ACTS - WEEK 19

Idols Kill, God Saves

Note for leaders: to change up the flow slightly you could start this week off with open prayer before beginning the study. Invite a few people to pray and offer to close after some time, asking the Holy Spirit to be opening the eyes of your hearts to see His truth.

 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”

READ ACTS 17: 10-21


IN BEREA

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

In Athens

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

  1. What strikes you from this passage? What questions does this passage raise for you?

  2. What is Paul and his companions’ continued mission/aim throughout their travels?

  3. How does Paul’s approach to sharing the gospel in Athens differ from when he is in Berea?

  4. Is the culture of Athens we read about similar or different to the Western culture we currently live in? How so?

  5. Why would Paul be so distressed to see a city full of idols?

READ ACTS 17:22-34

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

(can read through twice with another version not NIV and ask people to be considering question 1 while reading for a second time)

  1. What does this passage tell us about who God is?

  2. Why would the people of Athens have an alter dedicated to an “unknown god”? What may they be seeking?

  3. What response does Paul say is necessary after hearing the gospel? (vs29-31)

  4. What do you notice about the responses of the people who hear the gospel in these passages?

    APPLY

  5. We see in Acts that it is a reality that at some point, some may mock in response to the gospel message. How do you feel about this truth? Does this reality impact the way you share Jesus with those around you? Why/Why not?

  6. Read 1 John 5: 19-21:

    19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

    We are called to guard our hearts from idols and to love God more than anything in this world.

    Below are some diagnostic questions to identify what idols you are vulnerable to. Take some time to reflect individually on these questions and come back together and share in pairs or as a group.

    Whom must you please? Whose opinion counts? From whom do you desire approval or fear rejection?

    Where do you find refuge, safety, comfort, and escape?

    What makes you angry…like really angry?

    What do you think about most often? In the morning, to what does your mind drift instinctively? When you are doing a menial task or driving alone in your car, what captures your mind? What is your mindset?

  7. What is one truth about God that you need to reflect on this week to build your trust and dependance on him rather than certain idols in your life? Can you think of a verse that supports this truth that you can remember and hold fast to?

PRAY
Pray that through the Holy Spirit, God would cause you to love Himself and all that He is for us in Christ more than you love anything.

Pray that the Spirit of God would embolden you to share gospel truth this week with all boldness- no matter the response or outcome.