Read:  Acts 26:1-23

Open

“Friendship is a gift.”  Can you share with the group a friendship in your life that you have particularly experienced as a gift given at just the right time?

Dig

In Acts 26 we find Paul describing his life of following Christ.  The sermon’s main premise is that Paul’s life is an example to us of how to follow Christ.  Paul’s life is a template for us that contains four elements.  Let’s examine our own lives to see if they, too, contain these four elements.

1. His conscience was sparked—Paul was convicted by Christ on the Damascus Road (vs. 12-15).  Have you had an experience in your life when you have been powerfully convicted of the fact that all that you were doing that you thought was good and right was really wrong?  How did you come to that realization?  What “sparked” your conscience?

2. His understanding was enlightened—The appearance of the Risen Christ to Paul on the Damascus Road entirely changed Paul’s understanding of God and His purposes.  He went from thinking that he was chasing down “Jews gone bad” to realizing that he was persecuting the Messiah.  How has your experience with Jesus changed your understanding of who God is and who you are?  How has your understanding of Jesus changed in the course of your life?

“Jesus is Lord of everything leads to the adventure of a lifetime.”  Can you testify to the truth of that statement?

3. He surrendered his will—Paul’s response to the Risen Christ is, “What shall I do?”  Christ tells Paul what to do in vs. 16-18 and Paul dedicates the rest of his life to fulfilling that calling.  Can you share an experience where you felt like you were able to surrender your will in order to do God’s will (even if only temporarily)?  What was the result?  Does the thought of surrendering your will to Christ feel like an attractive thing or a terrifying thing to you?  Why?

4. He lived a changed lifestyle—Paul’s life went through a dramatic change after his encounter with Christ.  His lifestyle was radically different.  The form of our encounter is not important.  What matters is the Lord we encounter.  Jonathan Edwards said that the true evidence of a real encounter with Christ is faithful reliance upon Christ and obedience to Him.  How has your lifestyle changed because of Christ’s presence in your life?

Reflect

Can you see these four elements in your life?  Can you see these four elements in each other’s lives?