Acts - Week 29

Sunday, August 21st, 2022

Last week we saw the church at Antioch (Syria) send out the first missionaries of the early church – Paul and Barnabas – who traveled to the island of Cyrus..  This week we “hear” Paul’s first recorded sermon (of many) in Acts as he teaches in the synagogue in a different town also named Antioch (Pisidia).

  1. Read Acts 13:13-52. (take turns around the group reading this “longish” passage) 

  2. Make a list of observations regarding Paul’ sermon.  

    • What stands out?  What patterns do you see?  

    • What kind of rhetorical strategies does he use?  

    • How is his sermon similar or dissimilar to ones we normally hear by preachers in 2022?

    • What most surprises you about this sermon?

    • If you were sitting in that audience in Antioch (Pisidia), what follow up questions might you have asked Paul?

  3. What did Jason say about the significance of synagogues in that time?

    • Who went there?

    • Was it only for weekly worship?

  4. What’s the difference between the two groups mentioned in verse 16:  “men of Israel” and “you who fear God”?

  5. If you didn’t earlier, trace the various parts of prior scripture Paul uses in his sermon.  Why so much focus on the Old Testament?

  6. What did Jason say about our relationship to the “law” and what Paul was communicating to his audience about their relationship to the “law”?

  7. The relationship of Jews and Gentiles is a big theme in the book of Acts (as it is throughout the New Testament).  This makes sense since Christianity is birthed in a Jewish world (literally and figuratively) and then spreads beyond the Jews and to the Gentiles.

    • So, why are the events of vv. 44-51 significant?

  8. What is the one big application point Paul makes for his listeners (cf. vv. 38-40)?

  9. Review the two major application points Jason made for us:

    • Do you understand that belief in Christ is the point of the bible?

      • How might we read the bible differently?

    • Have you believed in the gospel of Jesus as taught in Scripture?

  10. Spend some time praying for friends and family who need to believe the gospel of Jesus as taught in Scripture.

Scott Dixon