Welcome to week nine of Weekly Word!
We pray that these weekly readings continue to be a blessing to you! Below, you’ll find your readings for this week, along with discussion questions and a short devotional for you to enjoy at the end of the week.
Readings:
- Acts 17-18
- Luke 8
Devotional:
Readings: Acts 17-18 | Luke 8
In Acts 17, Paul stands in the middle of Athens—a city full of idols—and addresses this “unknown god” of their worship. He recognizes the deep, spiritual hunger of the people to whom he is proclaiming the gospel, and he is looking for those who are reaching out for the truth.
This mirrors the “Good Question” Jesus asks in Luke 8: “Who touched me?” In a crowd of people bumping into Him, only one woman reached out with a touch of desperate faith. The world is crowded with people “bumping” into religious ideas, but few are truly reaching for Jesus.
This week, as we navigate the busyness of life, may we not just be a part of the crowd. Instead, may we be the ones who reach out in faith for God’s healing and His presence. And like Paul in Athens, keep an eye out for those around you who are reaching for something more. You might be the one who can finally tell them the name of the “Unknown God” they’ve been searching for. His name is Jesus!
Discussion Questions:
- Paul looked for common ground in Athens (Acts 17). How can we minister to those “touching” the hem of faith in our culture without being dismissive of their questions?
- Priscilla and Aquila pulled Apollos aside to help him. Who has “corrected your vision” with kindness in your faith journey? Consider reaching out to that person this week and thanking them for their influence in your life.
Dig Deeper
In every city Paul traveled, there was something he took personal responsibility for. He didn’t expect others to fulfill the mission God gave him. Paul is an example of what it looks like to live with extreme ownership.
In this message from Antioch’s 2020 sermon series “The Playbook”, Pastor Andy teaches from Acts 17 to share one thing we all should take ownership of when it comes to sharing the gospel.
We are praying for you as you dig into God’s Word this week!