At Any Time: Divine Interruptions

Written by W Smith

This is Part 1 of a 5 part series – To Call Him Lord: A Study In The Book of Acts

Read Acts 16:16-40

The call to follow Christ is not without challenges or inconvenience. Although many of us like to set our days in order and plan for months at a time, we soon find that God has a way of “interrupting our day” with divine appointments that lead to life change. In Acts 16 Paul and Silas encounter a very unusual interruption. How did they handle God’s timing?

Paul and company had arrived at the city of Philippi and a number of women had heard the message of Jesus Christ. The ministry was going very well. People were turning to Christ. If Paul had goals for his ministry he was right on target. While on the way to pray, Paul and his companions were approached by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination. Her owners had much to gain from her through fortune-telling, and yet this girl began to follow Paul’s group.

1. What did she say about these men? How long did this continue? More thoughts...

Sometimes we see people who interrupt our plans as obstacles. When the disruption continues, we may become annoyed, just as Paul did. Was God at work in the life of this girl? How does that change your perspective on the story?

2. How did the government officials respond to the charges brought by the owners of the slave girl? More thoughts...

Can someone who is truly following God face significant opposition today? Is walking in God’s way going to be easy?

3. What happened to Paul and Silas as a result of following God’s call?

4. Imagine yourself in Paul’s place that night. Would your first thought have been, “What a great opportunity to share Jesus with the jailer’? More thoughts...

Paul been faced with someone disrupting his ministry for days, he’d cast out a demon, he’d been accused of crimes, beaten with rods, and thrown in jail with a companion. He’d even praised God and prayed into the night. He’d experienced an earthquake and had opportunity to escape. Yet he stayed and he shared the Good News.

5. There are times when it seems inconvenient to share the good news of Jesus Christ. What motivated these men to share at midnight?

6. In the video, Leonard tells the story of how his father set aside his plans in order to minister to a young man who needed Jesus. Share your thoughts on this story. More thoughts...

Can you identify with the anger Leonard felt with the interruption to the plans of that day? Can you identify with the choice his dad made? How did each man’s attitude reflect the priorities they held at that moment? (If you are unable to view the video, simply state “unable to view.”)

7. Leonard said, “It was easy then to see that a day of harvesting lost didn’t matter at all compared to the transformational impact my father had on these young men.” Has anyone had such an impact on your life?

8. Have you ever had someone ask you, “What must I do to be saved?” More thoughts: Do you think that your friends would find you approachable if they had spiritual questions? Why or why not?

9. Are you prepared to share what God has done for you and for others at any time, day or night, if someone asks? Are you able to clearly explain what Jesus means to you? More thoughts...

If you answer no, what steps can you take to become more prepared? If you are prepared, would you ask God to open your eyes to opportunities this week to share with someone you know?

10. Do you have any additional observations, questions or comments about this study? How can we pray for you at this time?

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Tags: acts, book of Acts, divination, get equipped, Life Lesson, paul, the life, w smith

At Any Time: Divine Interruptions

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