“OTHERS JOIN PAUL AND SILAS”
Season: Book of Acts
Episode 21: “Others Join Paul and Silas”
Today’s Bible Bite: Acts 16:1-15
Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4GSFluzBSA (God’s Story – Timothy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_kSpELCiCs (Slapstick Theatre – Lydia)
“So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.” (Acts 16:5, NLT)
After Paul and Silas made their way to Lystra, they met a young man named Timothy. Timothy was well-known in the area and had a good reputation with the believers. Paul asked Timothy to join him and Silas as they travelled from town to town revisiting the churches Paul and Barnabas had planted and Timothy agreed. The group continued to travel through Phrygia and Galatia and then, one night Paul had a dream of a man asking him to come to Macedonia. They understood this to be a sign from God and so set sail for Macedonia and made their way to Philippi where they stayed for a number of days.
On the Sabbath, the group went down to the river where they hoped to find other believers gathered to pray. They met a group of women, and began talking to them about Jesus. One of the women, Lydia, believed them. In fact, her whole family believed what Paul told them about Jesus and were baptized. Then Lydia invited the group to come and stay at her house. Everywhere Paul went, the church continued to grow as new believers were added.
Think about it...
• On the first of their missionary journey, Paul and Silas traveled to Lystra. Who did they meet there?
• Timothy was a young man who was known and respected by the believers in the area. Why do you think Paul asked him to join his group on their missionary journey?
• Paul wasn’t always certain which towns he should share God’s message to. How did God give him direction?
• In Philippi, Paul talked to a woman named Lydia. What happened when she believed his message about Jesus?
Prayer: Thank you, God, for how you directed Paul and for the many people he was able to share with about Jesus. Thank you, too, for Timothy and Lydia’s stories and how they encourage us to talk to others about you.