SESSION 6 WHERE DO YOU FEEL MOST SAFE? GOING OUT THE POINT ENGAGING OTHERS WITH THE GOSPEL MEANS GOING WHERE THEY ARE. ACTS 16:6-15 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, Cross over to Macedonia and help us! 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house. And she persuaded us. 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down 44 SESSION 6
ENGAGE (15 MINUTES) LEAD OPTION 1 Ask students to split into groups of three. Have each group identify different areas or people they should engage with the gospel. Encourage the students to follow up on their discussion throughout the week. Say, If we love Jesus, we should be willing to go out into the world to share the gospel. LEAD OPTION 2 Place various maps and globes around the room. Say, If we want people to know about Jesus, we must take the truth of the gospel out into the world. LEAD OPTION 3 Search the Internet for How to Share the Gospel in 90 Seconds. Play the video as you begin the session. Say, As we go out into the world, we should make it a priority to engage people with the gospel. NOTE: Always make sure you preview any video clip you show students and ensure that it is appropriate for your church and ministry. For free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/ web/biblestudiesforlife For free Midweek Options for your group, visit lifeway.com/bsflwelcome18 LEADER PACK ELEMENTS If you have the optional Leader Pack, consider one of the following: ITEM 6: Consider using the GO! poster to introduce the session and discuss how we can engage others in the gospel. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 45
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE It s natural for us to be drawn to people who are similar. For instance, for those on the football team, they share a passion for the sport, spend hours practicing together, celebrate together when they win, and share in the agony of defeat when things don t go their way this has a way of creating strong bonds. This isn t true only for sports. Across the board, people are drawn together by shared interests and experiences. This is a healthy reality. In these kinds of relationships, we feel accepted, understood, and secure. However, it can be taken too far, and our schools are known for having cliques. These are small groups of people who spend time together, who have shared interests, and here s the kicker who don t allow others to join in. THE SETTING Acts 15 18 records the events of Paul s second missionary journey. Acts 16 details how God stopped Paul from going into various regions of Asia Minor. God also gave Paul a vision of a Macedonian man pleading for Paul s help. Recognizing this vision as divine direction, Paul and his companions crossed over to Macedonia and began spreading the gospel message in the region. Though the majority of churches in America are not closed to outsiders, many have a mentality of exclusivity. We want to reach our communities and we want others to join in. We may even make people feel welcome when they visit. However, living out the mission of Jesus and leaving behind the clique mentality means stepping outside the comfort and security of our groups and going to the people. To be truly welcoming as God has called us to be, we must leave the walls of the church and take the good news of Jesus to our neighbors. FACT: CLIQUE COMES FROM THE FRENCH WORD CLAQUE, WHICH MEANS A BAND OF CLAPPERS THOSE HIRED TO GIVE ORGANIZED APPLAUSE AT A THEATER. 1 WE SHOULDN T CLAP JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE PAYS US. 46 SESSION 6
IMPART ACTS 16:6-8 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. ACTS 16:6-8 We generally like to spend our time in situations where we are comfortable. Paul did things a different way. His entire life was devoted to going out and meeting people wherever they were with the message of the gospel: Meeting Jews in the synagogues Engaging Gentiles in the marketplace Traveling from city to city He tailored his presentation of the gospel to fit the audience in each situation (1 Cor. 9:20-22). No matter the case, his core philosophy remained the same: don t wait for them to come to us go where the people are. In Acts 16, we find Paul visiting churches he d started on his first missionary journey, as well as going new places where people hadn t yet heard the gospel. It s important for us to see just how eager Paul was to reach others for Christ. He wanted to go into Asia to share the gospel, but the Holy Spirit stopped him. This is the opposite of what many of us experience. We are often hesitant to share the gospel because we re worried about saying the wrongs things, or fearful about how others may respond. There are certain things in our lives that might keep us from having that same kind of passion for sharing the gospel: Prosperity: Prosperity has a way of making us feel secure and comfortable and the more comfortable we are, the more hesitant we are to do anything that might disrupt that sense of comfort. Busyness: Reaching others with the gospel isn t something that happens with little effort. It s a lifestyle to which God calls us. If we want to be about the business of evangelism, we have to make the time. Faithlessness: When it comes down to it, sharing the gospel is a matter of faith. If we truly believe it, sharing will be a natural expression of that belief. Do we really believe the gospel has the power to change people s lives? For Paul, no matter what happened, he continually pursued opportunities to tell others about Jesus. We ll run into resistance when we share, but following Jesus faithfully means moving forward, looking for more opportunities. DAILY DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE (P. 46) 1 2 When have you been thankful God told you no? Why are we quick to give up instead of persevering when there are roadblocks to sharing the gospel? BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 47
IMPART ACTS 16:9-10 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, Cross over to Macedonia and help us! After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. ACTS 16:9-10 Paul was constantly looking for opportunities to share the gospel, and the Holy Spirit was faithful to give him a dream that specifically directed him to cross over into Macedonia. Paul immediately obeyed. VERSE 9: While at Troas, Paul had a vision during the night. The vision was of a Macedonian man who pleaded that Paul cross over to Macedonia to help the Macedonians. Paul apparently shared what he had seen and heard with his co-workers, and after God twice blocked them in their efforts at evangelism through the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:6-7), they interpreted this vision as yet another indication of the direction in which God was leading them. We probably won t have dreams directing us to travel to a particular place, but the truth is, we don t need one. Jesus has already given us the clear command to go into all the world and share the gospel as His witnesses (Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8). What we should note in verses 9-10 is not so much the vision, but Paul s eager readiness. What we need more than a dream is a posture of ready awareness. To assume this posture, we must keep certain truths before us: Jesus is coming back: Almost every day, when I come home from work, I m greeted by cries of excitement and smothered with hugs from my kids. They don t know the exact moment I ll walk through the door, but toward the end of the day, they expect me, and in their own way, celebrate my arrival. Jesus could come today. It could be tomorrow. Even right now! Jesus taught a series of parables that all centered on His return and how His people should prepare (Matt. 24:4-41). Then He declared in Matthew 24:42 to be alert since we don t know the exact day the Lord is coming. Opportunities are everywhere: Long before we engage in gospel conversations, God has gone before us, prepared hearts, and people will respond accordingly. When God saved us, He prepared us specifically for good words (Eph. 2:10), and we are to live these out. We tend to drift: Even Christians tend to drift away from Jesus unless we are continually and intentionally pursuing Him. Unless we actively pursue evangelism opportunities, we ll drift toward what s comfortable and away from Jesus call on our lives. We probably won t have dreams directing us to a particular place, but the truth is, we don t need one. We are called to share the gospel. #BSFLWelcomeHome DAILY DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE (P. 47) 3 4 5 What are some ways God communicates His will to Christians today? When have you sensed God s prompting to share the gospel with someone? Where do you have a specific opportunity to share the gospel? 48 SESSION 6
IMPART ACTS 16:11-15 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house. And she persuaded us. ACTS 16:11-15 When we proactively make the choice to go out and share the gospel, God will be faithful to open opportunities for us. When He does, we must ultimately open our mouths and share Christ with those we encounter. Having been redirected by the Holy Spirit, Paul eventually found his way to Philippi, and he likely tried to share the gospel within the city. However, the open opportunity he discovered was outside the city where a group of women had gathered. Philippi probably did not have a synagogue in the city since these women had gathered by the river instead of at a place of worship. VERSE 13: Paul s customary practice when evangelizing in a new city was to first approach a town s Jewish population on the Sabbath in the synagogue. After doing this, he would bring the good news to the city s Gentile population. There was no synagogue in Philippi, likely because there were too few Jewish men living there. Paul took the opportunity to share the gospel, and the Lord opened the heart of a woman named Lydia. She and her entire household accepted Jesus and were baptized, and the church at Philippi was born. From this simple story, we learn a few key things about sharing Christ with others: Sharing Christ involves a verbal witness: Speaking the truth of the gospel has little effect if the words are not backed up by a lifestyle that exemplifies the love and compassion of Jesus. On the other hand, kind acts have little meaningful impact if we don t ultimately point people to Jesus. Sharing the gospel always requires words. Leading people to Christ requires a work of God: Paul and his companions did their part in sharing the gospel. However, it wasn t in their power to actually transform hearts and lives. God is the one who opened Lydia s heart, and we must depend on God to produce this kind of change any time we share Christ. The gospel produces ripples: After Lydia believed, the effects of that gospel encounter began to ripple outward. Lydia believed and so did her whole household! One conversation led to the life change of an entire family, which was central to beginning the church at Philippi (Acts 16:40). VERSE 14: Lydia s occupation, as a dealer in purple cloth, indicates that she was probably a wealthy woman. Purple cloth was expensive and was associated with the wealthy and with royalty. This likely allowed her to be a big supporter of Paul s mission. DAILY DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE (P. 47) 6 7 8 How would you describe God s part and our part in leading others to Christ? Where do you go that you can share the gospel with non-believers? What are some creative ways you ve seen others share the gospel? BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 49
LIVE IT OUT (10 MINUTES) CHRIST For the things we get most excited about, we can t help but share it with others. The simple fact is, many of us don t share our faith because we re not continually pursuing Jesus the way we should. 9 What disciplines are you currently practicing that help you to grow in your relationship with Christ? 10 What things are you failing to follow through on that you know would help you love Jesus more? 11 What will you do this week to pursue Jesus more wholeheartedly? 50 SESSION 6
LIVE IT OUT COMMUNITY 12 Paul wasn t alone on his second missionary journey he was accompanied by Silas and Timothy. What difference do you think these companions made in Paul s sharing the gospel? 13 How can you and believing friends encourage one another as you seek to reach the lost for Christ? CULTURE Scripture is clear that the gospel is offensive to worldly people (1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Pet. 2:8). However, God has nevertheless called us to scatter the seeds of the gospel everywhere, trusting that He is working to draw some to Himself. 14 What signs do you see that the gospel is offensive in our culture? 15 Why do you think people are offended by the gospel? 16 What will you do this week to lovingly share the gospel with lost friends? BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 51