baptism have to do with the Holy Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit affect your baptism?
• How does knowing the Holy Spirit change your perspective on life? Situations? Struggles? Blessings?
• How do you know the Spirit is near? Is with you?
• Where do you look for God? In the sky? In the blessings? How does this limit God’s power?
• Do you believe in heaven? Why or why not? Do you believe this is where God/Jesus can be found? Explain.
• Explain why God is exalted? What does this mean?
• Give an example of someone who has grown in faith? What are the symptoms/signs that your faith has grown?
• What characteristics does a person who is “full of faith” have? By your definition, how do you compare?
• How does God call you to share the Good News?
• What message are you here to share? All of the Gospel or just a piece of it?
• What signs or miracles do you see today? 
• Have you been a witness of a modern day miracle? Explain. 
• Where do you believe God is most present?
• Where do you believe God in needed most?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  May my heart be filled with compassion;

ALL:  Fill me O, Lord!

Leader:  May my eyes be filled with acceptance;

ALL:  Fill me O, Lord!

Leader:  May my hands be filled with help;

ALL:  Fill me O, Lord!

Leader:  May my minds be filled with non-judgment;

ALL:  Fill me O, Lord!

Leader:  May my spirit be filled with generosity;

ALL:  Fill me O, Lord!

Challenge for the Week:  Consider the qualifications of a person who follows God.  What would be the job description of a Disciple?  Would the description be different from the time the Apostles walked with Jesus vs today?  Why or why not?  Do you need to work for the church, be a priest or pastor in order to be closer to God or to be a Disciple?  Do you need to spend hours in prayer and reading scripture?  Must you do good works and deeds and help those who are marginalized in order to be considered as a Disciple?  Spend time this week really considering what a person in society today has that makes them a Disciple of God.