Paul's Ministry Partners

Sunday, November 29, 2015
Acts 18:1-11, 18-21 KJV 

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews [that] Jesus [was] Christ. 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook [his] raiment, and said unto them, Your blood [be] upon your own heads; I [am] clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain [man's] house, named Justus, [one] that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11 And he continued [there] a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. ... 18 And Paul [after this] tarried [there] yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn [his] head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they desired [him] to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; 21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who did the Apostle Paul find after arriving in Corinth? (v.1-2)
2) Why did Paul abide with them and what did he do while living with them? (v.3-4)
3) How did Paul's reasonings with the Jews in Corinth change after the arrival of Silas and Timothy, how did the Jews respond to him, and what did the apostle do as a final gesture against them?  (v.5-6)
4) Where did the Apostle Paul abide after that and what was that person like? (v.7)
5) Who did Paul meet next and what happened to them? (v.8)
6) What did the Lord tell the apostle in a vision of the night? (v.9-10)
7) How long did the apostle remain in Corinth? (v.11)
8) When Paul left Corinth, who went with him, and what did he do in Cenchrea? (v.18)
9) What did the apostle do after entering Ephesus? (v.19)
10) What did the believers in Ephesus want Paul to do and what was the apostle's response? (v.20-21)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
11) How many people has the Lord brought into your life to partner with you in ministry at your local church?

LIFE LESSONS
12) The Lord will often send other like-minded believers to labor with us in spreading the gospel among unbelievers.

Mission to Macedonia

Sunday, November 15, 2015
Acts 16:1-5, 8-15 KJV

1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father [was] a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. ... 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next [day] to Neapolis; 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, [and] a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted [thither]. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she constrained us.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who did the Apostle Paul meet with upon arrival in Lystra, what is written about the young disciple, and what did the apostle do to him to appease the Jewish believers? (v.1-3) 
2) How were the churches established in the faith in the region in which the Apostle Paul and the young disciple went? (v.4-5)
3) What did Paul see when they journeyed to Troas and what did he do in response? (v.8-12)
4) Who did the apostle meet on the sabbath and how did he minister to the individual(s)? (v.13-15a)
5) What was the apostle constrained to do while in that city? (v.15b-c)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Who have you been called to minister to?
7) How did you receive your call?

LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord often uses dreams and/or visions to call believers into ministry?
9) The Lord may progressively reveal His will as we faithfully minister to those He gives us opportunity to serve on the way to fulfilling His call.

Rightly Explain the Word of Truth

Friday, May 1, 2015
2Timothy 2:14-19 KJV 

14 Of these things put [them] in remembrance, charging [them] before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, [but] to the subverting of the hearers. 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After charging his son Timothy to commit his teachings to faithful teachers, what did the Apostle Paul tell the young apostle to refrain from doing? Why? (v.14)
2) What else did Paul encourage Timothy to do and to "shun"? Why? (v.15-18)
3) What encouragement, and final instruction, does the Apostle Paul offer the young apostle? (v.19)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) How diligent are you to rightly divide God's word? 

LIFE LESSONS
5) The Lord has given us His word to edify His body.