Gathering

  1. What was the largest city you have ever visited or lived in? Describe some of your impressions and experiences or share a memorable story from that place.

 

Backstory

Located in Greece with good harbors, Old Corinth was a large, important city of the Roman Empire. Romans, Greeks, and Jews lived there, as well as numerous other nationalities brought there by trade. Paul came to Corinth via Athens (Acts 17:16-34) to complete the last leg of his third missionary journey (A.D. 53-57). At this time, Paul was a self-supporting or bi-vocational missionary, free to travel and get paid as a tentmaker. Whereas Athens was a secular university town, Corinth was then a hub of Jewish religious belief, as well as Greek philosophy and pagan culture. The latter was so notorious that “to Corinthianize” came to mean the practice of sexual immorality.

 

God’s Story

As you read Acts 18:1-17, pay attention to all the references to work and witness, chaos and crisis.

 

Finding My Story in God’s Story 

  1. If you had to move to a new city, where would you go to begin to connect with others?
    • A local realtor’s office.
    • A like-minded church.
    • A local coffeeshop.
    • On-line.
    • Other __________.

 

  1. How did Paul begin to immerse himself in the life of Corinth?
    • He asked people on the street where he could find work as a tentmaker.
    • He went to the local synagogue every Saturday to worship and meet people.
    • He searched for a place to live and chatted with the people in the marketplace.
    • When Jews at the synagogue opposed him, he visited homes, lecture halls, hotspots.
    • Other __________.

 

  1. What did Paul do when he met resistance to his message from other Jews in the synagogue?
    • He used every argument imaginable to persuade them.
    • He clammed up, picked up his tent stakes and moved on.
    • Angry at his opponents, he looked for others more welcoming.
    • He received a vision of the Lord, who encouraged him to persevere.
    • Other __________.

 

  1. Given Paul was a Jew and a Roman citizen, and he made no money from his preaching and that his message was Good News, why then seek to have him arrested by the city authorities?
    • They judged that Paul had broken God’s commandments.
    • They were jealous of Paul’s success.
    • They thought that Paul was misleading others with his preaching.
    • They were desperate to find a way to stop Paul.
    • Other __________.

 

Our Story

  1. In your job or business, what chaos or conflict have you witnessed that triggered a mid-life crisis or radical re-evaluation of what you were doing and where you were heading?

 

  1. Paul had key colleagues in ministry, companions on the journey, and friends in high places—all to provide encouragement, comfort, and cover in the face of severe opposition. Who have been your “Priscilla and Aquilla” (co-workers)?

 

… your “Silas and Timothy” (companions or comforters)?

 

… your “Gallio” (friends in high places)?

 

  1. How can your group be that for you, in providing lifelines of encouragement, comfort, and cover in the face of opposition? Close in prayer about those lifelines and taking next steps of obedience that you identified in the previous questions.