Monday
Acts 27:1-12
Who were Paul's traveling companions?
Read the following passages.
Acts 19:29
Acts 20:4
Colossians 4:10
Philemon 24
Who was Aristarchus?
What cities of importance to Paul were located in Cilicia and Pamphylia? (Read Acts 21:39 and Acts 13:13ff to refresh your memory)
What was Paul's warning?
Read the following commentary:
Pagans undertaking sea voyages always sacrificed to the gods and sought their protection. Bad omens, astrological interpretations or dreams sometimes prevented a ship from sailing if they were taken seriously. Before going to war Romans would check the entrails of animals, the flight of birds and other forms of divination; religious advice was always important to those contemplating a potentially risky venture. Paul would sound to them like the kind of seer who could predict the future without divination. Unlike Greeks, Romans respected divination more than this kind of prophecy.
In light of the above commentary, how do you think the Romans viewed Paul's words?
To whom did the centurion listen? Why?
How would you describe this leg of the journey? Was it easy or difficult?
A New Kind of Voyage
Today let’s spend some time trying to crawl into the skin of Paul. Here it has been over two years since he first brought his love gift to Jerusalem, only to be reciprocated by death threats and false accusations. The time must have passed slowly as he sat in Caesarean captivity at the hands of the greedy Felix. Now, after his appeal to Caesar that saved him from the death trap that the Jewish leaders had laid for him in Jerusalem, Paul was about to embark on his next journey. Before his journeys began in the company of his close friends, in the anticipation of great ministry, and under the commissioning hands of the elders of Antioch. Not this time. Now he sat fettered to a string of convicts, many of whom were most likely murderers that were headed to be lion food and entertainment for the blood-sport of the Coliseum. It is hard to imagine what must have been going through his mind as they set sail that day.
They say that, just before death, your life passes before your eyes. Perhaps this is the tone that Luke wanted to set as Paul passed by the shores of Cilicia and Pamphylia. The Cilician shores flooded in waves of childhood memories as Paul had grown up in Tarsus of Cilicia. Here he was the Jewish boy who dreamed of studying in Jerusalem. In Pamphylia he remembered that first journey. This region was his doorway into Galatia. It was here that he traveled through Antioch Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. He was worshipped as a god, and stoned as a heretic. He met Timothy here, and planted many churches.
As the prison voyage continued he passed along the Southern shore of Asia. Ah, Asia, with Ephesus at its heart. Ephesus was the place where God had shown up in a mighty way and performed great miracles through Paul. Many great churches had been planted from that Asian hub.
Now with Luke and Aristarchus by his side, Paul’s journey headed south toward Crete. It was getting late in the year and was well past sailing season. As the winds grew stronger and the waves grew more violent, Paul cautioned the Romans that this trip would not end well if they did not set port in Crete. But, to no avail, the head-strong, money-conscious, practical thinking Romans paid him no heed and headed into disaster.
There are two simple observations and take homes for today.
- Even as a prisoner, Paul was in tune with God. Had Paul not been walking in the Spirit, he would not have heard God’s warning and spoke the prophetic word to the Romans. No matter what our circumstances may be, we must always stay in step with the Spirit, because he could use us at any time. You never know.
- The greed of the Romans kept them from being able to hear the voice of truth. The Romans were not willing to hear the voice of a Hebrew prophet. If there were no animal entrails or incantations involved in the prophetic word, then they would rather listen to their own instincts than to the words of Paul. Tomorrow we will see where that kind of thinking and spiritual blindness ended up.
Just for Kids
Draw a picture of Paul sitting on a boat, in chains, between some criminals. Now draw two thought bubbles. On one side write you think Paul might have been thinking at this point in his life. On the other side either write or draw a picture of God bringing comfort and reassurance to Paul.
It is important for us to always remember that, no matter how bad things may get, God is always with us.
Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Ac 27:10). Downers Grove , Ill. : InterVarsity Press.
top
Tuesday
Acts 27:13-44
What did the crew do in order to try to survive the storm?
What was the attitude of the crew after a few days of storm?
What message did Paul give the crew?
Now that Paul had spoken his second prophetic word (see yesterday's reading for the first) how do you think the Romans felt about his words now?
Based upon the soldiers’ response in v. 32, how do you think the Romans viewed Paul at this point?
In what way did Paul bring comfort and hope to the crew?
Based upon the centurion's actions in v. 43, how do you think he viewed Paul at this point?
A Shepherd at Sea
Do you know what the test is to see if you are a leader? Look to see if anyone is following you. Many times people think that being a great leader in God’s church requires a position, or a title, or maybe even an office with a window, or a television show. With the position comes the power and the position from which people will be able to hear your words and follow your leadership. In this story we see that Paul truly was an anointed leader for God and demonstrated that leadership doesn’t need any of those things. Think about it. Paul was a prisoner. He was shackled together with common criminals. He was riding on a grain barge between a low-life cargo captain and a common centurion. There was nothing glamorous here. Paul was at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.
And yet, none of that mattered to him. Throughout this story we can see that two things were true about Paul. The first is that he always focused on his relationship with God and remained in the Spirit at all times, regardless of his circumstances. We know this is true because he received yet another message from God. This time God even sent an angel to assure him that all would be well. The second thing about Paul was that he exercised his gifts regardless of his situation. Paul was an apostle, a leader, and a shepherd. Even with chains on his hands and feet Paul took charge of the situation. He had compassion on the men aboard this ship. He spoke boldly and instilled courage into the hearts of men who had given up hope. Here was a Jewish rabbi standing in the middle of seasoned sea-farers. While sailors had given up, the rabbi stood strong.
In many ways this story parallels the period of Jesus’ life between the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000. In between those two events Jesus walked out across a stormy lake and brought courage and hope to his bewildered disciples. In that act Jesus demonstrated that he had power over the forces of nature and was truly the King of the entire universe. He could provide bread for his people, empower them to walk on the water, and he could calm the storm. Now Paul, the disciple of the risen Jesus, showed Jesus-like courage in the face of the storm. What gave him this courage? It was the promise. Jesus had promised him that he and the whole crew would not perish. Paul’s faith in the promise gave him the ability to see above the storm and have enough composure to not only encourage 276 frightened men, but also to bake bread for them and share table fellowship. Imagine that! Most of us would have been freaking out and wondering why God had abandoned us.
Here a thought for today. Jesus has given us a promise. He promised that if we trust him he would prepare a place for us in the Father’s presence. He told us that he would give us the Holy Spirit to teach us, comfort us, convict us, and encourage us. He promised that he would protect us from the evil one. We live in a life full of storms. We are daily pounded by gale-strength winds that oppose our Kingdom worldview. We are plagued by the enemy’s attempts to riddle us with fear, doubt, anxiety, anger, and bitterness. Yet, in the face of all of that, we, too, can rise above it and cling to the promise. God does love us. Jesus has made a way for us to know the abundant life of relationship with God. The Holy Spirit has been placed in our lives as the deposit, guaranteeing our eternal life. We do not have to be waylaid by the storm. We can rise above it and have the strength to speak God’s words to the people around us, comfort them, and break bread with them while the wind whips past us.
Just for Kids
Today is the big storm. Have some fun and act out the scene of the storm. Make a boat out of chairs. Flash the lights for lightning.
Read the story carefully and see what kind of dialogue happens between Paul and the soldiers.
Why do you think Paul was so courageous and confident during this storm?
Have you ever had a time when you were really scared? Think back to that time and try to see yourself being confident like Paul.
The next time a big “storm” comes in your life, remember that you don’t have to be afraid. God is with you.
top
Wednesday
Acts 28:1-10
Read the following article excerpt about Malta.
Malta had been occupied from the 7th century bc by Phoenicians. The name itself means ‘refuge’ in that language (J. R. Harris, ExpT 21, 1909–10, p. 18). Later, Sicilian Greeks also came; there are bilingual inscriptions of the 1st century ad on the island. In 218 bc the island passed from Carthaginian to Roman control (Livy, 21. 51), later gaining the ‘civitas’. Its inhabitants were barbaroi (28:2, 4) only in the sense of not speaking Greek. Luke may refer to one of their gods in v. 4 as Dikē (Justice). Publius, ‘the chief man’ (v. 7), probably served under the propraetor of Sicily . His title (Gk. prōtos) is attested by inscriptions (CIG, 14. 601; CIL, 10. 7495).
What was the first assumption made about Paul after the viper incident? Why?
How did their opinion change? Why?
What did Paul do for the people?
Read Mark 16:15-18. What correlation do you see between Paul’s Malta experience and these words of Jesus?
How were the "prisoners" treated on Malta? Why?
How long did they stay on Malta? (read v. 11)
A Picture of the Kingdom
As we read today’s section we move into the final chapter of Acts. Remember, Luke is a brilliant author and does not just slap down narrative details for no particular reason. Everything has a purpose. In this final chapter Luke is drawing one final picture of the Kingdom of God on Earth. Luke started this epic saga way back in the first chapter of his gospel when the angel appeared to Zechariah and to Mary. There was an invasion about to happen. God was bringing about the fulfillment of prophecy and the one true King of Israel was about to come to turn the world upside down and establish his rightful kingdom on the Earth. Jesus came in humility and in power. He cast out demons, he healed the sick, and he taught with authority. He conquered the forces of darkness and broke the chains of death from the world and ushered in the Kingdom of God. Then he commissioned his disciples to go and do the same. He gave them authority and power to be the ambassadors and the seed planters of his eternal kingdom wherever they went. In this story Luke describes to us in eloquent terms what the Kingdom is truly all about. Here are some observations that will help us understand the Kingdom of God.
- It is not of this world and is impervious to fleshly circumstances. Paul didn’t come to Malta as a fully supported missionary with a ready-made plan for evangelizing the island. He dragged his soggy rear out of the ocean bearing the marks of a common criminal for crying out loud. Yet, in God’s plan that didn’t matter. Paul was a missionary. That IS what God made him to be. It wasn’t a POSITION that he filled, it was the way he WAS.
- The Kingdom is often misperceived at first. When the islanders saw the viper bite Paul they automatically assumed he was a criminal and that their god – Justice – was executing him. When Paul didn’t die, or even get sick, they then assumed that Paul was a god. In both cases they were wrong. They were looking through their native worldview lenses and trying to interpret the truth of God’s Kingdom through their native grid of understanding. It is only natural for people to do this, for it is nearly impossible to see things outside of our own worldview. It is not until our eyes are opened and we are willing to climb out of our own perspective that we can begin to see the truth. The truth was the Paul was neither a criminal nor a god. He was simply a servant of Jesus who was living in the power of Jesus’ promise and purpose.
- It’s about healing. What did Jesus do when he came to a new region? He healed people. What did Peter, Philip, Paul, Barnabus, and Silas do when they came to a new region? Note: What did they do especially when they came to a new region that did not have a synagogue in which they could reason from the scripture? They healed people. They delivered people from the sickness and death that plagued them as a result of their blindness and the lost condition of the world. The Kingdom of God is about new life. It is about reconciliation to the original design that God had for us in the Garden. He came to give us life and to give it to the full. So, here is Paul, a prisoner, living in what would be by fleshly standards, they worst possible position in life, oozing out the Kingdom of God on a small island 100 km south of Sicily. It wasn’t in Rome. It wasn’t in Jerusalem. It wasn’t through a mega-powered, satellite driven program. It was a prisoner who was walking in the Spirit, overflowing the Kingdom on a bunch of simple islanders out in the middle of the ocean. You’ve got to love it. Now, let’s live it.
Just for Kids
What did the islanders think would happen to Paul when the snake bit him? Why?
What did the islanders think about Paul after he was unaffected by the snake? Why?
Was either of these ideas about Paul correct? Why?
What was Paul?
How did Paul demonstrate the power of God on the island?
Do you know anyone that is sick? Spend some time praying for that person and ask God to show you ways that you could bring comfort and healing to their life.
Wood, D. R. W. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed. /) (Page 720). Leicester , England ; Downers Grove , Ill. : InterVarsity Press.
top
Thursday
Acts 28:11-31
Read this commentary:
The seas opened as early as February 8 or as late as March 10, depending on the weather; in the year in view here they seem to open toward the earlier date. On Alexandrian ships see comment on 27:6; like most ships, this one would have harbored on the other side of the island. Ships were named for their patron deity (e.g., “the Isis”) in whose protection they trusted and whose image was used as the ship’s figurehead. The Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux, twin heroes, sons of Zeus who had been deified) were considered special protectors of ships, on whom one might call in a storm.
In light of the above information regarding the Greek gods, do you see any possible irony in Luke's writing?
Summarize Paul's opening statement to the Jews.
How was Paul received by the Jews in Rome?
What was the heart of Paul's message? (v. 23)
What was Paul's concluding remarks regarding the Jews and his ministry?
What portrait is painted of Paul as the book of Acts ends?
An Unusual Ending
Yesterday we saw how Luke painted a beautiful portrait of the Kingdom of God pouring out on the little island of Malta. Today, in this final scene in the book of Acts, we see that Luke draws a stark contrast to yesterday’s portrait. In many ways this scene is surprisingly anti-climactic. It seems as if Paul’s life has been building up to this moment. He’s had a big showdown with the Jews in Jerusalem where they want to kill him. They forced his hand and he appealed to Caesar. Now he has fought against a vicious storm, the chains of bondage, and a poisonous viper to come to this final moment. Here he will stand before Caesar and see himself and the kingdom vindicated before the world.
Nope.
That’s not how it went down at all. Here is a dialogue that will paraphrase the tone and possible intent of this scene.
Paul: Hello, Rome. I’m here. Hello Jewish leaders. I know you probably want to kill me. I’m sure the HQ in Jerusalem has sent their secret orders to slit my throat in the night.
Jews: Huh? We don’t know what you’re talking about. We haven’t heard anything about you from Jerusalem. In fact, you seem like a pretty nice guy to us. Why would we want to hurt you?
Paul: Oh. OK. In that case let me tell you why I’m here. I have come to tell you that the Kingdom of God has come just the way God promised throughout the scriptures. The Kingdom has come and his name is Jesus. Jesus died and rose from the dead and now he offers the Kingdom to anyone who wants to trust him. It’s open to Jew and Gentile alike. It’s that simple.
Jews: Oh, that’s interesting. Some of us like it. We’re in. Some of us don’t, so we’ll be leaving now. Hope the whole house arrest thing works out for you, Paul.
Paul: God said you wouldn’t believe. That’s why it is open to the Gentiles.
Oh, by the way, do I have a court date yet?
Roman: No. we’re not even sure if you can get in to see the emperor. Enjoy the house arrest.
So, there you have it. No big court scene. No big mob of angry Jews. It’s just Paul living in a rented house, under house arrest, teaching more disciples – Jew and Gentile – about the Kingdom of God. Then it ends.
Here are some lessons we should learn from this:
- The Kingdom of God isn’t about big dramatic endings, it’s about everyday life.
- The Kingdom of God is for everyone, anywhere. It can be in the Temple at Jerusalem, it can be in the lecture hall at Ephesus, it can be on the beach of Malta, or in a rented house in the capital of the Empire.
- The Kingdom of God is all about the Risen Jesus. Here is the main point of Luke/Acts. The Kingdom begins and ends with the risen Jesus. He is the King. It’s about him. It’s not about Peter. It’s not about Paul. It’s about Jesus. Peter and Paul, and we, are simply servants of the King. Never forget that.
The story isn’t over. Luke intentionally left the story hanging because he knew it wasn’t over. Paul was eventually released. He did make it on to Spain. Then he was arrested again and executed in Rome. But that didn’t end the story. The book of Acts, the spreading of the great tree called the Kingdom of God is a story that lives forever. It lives on with you and with me. We are writing the 29 th chapter of Acts right now, as we live, act, and speak in our everyday lives. How’s the story so far?
Just for Kids
We’ve come to the end of Acts. Throughout the whole story we have watched and listened as the Apostles spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the resurrected Jesus to the world.
There are two main points about the Kingdom that we must remember from Acts:
It is all about Jesus. He is the King and everything is done for Him.
Everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, God wants everyone, everywhere to know him.
Draw a picture that shows the Kingdom of God and illustrates these two main points.
Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary : New Testament (Ac 28:11). Downers Grove , Ill. : InterVarsity Press.
top
Friday
Acts 29
Yesterday we said that we are living the 29 th chapter of Acts. We are the church. We are the inheritors of the Kingdom that the Father gave to Jesus and we live in it through the power of the Holy Spirit. We look to Peter and Paul as examples and pioneers of the Kingdom Way and how to spread the Good News and live in the Kingdom each day. The real question for us, as we conclude this study, is, “How well are we living in the everyday life of the Kingdom?”
Spend some time today looking over your notes for the last 12 weeks of study. As you read through this outline, make notes regarding what you learned and how God challenged you in this study.
The church is born in Jerusalem (1-2)
The church experiences opposition in Jerusalem (3-7)
Abraham's family (Hebraic Jews, Grecian Jews, and Samaritans) is reconciled through the Holy Spirit. (8-12)
The Church spreads to the Gentiles
Galatia (13-15)
Macedonia and Greece (16-18)
Ephesus and the collection (19-20)
Paul the Prisoner (21-28)
Ask God to show you the ways in which you and your church can grow to become more like our "founding fathers" that were described in the book of Acts.
Just for Kids
The kids can do the same exercise as the adults today. Have fun spending time as a family revisiting the big picture of Acts. Perhaps you could walk through all of the weekly illustrations and recap the story.
top
|
