Bible Reading
Acts 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.”
[29:30]1 Corinthians 9:19-23 “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
[45:23]1 Corinthians 11:23-26 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”
[52:29]Observation questions
- In Acts 17:5–10, what consequences did Jason face for welcoming Paul and Silas, and what happened to Paul and Silas afterward? [33:31]
- What two actions marked the Bereans’ response to Paul’s message in Acts 17:10–12? How did those actions work together? [34:13]
- What did Paul notice and refer to in Athens to help his listeners understand the God he was proclaiming? How did this differ from his starting point in the synagogue? [36:12]
- What does remembering Christ through communion invite believers to examine about their relationships? [54:04]
Interpretation questions
- How does Jason’s role in Acts 17 show that supporting someone else’s calling is meaningful kingdom work, even when that support receives little recognition? [38:23]
- How does the Bereans’ example distinguish being open to correction from simply accepting whatever someone says? What place does Scripture have in that distinction? [40:16]
- In light of Acts 17 and 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, how can a believer adapt to another person’s background without changing the gospel? What can change, and what must remain central? [48:18]
- Why should remembering Jesus’ sacrifice in communion lead believers to consider how they treat others, rather than treating communion as a private religious routine? [53:35]
Application questions
- Who in your life could use the kind of support Jason offered? What practical help could you offer this week, and what might it cost you in time, comfort, or resources? [39:10]
- Think of a recent disagreement at home, at work, or in church. Were you listening to understand, or preparing your response? What could help you approach the next conversation with greater humility? [41:52]
- When has Scripture challenged an opinion or habit you were sure was right? How did you respond, and is there a change you still need to put into practice? [41:10]
- Who do you know whose life experience or beliefs are very different from yours? What question could you ask to understand their story better, and what shared interest might open a natural conversation about Jesus? [48:43]
- When someone’s behavior frustrates you, what do you tend to notice first? What could help you slow down and respond with compassion for pain or struggles you may not see? [50:49]
- As you prepare to take communion, is there an unresolved conflict or a relationship you have neglected that needs honest attention? Without sharing more than you are comfortable with, what might a wise first step toward repair look like? [54:23]
