Sovereignly United

Sovereignly United Pastor Greg Stansel Acts 21:17 – 22:29 October 16, 2022 Snap shot: The Lord sovereignly works to unite the church in every situation through the Gospel. I. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God (21:39–22:21) II. The Unifying Effect of the Gospel (21:17–26) III. Oppositions that Seek to Divide Gospel Unity (21:20b, 21, 27–38; 22:22) IV. God’s Sovereign Hand in Uniting the Church (22:23–29) Connect How have you seen the gospel unite that which seemed opposed? Study Point 1: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God (21:39–22:21) READ - There was a lot of material covered in the sermon, so we are just going to stick to the sermon passage this week for the study. Read the passages in the parenthesis with each point. 1) Why is it important for Paul to define himself as a Jew? How does his Jewish background play into the gospel message? Spend some time walking through Paul’s recount of his Damascus road event and discussing how he is unfolding the gospel message. What was unique to only Paul and why is understanding this important? 2) What part of the gospel presentation got the listeners upset? What does this communicate about their understanding of the gospel? Are there people that come to salvation that you have a hard time celebrating? Do you believe God can still do great things among the unlikely today? What struggles do you have? Point 2: The Unifying Effect of the Gospel (21:17–26) 3) In these verses, how do you see the opposite effect of the gospel from the passage you read in the previous point? Point out and discuss the ways you see the gospel unifying the church. What are some things you need to do to help display the unifying effect of the gospel in your life and in the church? 4) How can Paul “observe the law” when Christ sets us free from the law? How would a situation in our life possibly mirror what Paul does in this passage? What would it look like in your life for you to give up a freedom to help others in the church not be hindered by you or distracted from the gospel? Point 3: Oppositions that Seek to Divide Gospel Unity (21:20b, 21, 27–38; 22:22) 5) How could the problem with the gossip about Paul in the Jerusalem church become something that divided gospel unity? Were the accusations true? Did Paul defend himself? What did Paul do? 6) What oppositions did the Asian Jews present? How could these oppositions taint the Jerusalem church’s unity with the universal church? What are some oppositions that seek to divide gospel unity in the church today (locally and universally)? Point 4: God’s Sovereign Hand in Uniting the Church (22:23–29) 7) How do you see God’s sovereignty throughout this passage and the entire scene? We are not told that any of the Jews in Jerusalem turned to Jesus, so what was the purpose of this trip? 8) How do you see God’s sovereign hand in uniting the church today? How does God’s sovereignty in the plan of redemption help you live out the Gospel day by day? Pray the passage Spend time praying from the reality of the Gospel and how the Lord is saving His people to the ends of the earth. Spend time praying for and rejoicing in the unity the gospel brings. Spend time praying against oppositions inside and outside the church that seek to discredit the gospel. Spend time worshipping the Lord for His sovereign hand accomplishing exactly what He set forth from before the foundations of the earth in the story of the gospel. Memorize & Meditate “[The mystery of Christ] is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Preparing for next week Read: Acts 22:30 – 23:11 Ask: questions of the text. Pray: through text, for Pastor as he prepares, for your heart to hear, for the congregation to hear, for all of us to be obedient.