Think of your favorite product – it might be a movie, computer, brand of shoes, anything. How did you hear about it? From how many sources and how many times? Was it through professional ads or word of mouth?
What was it like for the apostle Paul to travel around the Roman Empire announcing the good news about the risen Jesus? What drove him to plant new Jesus communities in city after city, and how did people respond to his message? In our third video on the book of Acts, we’ll explore all of this and more.
What stood out to you from the video?
Was anything confusing? Encouraging?
Does it raise any questions you would like to discuss or investigate more?
Have several people take turns reading the passage aloud.
1. How would you have felt if you were with Paul and Barnabas, leaving the community in Antioch, and going out to make Christ known? Scared? Energized? Disappointed?
2. With what types of people do they share?
3. What were some of the barriers they overcame to make the gospel known?
4. What areas of your campus would you say are virtually unreached with the gospel?
5. Read verses 42-45. Why did Paul and Barnabas get invited back to the synagogue?
6. Verse 43 says that many followed Paul and Barnabas. This doesn’t mean that they believed, but that they literally walked after them. Why?
7. As the leaders stirred up trouble, Paul and Barnabas went to the Gentiles and many believed. What's a Gentile? Verse 49 says, “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” How was this accomplished?
8. Let’s say God has set you apart like Paul and Barnabas to reach an area of your campus. Where would you start? What would be your strategy?
9. Come to think of it maybe He has set you apart for that very purpose. 🤔 What would keep you from doing that?
10. Another strategy for exposing many to the gospel is found in 2 Timothy 2:2. Read the passage and explain how this approach would help spread the gospel.
11. Try to avoid a Sunday school answer here, but for you, why is it even worth it? What is it about Jesus that motivates you to put in the effort to tell people about Him?