Acts 17

Questions to consider:

• What does it look like to love God and love my neighbor as myself?

• Do we have an obligation to God?

• What is sin? And what does it say about our relationship to God?

Questions to consider:

• Why didn’t Paul cast out the demon the first time? Was he trying to avoid trouble? (See 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 1 Timothy 2:1-2)

• Why didn't God protect Paul and Silas from going to prison?

• Why didn’t Paul think the earthquake was God’s way of deliverance?

• If God is so great, why should he care about us?

Questions to consider:

• Why did Paul and his companions sacrifice their lives to spread the gospel and strengthen believers?

• There were a number of women gathered at this place of prayer, all of whom would have heard Paul’s message, why was Lydia the only one to respond to the message?

• Why didn't the Lord open the heart of everyone who heard Paul's message?

Questions to consider:

• Is God aware of what's going on in the world? In your life?

• Does God care about what's going on in the world? In your life?

• Does God have a specific will for your life?

• Do you want to know God's will?

• How does God make his will known?

• What does a life of faith look like?

Questions to consider:

• Did Jesus really expect his followers to make disciples? How were they supposed to do this?

• What does it mean to be "saved?"

• What is God's purpose?

• What is the quality of your relationship with God?

• What quality of relationship do you long for others to have with God?

Questions to consider:

• Am I seeking truth in the person of Jesus Christ?

• Am I seeking to please God by submitting to my circumstances that he is using to conform me to the image of Christ?

• Am I considering any clear evidence of God’s working that would help me to understand his will?

• Am I willing to submit experience and seeming evidence of God’s working to the authority of Scripture? How well do I know the Scriptures?

• Do I give proper weight to tradition when determining God’s will?

• Do I consider what is practical when seeking the truth? Or, do I think the more impractical, the more likely it is of God?

Questions to consider:

• Do I seek direction from God, disconnected from the “reality” that is found in Christ?

• Am I submitting to the guidance of those more mature than myself in knowing God and

  his will?

• Does it have to be spectacular to be direction from God?

• Do I have experiences to draw on from a track record of obedience?

• Am I willing to consider the experiences of others as important as my own?

• Am I willing to accept my experience as personal and not necessarily normative for all?

Questions to consider:

• Do you trust the Spirit to guide you into all truth?

• Why is there so much disagreement today?

  • Between denominations

  • Within church communities

  • Regrading the many interpretations of the Bible

Questions to consider:

• What is the purpose, the goal, the objective of Christianity?

• Why be a Christian?

• What did Jesus' crucifixion accomplish?

• What does it mean to get saved?

• What does it mean to believe?

• What is the good news?

Questions to consider:

• How did Barnabas and Paul “strengthen” believers?

• What is the primary mission of the church?

• What is your response to the gospel?

• What is your involvement in God’s plan to spread the Good News?

• Are you doing the work of God?

• Are you continuing in the faith?

Questions to consider:

• What is the message of Paul's first missionary Journey?

• What was his motivation?

• How can we mirror Paul's love for God in the way we are motivated?

Questions to consider:

• How would you expect Peter to react to his situation?

• Why were these details and processes included in Peter's rescue? Why not a spectacular rescue for God’s glory?

• In this chapter, what does God reveal to us about himself?

Questions to consider:

• What is Christianity?

• What is the church?

• What’s your experience with the church?

• How do you act within the church?

• What aspects of Christianity does Barnabas exemplify?

Questions to consider:

• Is Faith in Christ necessary?

• Why is peace with God “Good News”?

• What does peace with God look like?

Questions to consider:

• Do miracles happen today?

• Is it always God’s will to heal miraculously?

• What if God healed every Christian?

Questions to consider:

• What does a focus on God's kingdom look like?

• What is required to be obedient?

What can we learn about being a Christian from this account of Paul's conversion?