The End of the Beginning
I. The Road to the CROSS, in all its Varied FORMS (Luke 19-23; Acts 21-28)
A. No SERVANT is GREATER than His MASTER (John 15:20; Luke 19:28; 22:68; 23:4,7; Acts 21:15; 22:30; 24:1; 25:23)
B. A Road of STRUGGLE, Risk, and SELF-DENIAL (Acts 21:10-14; 23:16; 25:11-12; 27:13-44)
C. Our Calvary Journey is a ROYAL PROCESSION (2 Cor. 2:14-16; 4:7-12; Col. 2:15)
II. The Church: A SHIP Tossed About by WAVES (Matt. 8:18-27)
A. We are Just ALONG for the RIDE (Acts 27:1, 11; 28:16)
B. Living by a FAITH that SAVES (Acts 27:21-26, 20, 31, 34, 44)
C. PASSING Through the WATERS (Gen. 6; Exod. 14-15; Matt. 3:13-17)
III. CONTINUING the WORK of Jesus (Acts 1:1-8)
A. REDEEMING the Time (Acts 28:30)
B. REDEFINING our Terms (Acts 28:31)
C. RESTING in God’s Judgment (Acts 29)?
Questions for Further Reflection
1. Kid’s Question: Have you ever been in a big storm? How did it make you feel?
2. What does it mean to you for a disciple to take up their cross and follow Jesus?
3. What parts of your life feel like struggle, risk, or self-denial? How are those a result of following Jesus? What parts of your life feel like triumph right now? How are those the result of following Jesus?
4. How do you feel when you don’t have control over a situation? If the church continues to lose influence in culture, what are our alternatives?
5. What promises of God do you stand firm on? In what ways can you bear witness to God’s faithfulness?
6. In seasons of doubt or confusion, how do you use your time?
7. What hindrances are there in your life right now?
8. Using only what you know to be true from scripture, what does the future hold in store for you? Are you able to rest in that?