Good News for All People (Bible Study)
9:30am Discussion
Who here likes sharing Good News?
What do you think the best news you could share would be? (Without fundamentally changing people or the world?)
Acts 8:1-4: In the midst of persecution, why do you think these disciples could still share the word of God as good news?
5-8: Why do you think these Samaritans would respond with rejoicing?
8-25: Why did Peter respond to Simon in this way? Why was Jesus not good news for him, yet?
25-40: Why did the Ethiopian respond with rejoicing?
How could this news of Jesus be the best news for us?
Readings: Acts 8:1-25, Acts 8:26-40
Acts 8:1-25
Vs 1 - Why did Saul approve of the killing? Why does it matter to them and to us?
Why did the persecution break out against the church? What did people hold against them?
Was this a result of what Stephen said or did? Or what they did to him? (Similar to in for an inch in for a pound?)
Why were the apostles able to stay?
Who were the others?
What was the result of their being spread throughout all of Judea and Samaria? (look ahead vs. 4-5)
Vs. 2 - Who were these Godly men? Why did they mourn deeply?
Why is it important how they buried Stephen?
Vs. 3 - How could Saul destroy the church? And why would he? How does he have the authority to take them and put them into prison?
Why was he so diligent and mathematical about his search? Why would he go into houses? Why would he take both men and women?
Does this relate at all to modern resistance to the church/faith?
Vs. 4 - How did God use their scattering? Why do you think these new disciples were empowered/able to proclaim God’s word?
Does scattered in this context mean isolated? Are we ever really alone in our faith?
Vs. 5 - Where did Philip appear before this in Acts? What was the task/role given to him? - What does this tell us about every ministry of faith?
What is significant about Philip going to Samaria? (Remember Samaria practiced a different kind of Judaism, believing God should be worshipped on the mountain instead of the temple and were often isolated for it)
Vs. 6 - Why did they pay more attention to Philip? Why are his words and signs significant?
How should we respond to such words and signs? Are we watching for them?
Vs. 7 - What do the signs of exorcism, and healing mean/point to?
Vs. 8 - Why would Philip’s appearance and work lead to great joy?
Why didn’t it lead to joy for all those Jesus spoke to? Or for Stephen and the disciples? What does this tell us about our receptivity to the gospel?
Vs. 9 - What did this sorcery look like? Was there real power behind it or was it trickery? Where did the power come from?
Why would he need to boast? Why would he?
Vs. 10-11 - We see here a bit of a comparison between Philip and Simon. What is the difference?
What did Simon’s actions point to? Why was he called the power of God?
Vs. 12-13 - What does it mean that they then started following Jesus instead? What does their baptism mean?
Why is it significant that even Simon started following and was astonished?
Vs. 14 - How did they hear about what was happening?
Why would they send Peter and John?
Vs.15-17 - Why had they not yet received the Holy Spirit? Why in this context is baptism not enough? Was it important that the apostles do this work?
Vs. 18-19 - Why did Simon think this was something that could be bought?
Vs. 20-23 - What does Peter see in Simon?
Why was his heart not right before God? What was his wickedness?
Vs. 24 - Why is Simon so afraid? Why are both Peter’s statement and Simon’s response important? What is Simon’s response lacking?
Vs. 25 - Why did Peter and John go back to Jerusalem? What did they do on the way?
How can our work as Christians often be on the journey and not just the destination? What can we do to help this work along the way?
Acts 8:26-40
Vs. 26 - Why would an angel speak to Philip? Is it possible an angel has spoken to you and you never perceived it?
Vs 27 - What was significant about the person Philip met along the way? What does God leading Philip to this man mean about/for the gospel?
Why would an Ethiopian come all the way to Jerusalem to worship?
Vs. 28 - How would the Jewish faith and Isaiah’s work make it all the way to Ethiopia?
Vs. 29 - Why would Philip need this extra prompting?
Vs. 30 - Why would Philip run?
Why was Philip’s question a good place to start? How might understanding be a good place for us or others to start?
Vs. 31 - How is the Ethiopian’s response significant to the gospel and our sharing of faith?
Why is it an appropriate response?
Vs. 32-33 - Why might this passage be significant to the Ethiopian Eunuch?
Why would someone not open their mouth when led to slaughter?
Vs. 34-35 - Who was Isaiah talking about? Why was this significant to Isaiah too? (Remember Isaiah was a prophet who witnessed to Jerusalem turning away from God, their exile in Babylon and Assyria and God’s promise of redemption)
What is the gospel/good news of Jesus to you? How does this passage relate?
Vs. 36-37 - Why would the Eunuch want to be baptized? Why was it so important that he wanted it done right away?
Would/should anything stand in the way of his being baptized? Why are their responses important?
Vs. 38-39 What does it mean that the chariot had been moving this whole time? What would this have done for Philip? What does this tell us about our faith journey with others?
Why would the Spirit take away Philip as the Eunuch comes out of the water?
Why did the Ethiopians go on rejoicing?
Vs. 40 - Why is this extra detail about where Philip appeared and preached important?
