10 May 2009
Read: Acts 22:1-22
Open
What was the best graduation speech you ever heard? What do you remember from any graduation ceremonies you have been a part of?
Dig
Notice the context of Paul’s speech by reading Acts 21:27-40. His audience has just tried to kill him for defiling the temple (a charge he was not guilty of) by bringing a Gentile into the temple. He then proceeds to share his testimony of how God has called him to bring the good news of God’s Kingdom to the Gentiles (a message that nearly gets him killed a second time).
How would you summarize the “good news” of Ananias’ message to Paul in vs. 14-16? Would you receive such a message as good news? Why or why not?
Do you believe that God has a particular calling for you? What have you discovered about God’s calling on your life? What do you know about His calling on your life? What are you still trying to figure out about this calling?
How have you seen “the Righteous One” in your life? Specifically, how have you seen Jesus through other people? Can you share with us an example of how another person revealed the Risen Christ to you?
Reflect
In the sermon, we noticed that the testimony of Paul was more about his vocation than his salvation. The Good News of the gospel is not merely that we get our sins forgiven and we get to go to heaven (as great as that is!). The Good News is that Jesus has work for us to do for His Kingdom here, today. What work is Jesus calling you to do that lights a passion in you comparable to Paul’s?
If our lives lack that passion to live out that calling then why is that? What keeps us from being energized to do an important work for Christ and His Kingdom?
