Lesson 13 (Sept 22-28), Journey to Rome

Sailing to Rome

1. Did Paul observe the Jewish feasts and fasts or was he just commenting on them? Is it okay for Christians to celebrate the Jewish feasts/fasts? 
2. Why would Paul agree to sail on a ship which was going to get wrecked? Had he been told by God about the risk or did he know it from the season?
3. Why were they in such a hurry to sail in dangerous weather?

The Shipwreck

1. How much comfort is it in a violent storm to be told by a prophet that you would survive a shipwreck?
2. Why would God spare all the passengers on the boat when only Paul was important for Him?
3. Why didn't God spare the ship and let them keep sailing? Could God have stilled the storm for Paul's sake?

In Malta

1. Why did God let the viper bite Paul and then protect him from the venom? Was the reaction of the islanders who then thought he was a god, justified?
2. Why didn't Paul take advantage of Luke's presence to treat all the sick people on the island who came for help?
3. How is it that no conversions are mentioned on the ship and on the island even though there was so much evidence of Paul's divine protection?

Paul in Rome Finally

1. Why do you think the Jews of Rome had not been contacted by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem regarding Paul?
2. Are Christians the most hospitable to fellow believers?
3. Why do you think Paul was allowed to live on his own while in Rome?

The Victory of the Gospel

1. Why did Paul quote from the Bible about the rejection of the gospel by the Jews? Wouldn't that turn them away more firmly?
2. Why did Jews resist the message of Christ?
3. Why does the book of Acts end here when there was so much more that the apostles did?

Lesson 12 (Sept 15-21), Confinement in Caesarea

Before Felix

1. Is it okay for a Christian to go to court in order to get justice? Does it make any difference if the accused is a Christian or not?
2. How should a Christian respond to a lawyer who misrepresents the truth?
3. What does the Bible say about giving and receiving bribes? Are both in the same bracket?

Before Festus

1. Why were Roman rulers anxious to please the Jews? Why could Paul not trust the Jewish leaders? What was the attitude of the Jewish Christian leaders to Paul? Were they helpful or not?
2. Was it worth two years of Paul's suffering in Caesarea to have an opportunity to witness to Felix and Festus?
3. Does delay in court decisions benefit the plaintiff or the defendant?

Before Agrippa

1. Why would King Agrippa come to pay respects to the governor Festus? Who was more powerful?
2. How is it possible for young kings who are still minors to command loyalty from older statesmen?
3. Why is it wrong for a Agrippa to marry his sister?

Paul's Defense

1. Why did Paul repeatedly mention his Pharisaical background? Was he proud of that?
2. How much did others believe Paul's report of his conversion experience on the road to Damascus when he described it to them?
3. Should governments permit or ban conversion?

Paul Before the Leaders

1. What is incompatible between immortality of the soul and the idea of resurrection?
2. Why did Agrippa feel that one cannot become  Christian in such a short time?
3. Why was it not possible to free Paul once he had appealed to Caesar? Had Paul made a mistake in appealing to Caesar?

Lesson 11 (Sept 8-14), Arrest in Jerusalem

Meeting the Jerusalem Leaders

1. Is following the principle "when in Rome do as the Romans do," being a hypocrite?
2. Why was Paul so anxious to "do away" with the Ceremonial Law? Was it wrong to observe those guidelines?
3. Did Paul make any mistakes?

Riot in the Temple

1. Is there anything one can do to avoid lynching by a mob?
2. How can leaders of mob violence be punished so that such activity can be prevented?
3. Why was it important to restrict entry to the temple only to those circumcised? What benefits could there have been if gentiles were allowed into the temple?

Before the Crowd

1. Why should citizens of a country have more rights than others who are not citizens?
2. What made Paul brave enough to address a crowd that had just attempted to lynch him?
3. What is more powerful, theological sound arguments or personal testimony?

Before the Sanhedrin

1. Citing his Roman citizenship why did Paul allow the Roman soldiers to imprison him, but not to flog him?
2. Why did Paul regret abusing the High Priest considering the Jewish system was no longer valid?
3. How could Pharisees and Sadducees using the same scriptures have varying beliefs on resurrection?

Transfer to Caesarea

1. Why would make a group of forty men decide to kill a person who believed differently from them?
2. What can God do about injustice from rulers and judges meted out to innocent people who may otherwise not be deserving of salvation? Is it enough just to punish the unjust or should the unfortunate person be compensated?
3. When people take an oath such as "not to eat or drink," and the possibility to carry out their vow is beyond their control (such as Paul being shipped out in secret at night), are they justified in breaking the oath and eating and drinking again?

Lesson 10 (Sept 1-7), The Third Missionary Journey

Ephesus

1. What was deficient with the baptism of John that those persons, even if they had been acquainted with Jesus, had to be re-baptized?
2. Under what circumstances may a person be rebaptized?
3. How can one know if he or she has been baptized only by water, and not of the Spirit?
4. Why is Priscilla mentioned along with her husband and other wives not mentioned?
5. Did God take any risks in healing persons who only touched the apostles' handkerchiefs and aprons?
6. Why did Paul engage in helping victims of disasters?
7. In times of calamities why do people reach out to persons of their own religion?
8. Do idol makers believe in their images?

Troas

1. Was Paul's night-to dawn-meeting on the first day of the week to "break bread" more likely on Friday night or Saturday night? How does this impact Sunday sacredness?
2. How important was Sabbath keeping to Paul?
3. How much should those who sleep during a religious meeting be condemned?

Miletus

1. Why was Paul not revered in Jerusalem?
2. How can church members recognize false teachers? What is the objective of false teachers? Why do false teachers seem to have more financial support?
3. In what ways do false teachers come in sheep's clothing?

Tyre and Ceasarea

1. Was the prophet Agabus warning Paul not to go to Jerusalem or merely predicting what would happen if he went? How should Paul have reacted to the prophecy?
2. How did Paul know that it was the Spirit "compelling" him to go to Jerusalem? What Spirit drove the members to restrain Paul from going?
3. What is accomplished by praying for safety before embarking on a journey?