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Questions for Reflection and Group Discussion

Read Acts 14:1-23 (ESV):
     Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel. 8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 

1. If you’ve ever experienced miraculous physical healing, or if you know someone who has experienced a supernatural healing from God, share about this with your group. 
2. Graveyards are orderly, but they are full of the dead.  Nurseries are messy, but they are full of life.  What did Phil mean when he said that we want to partner with Jesus “in the nursery” rather than “in the graveyard”?
3. Read Luke 4:18-19, where Jesus says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Read 1 John 3:8: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.  What do these passages add to your understanding of the salvation that Jesus provides?
4. The word for “made well” in Acts 14:9 is literally “to be saved” and can also be translated “to become whole.” Jesus saves people for wholeness.   How would you define the word “wholeness”?   What would wholeness look like for us, our friends, our family, and our community in today’s world?   How can the gospel bring this type of wholeness to our world?
5. Note Paul and Barnabas participated in restoring this man to wholeness; and in a similar way, Jesus invites us to participate with him in restoring wholeness to the world.   Why do you think Jesus invites us to be part of this process?   In our world today, what is Jesus’s role in this process? What might our role look like?
6. What do you notice about Paul and Barnabas’s response to the crowd’s desire to worship them?  What can we learn for our own lives today from their response?
7. Paul and Barnabas refused to participate in receiving God’s glory, but they were willing to participate in Jesus’s suffering.  Read Romans 8:17-18: Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.   I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.   What do you notice in this passage?   
8. Compare Lystra’s myth of Zeus to the New Testament account of Jesus’s life.
9. Talk about some of the ways that you could respond to what Jesus did for you.
10. What did you sense God saying to you through this passage and this message?