THE BOOK OF ACTS: Week 12 – Aug. 18-Aug. 24
Acts 23-24 How does Paul live & speak of “the way”?
Is this the lowest and longest two years in Paul’s life and ministry? Yet does Paul’s light and witness shine most brightly here?
- Acts 23:1-23:11 Paul speaks to the Council and receives a vision that he will testify in Rome
- Acts 23:12-22 Conspiracy to kill Paul
- Acts 23:23-30 The tribune sends Paul to Felix the governor
- Acts 24:1-9 Caesarea – speech of Tertullus the lawyer of the high priest
- Acts 24:10-23 Paul’s reply before Felix
- Acts 24:24-27 Two years of conversations & waiting for a bribe
Chapter 23: Suspense and Conspiracy
How does Paul use the “Law” card against the high priest Ananias? How does Paul use the “Pharisee” card to confuse the Jewish Council? What do you think the message from the Lord that night in prison meant to Paul? An encouragement? A warning? Direction? Does it surprise you that the Lord says Paul is headed for Rome?
How is Roman law turning out to be a protection for Paul?
Action Plan: Check out Texas Impact (https://texasimpact.org/), a partner of the Southwestern Texas Synod, and the kinds of legislation that is advocated for based on ecumenical and interfaith values. Are there laws you would like to see passed that would provide protection for people in our community?
Chapter 24: Passing Time in Prison
Governor Felix’s help for Paul fizzles. What motivates Felix? If you were Paul, what might you be feeling/thinking at the end of this chapter?
Paul seems to have plenty of access to visitors while he is in prison. What do you suspect that Paul is doing with his time?
It is possible that some of Paul’s letters in our New Testament could have been written at this time. Read Philippians 1:12-18 to find out how Paul viewed time in prison. (We are unsure which imprisonment is referred to here.)
Action Plan: Dietrich Bonhoffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church. He was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Hitler's euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo, imprisoned at Tegel prison for one and a half years, transferred to a Nazi concentration camp and executed. While in prison, he wrote letters. Go to this web address to read quotes from his prison writings (in English): https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1153999-widerstand-und-ergebung-briefe-und-aufzeichnungen-aus-der-haft
