FBT Sunday School



God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility go together.Lesson for Sunday, March 3, 2019Introduction:One of the attributes of God we have emphasized over the course of this study is His sovereignty. Ask: What does it mean when we say that God is sovereign? A simple definition is that God is in control, He directs things to accomplish His purposes. There is always tension between understanding God’s sovereignty and the fact that we also believe that God created man with a free will. So what is the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility? That’s the focus of today’s discussion. Bible Study: God is working in the shipwrecks (Acts 27:9-44)Observe God’s Word What did Paul warn the men of? Thought this voyage would end in disaster – lost lives.They were hoping to pass the winter in the harbor of Phoenix off the island of Crete but the Euroclydon wind blew them off course. Verse 27 says this storm lasted 14 days, and they were not able to eat for most of this time.What does vs. 20 say about their spirits during the storm? All hope was taken away.Vs. 22-23 – Paul tells his shipmates that an angel told him there will be no loss of life, because Paul was ordained to stand before Caesar. The angel said that God “has given thee all them that sail with thee.” We can logically conclude that 1) God is sovereign over the lives of men, and 2) Paul had been praying for these men to be spared.As the waters became shallower, what did the sailors do to keep the ship from running aground? Vs. 29 – they cast 4 anchors.Some of the sailors tried to escape in a little boat, but what did Paul tell them? Vs. 31 – they will not make it if they don’t stay with the ship.Ultimately, the ship became stuck and began to come apart. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners because they were afraid some would escape and they would be punished, but the Centurion stopped them in order to save Paul. God was protecting him!Interpret the TruthIf you read early chapter 28, you see that they landed on the island of Malta, and the locals welcomed them. Paul is bit by a poisonous snake, the locals think “he must be a murderer that deserves punishment,” then change their vote to “this must be a god” when he doesn’t die!All the shipwrecked folks stay on this island for three months. Interesting fact – the bay where their ship crashed is still called St. Paul’s bay to this day! February 10 is a national holiday to commemorate the shipwreck. These facts are clear evidences of the historicity of the New Testament.Discuss: How do we see God’s sovereignty on display in this passage?Sovereignty and Responsibility WorksheetGod is working in the jail (Acts 28:16-31)Observe God’s Word What happened once Paul arrived in Italy? How was Paul treated differently than the other prisoners? They were delivered to the captain of the guard in Rome. Paul lived under guarded house arrest, and was allowed to have visitors.After three days there Paul summoned the Jewish leaders to his house. He told them he was in chains for proclaiming “the hope of Israel” to the Jews in Jerusalem. These leaders wanted to hear more, so they returned another day.When the Jews came back, Paul spoke with them all day. Some of them believed, and some did not. Paul told them that God was now sending His message to the Gentiles also. Interpret the TruthEven in chains, Paul was still carrying out the Great Commission! Apparently, God brought many people to Paul’s house, so he could spread the gospel. It was during this time of imprisonment that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Applying God’s WordDo you have times when your life seems to be a shipwreck? How does today’s lesson bring encouragement to you?Are there times when you feel you are being held in jail? Times when you can’t do what you wish you could do? How does today’s lesson bring perspective to those times?In all these events, God ordained some things to happen but Paul still had to act on his own responsibilities. Do you see better now how those two things work together?How can you use the geographic details in Acts 27 as a positive apologetic for the New Testament?Even prison didn’t stop Paul from spreading the gospel! Are you letting something stop you? Who are you currently inviting and witnessing to? Can we compile a list of names for which our class can pray?KEY: We are to walk with Christ and follow His leading. Our primary responsibility is to obey what we know and then leave the results up to the Lord. Remember, He is always in control. ................
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