Study #10

Recap

In our previous study, we looked at two stories: the story of Simon Bar Jesus and the Roman Proconsul, and Paul’s first sermon. Through these two stories, we see that the Gospel message has moved beyond the boundaries of Judaism and now Paul is bringing the good news to the Gentiles, many of whom are eager to hear it. 

Introduction

In our reading this week,  we continue to follow Barnabas and Paul on their first Missionary journey as they arrive in the Roman city of Lystra. Lystra was a small city, a town really, that was used by Rome as a first line of defence against local warring tribes. 

While in this city, two significant things happen; first, like Peter (Acts 3) and Jesus (Luke 5:18-25) before him, Paul heals a man who was lame from birth. Unlike the lack of faith that Peter and Jesus’ healings are met with, this healing is met with amazement, wonder and misdirected praise. The Lyconians think that Paul is a god incarnate and begin to try to worship him. 

In this story, we will explore how the good news can be misinterpreted, we will see how God was already making himself known to the Gentiles, and wrestle with the relationship between suffering and faith. 

With this in mind lets dive into today's reading. 

Read Acts 14:8-28

(Remember - First read out loud, either one person reads the whole thing, or separate it by verses. After you read through the passage out loud, take a little bit of time to re-read it individually, noting and marking verses, words or phrases that stand out in the story.) 

Three Quick Questions: 

1. Is there anything that stands out to you as we read through the passage? 

2. Did you learn anything new or surprising about Jesus or God’s character? 

3. Are there any other stories or passages in the Bible that Luke may be subtly referencing? Why is Luke connecting this story to that passage? 

Diving Deeper

1. Between Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts, which he also wrote, this is the third story focused on the healing of a man who was lame.
   Why do you think Luke repeatedly tells a story of a man being healed? Read and compare the other instances (Luke 5:18-25, Acts 3:1-10)
   

2. What is so significant about the response of the crowd to Paul’s healing?
   What is different about the crowd's reaction here compared to the other stories?
   

3. In verse 15, Paul says, “We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God.”
   What are the “worthless things” that Paul is referring to?
   What are the modern equivalents today to those “Worthless things”  and how can we make sure we turn from them?
   

4. Reread verse 15-17. This ‘sermon’ is one of Paul’s first sermons to a primarily non-Jewish audience.
   What is significant about how he teaches this crowd?
   What do we learn about the character of God from verse 17?
   

5. After the events in Lystra and after the return to Antioch, the disciples make an important yet challenging remark in verse 22: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
   These words echo Jesus in the Beatitude when he says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
   Why do you think suffering and hardship lead to the Kingdom of God?  

Benediction 

May the God who makes the blind see, and the lame walk, strengthen us, with the goodness of his love, and send us out in the power of his name, to love and serve him, wherever we go. Amen.