Big Idea: Sometimes faithfulness means you walk away.

            Acts 18:4-6

            Matthew 8:34-9:1

            Matthew 10:14

            Luke 14:21b

When you walk away, you’re not giving up on the situation - you’re giving up your control.

            Acts 18:7-11

The refusal to walk away is sometimes persistence and sometimes pride. 

Because of Jesus, walking away never has to be the end of the story.

Message Questions

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts, which is the story of the Holy Spirit igniting the Jesus movement through faithful obedience of a few humble people. We continue that same story today. The Holy Spirit will use the teachings of Acts to inspire you to do the same thing the earliest followers of Jesus did when they first understood the magnitude of what God has done through Christ: to GO. This Sunday, the big idea is: Sometimes faithfulness means you walk away. Our passage is Acts 18:1-17.

Use these questions to discuss the message from Sunday, focusing on how you can grow as an everyday follower of Jesus and how you can go accomplish what Jesus calls you to do.

1. Why do you think we struggle with the idea of walking away from something or someone? Is there anything in our culture that seems to discourage this? When is a time in your life that you were glad you ended up walking away or quitting?
2. Have someone read Acts 18:5-6.
   • To what does Paul devote himself?
   • How do the people respond to Paul’s message?
   • How does Paul react to their response?
3. Have someone read Acts 18:9-11.
   • What message does Paul receive from the Lord in the night?
   • How does Paul respond?
4. In what ways can you grow in understanding of when you need to “walk away” from a person or situation and when you need to stay put and keep investing?
5. What would it look like for you to be willing to walk away from people and/or situations (that God is calling you to walk away from) so you can go and be even more intentionally on mission for Jesus?