Notes for my weekly Bible Study group.
Resources
- Acts overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
- Reading Guide
- Teaching Notes (PDF)
- Video
Overview
- Paul is before the council giving testimony. The high priest tells his people to smack Paul in the mouth for what he was saying. Paul calls him a hypocrite but later apologizes since Christians aren’t supposed to speak badly about their leaders.
- The Pharisees and the Sadducees in the council argue with each other since some of them agreed with Paul and others didn’t. Paul admits he was a Pharisee and the Pharisees believed in resurrection of the dead but the Sadducees did not.
- The Pharisees and the Sadducees in the council argue with each other since some of them agreed with Paul and others didn’t.
- The Roman commander removed Paul to the barracks to keep him from being torn apart by the crowd.
- Later that evening God tells Paul that his next assignment would be to testify about God in Rome. Paul wasn’t sure how he would get there since he was in jail. Despite this, Paul was fully invested in the Holy Spirit and trusted in God’s plans. Paul had no doubt that he would somehow get to Rome to finish his teachings. If God promises something He will always be faithful to His promise. Always trust in God.
- The next day the Roman commander sets up a small army to escort Paul all the way to his next destination safely. This fulfilled God’s promise to travel to his next city.
- There are four principles to learn from Acts:
- PRINCIPLE #1: We must be fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:21; 20:22–24; 21:10–14; 22:30—23:1)
- PRINCIPLE #2: Once we’ve fully surrendered, we must learn how to handle friendly fire. (Acts 23:2–5; John 15:26—16:4)
- Paul responded to Ananias’s attack on him with logic and information because he didn’t realize Ananias was the high priest. When he did, Paul responded humbly, acknowledging his response was not in accordance with God’s Law.
- PRINCIPLE #3: You must know your divine purpose amongst great opposition. (Acts 23:6–10; John 18:37)
- PRINCIPLE #4: We must fully trust in God’s promise and provision. (Acts 23:16, 23; Joshua 21:45; 1 Samuel 3:19)
