Bible Study: June 11, 2020

Acts 13

Paul's Missionary Journey

June, 2020

Our Weekly Bible Study begins with us reading the assigned scripture ahead of time and preparing our hearts for study and discussion. When we meet (virtually or in person) we first read the scripture as a group, and then take turns sharing and discussing what impacted us the most, and our general interpretation of what we read.

Making Notes as we go through Bible Study is always encouraged, as it helps to increase our understanding of what we have read, and also allows us to become more comfortable and familiar with the Bible.

To make participation easier and more memorable for our younger children, we will include a link to Storybook Bible images of the readings whenever these are available.

This week’s virtual Bible Study focused on Acts 13. After praying and reading through the chapters, we discussed the verses at length, and shared our personal views on what we had read.

Highlights:

The focus has now shifted from Peter, whom we have been discussing, to Paul and his missionary journey.
We discussed Paul’s encounter with the false prophet Elymas, (who was also known as Bar-jesus) and were reminded how many such individuals still exist today. We must always be on our guard to ensure that we are not pulled away from our desire to seek and serve Christ. Paul’s excellent knowledge of the Word allowed him to recognize and handle this false prophet and all the other situations he encountered on his missions with ease; a reminder to us all that studying and knowing the Word is critical so that we can use and apply it in our daily lives.
There will always be opposition to the Word of God, and we must address this through the power of the Holy Spirit, not through our own emotions.
Verse 48 is important to understand, as it represents the concept of predestination:“..and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed”. This verse tells us that God is sovereign, and He therefore knew ahead of time who would genuinely receive the gift of salvation, and who would truly believe. (We then looked at Romans 8:29, as this verse also refers to predestination). We were reminded that predestination does not mean that we are hopelessly condemned to hell; salvation is a gift that is available to all, but it is a choice that we must make, and our sovereign God knows who will and who won’t make the right choice. (Predestination is not the same as predetermination).
Religion and religious rituals vs. God’s Truth
We are saved to serve and to eventually be sent. We all have a unique purpose and we must seek and know this purpose. Prior to being sent, however, we must serve and know the Word.
God’s will must be sought and followed in all things. Even when we are in God’s will, there is still going to be opposition. Paul himself encountered this many times as we see in this chapter. If we are in God’s will, however, all things work for our good (“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28).