Study Questions for November 7, 2004

Acts 16:1-40 - Decising-Making and the Will of God

1. After all that the church had gone through over the issue of circumcision, why did Paul decide to circumcise Timothy?
 
2. Does the distinction between growing strong in the faith and growing daily in numbers imply two different strategies for growth?
 
3. How do you suppose the Holy Spirit kept Paul, Timothy, Silas and Luke from preaching the word in the province of Asia?
 
4. What part did the Lord play in the conversion of Lydia, the slave girl, and the jailer?
 
5. How does Paul exemplify “willed passivity” in his decision to evangelize Macedonia, in his encounter with Lydia, in his exorcism of the evil spirit, and in his jail house evangelism?
 
6. What led the jailer to ask, “What must I do to be saved?”
 
7. How did Paul use the system to advance the Gospel? What were some of the practical consequences of claiming the rights of a Roman citizen? How does Paul illustrate Jesus’ admonition to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16)?

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