Acts 28: 17-31 - The Good and The Bad News of The Gospel

The book of Acts tells the history of the spread of the gospel and the beginning of the church. As we conclude this book, let's take some time to reflect on how we are beneficiaries of the events recorded in Acts. With the power of the Holy Spirit and God's divine arrangement, we are privileged to have a relationship with Christ, because of the blessings and sacrifices of many people.

This God-given mission is not over yet and we are part of that story. Many have not known Christ yet. How can we continue this mission and spread of the gospel, so that others may benefit, like we did?

Acts 28:1-10 - Experiencing the Good and the Bad

1) When something bad happens to you in life, do you second guess yourself and think it's because you have done something displeasing to God? If yes, why? Do you carry the same views about others when bad things happen to them? Share examples you know of where bad things happen to faithful persons.

2) What does Paul's attitude towards the bad things that happen to him teach us about the mentality we should have, when reacting to bad things happening to us? Recount how Paul makes use of past bad events that happened to him to do powerful ministry. What are some bad things happening to us now that could be possible opportunities?

Acts 27:27-44 - Class Distinctions

1) Share instances in your life on how unpopular people are treated by the masses. Were you in a situation where you could have done something? Even today, are there unpopular people in the groups you are involved in? Are the masses attitude towards that person justified and according to how Jesus would have wanted us to act?

2) It is easy to be kind and show undiscriminating love when times are good. Imagine we are not as fortunate as now and Singapore does not have enough resources like sufficient medical care, hospital beds and vaccines to go around. If we are caught in this situation where we need to fight for these resources, how would we behave? What groups of people in Singapore you feel deserve the resources first and which should get it last, and based on what sort of criteria? Under what circumstances would we be willing to give up some of these resources for others?

Acts 27:13-26 - Lord, How Long?

1) Why are there times when God is silent for long periods? How do you feel during these times, especially when it is something that you know God promised? 

2) If there are promises from God we know will come to pass, how do we then best wait upon the Lord? 

3) What are some truths you can be assured of (regarding the nature and love of God) even if you are not clear of God's direction and the wait continues? With these assurances, how can we help those who have doubts about our God when what they have been praying and waiting for takes forever to come (or may never come at all)? 

Acts 27:1-12 - Seeing God in Our Lives

As a complement to the podcast, let's read this article about hurried lives, prompting questions regarding our schedules: 

https://unlockingthebible.org/2018/07/a-hurried-life-isnt-a-holy-life/

Acts 26:1-32 - Understanding God

1) What are your longings that are tied to eternity? Reflecting on these longings, what are some things in your life on earth that does not seem that important anymore? For those things, how much time do you spend worrying about them?

2) Who do you perceive as enemies of Christ? What fears do you have from these enemies? Because of these fears, what actions or thoughts would you have towards these enemies? How would Christ himself view these enemies?

3) Recall your first love with Jesus. Was there a time where you felt much zeal for Christ? Do you still have that zeal? If not, why, and how can you rediscover this first love?

Acts 25:23-27 - Paul before King Agrippa: a Prince or a Pawn?

1) Do you doubt that the current situation you are placed in is the best place for you, as God intended it? If there are doubts, why? Based on what factors do you decide whether a place is good for you to be in? Are these factors aligned with what God considers to be important?

2) If where you are at is not by chance, what then is the reason for your appointment here? Even though we may possibly feel small or insignificant wherever we are, why are we special and precious to God?

3) Let's say this prayer today:

“Father, You have placed me here at this time. How do You want to use me? Help me identify the places I spend my time, and identify the potential relationships in those places. Then, help me think through the needs of these places so that You can reveal to me my purpose here, in order to do Your will.”

Acts 25:13-22 - Wasted Time

1) To many, Paul seemed to waste years of time stuck in captivity. However, how did Paul use that time? What might be the landscape of Christianity today if he did not have that "wasted" time in captivity?

2) Think of the times you thought you might have wasted (or even now) due to others or uncontrollable circumstances. Were there pockets of time in those situations where you have been, or could have been a blessing to others? How have you been, or how might you have been a blessing in those times?

3) Do you still have wounds of the past, due to unjust things that occurred, or the feelings of having time wasted? Surrender these to the Lord now in prayer and be encouraged that God has used you in those times.

 Acts 25:1-11 - Surrounded by Wicked People

1) Were there times where you were falsely accused, and was a victim of injustice? Did God turn those painful times into something good? If so, how did God do that? 

2) If you meet someone who is struggling with similar painful situations, being cornered by others, what learning points from your previous experiences could you share to comfort him/her? 

3) Are you still feeling bitterness from previous painful experiences where people have hurt or wronged you? If so, what are some reasons that make it difficult for you to let go? How do you rest in God in these situations? 

Acts 24:22-27 - A Matter of Life and Death

1) What do you think made such a "hard" person like Felix want to listen to Paul speak? What can we learn from Paul's approach, in conversations with "hard" persons?

2) Q1 seems to suggest it is more difficult reaching common ground with a "hard" person. However, what are some possible challenges when reaching out to a "softer" person who goes along with much of what you share?

3) What are the things of Earth that may have a hold on you now, that may hinder you from building eternal riches? What are some common excuses or deals we try to make with God, in order to allow us to chase those things? How can we break out of this hold? 

Acts 24:1-21 - What History Tells Us

1) Share a time when you or others you know of, used flattery. Where did this flattery get you/them? Looking back now, how worth it was using flattery then?  

2) Paul says in Thessalonians, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life." How do we do this, especially in situations where we stand up for righteousness' sake?

3) Find a point you cannot compromise, and that is where you make a stand. This point should be the cross, where you cannot compromise. Where are these points in various contemporary/controversial issues in our lives? How have you reacted so far, when this point was not reached yet in some debate or exchange of perspectives with another?  

Acts 23:23-35 - Paul Transferred to Caesarea

1) Share stories you know of where God engineers the small details, which leads to His bigger purposes. Were there undesirable things that happen or people with less righteous intentions that God used in those stories? How did He use them?

2) How similar are we to Lysias? What are the factors that make us want to hide the whole truth or want to impress? How important are these factors five, ten or twenty years down the road?

3) Think of times where you gave an account, and you tried to hide certain things or tried to impress (other than an interview). What did you have to lose if you were totally honest? When you were not totally honest, what were some things you may have sacrificed?

Acts 23:12-22 - The Plot to Kill Paul

1) What is an example of a Christian having a hardened heart? We go to church, read the Bible and listen to podcasts. Doing this over a long period, have the way we live our lives changed significantly? If no, why? How might that be due to a hardened heart?

2) God does the supernatural in natural ways. Share something that God did for you that looks very normal and natural, but you know the supernatural behind it. Why was it supernatural? What danger does it pose, if we fail to identify God's supernatural works, in these natural circumstances?

Acts 23:1-11 - Paul's Trial Before the Sanhedrin

1) Paul called Ananias a whitewashed wall. What does that mean? Were there times when we ourselves were like whitewashed walls? What are some things we tend to hide and why are we ashamed of revealing them?

2) Identify instances in your life where you (or others you know of) may have spoken ill of your rulers. Why was it easy for you to do so in those times? What did your speech about your rulers lead to?

3) Share moments where God has greatly encouraged you. Why were you feeling down in those times? In what form did you receive this encouragement? With your experience, how would you advise a person who is dejected, yet expressed that God is nowhere to be seen?

Acts 22:22-30 - Citizenship

1) Being a citizen has to do with a sense of belonging. Do you feel a sense of belonging as a citizen of our church? If yes or no, why? What is it about our church, or about the nature of us as church citizens, that would make our church citizenship attractive to those out there?

2) As God's children, we have access to the Father. What does it mean for you to have this easy access to our Heavenly Father? For some of us, we may feel that God is far away, hence not very accessible, or may not feel His presence. What may be the reasons, though it is said that God is with us always?

3) "It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven". What are these "mysteries"? What are the ways of the kingdom that the world may not understand? Imagine being in heaven after our time on Earth, and mingling with heaven dwellers as fellow citizens. What kind of citizens would you like to see then? How does God prepare us on Earth in order to be that kind of citizen you envision? 

Acts 21:27-32; 40, Acts 22:5; 19-21 - It's Sin, Righteousness and the Pursuit of God

Acts 21:1-16 - Paul's Suffering in Jerusalem Prophesied

1) The disciples urged Paul "through the Spirit" not to set foot in Jerusalem. How did they interpret these warnings differently from Paul? Has there been a time where you had to leave people whom you loved, knowing you might not see them again? If so, how did that make you feel? With Paul having similar feelings, what made him so convicted to go still?

2) Why was another warning necessary, through Agabus, when Paul already knew what awaited him? Do you think what Agabus said serves as a direct warning to Paul, or to prepare those around him? What does this say about God's love for us and those around us?

3) In v14, the disciples resigned themselves to the will of God. At what point do we resign the things that hold us, and fully submit to the will of God? Describe a time when your wishes conflicted with God’s will. How did you handle it?

Acts 20:13-38 - Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

1) What is professed theology? What is lived theology? What are some gaps between your professed theology and lived theology? Share some examples.

2) The trappings of this life mean nothing to Paul. How do we view life and the things in life? What is our lived theology regarding this? How do we then work towards our professed theology when it comes to the trappings of life?

3) What does it mean to finish the race, and live well to the last day? Is it about toiling for successes the way we define it? Imagine if you were on your last legs of your life, how would you want to live, in a way that may be pleasing to God? What is stopping us from living that way now?

ACTS 20:1-12 - The Raising of Eutychus

1) God displays His supernatural works in natural ways. Must miracles always look spectacular? What miracles might you have experienced or heard of that occurs in a natural, non-spectacular way, though the whole design of it may be spectacular?  

2) Why is it dangerous not to recognise the work of God because it seems so natural?

3) Natural or not, spectacular or not, there are long periods of time we just don't experience any miracles (or not at all). Why is that? 

ACTS 19:21-22 - God's Timing

1) What were some things that you desired so much, but God held it back for some time before giving it to you, or things you desire now that God has not given yet?

2) Why does God hold back the things you desire, even when you feel those desires align with His will? 

3) What might God be teaching you, or what might He be preparing you for, if He is holding back what you desire so badly?