The Adult Sunday School

Sunday, November 4, 2012

On 11-11-12, Acts 27:1, 2, 33-44 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Paul Survives a Shipwreck aka Paul Sails for Rome.

Paul Survives a Shipwreck

aka

Paul Sails for Rome

Acts 27:1, 2, 33-44

International Sunday School Lesson

November 11, 2012

Commentary

Jed Greenough

“Into each life a little rain must fall.” A true enough thing Mr. Longfellow but how do we deal with it when it does? Let’s see how Paul deals with those kinds of moments.

As we join our writer Luke and the Apostle Paul the request we heard from Paul to be heard by Caesar has progressed to the point where we now see Paul ship bound for Rome for that purpose.

This account of Paul’s journey beginning with Acts 27:1 is replete with rich historical details that we might not have thought of as we see the difficulty of travel and some of the details of the Roman Empire.

But that isn’t what I am interested in today as I considered this account. Quite frankly what came into my mind and stayed there is that we aren’t like Paul. Oh, I have been accused of that by my wife but really when you read this entire series of events I can see I am more like Luke when I consider how he reacted to the peril they faced in the fury of the Northeaster.

He said, “we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” He of course meant that they were going to die at sea. But he wasn’t privy to the connection that Paul had as Paul goes on in 27:23 to say that an angel of God spoke with him telling him not to fear and informed him that all would survive.

Do you think that an encounter or two with God’s representatives would embolden Paul? Of course it would, so what is the lesson for us for today since that maybe isn’t going to happen to us anytime soon?

Well, as you can see we mustn’t restrict ourselves to the chosen scripture for today but look at the entire chapter to see that if they had listened to Paul to begin with (verse 11) they wouldn’t be in this pickle to begin with.

Again Paul says something that not all would listen to. He said that the ship would be destroyed but the men on board would survive but they needed to run aground (verse 26). This time the centurion who seemed to favor Paul did listen and when the sailors attempted to lower a boat he had the soldiers cut its ropes to keep everyone together as Paul instructed.

After that Paul was able to encourage everyone on board and as the events progressed all that Paul had been told would occur did materialize.

Well, it’s a good thing for us that this man who God spoke to also spoke through him and inspired him to write so much of what we have to survive the storms that enter our lives. I think that should give us encouragement just as everyone in verse 36 was encouraged.

Listen to what Paul and of course all that God had to say and apply it the first time around and you will weather the storms that enter your life.

For Discussion:

1. Discuss how when we bend our interpretation to fit what we want we really aren’t following instruction at all.

2. Paul was allowed courtesies and protected on this journey. My thoughts are it was a result of how he presented himself. Discuss what we can learn from that.

3. Discuss how God could have provided smooth sailing but did not.

4. Discuss a bit about Aristarchus.

5. Discuss travel, life, food and shelter back at that time. For example the goal had been to winter in Phoenix but as we will see they winter next week in Malta for 3 months!

6. Discuss always and in all occasions giving thanks as Paul did in verse 35.

7. Discuss what would happen to a Roman soldier who had a prisoner escape. See Acts 16:27.

Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries

11-18-12: Paul Ministers on Malta aka Paul Ministers in Malta Acts 28:1-10

11-25-12: Paul Evangelizes in Rome Acts 28:16, 17, 23-31 or Acts 28:23-31

12-2-12: Blessed in Christ aka Spiritual Blessings in Jesus Christ Ephesians 1:3-14

12-9-12: One in Jesus Christ Ephesians 2:11-22

Sunday, October 28, 2012

On 11-4-12, Acts 26:19-32 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Paul Testifies before King Agrippa aka Paul before King Agrippa.

Paul Testifies before King Agrippa

aka

Paul before King Agrippa

Acts 26:19-32

International Sunday School Lesson

November 4, 2012

Commentary

Jed Greenough

Those that don’t do anything at all as Christians have very little to fear. Given that for we Americans this is an election year, the same can be said of politicians. Politicians that draw a line in the sand from which they don’t waver, that ardently pursue those things that they stand for, they will come under attack.

Those that attack them care just as much about what they stand for on their side of the line in the sand. Many times both sides in their attacks and counter attacks go too far. Many don’t care the methods used or the validity of the things they say. We can see this in the story of Paul more fully if we don’t just rely on today’s scripture. The fairly clear beginning in this story can be seen in Acts 21 after Paul’s return to Jerusalem.

At the temple some Jews stirred up a crowd and made the following accusation, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.”

Paul was seized, beaten and would have been killed if not for the interruption of Roman troops. From this point we see him arrested by the Romans but then released in a manner of speaking instead of being flogged and questioned when it was discovered that he was a Roman citizen.

But as I said, it was only in a manner of speaking, as the commander of these Romans ordered the Jewish chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble (such was the size of the commotion that had been created over Paul) so that he could ascertain of what Paul was actually being accused.

While in this assembly Paul explained what he was about and as usual there was vociferous debate against him but a most interesting thing happened the following night as we read in Acts 23:11. The Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

When we started out I talked about politicians, well like politicians God’s pretty smart too about grabbing the opportunity for publicity! In the chapters that follow you can see how everyone gets a chance to hear Paul’s story which is really the story of Jesus. From Roman Commander, to Roman Governor’s Felix and Festus, to King Agrippa and to everyone else in attendance and then it will be time to set sail for Rome. Please forgive me but it really does remind me of a publicity tour and truth be told, that is what it was, a promotion of the Good News which is “that God has provided salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

For Discussion:

1. Underline in your Bible that portion of verse 20 for today that reads, “and prove their repentance by their deeds.”

2. Discuss that verse.

3. Remember in your own witnessing that you may have the opportunity to convince not just an immediate listener such as Paul tried with King Agrippa. Paul said in verse 29, “not only you but all who are listening to me.”

4. It may seem obvious but after reading all of Acts 26 and considering what Paul said was true discuss why these Jews wanted him dead. Just as Paul wanted early Christians dead before his conversion.

5. Discuss what you think the main issue someone would have found a problem with in believing what Paul was saying?

6. Read verses 25-27 and then that portion of verse 20 from #1 above again and compare it to Christians who believe but don’t prove it.

7. Here’s a stretch, sorry. Discuss the example of Paul’s reaction to being called insane and bring in the New York Jet’s Tim Tebow’s reaction to what Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason said about him as a player near the 6th of August. (Google their two names if you don’t know what I am talking about). But to quote Tebow, “I’ve heard nothing but great things about Mr. Esiason,” he said. “I know he was a great player here and I wish him nothing but the best in his announcing. God bless him.”