ACTS - WEEK 18

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Note for Leaders: In this passage we see Paul and his companions trust deeply in the work of the Holy Spirit and display immense joy in the gospel despite dire circumstances. A possible response for your group this week could be to sing songs of praise and worship. If you yourself or someone in your group can play guitar and lead your group in singing, try this week ending the study with a time of singing. Give whoever is leading you a day or two to prepare.

READ ACTS 16: 6-24


6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district[a] of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

  1. What does this passage tell us about Gods character?

  2. What is Paul’s continued mission/aim throughout his travels?

  3. In what different ways do we see the Holy Spirit work in this passage?

  4. If you were in Paul and Silas position in verse 19-24 what possible doubts or questions would you have about God’s supremacy and control?

READ ACTS 16:25-34

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

  1. What stands out to you from the passage?

  2. Why are Paul and Silas singing people, particularly while in prison? What truths would lead them to sing in this situation?

  3. How does the response of the jailer compare with the response of Lydia, the female slave and her family?

  4. Though they were arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for doing good, Paul and Silas were filled with joy, and sang praises to God. Have you had an experience where you were filled with joy or praised God while in the midst of trial or suffering? What led you to praise and worship?


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  5. In what areas of life are you prone to lean on your own understanding rather than depending on God and his Spirit? (In telling people about God, work, friendships/relationships, money, living arrangements ect)

  6. What might it look like for you to ‘keep in step with the Spirit.’ (Galatians 5:25)

  7. What are some gospel truths that you may need to be meditating on/remembering this week to grow in the joy of the Lord?

PRAY
Pray that we would be a joy-filled, Spirit led people. Respond in song if you have organised.