This Week’s Reading: Acts 8:4–8, Acts 8:26-40, and Acts 21:7-9
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philipwent down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.
—Acts 8:4–8
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scriptureand told him the good news about Jesus.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
—Acts 8:26-40
We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
—Acts 21:7-9
Introduction and Ice Breaker
What was your first or the most interesting/odd job you have had in your life?
What is a great memory you have from traveling?
Themes to Consider
Obedience in All Seasons of Life - A crucial aspect of our lives with God is learning to obey God and God’s Word even when we cannot fully plot out our story.
Obedience as Love - Jesus says, “if you love me, keep my commandments.” Loving God always involves obeying God. This does not take the place of grace. In fact, our obedience is sustained by God’s grace.
Endurance - We are learning what Eugene Peterson called a long obedience in the same direction. There are many seen and unseen moments of obedience in our life and we grow and mature in our character as we endure.
Discussion Questions
Have you had challenging low moments during this pandemic time? Have they felt like a lack of imagination or vision? Describe some of what it has been like.
Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” What do you find is good for helping your heart out of trouble?
Philip is shown obeying God in several stages of his life. Do you think obeying God is essential for your faith and thriving in life with God? Is there tension between obedience and grace?
One of the hallmarks of the early church was the growing diversity of the believers. How do you see the church now in that regard? What are our challenges and opportunities?
How does the idea of endurance sound to you? Inspiring? Exhausting? What are the key parts of it?
Guided Prayer
Many believers over the years have used the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi as a help to communicate our openness and willingness to join God in the renewal of all things. Slowly pray through this prayer and then have a moment to pause and consider its words.
Someone in your group can close the prayer in their own words.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offence, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.O Master, let me not seek as much
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that one receives,
it is in self-forgetting that one finds,
it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,
it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.Amen.
quotes
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. —1 Thessalonians 5: 16–24
gratitude practice list
Keep a gratitude journal and add to it everyday
Tell someone you love them and how much you appreciate them
Notice the beauty in nature each day
Nurture the friendships you have, good friends don’t come along every day
Smile more often
Watch inspiring videos that will remind you of the good in the world
Include an act of kindness in your life each day
Avoid negative media and movies with destructive content
Call your mom or dad more often
Cook meals with love, think of the people you will feed
Volunteer for organizations that help others
Don’t gossip or speak badly about anyone
Spend quality time with your kids, or your partner
Write a card to someone you haven’t seen in a while and tell them something nice
Add to your gratitude list daily, at least one more thing each day
When you think a negative thought, try to see the positive side in the situation
Commit to one day a week when you won’t complain about anything
Try to take note when people do a good job and give recognition when it’s due at work
Reward effort, if someone does something nice for you, do something nice for them
Meditate with your gratitude list, giving thanks for all your good fortune
Live mindfully, not worrying about the past or future
Thank the people who serve you in the community — the shopkeeper, the bus drivers, etc.
Say thank you for the little things your loved ones do for you, things you normally take for granted
Post quotes and images that remind you to be grateful around your house
Call into an elderly neighbor and say thank you for their presence in your life
Call your grandparents and tell them you love them
Embrace challenges and turn them into opportunities to grow
Send love to your enemies or people you dislike
Be thankful when you learn something new
When times are bad, focus on your friends who are at your side
When times are good, notice and help others
Make a gratitude collage, cut out pictures of all the things that you are grateful for
Make gratitude a part of family life, share it with each other during meal time
Practice gratitude at the same time every day to make it a habit
List your strengths
Share the benefits of gratitude with family and friends
Share gratitude each day by posting a tweet, Facebook or Instagram post
