God’s Grace in Action

Acts 16:11-15    |   Sermon Resources      31 January 2021

 

Sermon Summary

The gospel comes to European soil for the first time in Acts 16.  In this sermon Pastor Billy looks at the story of the first recorded conversion in this new place.  We will see both the “surface” story of what happened and the “deeper” story of what really happened.

 

“The profit [of understanding God’s sovereignty] lies not mainly in the validation of a theological viewpoint but in the revelation of a great God, the exaltation of his invincible grace, and the liberation of his undeserving people.”  – John Piper, Providence

 

7 Reasons God Has Revealed His Purposeful Sovereignty (from John Piper in Providence)

  • To humble human pride
  • To intensify human worship
  • To shatter human hopelessness
  • To put ballast in the battered boat of human faith
  • To put steel in the spine of human courage
  • To put gladness in the groans of affliction
  • To put love in the heart that sees no way forward

 

Discussion Questions

  1. Spend some time discussing key observations of the passage. Who was there?  What happened?  What are the important details that need to be noted?
  2. What do we learn Lydia from this passage?
  3. In what way can material wealth choke the work of God in someone’s life?
  4. In the sermon Pastor Billy discussed the difference between the “surface” story and the “deeper” story. What is the surface story of this passage?  What is the deeper story?
  5. Why do you think it is important for Luke to tell the “deeper” story?
  6. In what ways have you wrestled with the sovereignty of God? Why do you think the sovereignty of God causes us to wrestle with it?
  7. Spend some time discussing John Piper’s “7 Reasons God Has Revealed His Purposeful Sovereignty.” Which is most relevant for you?  How so?

 

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