Connect

Did you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this past week? If so, what did that look like?
Were you familiar with the story of St. Patrick? What intrigues you most about his life?

View The After Party Video: https://youtu.be/3V1QH6d5yGw
Feel free to share this link with your Life Group to watch ahead of time or watch together as a group.

Engage

As Pastor Scotty taught through most of Acts 17, let’s simply look back at a few key verses within the greater text to thoughtfully consider together.

Read Acts 17:16 - In this passage, we read that Paul “was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” Consider some of the idols that you regularly notice within our own current culture. Which one breaks your heart the most?

Read Acts 17:17 - Notice that Paul responds to his feelings of distress and in light of the idolatry all around him not by fleeing the city or becoming cynical, by turning a blind eye or with condemnation. But rather, he responds with “reasoning”, by beginning a dialogue with those around him. What can we practically learn from his response?

Read Acts 17:22-23, 28 - As Paul finally has an opportunity to share with those whom he has been in dialogue with, what do we notice about the type of language he uses with them? How do we see his intentionality in striving to meet the people where they are at?

Scotty stated that “Paul won the right to be heard not because he was bold in his faith, but he was educated about theirs.” Do you make it a priority to educate yourself on the people/beliefs around you? Why might this be an important practice to regularly pursue before trying to impress your own convictions and beliefs upon others?

Apply

It’s okay to admit that we, like Paul, are so often distressed by the culture that surrounds us. We live in a broken world, where sin and suffering greatly abound. Yet, that’s exactly why Jesus came. So the question we need to consider is this: “How am I going to approach the world that I’m in?”

In light of Paul’s story in Athens, Scotty shared a few practical takeaways for us to think about together and then prayerfully act upon in the coming days:

It Begins By Caring: We cannot help bring about change if we simply do not care. First, we need to honestly ask ourselves, “Do we care more about our own comfort and convictions or for those who are lost and confused, who need a Savior?” Though the needs that surround us can feel overwhelming at times, what if we simply began with one person?

Is there someone in your life that you’ve been having a dialogue with or have been building a relationship with recently that you could invite to join you for Easter or Alpha? Or maybe even just for dinner? Let’s be bold in asking the Holy Spirit for opportunities and guidance, faithfully praying for that person in your life or for eyes to see someone right around you.

Winning the Right to be Heard: If we care, then we need to prayerfully consider, “What do I need to learn?” What do we still need to learn about our neighbors or colleagues, about the current beliefs of the culture which we live in or from those that simply do not look like us? It’s so easy to be blindsided by our own perspectives and naive towards experiences that we simply are unacquainted with.

Winning the right to be heard by those who live differently from us can simply begin by asking thoughtful questions, listening intentionally, and by continually leaning in. Scotty stated that, “If no one has invited us in to share more about what we believe, then we probably haven’t leaned in enough.” What might this “learning” tangibly look like for you personally or even for us as a group? Choose one thing to learn this week or one person to better lean into this week. Say that thing or person’s name out loud so that you can hold each other accountable and pray for one another.

Be Open Handed With Outcomes: Do you ever shy away from investing in people because you’re afraid that the outcome won’t turn out like you’re hoping it to? Let’s admit that to one another and pray to have renewed hearts as we must constantly seek to remember that people are never supposed to be our projects. We are simply called to love and to share Christ’s love with everyone around us. So as we intentionally seek to make Christ known, let’s pray to have open hands with the outcome and trust that it is the Lord who changes hearts. We are simply His ambassadors, just like Paul.

Pray

Spend these last few minutes together in prayer for the names and people that were shared. Pray for opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue this week and for a greater love towards those who don’t know Jesus yet.

“Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours, for those whose hearts are yet made whole.”