Acts 17

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

This week’s video is presentation 17 in our study of Acts. In it we review the ongoing work of Christ as it becomes established in churches, such as those in Jerusalem, Corinth, and Ephesus. You can view it by clicking here (scroll down to Lesson 17).

Read and meditate on Acts 19.17-22.
Word about the thrashing of the sons of Sceva provoked fear among the people of Ephesus; but the kind of fear that is necessary if worship, obedience, and discipleship are to follow. They feared the name of Jesus, because of the evident power they saw His name could wield.

For reflection
1.  But rather than turn from Jesus in their fear, they turned to Him in worship. Fearing God and loving Him are both essential for full faith. Why?

2.  The public expression of this wave of fear and worship took two forms. First, believers were shaken to forsake many practices which they knew to be not consistent with the faith, but which they had heretofore continued and concealed. Is this a good thing? Should we nurture fear of God within the Christian community, to help us along the path of righteousness (Heb. 12.3-11)? Explain.

3.  Second, magicians brought the tools of their trade together and burned them, thus dramatically declaring a full and final break from their idolatrous and demonic practices. What does this suggest about the fear of God, the Good News of the Kingdom, and the call to all people everywhere to repent and believe (Acts 17.30)? 

4.  The effect of these two responses was to bolster and spread the Gospel even further. Seeing the progress of the faith, Paul considered that he could leave the churches of Ephesus and Asia in the hands of their leaders, and he determined to push on to visit the churches in Greece. He sent Timothy and Erastus ahead of him to begin making preparations, while he stayed on in Asia for a while to finalize details there. As it turned out, that was nearly a fatal decision. Would you describe Paul as a visionary leader? Why or why not? What makes a person a visionary leader?

5.  The deeper the Gospel penetrates the souls of people, the more dramatic are its effects. It’s pretty clear that many people today who confess faith in Jesus Christ are living a fairly superficial Christian life. If it were not so, would we not expect to see more impact of the Gospel in the social, cultural, and moral arenas of life? We might wonder what it will take to drive the Gospel more deeply into the souls of the faithful – and to rattle those who, to this point, have opposed or denied the faith, preferring instead their own forms of “magic arts.” Whatever it takes, it will be a work of the Spirit, and we should pray for it. Suggest some ways you might pray for the progress of the Gospel in your community.

Summary
The fear of God and love for God are not antithetical affections. They are two sides of the same coin, and, when both are present, the power of the Gospel will be at work. How can you nurture these twin affections in your own walk with and work for the Lord?

Closing Prayer
Will the LORD cast off forever?
And will He be favorable no more?
Has His mercy ceased forever?
Has His promise failed forevermore?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah
And I said, “This is my anguish;
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
I will remember the works of the LORD;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.
Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;
Who is so great a God as our God?
You are the God who does wonders;
You have declared Your strength among the peoples.

Psalm 77.7-14

T. M. Moore

Each week’s studies in Acts are bound together into a free PDF that you can download for personal or group use (click here). Each week also features a video related to the studies of the week, which you may find helpful as you work through our studies in Acts.

Acts is the record of Christ’s ongoing work as King and Lord. This is the work of bringing the Kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven. Read more about the implications of this work in our new book, The Kingdom Turn (click here).

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