Go Where The People Are

October 8, 2023

1 Corinthians 9:20-23

²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. ²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1. What do these verses reveal about how Paul understood his purpose?
2. How is your own sense of purpose? Is it clear? Focused? Blurry? Uncertain? To the best of your understanding, how does your sense of purpose overlap with Paul’s sense of purpose?
3. In your own life, who might you need to become like in order to win them to Jesus? In what way(s) might you need to become like them?

Luke 5:32

³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

1. Does this verse describe the entirety of Christ’s purpose? What is the context in which Jesus said these words? How might this context help us understand Jesus’ ultimate meaning?

Acts 17:22-31

²² Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. ²³ For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. ²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. ²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ²⁶ From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷ God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ²⁸ ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ ²⁹ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. ³⁰ In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. ³¹ For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

1. Paul presents the gospel in terms that the Athenian people can understand. Describe why this is important in sharing the gospel with others.
2. Imagine Paul came to Mission Viejo and observed the tone, vibe and spirit of the city. How do you think Paul might present the gospel to people here?
3. It took him awhile, but Paul eventually got around to the resurrection of Jesus. Why is it so important that our presentation of the gospel includes the resurrection of Jesus? What other passages do you know (or can you find) that speak to this?