The Butterfly Effect : Having a big effect starts with a small group.

INTRODUCTION

How many of you love watching fail videos?

(Ridiculousness, America’s Funniest Home Videos etc.)

We love watching harmless “fail” clips—people rarely do ridiculous things alone; there’s always someone with them.

Longboarding - Video Fall

Breaking My Arm Story

Friends often talk us into stuff (funny, uncomfortable, or unlike us)

How many of you have been talked into doing something that you looked back and thought, “what was I thinking?”

Chances are all of us no matter how big or small the thing is, we have had one of those moments

With a friend, with a boyfriend or girlfriend, with social media, etc.

Chances are that when I asked that so many memories flooded in of when I asked about that

→ shows how powerful our effect on each other is.

People around us shape what we do… the good news is …. we shape them too!

TENSION

Recap Week 1: You have more impact than you think;

The Loaves and the fishes miracles,

God can do more than you imagine through your willingness.

Honest question: Does what I do really make a difference?

It’s easy to feel small next to influencers/celebrities/resources.

Apple Founder Steve Jobs once said, “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do.”

Easy for Steve Jobs to say, he had a brilliant mind, a global company behind him, and more money than most of us will ever see in our lifetime.

You might be thinking, what do I have? Four dollars in my checking account, some leftover Taco Bell in my car, and a pretty good short at losing my keys, wallet and iPhone all on the same day. We are NOT the same, Steve!

That sounds all nice and inspiring to go change the world.

Skepticism: Is it possible to have a BIG impact on the world when you’re just one person, in an ordinary town/school/family?

TRUTH

Book of Acts = all of us have been affected by the events that take place in the Acts. These are the actions of the first Jesus-followers; their choices changed everything throughout the mighty Roman Empire at the time, and all of history! We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the book of Acts, the spread of the church, and this small group of people.

Pentecost (fiftieth day after Passover) : In Jewish culture, Pentecost was a celebration to when the first yields of the grain harvest were presented as offerings to God.

This Pentecost was a special one : The disciples, Mary, and about 120 more were all gathered for this celebration, and all of sudden, God’s Spirit shows up powerfully; like a “violent wind”.they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that came and rested on them, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages they’ve never spoken before.

A huge crowd was drawn to them, and were bewildered, and because they were speaking in their language, and they could hear and understand them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.

Some were amazed, and others made fun of them, because they thought they were drunk.

2- 3 - (Acts 2:37–41). -Peter (ordinary fisherman with a track record of mistakes) shares Jesus and the good news of the gospel →

3,000 respond and give their lives to Jesus.

Why was this moment such a big deal? Up until this moment, the Holy Spirit would show up randomly throughout the Old Testament.

On the last supper with his disciples, Jesus promised was fulfilled this ongoing presence of the Spirit

4 - (John 14:15–17):

This is exactly Jesus promised would happen, that God’s Spirit will be with and in believers.

The same Spirit lives with and you if you give your life to Jesus.

So what happened to these 3,000 respond? They didn’t just go up to Peter and say “That was a good sermon” and then go back to minding their business. They’re lives were forever changed.

What the new believers did next

5- 6 (Acts 2:42–47):

Devoted to teaching, fellowship, prayer.

Shared resources; met daily; ate together; praised God.

Lived with unity and generosity;

7 - And the Lord added to their number daily.

8 - They were living their lives as people who had heard about Jesus and were changed by Him.

Key insights:

Movements often grow from ordinary people taking small, faithful steps together.

9- They were with each other and for each other;

all of their life, choices, and behaviors flowed from being led by the Holy Spirit and this shared mission.

Most of them had had no idea of their eventual global impact,

That 2,000 years later, there would be around 2.5 billion Christians alive today, not to include the milllions and millions who have gone before us.

Teenagers/young adults have often sparked world-changing movements, and I feel that the same is happening right now with your generation.

College Campuses, Churches, schools around the globe are finding Jesus.

There are more and more of your generation that are open about their faith, and actively sharing it with those around them.

10 : Having a big effect starts with a small group.

APPLICATION

Here’s the thing, we need you! There are people in your lives and your schools, that Beth, Laurie, Tyler, Katie, and I can’t reach.

That feels daunting, but you are not alone. You have people around you.

You’ll have a bigger, longer-lasting impact together than alone.

Four practices:

Show up — be present beyond once a week; build real relationships.

Stand out — evaluate how you talk/treat each other; let Jesus’ love shape your group culture.

Start something — pick an intentional action (sit with the lonely, celebrate the unnoticed, serve kids’ ministry, etc.).

Trust God’s Spirit — rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance, courage, and power to do hard things.

1. Show up. The early church did everything together and it changed everything for them. Now, I’m not saying you have to do everything with your small group, but I am saying to have the kind of life-changing effect we’re talking about you have to hang out together, know each other, and talk to each other outside of one time per week.

2. Stand out. Be honest. Ask each other, where do we stand out, and where do we look like everyone else? Does the way we talk about each other make us the kind of group others want to be a part of? Does the way we treat each other reflect the way Jesus has changed our lives? If not, that’s okay, but how can we work on being the kind of people who have an effect on the world around us?

3. Start something. It’s great to hang out together here each week, but what if you started something intentionally to have an effect on the people in the rest of your world? What if you decided you’d all sit with the person who has no one to sit with in the cafeteria, celebrate people who might not feel noticed, volunteer with the kids’ ministry, etc.

4. Trust in God’s Spirit. Trust in God’s Spirit. Just like the people in the early church, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, too. That Spirit empowers us to live this out. The Holy Spirit works inside us to help us understand the right thing to do. The Holy Spirit makes words leap off the page in the Bible or worship songs carry deep meaning. The Holy Spirit helps us do hard things and gives us courage to move outside of our comfort zone, one step at a time.

LANDING

Groups that serve together have deeper friendships, a better high-school experience, and a greater effect.

Imagine your group living this out—what could change at school, on your team, in your family, in you?

Bottom line: A big effect starts with a small group. Show up, offer what you have, trust God’s Spirit—and begin tonight.