• Read all of Philemon.

Paul makes a bold ask in this letter to his friend Philemon.

• What challenges you from this letter?
• What questions do you have?
• From verses 1-7, what is Paul praying for him?
• If you had to describe ‘every good thing you have in Christ’ (v6), what are things that you would list?

Pray that you and our whole body would be growing in the spirit of this letter.

Today we will land in the book of 1 Corinthians.

Paul is writing because he has heard of ungodly practices in the church there, and (as we’ve seen) because of his great love for his people, he confronts their sin and offers teaching.

• Read 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9

Paul speaks and prays in such an aspirational way as he opens up this letter. Consider the following as you reflect on today’s reading:

KNOW (What does the text say about God?)

BE (What does the text say about us?)

DO (What is the text calling me/us to do?)

• Read Acts 26

We are back in Acts and King Agrippa, his wife, and Festus get an audience with Paul.

• What stands out to you from what Paul says?
• Where do you see evidence of Paul’s heart and love for people to understand faith in Jesus?
• Who are the people in your life you are longing to see turn towards Jesus in faith?

On a separate piece of paper, list them out and spend some time praying for them:

Today we will pop into the book of Thessalonians. We saw in Acts 17 that Paul departed abruptly from Thessalonica. He writes this letter to these new believers to encourage them in their faith, and to remind them how to live because Christ is coming back.

We learn a lot about them and a lot about Paul from these two short passages.

• Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-7; 2:6-9

Reflect on the following questions:

• From the sections in chapters 1 & 2, what do you learn about these people? Who are they?
• What do you learn about Paul?

Verse 3 and verse 8 are beloved of mine and speak volumes about Paul’s care for his people. He tells them in 1:3 that he continually remembers their work produced by faith. He remembers that their labor is prompted by love, and their endurance is inspired by hope.

It’s brought me much encouragement over the years to turn these sentences around: Faith can be work. Love can be Labor. Hope can get Long. But that does not change the prayer for us. Perhaps you are in the place where it’s been work to have faith, and your loving is hard and laborious, and hope seems stretched thin it’s been so long.

Hear Paul’s encouragement and love spilled out for them.

• Read Acts 25

Paul had his trial before Felix, and now it is Festus’ turn. Festus has succeeded Felix and finds a leftover Paul still in prison.

The Jewish leaders bring their accusations, Paul denies, and Festus is stymied. I get the feeling that things are just as Paul wants. He appeals to Caesar and apparently those are the magic words!

But it nags at Festus that he can’t figure out exactly what to write to Caesar, so lo and behold, King Agrippa and his wife arrive for a consultation.

• What is interesting to you from this chapter? Confusing?
• How would you describe Festus?
• If you were Paul, how would you be feeling? What are your thoughts about God throughout this season?

Today we will pop into the book of Galatians, one of the first Epistles written by Paul.

We heard during an October sermon how Paul encouraged the Apostles to not burden the Gentile believers with observing the whole law, specifically the command to be circumcised.

He reasoned that we are all saved through the same means: faith. All undeserved. All a gift. Bringing us freedom.

• Read Galatians 5: 13- 26

KNOW (What does the text say about God?)

BE (What does the text say about us?)

DO (What is the text calling me/us to do?)

• How does what you read here impact the ‘together’?

• 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!