1. Read Acts chapter 14 together. Take time to notice the details of the story. Does anything stand out? What surprises you? What encourages you? What challenges you?

   2. Have you ever taken a long journey? What was it like to return and share with others about your travels? How did you            choose what stories to tell? Was it difficult to decide what was important to share?

   3. Consider the accounts we are given about Paul and Barnabas’ time in Antioch (chapter 13), and Iconium. What                       similarities do you notice?

  4. In scripture, repetition is used by the authors to signify importance. What importance do these two accounts hold to the        overarching story?

  5. What other repetitions can be found that should have our attention? (hint: consider Acts 14:8-10. Also compare this                  passage with Acts 3). What is the significance of these repetitions?

  6. Miracles were an important part of the ministry of Jesus, and the early church. Reflect together on some of the healing          stories found throughout scripture (Acts 14, Acts 3, John 5, Luke 5, or others). What questions or longings do these kinds          of stories of healing stir up for you?

  7. Is there any area in your life where you are longing and waiting for healing (physical, emotional, or spiritual)? In what             ways do you feel hopeful as you endure these challenges? Do you ever feel discouraged?

  8. Consider the crowd’s response to the miracle of healing in Lystra.

•   In what ways is it surprising, and in what ways is it understandable?
•   What did they have right?
•   What were they getting wrong?

Ultimately, the Lyconian response to the miracle - seeking to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods, rather than allowing this miracle to point them towards the one true God - was a form of idolatry. As Leslie Newbigin has pointed out, this can happen any time people see God’s glory reflected in the world. They can so easily make the mistake of believing that is all there is to see, rather than turning to recognize and behold the source.

  9. As you think about your own lives, is this something that we are at risk of doing today? Can you think of some examples,        where people sometimes look to something as ultimate, when it is only a reflection?

  10. In what ways do you think you are called to reflect God’s glory to the world? In what ways do you think the church is              called to do this? How can we point away from ourselves, to encourage people to truly see Jesus?

Pray

Pray for each other out of the items discussed. Pray for God’s healing, a foretaste of the full and complete healing that is promised in eternity. Pray for patience and endurance through the hardships that you face. Pray that God would show you any areas of your life where you are worshipping idols, and ask Him to give you the wisdom, strength, and faith to turn and focus your life wholly on Him. Pray that as you turn to allow the fullness of God’s glory to shine on you, the Lord would lead you to reflect that light out into the world. Pray for the Church, that together, we can reflect the love and grace of Jesus to the world.