Bible ReadingActs 17 “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.' And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, 'These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.' And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, 'What does this babbler wish to say?' Others said, 'He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities'—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, 'May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.' Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: 'Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: "To the unknown god." What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "In him we live and move and have our being"; as even some of your own poets have said, "For we are indeed his offspring." Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.' Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, 'We will hear you again about this.' So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”
[03:02]John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
[01:45]Romans 9:3 “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”
[05:22]Observation questions- In Acts 17, what different places does Paul go to speak with people, and who are the different groups he speaks to in those places? [18:22]
- What does Acts 17 say the Bereans did with the Word after they received it with readiness?
- What specific charges were made against Paul and his companions in Thessalonica, and what seems to have stirred that conflict up? [11:17]
- In Athens, what does Paul say about who God is, what God is not like, and what God now commands all people to do? [23:11]
Interpretation questions- Paul reasoned from the Scriptures, but not everyone was persuaded. What does that show about the difference between clearly presenting truth and God working in a person’s heart? [08:58]
- Paul kept going first to the synagogue even after painful rejection. What does Romans 9:3 help reveal about why he kept returning to his own people?
- The Bereans were called more fair minded because they were eager and they searched daily. What does that suggest about the kind of attitude that helps a person grow in truth instead of just defending a position? [14:32]
- Paul’s spirit was provoked by a city full of idols, yet he still spoke in a way that tried to reach people. What does that show about the difference between having a holy burden and merely being angry at the culture? [18:22]
Application questions- Jesus still sets people free indeed. Where does bondage feel most real right now—fear, shame, bitterness, addiction, secret habits, hopelessness—and what would it look like to bring that area honestly before Christ instead of hiding it? [02:10]
- Some people need more than a personal story; they need someone to open the Scriptures with them patiently. How comfortable is the group in using the Bible that way, and what is one step each person could take this week to grow more steady in the Word? [05:56]
- Truth can be spoken in a way that only sounds like, “I’m right and you’re wrong.” Has that ever happened in a spiritual conversation for anyone here? What would gentleness, prayer, and better timing look like in a real conversation that may be coming up soon? [10:11]
- The Berean pattern is to receive the Word eagerly and search it daily. Is there any area where someone may be leaning on “one scripture,” one tradition, or one opinion instead of searching the whole counsel of God? [15:00]
- A city full of idols should stir a burden, not comfort. What kinds of modern idols are easiest to walk past without feeling much—money, image, pleasure, politics, self, success—and how can the heart stay tender without becoming harsh toward people? [19:34]
- Some mocked, some wanted to hear more, and some believed. How does a person usually respond when sharing Christ brings indifference or rejection? What would it look like to stay faithful without taking that rejection too personally? [34:21]
- Even strong believers need somebody to labor with them. Who is a real companion in the work of God right now, and if that answer is unclear, what kind of friendship or partnership needs to be prayed for and pursued? [39:24]
