Jeremy Hoover

This is the devotional guide for October 16-22, 2011. In it, I've focused on the theme of baptism. As you go through this week, you'll learn both why we are baptized and what happens when we are baptized.

The theme for this guide is how we participate in God's mission: what does God expect and desire from us? Readings, questions and prayer foci are from Psalm 119:49-72, Acts 8:1-4, Romans 12:9-21, Hebrews 13:1-3, and Matthew 25:31-46.

As always, if you find this useful, please share it with others.

Context: Paul has exhausted his legal defenses in Judea and still no charges were found against him. But because he had appealed to Caesar, he was sent to Rome.

Sailing (27:1-12)

1. Who else is with Paul? (1)
2. Was Paul treated like a prisoner by the guard? (3)
3. What favorable treatment did the guard give Paul?
4. How did Paul need to be cared for? (3)
5. How is the shipwreck foreshadowed in this section? (see vs. 4, 7-8, 9, 12)
6. What does the reference to "the Fast" have to do with their travel plans? (9)
7. What was Paul's message? How was it received? (10-11)
8. How is Paul being presented? (10; cp. 21, 24-25, 34, 44)

Storm (27:13-38)

1. Why did the crew decide to set sail again from Phoenix? (13)
2. What difficulties did they face on this journey? (14-20)
3. How severe did things get? (20-21)
4. How did Paul seek to influence the crew? (21-26)
5. What did Paul promise them? (22)
6. How did Paul encourage them? (23-24)
7. How did Paul evangelize them? (23)
8. What is the reason given why they--through Paul--will be saved? (24-25)
9. Why must they shipwreck? (26)
10. What similarities and differences exist between Paul in a storm at sea and Jonah?
11. Why was the salvation of the centurion and the others contingent on the sailors not escaping? (31)
12. What scene is Paul's provision of food like? (35) Is this deliberate on Luke's part?

Shipwreck (27:39-44)

1. What was the plan to deal with the ship? How did the plan work? (41)
2. Why did the centurion wish to save Paul's life? (43)
3. Was the word of God through Paul fulfilled? (44) Why is this important?

Themes for application

1. In this story, how is God's word delivered? What is required upon hearing God's word?
2. What do you learn about evangelism or discipleship from this story?
3. What are the different ways God's word and sovereignty worked along with human action?
4. What did you learn in this lesson that we should pray about?

Acts 22

Paul's Defense Before the Jews in Jerusalem (1-21)
1. What are some signs of Paul's zealousness for God before his conversion (3-5)?
2. How does Paul describe his conversion (6-11)?
3. What did Ananias relate as the substance of Paul's ministry (12-16)?
4. What were the elements of Paul's conversion (16)?
5. What is Paul's testimony about the word he received from the Lord (17-21)?

Aftermath (22-29)
1. At what point did the people become angry? Why? (22)
2. What did they propose to do with Paul (23-24)?
3. What response did this lead to by the Roman authorities, and what controversy was created by this (23-29)?

Acts 23

Paul Before the Jews, Part 2 (22:30-23:11)
1. What did the tribune do the next day? Why? (22:30)
2. What controversy occurred between the high priest and Paul? Who was obedient to the law? Did Paul really not know who the high priest was? What else could this mean? (23:1-5)
3. How did Paul play the Pharisees and Sadducees against each other? What did this say about the charges against him? (6-10)
4. What did Paul's vision foretell? (11)

The Plot to Kill Paul (23:12-35)
1. Who was complicit in this conspiracy (12-15)?
2. How was Paul's assassination avoided? (16-22)
3. How did Lysias handle Pau? (23-35)
4. What does Lysias' letter to Felix say about the charges against Paul (26-30)?
5. What is Paul's fate as this chapter ends? (34)

Paul's speech to the Ephesian elders is designed to instruct the hearers in Christian values. Through an explanation and defense of his ministry, and through exhortations to the elders, the hearers learn the values that Paul desires them to learn. Specifically, hearers are to imitate Paul and his activity (20:35). When Paul summarizes his speech by connecting himself to the activity and teaching of Jesus (20:35), he ties those who imitate him as he imitates Christ to the larger story of Christ.

But what in Paul's speech can be imitated?

1. Paul provides an outline of his life and activity (20:18-23, 26-27, 33-35).
2. Paul predicts his own future (20:22-25).
3. Paul predicts what will happen to the church after he is gone (20:28-30).
4. Paul provides exhortation on how to act after he is gone (20:28, 31).

Within this outline, Paul provides several examples of his own activity that can be imitated by others.

1. Openness in proclamation (20:20).
2. Disclosure of all God's will (20:27).
3. Constant teaching (20:31).
4. Financial integrity (20:33-34).
5. Humility (20:19).
6. Devotion to the ministry even in the face of trials (20:23-24).
7. Support the weak (20:35).

By following these exhortations, we can imitate Paul, who himself imitates Christ.

Q: What does this speech teach about Christian living?
Q: What does this speech teach about shepherding?
Q: How could this church encourage people to live out these values?

Study Notes
The entirety of chapter 19 takes place in Ephesus and demonstrates to us the power of God that is at work in Paul. In Ephesus, which was both an important geographic location and an important theological location for the church, Paul begins the church, preaches at length to both Jews and Gentiles, and demonstrates God's power over magic through his preaching and person.

19:1-7
By now, many of these events are typical rather than unique to Paul's missionary activity in a city, with just a few minor exceptions. As he arrives, we would expect him to go to a synagogue, which he does, but only after he meets these twelve disciples of John the Baptist who are flourishing all the way from Judea in Ephesus.

Paul's emphasis with these believers is whether they received the Holy Spirit. This can be taken in two ways--since they had not yet been baptized into Jesus, it's possible that Paul is referring to the actual Holy Spirit itself (Acts 2:38-39). However, since it could also refer to the powers of the Holy Spirit which is most often given in Acts through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17), and which these disciples receive when Paul lays his hands on them after their baptisms into Jesus.

That there are "about twelve" of them is important; because Ephesus was such an important location in the ancient world, this number symbolically represents the completion of spiritual Israel among the Gentiles, much like the twelve apostles symbolically represent the completion of the nation of Israel among Jews.

19:8-10
This is a typical action of Paul--when he arrived in a city he went to the synagogue and preached. When he faced opposition, he left. In this case, when opposition arose, he left and went to a famous lecture hall where he could teach daily, and it became a base of operations for him for two years, so much so that Luke can summarize this period of time by saying that "all" the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord.

19:11-22
This section demonstrates the power of God against magic that is at work in and through Paul's preaching and person. God is more powerful than magic. This is shown in three different ways--Paul's body has power from God such that clothing items that merely touch Paul are able to heal people and exorcise demons; demons themselves know who Paul is; many burn their magic scrolls in light of Paul's presence among them. Through Paul's ministry, this is a sound victory for God over the demonic forces that were present in Ephesus.

This section also concludes with Paul resolving to go to Jerusalem (which will bring with it much trial for him), much like Jesus resolved to do so in Luke's gospel (Luke 9:51).

19:23-41
This final section details another typical event in Paul's ministry in a city--a disturbance of some kind breaks out! In this case, it's a riot, instigated by a man (Demetrius) who stands to lose a lot if people turn from idolatry to the living God. He points out to the crowd that many of them who deal in the creation of idols will lose their businesses if this message takes hold. Of course, this ultimately leads to a riot, but with a twist. Paul is nowhere to be found during this riot because the disciples won't let him go to where the people are. Instead, a town clerk recognizes that the accusations don't have any merit to them! He calmly dismisses the crowd and the riot is over. This action by the clerk shows the integrity of the gospel and Paul's message, that it cannot be undermined by false accusations.

Study Questions
1. In 19:1-7, Paul's emphasis is on the Holy Spirit, not baptism. Why?

2. How could these believers be believers without even knowing there is a Holy Spirit? On what basis does one become a believer?

3. When were these believers baptized into Jesus? What mode of the Spirit did they receive? How did they receive the Spirit?

4. Why does Luke mention that there were "about twelve" of these disciples?

5. How long did Paul preach in Ephesus? (19:8-10)

6. In what three ways is the power of God demonstrated over magic in Ephesus? (19:11-20)

7. Why was Demetrius upset? What charges did he seek against Paul? How did the crowd get worked up? How did the crowd finally settle down? (19:23-40)

8. What applications can you take from this chapter?

In this 6 minute audio reflection, I look at passages in Deuteronomy and Acts to show that God has always wanted his people to be neighborly towards each other: serving, working together, and taking care of the needy among them.