Life Groups // Fall 2021 // Week 5
Posted October 8, 2021 — Lincoln Berean
Presenting the Gospel Truth // Acts 17:1-34
Introduction
Paul and Silas continue on the second missionary journey visiting several cities including Athens. Paul’s approach to sharing the gospel differs depending on his audience, but he always discusses the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
To get the most out of your group time, we invite you to look over the questions below and write your thoughts down before you meet with your group.
Warm Up (Suggested time: 20 min)
Here are some suggestions to get your conversation started:
1) How has God used community (relationships with others) in helping you grow as a follower of Jesus?
2) In your opinion, is seeking truth a way of life or a season of life? Explain your answer.
Getting Started
Transition into group discussion.
1) Open group discussion with prayer. Here are a few potential prayer items:
a. For the Spirit of God to lead you in truth
b. For the fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in your lives
c. For grace to hear and apply what the Spirit says to you
2) Invite someone to read the passage in the group.
Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)
1) How was this week’s sermon either helpful or challenging to you?
2) Read Acts 17:6. What was true of the early church and that they were able to have such an impact on the world that people were saying, “These men have upset the world!”? (See Acts 4:13)
What does being with Jesus look like in your life?
3) In Acts 17:11 we’re told that the people of Berea received the word with great eagerness and examined the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true. What does receiving the word with great eagerness and examining the scriptures look like in your life?
For the people in Acts, examining the scriptures was a communal activity. They did not have individual copies of the scriptures. How has examining the scriptures in community changed you?
What is the value of examining the scriptures within a community?
4) When Paul reasoned with the people in Athens (Acts 17:22-31), he took a different approach than in Thessalonica or Berea. What might we learn from his approach in Athens?
Imagine the same scene only instead of ancient Athens, Paul came to our community in 2021. What would Paul see? What would provoke him to speak? How do you think he would approach our community?
Look at the response to Paul in Athens (Acts 17:32-34). How does this relate to what Pastor Bryan said in Acts 16 about our part versus God’s part in sharing the gospel?
5) As a church, we are encouraging October to be “Love Your Neighbor Month.” This is an opportunity to slow down, live intentionally, engage in conversation and build relationships with those around you. What elements of Paul’s time in Athens show how he is loving his neighbor?
What would it look like for you to shift your mindset or change your patterns to engage more with your neighbors?
What is one step you can take this week towards engaging with a neighbor?
Prayer (Suggested time: 20 min)
Prayer opens us up to the leading of the Holy Spirit which makes it an important part of the Christian life. We realize that everyone has their own comfort level with group prayer, and we want this to be a time of safety and care. You may verbalize your prayer or pray silently to yourself; that way everyone is a participant in sharing this time before God together.
Some things to consider during prayer time:
- What did the message or group discussion cause you to notice about your relationship with Jesus?
- How can you express gratitude for what God’s teaching you?
- What questions are stirring that only God can answer?
- Are there troubling things in your life that need to be confessed to God?
- Is there an unmet need that only God can fulfill?
Personal Spiritual Exercises
Each week we’re suggesting a couple of spiritual exercises. These are not required, but they may help us to actually live our faith and grow as followers of Jesus. Feel free to practice one or both of them. If a certain exercise is very helpful for you, maybe you can figure out a way to incorporate it into your daily life. Next week in your Life Group, take a few moments to share how either of these exercises may have changed your outlook on your daily life.
(1) (Kindness) One way we can practice loving our neighbors is by remembering people’s names. Is this something you are terrible at, something you value and work at, or something that comes naturally to you? This week, practice remembering people’s names, and calling people by name (even strangers with nametags). How did this change your interactions this week?
(2) (Ask God to change the way you see people) Start each morning with the following prayer:
Lord, in the silence of this newborn day, I come to request your peace, wisdom, strength.
Today I want to see the world with eyes full of love.
To be patient, understanding, humble, gentle and good.
To see your children behind outer appearances, as you see them also, so that I can appreciate the goodness in each one.
Close my hearing to all murmuring. Guard my tongue from all evil, that only your thoughts that bless others remain in me.
I want to be so well intentioned and good that all who draw near to me feel your presence.
Transform me with your goodness (kindness) Lord and make that in this day I reflect you. Amen.
At the end of the week, take a few moments to reflect, how did starting each day with this prayer, affect your daily interactions with people?