Study 1: The Gospel Comes to Thessalonica
Acts 17: 1-9
Big Idea: God establishes a new church full of faithful believers despite many challenges and fierce opposition.
Aim: to encourage us to persevere in sharing our faith even in tough circumstances.
- If you are a Christian, how did others take the news when you told them that you had decided to follow Christ?
Story so far:
Paul and his team are on their second missionary journey when they visit Thessalonica. God sovereignly used a fall out with Barnabas (Acts 15), and a dream of a Macedonian man (Acts 16) to guide them to the capital of this Roman province. They had not planned to come here initially but God had it all planned. They travelled here from Philippi where Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned for sharing the gospel.
Read Acts 17:1-10a (NIV)
17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.
First impressions
What stands out to you on first reading this account in Acts 17 of Paul and his companions in Thessalonica?
Digging in
- What was Paul’s “technique” for reaching out?
- What did Paul teach?
- List the different responses of the people in Thessalonica?
- What verse stands out to you most from this passage and why?
- Where do you see God at work in the circumstances that Paul and his companions face?
Talk
Living it out
- If Jesus is your Lord, what challenges or opposition have you experienced since receiving him?
- What responses have you had when sharing the gospel?
- How does this passage encourage you to keep going even when you have challenges and negative responses?
Pray
On a post it note, write down the name of a particular person or a situation where you would like to share more about your faith. Give this to someone in the group so that you can commit to praying through the month for one another in this area.
Going Further
This is an opportunity to think further and connect deeper with someone in the month between W2W nights. Why not have a coffee with somebody/ some people from your group, or see if someone from your homegroup wants to meet up. There are folks doing the same study in different contexts or perhaps share what you have learned with someone who can’t make it along at all. If you would like to do this but are not sure who to meet with, do ask your group leader, a homegroup leader or Karen Clark who would be happy to help. (karen.clark@carrubbers.org)
Some ideas:
Why not read the whole of the first letter to the Thessalonians (it only takes about 15 mins)
- How do you think the believers had been getting on since Paul left?
- What do you think were some of the issues that Paul wanted to write to them about?
- Who have you not been in touch with in a while? How might you reconnect to encourage them in their faith?
Use the verse you highlighted in Q5 or another that this study has brought to mind and spend some time meditating on it through the week ahead
How to meditate?
- Memorise it. Ponder it. Apply it and Pray it.
- Check out David Nixon’s introduction to bible meditation from February 2022 on the Carrubbers YouTube site:
Read Romans 5:1-5
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
- What does this passage say?
- What timeless principle does it teach?
- How do I apply this to my life?
