NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Explore the Bible curriculum.
Bible Passage: Acts 14:11-23
Discussion Questions:
— What differing opinions about Jesus are commonly heard today?
— How can we point out God’s work and actions to others?
— What helps you remain steadfast in your trust in God when difficulties arise?
Food for thought:
What is the most volatile subject in modern society? Many would say politics. Perhaps the greatest dividing line in history has been the nature of Jesus. Was He merely a healer and teacher, or is He indeed the Son of God and only Savior? Jesus warned His disciples that even families would be divided by their faith or lack of faith in Him (Matthew 10:21-22).
In Acts 14, we read of the final stop in Paul’s first missionary journey. After being expelled from Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas traveled east to Iconium. And again, unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentile population against them. So the team moved south to Lystra.
Lystra was filled with superstitious and idolatrous people. When Paul healed a lame man, the people assumed they were gods in human form. The Lystrans proclaimed that Paul was Hermes, the messenger of the gods. They believed Barnabas was Zeus, the supreme deity of the Greek pantheon. Ultimately, a pagan priest brought out a bull to sacrifice to them.
Once the missionaries realized what was going on, they “rushed into the crowd” (Acts 14:14) to stop them. Paul assured the Lystrans that they were humans just like them. Paul also challenged the people to turn from “worthless things to the living God” (v. 15). He noted that only the one, true God created everything and as such, was worthy of worship. Despite Paul’s message, the crowd was barely restrained from offering sacrifices to the missionaries.
After expelling Paul and Barnabas, Jews from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium followed the two more than 100 miles to a new ministry field. Despite Lystra being a predominantly Greek community, the Jews stirred up the crowd, seeming to arrive just as Paul and Barnabas were trying to calm the city’s fervor. The Jews took the lead in stoning Paul. Assuming he was dead, they dragged him outside the city. Amazingly, he recovered and boldly walked back to Lystra.
After leaving Lystra, Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe (v. 20). They were well received there, and that receptive atmosphere yielded fruit. Paul developed a close relationship with this church (see Acts 16:1; 18:23). Leaving Derbe, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps, appointing leaders in the churches they had helped establish. They ended this first missionary journey confident that their “hardships” were necessary to fulfill the Great Commission.
Explore the Bible
Explore the Bible is an ongoing Bible study curriculum that helps groups dig into the key truths of each Bible book, while keeping the group on pace to study through the Bible books in a systematic way. More information can be found at Lifeway.com/ExploreTheBible.
Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by Lifeway can be found at Lifeway.com/SundaySchool and Lifeway.com.
