THE BOOK OF ACTS: Week 13 – Aug. 25-Aug. 31
Acts 25-26: What does Paul emphasize in his speeches?
These two chapters take us through the turning point. Paul will go to Rome, and his will is to witness!
- Acts 25:1-7 Festus becomes governor and appeal of chief priests & leaders of Jews
- Acts 25:8-12 Paul appeals to Rome
- Acts 25:13-27 King Agrippa II invited to add to the charge
- Acts 26:1-23 Paul’s speech before King Agrippa II
- Acts 26:24-32 Paul’s urge to become a Christian and the king & governor’s
Chapter 25: An Appeal to the Emperor
How does Paul’s appeal to the emperor thwart the plans of the religious leaders in Jerusalem? What strange irony surfaces when governmental law must protect innocent persons from an unjust interpretation of religious law?
Paul has not yet given a defense to Festus or to Agrippa. Imagine visiting with Paul in prison on the night before Paul appears before Agrippa and Festus. What do you think the two of you would pray about? How do you think Paul is going to handle the situation: by defending himself from the accusations of religious leaders or by sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ?
Action Plan: In 1521 Martin Luther was ordered to appear at the Diet of Worms to defend his writing before Emperor Charles the V and representatives sent from the Pope in Rome. Rent the 2003 movie “Luther” or watch it on youtube here: (https://youtu.be/WIx82PuGfTk?si=OWMzhOu4C_2HUCm0).What are the similarities and differences in Paul’s and Luther’s situations?
Chapter 26:
Much of this chapter is Paul’s defense before the Roman governor Festus and King Agrippa and Bernice. Did Paul handle the situation the way you were expecting at the end of the previous chapter?
If you were a visitor in the audience hall hearing Paul and his message about Jesus for the first time, what would make you curious to hear more?
Is there anything that you would have liked to happen in this chapter’s scene that didn’t?
How does the fact that people might not respond positively to the gospel message makes it harder for us to be willing to talk about Christ to others? What gives us courage to speak up anyway.
Action Plan: Schedule a time with a participant who is reading Acts to each share a story about an experience of God in your faith life: how God called you to a task or helped you in a situation or used you in service or a time when God changed you in some way. What did you learn about each other?
