• Read Acts 24

Consider the following questions:

• In your mind, what is going on in this chapter?
• What is interesting or confusing?
• Have you ever been called on to give a defense of your faith in God? What was that situation like?
• After reading this chapter, how would you describe Felix?

Paul is imprisoned for two years so that Felix can appease his curiosity. Felix got rattled by the judgement to come that Paul spoke about.

• What are your thoughts about the coming judgement? Think back to the Revelation series!

Spend this morning reviewing again what you are thankful for. Also spend time praying for God’s kingdom to come and His justice to rule.

Next week and following we will trace Paul’s journey to Rome and prison.

Along the way, we are going to pop in and out of some of the Epistles he wrote to the churches he started and encouraged. We will read his prayers for them as well as some of his thoughts and see his huge heart for those he shepherded and grew up in the faith.

• Read Acts 23:12-35

Reflect on the following questions:

• Who does God show Himself to be in this passage?
• What can we learn about people and the character of humans from this passage?
• How does Paul respond with courage?
• Why do you think that Paul took himself into this situation? What could have motivated him to head to Jerusalem despite the warnings?
• When you are in an impossibly hard situation, what encourages you to turn your face towards the Lord?

• Read Acts 22:30- 23:11

This whole interchange makes me chuckle J. Paul knows of this long dispute and focuses his opponents on each other.

Paul speaks sharply and confronts the leader of this group. But once he learns of his position as high priest, he publicly repents of his disrespect.

It always seems unjust to me that he should have to behave respectfully in the midst of this, but that is what the Lord calls us to.

• When have you been in a situation, or perhaps you are in one right now where you are called to behave respectfully towards someone who is not respecting you?
• What is a situation where you are longing to see God’s justice served? Spend some time praying for this situation.
• The Lord comes to Paul and tells him to “take courage”. Where do you need courage today?

• Read Acts 22: 22-29

When I read about Roman citizenship, it makes me thankful to serve a God who routinely tells me through scripture that I am a citizen of heaven.

The gospel of Jesus had to bring such incredible dignity to everyone—even women and children.

Obviously, being a Roman citizen had great impact in our reading today. Paul belonged to a special group- someone born a citizen.

When you repent and believe the gospel, God calls you His own, and grants you eternal citizenship with Him.

• How has God shown you that you belong in His kingdom?

• Read Acts 21:37-22:21

Paul shares the story of how he met Jesus and the impact that had on the rest of his life.

• What about you? Have you come face to face with Jesus and the fact that you cannot save yourself? Not by doing good deeds, not by knowing a lot about the Bible, or even by piles of prayer.

Sin separates us from God, but the victorious love of Jesus makes a way for us to be in a right relationship with God. When we give our lives over to Christ, he rescues us from the penalty of sin and becomes the Lord of our lives. It is an incomparable joy to be forgiven of our sins, adopted into the family of God, and filled with the Holy Spirit to live a new life!

• Share some of the highlights of when you gave your life over to Christ. Remember and spend some time thanking God for reaching out to where you were.
• If you’ve never made a decision like this, reach out to someone you feel comfortable with and ask them to share with you.

• Read Acts 21: 17-36

Random thought alert: Yesterday we read about Philip with the four unmarried daughters. I love how the focus shifts from physical offspring to spiritual offspring in this new season for the church. These four women get remembered forever in these pages!

James, in verse 25, references the decision made in chapter 15 regarding the Gentile believers. If you missed Keith’s sermon from Sunday, October 17- it is well worth going back and listening.

Not being Jewish, we no doubt miss a lot of the purification issues, food issues, and temple issues. But it’s hard to miss the strain between the Jewish and Gentile believers.

Paul surely has the right to not go through the purification- after all he himself tells us in the beginning of the book of Ephesians that we as believers have been made holy. But he chooses to set aside his rights for the good of the whole community.

• Are there ways right now that you could set aside your ‘rights’ in order to promote unity and community?
• How do you see or not see this happening in our church season right now?