HOME GUIDE | September 6, 2020

HOME GUIDE | September 6, 2020
SUMMARY |Church on mission takes the gospel to an unbelieving world (Acts 17)
INTRO | Today's culture is still accepting of the Christian movement's positive moral path in our small town of Russellville, Arkansas. This thinking isn't the case for many cultures in our world.  In Acts 17 we are exposed to a few cultures with varying degrees of responses to the gospel message. As you take the next few minutes to read Acts 17, please take a few moments to read Acts 17 and note these cultures and their response. 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS |

1. [Children] Activity: This week starts off our Take 8 after KFC - Tune into it after today’s sermon.  It is helpful to have access to Right Now media: https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Content/Series/277852.
   - To continue with the family discussion around the sermon today continue with this guide. 
2. [Children - Adult] Go around the room asking what are the first thoughts about today’s reading.   Consider the following: What are the various areas Paul and his companions took the message of Christ?  And how did they respond?  What is standing out the most about the variety of responses?
3. [Children - Adults] It’s a miss if we don’t see the obvious action taken by Paul and his companions, they taught the Gospel message that “This Jesus is the Messiah”. In vs 5 we see the response from some of the Jews was jealousness, this will lead them to act unfavorably to their Godly characters.    Why do you think they were so upset?   Tell of a time when you were jealous and you didn’t respond favorably to your Godly character? 
4. [Teens - Adults] Tell of a time when something changed and it really upset you, and why?   As you can see the community in Thessalonica was upset because they were not accepting of the message that Jesus was the Messiah. In fact they were so upset they gathered up some “bad people” and caused trouble. The obvious statement here is that God doesn’t want us to behave in this manner.  Take a look at response from the people in Berea.  Would you say this is the better response?  Why?
5. [Teens - Adults] We have to take a moment to review some words to fully understand what’s happening here in vs 16 and following.  Look up works: philosophy, Epimenides, and Stoic.   The setting in Athens is that of the educated group, this group thinks way too much.(vs22).  Paul is asked to speak to this group about God and Jesus.  What is the response of the hearers? 
6. [Teens - Adults] Take a closer look at Pauls sermon starting in vs 24: The God who made the world and everything is the Lord of the heaven and earth and does not live in temples…(In short no need for idols). We are his offspring and it was through one of us (Jesus) we are reconnected to God.   IN Pauls writings he is good about calling people to action.  What action is Paul calling these people? How did they respond?
7. [Teens - Adults] Is it revealing to know that this message we teach in our churches has cultural resistance?   Our task is to do the will of Jesus and others have the task of response, God will manage those who do not have ears to hear.  Do you agree? Why or why not?
8. [Teens - Adults] Take a few moments and write down your message to your friends. Make a list of your closest friends and to the right write out how they might respond to the gospel message.   Then take a few minutes to pray about these responses. 
9. [Children - Adults] In today's lesson, Zac will make a similar statement “Church on mission takes the gospel to an unbelieving world“ If you were to consider the conversation from the previous questions, what areas in your daily life do you see an urging to share the message of Christ?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS | Family Activity for the summer
[Children - Adults] For several weeks now we have encouraged a family prayer board. How is that going?   Here is what that looks like: Find a blank piece of paper or a whiteboard, go around the room asking about any concerns or thanksgivings before a time of Prayer.   Leave this paper where you can see it all week, discuss them everyday and see where God might be working in them. [Deu 6]
Additional Resource | Mission and Vision of the West Side Church of Christ: https://www.westsidear.org/mission-and-vision.html