Summary

It's his death and resurrection for the forgiveness of your sins that makes the difference. The middle of your story should point to the cross and the empty tomb, and God is going to use that. That's really the call today, that you would leave here and share your story, which is God's story. We get to go around letting people out of the same prisons we've stepped out of…prisons of addiction, prisons of self-hate, prisons of despair, prisons of hurt.

Discussion Questions

1. How has God used the failures of your life for the good of both you and others? Explain your answer.
2. How can your story be God’s story? How does God use our stories to make a Kingdom impact?
3. The crowd makes five false accusations against Paul in this passage. I've even heard it taught recently that if you put a light in a jar of clay you can't see that light until the jar is broken. When the jar is crushed the light is displayed. How have you seen that happen in your own life? Explain your answer.
4. Have you prayed for hard times? Have you prayed for faithfulness in hard times? Why or why not?
5. 5. When you read Chapter 22 as Paul makes a defense, you see the purpose God has for his life. He is a Roman citizen which automatically makes the Romans pay attention to him. He studied at the feet of Gamaliel a great Rabbi of the Pharisees-now they are interested. And he persecuted Christians. He has everyone’s attention. What is God’s purpose for your life?