What In The World - Week 1
Starting Scriptures
Acts 17:29 “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 man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 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 all men by raising him from the dead.”Reflection
With all the news of earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, mass shootings, potential attacks, and people coming forward with stories of being sexually assaulted, you may find yourself asking, “What in the world is going on?” On Sunday, we looked at the pursuit of Paul in Acts 17. There were mobs of people who wanted Paul killed for his faith. Somehow, in all that chaos, Paul walked in a Holy Spirit-filled, Godly confidence. Paul chose to bring the truth of Christ to those around him, even though his life was in danger. Instead of standing down, he stood up.
Paul’s message to the people living in the chaotic city of Athens was that God is personable and knowable, God is the source of good science, human history and civil order, and God is the source for a meaningful life. This is the same message that our world needs today. Our world needs to know that they can have a personal relationship with God. It needs to discover that God is still active in our human history and we’ve been created by Him to live at this time in this world. Our world needs to see that God is the source of the meaningful life they’ve been looking for. If Paul could spread the gospel even with his life at risk, how much more should we boldly go forth spreading the good news of Christ to those around us?
Discussion Questions
1. You were created to live at this time in this world of current events. How does that make you feel? Is there another time period you would or would not have liked to live in?
2. Have you had an emotional reaction to the recent chaotic things going on in our world? Why do you think you were or were not affected by the news?
3. Have the current events led you to have more spiritual talks with the people around you?
4. Have you ever been in a situation where the only way you could get through it was to walk in Holy Spirit-filled, Godly confidence? What would have happened if the Holy Spirit wasn’t with you in that situation?
5. God is the source for a meaningful life that the people in our world need. What is your role in helping people find a meaningful life in God?
Going Deeper
As we get hit with negative news each day, is our mental health at risk by us simply being aware of what’s going on around the world? British psychologist Dr. Graham Davey, who specializes in the psychological effects of media violence, believes that violent media exposure can intensify or add to the development of stress, anxiety, depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He told the Huffington Post, “Negative news can significantly change an individual’s mood - especially if there is a tendency in the news broadcasts to emphasize suffering and also the emotional components of the story… These images change our overall mood to a more negative one - more sad or more anxious - and it is this change in mood that leads to psychological changes in the way we attend to things around us (e.g. we are more likely to pick out things in our environment that are potentially negative or threatening). This can have a vicious cycle effect on mood generally for some time.”[1]
Additional Scriptures
1 John 1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
Act 17:26-28 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Notes:
Culture Chaos / 1[1] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/violent-media-anxiety_n_6671732.html