Study Questions- Acts #9
The Gospel Brings Peace
Acts 9:1-31
INTRODUCTION: Other than Jesus, there is no more recognizable figure in the NT than the Apostle Paul. We are first introduced to him in chapter 7 when Luke tells us that he was present for Stephen’s murder. Then, Luke continues in chapter 8 by telling us that Saul (Paul) continued to breathe threats on the church and carried off men and women who professed Christ. So then, it is no wonder that his conversion is surely one of the major events in Acts, as it is told three different times, each time with fresh detail (Acts 9 in the third person; 22:3–16 and 26:4–18, both in the first person. Fitzmyer commenting on his conversion, correctly argues that this is a commission account in the mold of the OT prophets.[1] Why? Well, for starters, Paul will have a dramatic vision and then direct calling from the Lord on the road to Damascus. And second, what God purposed to do through the prophets, that is, call Israel back to righteousness and then through a restored Israel bring peace to the nations, He is doing through Jesus. And Paul will now declare that offer of new life and peace to the nations. His conversion and call is the beginning of that journey. In his conversion, we see the power of peace through the gospel. It brings us peace with God, peace in Christian community, and peace in the most turbulent of times. In Paul’s story, what is undeniable is that, wherever the gospel is declared, it brings peace.
GETTING STARTED – In Phil. 4:6, Paul tells us that the peace that passes all understanding comes from Jesus and will guard your heart and mind. That is a sense of peace or contentment that was not from you and enabled your heart and mind to be at ease. As you begin your time as a group, talk about a time in your life that you had peace, even in a turbulent time. At what point in that situation did you sense or feel at peace? What was the resolution to the situation? How did you see God’s hand on it?
IN THE WORD – Let’s dig back into the passage. It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.
First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)
Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.
Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?
Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?
[1] Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 350.