Bible Discussion — Acts 27-28

December 3, 2008, 12:30 pm; posted by
Filed under Bible, Connie, David, Josh J, Steve  | No Comments

This week, Bweinh.com moves on to the final two chapters of Acts!

PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS:
Genesis: 1-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-18 | 19-22 | 23-26
27-29 | 30-32 | 33-36 | 37-39 | 40-43 | 44-46 | 47-50
Exodus: 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-11 | 12-14 | 15-18
19-22 | 23-26 | 27-30 | 31-34 | 35-40
Romans: Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 (I)
Ch. 8 (II) | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 | Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13 | Ch. 14 | Ch. 15-16
Luke: 1:1-38 | 1:39-2:40 | 2:41-3:38 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
11 | 12 | 13 | 14-15 | 16-17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
Esther: 1-2 | 3-5 | 6-8 | 9-10
Acts: 1 | 2 | 3-4 | 5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9-10 | 11-12 | 13-14
15-16 | 17-18 | 19-20 | 21-22 | 23-24 | 25-26

 
INTRODUCTION:
Connie:
Paul’s voyage and arrival at Rome are chronicled in these final two chapters: it’s exciting stuff.

David:
The life of Paul, as recorded in the Bible, ends with the book of Acts — but his doctrine fills the rest of the New Testament.

 
SOMETHING YOU’D NEVER NOTICED BEFORE:
Josh:
The ships of the time were big enough to hold 276 men, plus provisions.

Connie:
Even then, they named the differnt weather phenomena. One of the winds that gave them trouble on the voyage was called Euroclydon.

David:
When the angel appears to Paul during the storm, he specifically mentions the need for Paul to testify to Caesar. How important was this one mission? Everything in the last half-dozen chapters has pointed to it as inevitable and inescapable.

 
BEST BAND NAME FROM THE PASSAGE:
David: Publius
Josh: Twenty Fathoms; The Shipwreck
Connie: Euroclydon
Steve: To the Lee

 
STORY IT REMINDS YOU OF:
Steve:
Paul actually gives the crew a little “I told you so” in the midst of the trouble at sea. Fortunately he avoids a Jonah moment by following it up with the encouragement that God told him everyone would be saved.

Josh:
The fascination the people of Malta had with Paul reminds me a bit of the Ewoks with C3PO.

 
DEEP THEOLOGICAL MEANING:
David:
Paul\’s willingness to go anywhere and preach to anyone is the model for our lives. Wherever he went, he was an ambassador for Christ, a healer and a miracle worker. Whatever needed to be done.

 
RANDOM THOUGHT:
Steve:
In these days of instant communication all over the world, it’s fascinating to remember that most of human history took place in a world like Paul’s: where what aroused great passion in Jerusalem may have yet been unheard in Rome.

David:
I have always loved how the inhabitants of the barbarous island declared Paul a murderer when the snake bit him, then a god once he survived. Isn\’t that how life is? They’ll either worship you or crucify you, but they can\’t understand the concept of a man just serving God.

 
VERSE TO REMEMBER:
Josh:
28:23 — “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.”

Steve:
28:28 — “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”

Connie:
27:25 — “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.”

 
LESSON TO TAKE AWAY:
Steve:
We have the same Spirit that led, guided, and protected Paul. When we make ourselves available for His use, we have every reason to believe He’ll do the same for us.

Josh:
Discernment can be a funny thing. When it comes to when to set sail, it certainly seems more logical to listen to the owner of a boat than a prisoner that boat is transporting. It\’s easy to see the truth in hindsight, but to make the right choice at the time sometimes takes the courage to defy the logical.

 
GENERAL RESPONSE TO THE PASSAGE:
Connie:
The enemy really tried to keep Paul from his task of sharing salvation with the Romans. What keeps you from evangelism? Storms, shipwrecks, death sentences, snake attacks? We don’t have as much opposition as we think.

David:
For all the importance of Paul’s testimony to Caesar, the narrative ends without an account of it. Strange.

 
CONCLUSION:
Steve:
And thus ends the story of how a handful of disappointed believers overcame what seemed to be the loss of their teacher, savior, and friend — and forever changed the course of human history.

But then, that story’s not really over, is it?


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